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.