An Exploration of Pre-Qin Philosophical Origins of "Those Whose Universes are Vast and Stable Emit the Light of Heaven" in Zhuangzi's "Geng Sang Chu"

Part Three: "If a Person Has Cultivated (Xiū), Then There is Constancy (Héng)" — The Constancy of Cultivation

Chapter 8: Examination of the Character "Xiū" (Cultivate)

Section 1: The Original and Extended Meanings of "Xiū"

"If a person has cultivated (Xiū), then there is persistence (Héng)." The key character here is Xiū (修).

The original meaning of Xiū is to trim, repair, or cultivate. Shijing, Da Ya (Greater Odes), Huang Yi:

"Level it and make it smooth, trim the branches and clear the thickets."

Here, Xiū refers to cultivating the land. By extension, it means cultivating oneself—nurturing or practicing.

However, in Zhuangzi's philosophy, the usage of Xiū must be carefully scrutinized. Zhuangzi criticizes deliberate, artificial cultivation (such as the cultivation of benevolence, righteousness, rites, and music), while affirming natural, non-active nurturing (such as Fasting of the Mind or Forgetting the Self). The Xiū in "If a person has cultivated" must belong to the latter category.

Why is it not the former$18 Because this Xiū follows directly from "When the Universe is Perfectly Settled, It Gives Rise to Heavenly Light." The Xiū of one who can achieve "Yǔ Tài Dìng" cannot be artificial striving, but must be a natural, effortless cultivation. This cultivation leaves no trace, has no external goal, and involves no artifice—it is simply the natural process of returning to one’s original state.

Section 2: The "Xiū" of Zhuangzi vs. the "Xiū" of Laozi

Here, we must address a fundamental question: Zhuangzi advocates "Non-action" (Wú Wéi), so isn't "Cultivation" (Xiū) a form of "Action" (Yǒu Wéi)$19 Doesn't "If a person has cultivated" contradict "Non-action"$20

This question is crucial. The answer requires distinguishing the true meaning of Zhuangzi’s Wú Wéi.

Zhuangzi’s Wú Wéi does not mean doing nothing, but rather not acting using the human mind to force things. Zhuangzi, Tian Dao (The Way of Heaven), states:

"That which is empty, still, tranquil, quiet, and non-active (Wú Wéi)—this is the equilibrium of Heaven and Earth and the utmost of Virtue and the Dao."

And again:

"By being non-active, one is honored; by being simple and unadorned, no one under Heaven can compete with one’s beauty."

Wú Wéi is not inactivity, but the absence of artificial manipulation. It is like the operations of Heaven and Earth—the sun rises and sets, the four seasons change, all things grow—these are all "actions," yet they involve no artificial human manipulation; they are all natural operations. This is "Wú Wéi."

Similarly, Zhuangzi’s "Xiū" is not deliberate cultivation but a natural process of returning to the original state. It is like a sick person recovering health—not through artificial intervention, but because the pathogenic factors are removed, and the body naturally restores its health. Zhuangzi’s Xiū is the removal of all artificial factors that obscure Heavenly Light (knowledge, desire, judgments of right and wrong), allowing the mind to naturally return to the state of "Yǔ Tài Dìng."

This aligns perfectly with Laozi Chapter 48:

"In the pursuit of learning, there is daily increase. In the pursuit of the Dao, there is daily decrease. Decrease and decrease again, until one reaches non-action. Having reached non-action, there is nothing that is not done."

The Xiū in "If a person has cultivated" is the Xiū of "daily decrease in the pursuit of the Dao"—it is not about adding anything, but about subtracting—eliminating artificial knowledge and fabrication. When subtraction reaches its extreme, the cultivation itself disappears—because cultivation itself is an artificial act. When cultivation vanishes, what remains is pure constancy—the natural operation of the Heavenly Dao.

Chapter 9: Examination of "Héng" (Constancy)

Section 1: The Original Meaning of "Héng"

"Then there is Constancy" (Nǎi Jīn Yǒu Héng)—the character Héng (恒) originally means lasting, constant, and unchanging.

I Ching, Hexagram Héng (Constancy):

"Héng. Success. No blame. Favorable to perseverance. Favorable to have a direction to go."

The commentary states:

"Héng is constancy (Jiǔ). The strong is above and the yielding is below; thunder and wind mutually assist each other, that is Hesitation (Xùn) yet acting; strong and yielding both respond—this is Héng. Héng, success, no blame, favorable to perseverance—being constant in one's Way. The Way of Heaven and Earth is constant and never ceases. Favorable to have a direction to go—when one ends, one begins. The sun and moon receive from Heaven and are able to shine long; the four seasons change and are able to complete their cycles long; the sage remains constant in his Way and the world is transformed and completed. Observe what one remains constant in, and the true nature of Heaven, Earth, and the ten thousand things can be perceived."

