Chengzhiwenzhi in light of the Shangshu
The
present paper aims to explore the various questions that arise from our reading
of the Chengzhiwenzhi 成之闻之
section of the Guodian Bamboo
Slips.Since its initial publication in 1998, this text posed many challenges.①
It was not particularly difficult
to grasp the central ideas in this work.
We
knew that it affirmed the virtues of inwardness(nei 内) and p erseverance (heng 恒), and the importance of “bringing
somethi ng to completion ” (chengzhi 成之).We also saw the benefit of placing it within Zisi/Mencius school of thought. Yet we were troubled by the
fact that we could not make sense of several sentenc es in this text; and that
it was difficult to follow the ideas in the order they were presented.Finally
there was also this nagging question: what does chengzhiwenzhi refer to? Was it
a lost text? And how strange to have
a text to be named so!
Guo
Yi, in his recently published paper, has addressed the last question.He
proproses that we make chengzhi the end of one chapter and we nzhi the start of
the next.The division presents us a solution: chengzhi 成之 is bunch ed with shiyi/junzigui/chengzhi 是以君子贵成之 to read, “There fore, the gentleman values finishing what he sets out to do;" this allows
the two characters, wenzhi 闻之(“I have heard it said") to begin the
following chapter with a quote.②Mr.Guo has also given the
Chengzhiwenzhi a different arrangement, out of which a more prec ise reading
becomes possible.In this new light,
we can finally attempt an understanding, not only o f what the author was trying
to say, but of the text's internal logic and of its
relation to its antecedents, specifically the Book of Documents (Shangshu
尚书) and the tradition that emphasized “inwardnes
s."This paper will take Guo Yi's commentary (shuzheng) as a star ting
point.③Instead of looking for clues and insights in the
doctrines developed later in the Han and Song dynasties, it will follow
what th e original work suggests about itself－that it is consistent with the
tea chings in the Book of Documents
and that it purports to understand the Du ke of Zhou's abstruse utterances in
both the Junshi 君 and Kanggao 康诰 chapters of the Documents.The essay will also try to go beyond the
philosophical framework defined by the teachings of Zisi and Mencius and see if
Chengzhiwenzhi was part of a larg er tradition that had the Shangshu as its
source.
In
his commentary, Guo Yi suggested that we rename Chengzhiwenzhi Tianji angdachang
天降大常(“Heaven
Bestows the Great Constancies") because, he believed, the text actually began with these four
characters.④ I find this
illuminating.In fact I would regard tianjiangdachang
as the premise of this text.The first chapter states: “［Heaven
has sent down the great constancies］ so as to put human relationships into
order.Governance(zhi 制 ) constitutes the proper principle between ruler and
subject.The act of finding clarity( zhu 著) is the ideal relationship between father and son.Recognizing distinctions
(fen 分)
is the principle underlying the relationship between hus band and wife."
The
three constancies, so described, are nature's principles (what is naturally so)
not moral imperatives.They give human life a framework within which one could
fulfill one's humanity.A gentleman (junzi 君子) knows his cha rge, so he “regulates human relationships in order to fulfill heaven's
inner virtue." The petty man, on the other hand, turns his back on his
responsibilities and so “brings confusion to the constancies heaven bestowed"
on the human world.
The
author of Chengzhiwenzhi, however, was not concerned with th e question of the
petty man - what to do about him or how to stop him from raising hell - save the
remark in his conclusion that even King Wen dealt harshly with those who
violated nature's principles.Instead, he preferred to talk about those who were
intent on becoming gentlemen and those who were rulers.His discussion of
perseverance (heng) is an example.Here the author addresses only those wh o know
their moral responsibilities; so he does not question their motive, only whether
they have the determination not to give up no matter how difficult the
journey.In chapter three, he begins with a quote from the Junshi 君(Prince Sh i) chapter of the Book of Documents:“［The
Duke of Zhou 周公 sa ys to the Duke of Shao 召公］‘You
complete me (xiangwo 襄我).Th
ere are no other two counsellors who could complement one another ［and get the
job done］ like us.Is it not so?’"⑤ Th e Guodian version is at variance from what we
fin d in the Book of Documents, which has the Duke of Zhou say to th e Duke of
Shao, “You complete me.Aside from you and me, are there two other counsellors who
could complement one another so well?"⑥ The difference between the two
versions is slight if we follow Sun Xingyan's gloss, which explains xiangwo
as “you complete me."⑦ What is interesting, however, is
what the Guodian says next :“ Why ［did the Duke
of Zhou make such a comment］? He was expressing displeasure."
