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"

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.