The core meaning of Héng is "being constant in one's Way" (Jiǔ Yú Qí Dào)—persistently adhering to the Dao. The operation of Heaven and Earth is constant and unceasing; the shining of the sun and moon is constant and uninterrupted; the changes of the four seasons are constant and orderly; the sage’s cultivation of the Dao is constant and without cessation—all are manifestations of Héng.

Section 2: The "Nǎi Jīn" (Then/Only Now) in "Nǎi Jīn Yǒu Héng"

In "Then there is Constancy" (Nǎi Jīn Yǒu Héng), Nǎi Jīn means "only then" or "at this point." "If a person has cultivated, then there is constancy"—Only when a person has true cultivation (natural, non-active cultivation) does constancy appear.

This sentence reveals a profound truth: Constancy does not exist from the beginning; it only appears after cultivation reaches a certain stage. Why$21

Because in the early stages of cultivation, the person’s state is inconstant. One day there is enlightenment, the next day the worldly mind erodes it; one moment the mind is still, the next it is stirred by desire. This fluctuation is the norm in early cultivation. Only when cultivation reaches a certain point—truly achieving the stable state of "Yǔ Tài Dìng"—can there be constancy.

Laozi Chapter 16 states:

"Returning to the root is called stillness; stillness is called returning to destiny. Returning to destiny is called constancy (Cháng); knowing constancy is called illumination."

"Returning to destiny is called constancy (Cháng)"—Only by returning to one's original nature is it called "Constancy" (Cháng). This Cháng is synonymous with Héng. Once the cultivator returns to his original nature, constancy naturally follows—it is not that cultivation brings constancy, but that returning to one's nature is constancy itself. Because the original nature is endowed by the Heavenly Dao, and the Heavenly Dao is constant and unceasing, returning to nature naturally results in constancy.

It is worth noting that in the Mawangdui silk manuscripts of Laozi, the character Cháng (常) in this context is often written as Héng (恒). Thus, Héng and Cháng were interchangeable in the pre-Qin context, both referring to the ceaseless permanence of the Heavenly Dao.

Section 3: Comparing Zhuangzi’s "Constancy" with Confucius’s "Constancy"

It is worth noting that the term "Héng" (Constancy/Perseverance) also holds significant status in Confucian classics.

Analects, Shu Ye states:

"The Master said, 'I have not yet seen a truly good person. If I could only meet a person of constancy (Yǒu Héng Zhě), that would suffice. To pretend to have what one lacks, to pretend to be full when empty, to pretend to be ample when constrained—it is hard to have constancy.'"

Confucius’s "constancy" operates on the level of moral practice—persistently practicing goodness, persistently cultivating virtue, without slackening. Zhuangzi’s "constancy," however, operates on the level of the Heavenly Dao—aligning with the ceaseless nature of the Dao.

The difference lies here: Confucian "constancy" requires continuous effort of will—reminding oneself daily to act virtuously, without laziness. Zhuangzi’s "constancy" requires no willful effort; once the state of "Yǔ Tài Dìng" is reached, constancy is natural and requires no maintenance.

Why is Zhuangzi’s "Héng" effortless$22 Because it is the "Constancy" (Cháng) of "Returning to Destiny"—a natural state following the return to one's fundamental nature. Like water naturally flowing downward—it requires no maintenance. Human nature is aligned with the Heavenly Dao; upon returning to it, constancy is as natural as water finding its level.

However, Confucius’s "constancy" is also not purely sustained by will. Analects, Wei Zheng states:

"At seventy, I could follow my heart’s desire without overstepping propriety."

When Confucius reached seventy, he could "follow his heart’s desire without overstepping propriety"—his constancy required no willful effort but was natural. This state is indeed analogous to Zhuangzi’s "Héng."

Thus, the "constancy" of both Confucianism and Daoism converges at the highest level—a natural constancy that requires no artificial maintenance. The difference lies only in the path taken to reach this state: Confucianism starts from moral practice; Zhuangzi starts from cultivation through emptiness and stillness.

Section 4: The Causal Relationship between "Cultivation" and "Constancy"

"If a person has cultivated, then there is constancy"—cultivation is the cause, constancy is the effect. However, this cause-and-effect relationship requires careful differentiation.