Displeasure toward whom? (The text does not tell us.) Toward the people
at large because they could not achieve what he and the Duke of Shao were able
to accomplish? Or toward the Duke of Shao, who was able, but seemed unwilling,
to help the Duke of Zhou to consolidate the new dynasty?
The second answer, I believe, is more consistent with the tone and the
content of the Junshi 君.In t he Junshi, the Duke of Zhou made this observation
about the people (min) :“ They do well enough
at the beginning ［of a task］，but then it becomes very difficult for them to
persevere to the end."⑧If he, Zhougong, did not have high expectations of
his people, it seemed unlikely that they could have disappointed him.The Duke of
Shao, h owever, was different.Zhougong told him in the Junshi :“
A litt le person like me feels as if I am swimming in a big river.I could only
cross the river with you at my side.Our young king has not yet assume the full
responsibility of government.Yet no one criticizes me or tells that I have not
done all I can as a counsellor."⑨The Duke of Zhou needed his half brother
to admonish him and to spur him on, without which, he insisted, the founding of
the dynasty could not be complete.
The
Guodian text, echoing this sentiment, makes a further analog y :“
［It is like］ using withered wood to stake a domain.A flagpole of
such ［wood］ is bound to snap within three years.Why? It cannot ［be
strong enough to］last.Thus the gentleman considers it important to finish what
he sets out to do ( junzi/g uichengzhi 君子贵成之)." Only after the the Zhou army had pacified all t
heir enemies and the dynasty had acquired a solid foundation could the Zhou king
s hope to hold on to their mandate - this was Zhougong's point in the Bo ok of
Documents.The author of Chengzhiwenzhi applies this
same argument to the cultivation of human character.But as the next three
chapters attest, he also believes that the depth of the ruler's cultivation
determines just how much political stability his state can afford, which in part
is a response to Zhougong's concern about just how long the Zhou dynasty could
keep their mandate.
Chapter
four explains how this works :“ I have heard it said (wenzhi ), ‘In
antiquity, those who intended on getting the service of the people persisted in
seeking to perfect themselves.’When people do not have faith in your conduct, then they
will not follow your dictates.If you cannot keep your trust, your words will not
bring pleasure.It is not possible for a man to have integrity, and, at the same
time, to have it happen that others neither obey his commands nor trust his
words." Political efficacy rests on the moral responsibility of the ruler -
on his inner virtue (de 德).No external measures could force an
agreement, certainly not for long.So chapter four says, “To
have the trust o f the people can strengthen your virtue;”
and chapter six says,“The reason why
a ruler forces his people to obedience through the threat of punishment
is becau se he has not cultivated himself.” The Guodian text insists tha t “
war and punishment signify the decline of the ruler's virtue." B10
But
why would a ruler want to take the long view if war and punishment can bring
quicker results? Why should he work on efforts intended only for the good of his
own character? What satisfaction would that bring? And since Confucius said that
a gentleman could “ never desert benevolence, not for as long as it takes to
eat a meal," there is also the daunting thought that he could never
let his efforts lapse if they were to have any effect on the rest of the world. B11
Finally, even if a person were convinced by the correctness of s uch an
approach, how does he renew his determination? What would motivate him to apply himself to his purpose with even greater conviction?
After all, when the work is
directed inward, one feels terribly alone, and under those circumstances , it is
difficult not to quit at some point.The author of Chengzhiwenzhi tries to answer these questions, but to bring his arguments
into sharper focus, one would need
to read it along side the Book of Documents .
Chapter
five of the Chengzhiwenzhi offers a clue about why the s age does what he
does.Although this part of the text is opaque, it is still possible to gauge
what the author was trying to say.The author was interested in the difference
between the nature of the sage and that of most people who were in the middle (zhongren
中人).Guo
Yi believes that the author followed the dist inctions Confucius made between
the two groups —“they are close to one another by nature b ut diverge as a result of
practice." It was also Confucius' thesis that those of superior
intelligence and those who were totally obtuse have nothing in common, except
for the fact that both “ are not susceptible to change." B12
The
author of Chengzhiwenzhi, however, was not conce rned with this question.He
focussed on the first distinction, between the sage and everyone else with
reasonable intelligence, because it was not so clear and, therefore, more
problematic.We also realize that when he discussed the difference between these
two groups, he was not interested in this question for its own sake but he was
merely making the point that the sages were superior to us.He wrote, “
We are all born with human nature, yet the sages cannot be imitated."B13 Does the sage know this about himself? Is this the reason why he chose a
more difficult path for himself? Does this also explain why he needs no
encouragement from outside? Self-knowledge propels the superior man.The author
of Chengzhiwenzhi does not really say, but
the Book of Documents is less reticent.
In
the Junshi chapter of the Book of Documents, th e Duke of Zhou, through
exhortation and blame, tried to get the Duke of Shao to aim higher and to expect
more of himself.Part of his strategy was to emphasize the difference between the
two of them and the rest of humanity.He told his brother that it was not
flippant to believe that such distinctions could exist :“
That King Wen was able to subdue and put in order the empire that had belonged
to the Shang kings was owing to his having such ministers as Guo Shu, Hong Yao,
San Yisheng, Tai Dian, and Nangong Kuo." He continued, If these men did not
have the ability to advance and dismiss men according to their worth and thereby
guide the people onto the correct path, then King Wen's beautiful virtue could
not have had any effect on his people....By the time of King Wu, four ［out of
the five men］were still alive.Later, together with King Wu and heaven's
awesome power, they slew all their enemies.B14
Zhougong's
statement implies that it was the five counsellors who made King Wen and King Wu
great.He must have exaggerated their virtue in order to inspire Shaogong to do
the same.Yet the distinguishing characteristic of these five men was no more
than this :“ they urged their kings to apply unflagging efforts( weimao 惟冒) and in this way they had done their best to let their r
uler's virtue be known.(pidanchengde 丕单称德)."B
15Chapter eight of the Chengzhiwenzhi quotes this line.A
lthough we cannot read the crucial character , it makes sense to assume it to be
a variant of mao 冒(
to make unflagging effort) because the context supports it:
In seeking your goal, if you do not feel a sense of urgency (ji 疾)
but merely rely on your knowledge and cleverness to
get there, then you are hardly any different from everyone else.In your
bravery if you are not fixed in your resolve when carrying out your action, then
others will still have doubts about you.Thus, in whatever we do, the outcome
depends on our sense of urgency (ji
疾).The
Junshi chapter ［of the Book of Documents］
states, ‘［They
told their ruler, King Wu,］ only to apply
(unflagging effort,) and in this w ay they
did their best to help him realize his virtue.' What does this mean? It
refers to the importance of
possessing a sense of urgency (ji 疾).The g entleman said, ‘Act
with a sense of urgency (ji 疾).Without
it you cannot deepen your characte
r.'B16
These
three strips from chapter eight of Chengzhiwenzhi struck m e as the most
precious find of this bamboo text.Here the word ji 疾,
meaning “
urgency " and “ anxiety ", repeated five times for emphasis, su its
our contemporary sensibility, and the Guodian author actuall y says that without
it “one is really no different from being ordinary." Yet no matter how
much appeal this idea has for us, we must somehow resist the temptation to
appropriate it for our own purposes and must try instead to understand it as a
concept of the Zhou.Luckily the Book of
Documents furnishes us plenty of material from which we might be abl e to arrive
at a more reasonable, less far-fetched, interpretation.The J unshi chapter, for
instance, expresses the idea of ji (urg ency and anxiety) in several
ways.Zhougong tells Shaogong: “We must not be comp lacent, now that we have the mandate
of Heaven.We must never cease to worry(yongyuannian 永远念) about Heaven's awesome power and the well-being of our