The "cultivation" (Xiū) and "constancy" (Héng) are not simple linear causality—one cultivates, and then constancy arrives. There is a critical transition: after cultivation reaches a certain level, the act of cultivation itself disappears, leaving only constancy.

How do we know this$23 Because, as noted earlier, Zhuangzi’s "cultivation" is the cultivation of "daily decrease" (Wèi Dào Rì Sǔn)—continuously reducing artificial knowledge and fabrication. When reduction reaches the extreme, the act of cultivation itself is reduced—because cultivation is itself an artificial act. When cultivation disappears, what remains is pure constancy—the natural operation of the Heavenly Dao.

This is like what Zhuangzi, Zhi Bei You (Knowledge Roams North), says:

"Heaven and Earth possess great beauty but do not speak; the four seasons have clear laws but do not debate; the ten thousand things possess established principles but do not explain them. The sage perceives the beauty of Heaven and Earth and understands the principles of the ten thousand things. Therefore, the Utmost Person is non-active (Wú Wéi), and the Great Sage does not act; they gaze upon Heaven and Earth."

The great beauty of Heaven and Earth requires no speech, the clear laws of the seasons require no debate, the established principles of things require no explanation—these are all naturally constant. The sage emulates Heaven and Earth, achieving a state of constancy where no action (Wú Wéi, Bù Zuò) is necessary—this is the "constancy" that remains after "cultivation" disappears.

Chapter 10: Examination of "If There is Constancy, People Abandon Him, and Heaven Assists Him"

Section 1: The Meaning of "Rén Shě Zhī" (People Abandon Him)

"If there is constancy, people abandon him (Rén Shě Zhī), and Heaven assists him (Tiān Zhù Zhī)." The meaning of "people abandon him" (Rén Shě Zhī) requires careful interpretation here.

The character Shě (舍) has multiple meanings in pre-Qin texts:

Firstly, to abandon or relinquish. As in Analects, Yong Ye: "The calf of a plow ox, though tough and horned, if one wishes not to use it, will the mountains and rivers abandon (Shě) it$24"

Secondly, to bestow or give. As in Zuo Zhuan, the advice given to Duke Wen of Jin to repay the kindness of the King of Chu, suggesting Duke Wen should prepare for future benevolence.

Thirdly, to stay or lodge. As in Zuo Zhuan, the story where Zhao Dun's attendant alerts him to a plot by checking if the wine service has exceeded three cups—a breach of propriety requiring an immediate stop.

In the context of "If there is constancy, people abandon him" (Yǒu Héng Zhě, Rén Shě Zhī), Shě should be interpreted as "to bestow" or "to give"—people will proactively grant him things or help him.

However, it can also be interpreted as "to abandon"—people will forsake or distance themselves from him. This interpretation also works. Why$25 Because the truly constant person's actions transcend common understanding, leading people to distance themselves from him. Yet, precisely because people abandon him, he receives the assistance of the Heavenly Dao.

If we take the sense of "abandonment," then "People abandon him, and Heaven assists him" forms a contrast: people abandon him, but Heaven helps him. The power of the secular world recedes, and the power of the Heavenly Dao arrives. This aligns with the dialectical relationship between Heaven and humanity.

Laozi Chapter 20 states:

"The masses are exuberant, as if enjoying a great sacrifice, as if enjoying the spring outing. I alone am quiet, without sign; simple and muddled, like a baby that has not yet smiled. Dull and unresponsive, as if having no home. The masses all have excess, but I alone seem lacking. My mind is that of a fool! The common people are bright, I alone am dim. The common people are discerning, I alone am muddled. Indifferent and vast, like the sea; drifting, like one who cannot stop. The masses all have purpose, but I alone am stubborn and crude. I alone am different from the masses, and I cherish feeding from the Mother (Dao)."

Laozi’s self-description perfectly embodies the "People abandon him" scenario. The masses are lively, but he is aloof; the masses are clear, but he is dark; the masses are useful, but he is stubborn and crude. Yet, he "cherishes feeding from the Mother" (treasuring the nourishment of the Dao). This is "Heaven assists him."

Section 2: The Meaning of "Tiān Zhù Zhī" (Heaven Assists Him)

"Heaven assists him" (Tiān Zhù Zhī)—the Heavenly Dao helps him. This "Heaven" does not refer to a personal deity, but to the natural operation of the Heavenly Dao.

How does the Heavenly Dao help people$26 Not like a personal god bestowing grace, but as the natural law of the Dao responding naturally to those aligned with the Dao. Just as water naturally flows downward—it is not because water intentionally helps the lower ground, but because it is the natural law of water. Similarly, the "assistance" of the Heavenly Dao is not a deliberate act of helping the cultivator, but the natural convergence of the Dao's power once the cultivator aligns with the Dao.

The I Ching, commentary on the Six Lines of Da You (Great Possession) states:

"Assisted by Heaven, success without blame or loss."

The commentary on the I Ching, Xi Ci Shang (The Great Treatise, Part I), explains:

"The Master said: 'Assistance (Yòu) is helping. What Heaven assists is conformity (Shùn); what people assist is trustworthiness (Xìn). To walk in trustworthiness is to contemplate conformity, and moreover to honor the worthy. Therefore, assisted by Heaven, there is success without blame or loss.'"

This explains the condition for "Heavenly Assistance": conforming to the Heavenly Dao. Zhuangzi’s "If there is constancy, Heaven assists him" aligns with this meaning—one who is constant aligns with the constancy of the Heavenly Dao, and the power of the Heavenly Dao naturally gathers around him; this is "Heavenly Assistance."

Section 3: The Dialectical Relationship between "Human Abandonment" and "Heavenly Assistance"

Between "People abandon him" and "Heaven assists him," there exists a profound dialectical relationship.

First, One Wanes as the Other Grows (Cǐ Xiāo Bǐ Zhǎng). When the power of the secular world recedes (human abandonment), the power of the Heavenly Dao arrives. This is not accidental but inevitable. If one clings to worldly approval (people do not abandon him), his mind cannot settle, and the power of the Heavenly Dao cannot converge. Only when people abandon him (or he actively distances himself from the secular world) can the power of the Heavenly Dao fully enter.

Zhuangzi, Shan Mu (The Mountain Tree), tells a story:

"A large tree on the mountain had flourishing branches and luxuriant leaves, yet the woodcutters stopped beside it but did not take it. When asked why, they replied, 'It is of no use.' Zhuangzi said, 'This tree, by being useless, achieves its natural lifespan.'"

The tree’s not being cut down (human abandonment) is precisely because it is "useless" (lacking secular utility). However, because it is "useless," it achieves its full natural lifespan—this is "Heavenly Assistance." Heaven’s assistance lies in allowing the tree to live out its complete life.

Second, "Human Abandonment" is a Prerequisite for "Heavenly Assistance." It is not that Heaven waits until people abandon the cultivator to help him; rather, only when dependence on worldly validation disappears (through human abandonment or self-distancing) can the power of Heaven naturally enter.

This aligns with Laozi Chapter 22:

"Yield and overcome; bend and be straight. Empty and be full; wear out and be renewed. Have little and gain; have much and be confused."

"Have little and gain" (Shǎo Zé Dé)—by reducing worldly things, one gains the things of the Dao. "Human abandonment" is the "little," and "Heavenly Assistance" is the "gain."

Third, "Human Abandonment" Itself is a Manifestation of "Heavenly Assistance." From a deeper perspective, the fact that people abandon the cultivator is not accidental but a design of the Heavenly Dao—the Dao causes people to distance themselves so that he can focus solely on his cultivation. The abandonment by others is a manifestation of the Dao's operation.

Zhuangzi, Zhi Bei You (Knowledge Roams North), asks:

"Must Heaven be high$27 Must Earth be low$28 Must the sun and moon compete for their course$29 Must the ten thousand things flourish$30 Is this their Way$31"

The operation of Heaven and Earth, sun and moon, and flourishing of things—all are necessities (Bù Dé Bù). Similarly, the abandonment of the cultivator by the masses is a necessity—the Dao causes it to be so, in order to perfect the cultivator’s Great Way.

Section 4: Historical Cases of "Human Abandonment, Heavenly Assistance" in Pre-Qin History

Pre-Qin history abounds with cases illustrating "People abandon him, and Heaven assists him."

Case 1: The Experience of Shun.

Mencius, Jin Xin I states:

"Shun arose from the fields, Fu Yue was taken from the plastering of walls, Jiao Ge from the salt and fish trade, Guan Zhong from the dungeons, Baili Xi from the marketplace. Therefore, when Heaven intends to confer a great office upon a man, it first afflicts his heart and mind with suffering, strains his tendons and bones with toil, subjects his body to hunger, reduces him to extreme poverty, and confounds his undertakings. In all these ways it stimulates his mind, hardens his nature, and increases his abilities."

Shun arose from the fields—humble origins, looked down upon by the world ("People abandon him"). Yet, Heaven intended to bestow a great office upon him ("Heaven assists him"), eventually making him a Sage King.

Furthermore, Shangshu, Yao Dian recounts:

"The Emperor said: 'Ah! Four Lords of the Mountains, I have been on the throne for seventy years. Can you carry on this Mandate and respectfully yield my position to you$32' The Lords replied: 'Our virtue is unworthy of the imperial throne.' The Emperor said: 'Clearly make known the obscure.' The Minister presented the Emperor saying: 'There is a widower below, named Yu Shun.'"

Shun’s father was stubborn, his mother perverse, and his brother arrogant—his own family opposed him (the ultimate form of "human abandonment"). Yet, he "harmonized with filial piety" (Kè Xié Yǐ Xiào) and was finally chosen by Emperor Yao ("Heaven assists him").

From Zhuangzi’s perspective, Shun’s experience is a typical example of "If there is constancy, people abandon him, and Heaven assists him." Shun’s "constancy" (Héng) lay in his unwavering filial piety—no matter how his family treated him, he maintained his filial conduct. This constancy was not willful effort but innate nature. Consequently, the power of the Heavenly Dao naturally converged on him, ultimately leading him to the imperial throne.

However, we must note that Zhuangzi’s evaluation of Shun is not entirely positive. Zhuangzi, Dao Zhi (Robber Zhi), includes Robber Zhi’s criticism of Confucius, which also touches upon Shun. Robber Zhi says:

"Yao was not benevolent, Shun was not filial, Yu was partially disabled, Tang deposed his ruler, King Wu attacked Zhou, King Wen was imprisoned at Youli. These six men are revered by the world, but upon scrutiny, all allowed their true nature to be corrupted by profit and forcibly reversed their innate character. Their actions are truly shameful."

Here, Zhuangzi (through Robber Zhi) labels Shun as "not filial"—because true filial piety should be natural and not cultivated for fame. This aligns with the requirement that "cultivation" (Xiū) must be effortless and natural.

Regardless of Zhuangzi’s specific critique, Shun's experience serves as a historical case study of "People abandon him, and Heaven assists him"—abandoned by the world (even his family), yet assisted by Heaven (ultimately achieving the throne).

Case 2: King Wen Imprisoned.

I Ching, Xi Ci Xia (The Great Treatise, Part II), suggests the Yijing arose during times of trouble, questioning if its creators experienced anxiety, perhaps related to the events of King Wen and King Zhou.

It continues:

"Did the Yijing arise when the Yin dynasty was declining and the Zhou virtue flourishing$33 Was it during the affairs of King Wen and Zhou$34"

King Wen of Zhou was imprisoned by King Zhou of Yin ("People abandon him"—not only rejected by the world but imprisoned by the ruler). Yet, while imprisoned in Youli, King Wen composed the Yijing, profoundly exploring the Heavenly Dao ("Heaven assists him"—Heaven provided him with the deepest insight precisely at his moment of greatest hardship).

Zuo Zhuan, Second Year of Duke Zhao, states:

"In antiquity, King Wen was imprisoned in Youli and began to compose the Zhou Yi."

King Wen’s experience is another archetype of "If there is constancy, people abandon him, and Heaven assists him." King Wen’s "constancy" (Héng) was his unwavering cultivation of virtue—even imprisoned, he never ceased practicing the Dao. This constancy gathered the power of the Heavenly Dao around him, ultimately leading to the flourishing of Zhou virtue and the decline of the Yin dynasty.

Case 3: Confucius in Distress.

Analects, Wei Ling Gong records Confucius running out of provisions in Chen:

"In Chen, the provisions ran out. His followers fell ill, and none could rise. Zilu angrily came to see him and said, 'Does a superior person also come to such an impasse$35' The Master said, 'A superior person certainly has impasses, but a petty person falls into excess when he has one.'"

Confucius wandered among the states, constantly encountering setbacks ("People abandon him"). Yet, he always believed that Heaven would not let the culture perish ("Heaven assists him"), allowing him to "firmly endure the impasse" (Gù Qióng) without falling into excess.

Of course, from Zhuangzi’s perspective, Confucius’s "constancy" still contained an element of attachment—attachment to the doctrine of benevolence, righteousness, rites, and music. This attachment itself represents "Human Light" rather than "Heavenly Light." Nevertheless, the structural spirit of Confucius's "constancy"—unwavering persistence, not changing due to adversity—shares common ground with Zhuangzi’s "If there is constancy, people abandon him, and Heaven assists him."