people."B17 He continued, "If you are always mindful(yongnian 永念) ［of Heaven's terrifying m ajesty］, then you can hold
on to its mandate and use its command to glorify our newly founded p olity."B18 He also reminded Shaogong of the dictates of K ing Wu: “To
accept and uphold Heaven's charge, we would have to inherit and int
ernalize(chengshou 承受)
the virtue of King Wen and also his sup erabundant worries (wuqiangzhixu 无缰之恤)."B19
Aside
from these individual examples, one could also say that the most conspicuous
feature of the Junshi chapter is the idea of you 忧
(worries) and ji 疾(anxiety).The piece opens and
closes with th is sentiment: “I cannot say if we are able to hold on to this good
fortune.I also cannot say that we won't end in misfortune." The speaker,
Zhougong, realized that by hammering away at this point, he might have been
perceived as unduly fussy.But he was willing to take the risk.He tells Shaogong,
“I am not clever, and so I say too much.But I do this merely because I
lament the fact that it is so hard to keep Heaven's mandate." B20
The
“Announcement to the Prince Kangshu"( kanggao 康诰) further attests
Zhougong's overwhelming feeling of unease that fortune is fleeting and things
are impermanent.Evoking the words of King Wu, he reminded his younger brother,
Kang shu, on the occasion of the latter's
enfeoffment in the eastern state of Wei, of
his enormous responsibilities: “Oh, Feng 封［Prince
Kangshu 康叔］,
my little one, be respectful and be
cautious.Conduct yourself as if some disease were in
your person.Heaven's terrifying power could be appeased when we are
sincere.
Human
conditions are easy to discern, but the people themselves are difficult to
satisfy.Thus you must apply your heart and your mind to the utmost.Do not seek
repose.Do not become too fond of idleness and pleasure.In this way you will be
able to govern the people."B21
Likewise, the Duke of Shao, in the “Announcement of Shaogong"(shaogao 召诰)instructs t he young King Cheng, “to
cultivate his virtue with great sense of urgency ( qijijingde 其疾敬德).” Why? Because “unbounded is the happiness conn ected with ［the
acceptance of Heaven's decree］, and unbounded is the anxiety ( wuqiangweixu 无砊惟恤)，and so how can the king be other than reverent?"B22
Zhougong
and Shaogong's attitude is understandable, given the precarious position of the
early Chou rulers.Both the Shangshu and the bronze insc riptions from Western
Zhou tell us that sound strategy and good timing allowed the Zhou to subdue the
Shang with relative ease.The deciding battle at Muye happened in a day.From the
conquerors' view, the outcome of this contention meant “unbounded
happiness" but also “unbounded anxiety." They worried because they knew
that t hey had only a modest armed force and that their political authority was
based o n uncertain alliances with other independent and semi-independent
states.They also knew that they were competing with the previous dynasty in
other ways - a rich religious tradition steeped in its own rituals and symbols
and the Shang rules of life and their way of life.
How,
then, can we apply our understanding of ji 疾(urgency and a nxiety) as it appears in the Shangshu to our reading of Ch
engzhiwenzhi? Chapter eight of Chengzhiwenzhi says, “With
out anxiety or a sense of urgency (ji), one cannot deepen on e's
character."B23 Anxiety here refers to one's own faili ngs —
that one has strayed or has not done one's best.The concern also extends
to other people - those who are near and far - to the world at large, and
the world that has yet to
arrive.But, as we all know, to have anxiety does not set us apart; it does not
make us nobler than the masses.All humans have worries, but few would have
constant worries.Still fewer people would be willing to do everything they could
to prepare themselves for those situations that might cause them to skid.And
only a handful of people, King Wen's counsellors, for instance, would apply
themselves, without rest, to make sure that the world is well and the people are
looked after, and that the future kings are given proper instructions about the
correct way.Their determination to persevere (heng 恒) in their e fforts (mao 冒) is driven by an anxiety that has to be superabundant (wuqiang
无 砊).And the realization of their burden adds weight and
dignity to their charact er; in this way they achieve distinction.
The
author of chengzhiwenzhi also explores a paradox, which was
suggested in the Shangshu: constant worry ( yongnian
永念) is the condition of stability (gu 固).We have already seen how he
had constructed the concept of anxiety as something inseparable and most
relevant to selfcultivation.Anxiety sharpens mental alertness and makes
one wa tchful, especially of one's own conduct.It prepares one for the
unknowable.It wo rks on the roots, which the author believes is most
important.Chapter seven of chengzhiwenzhi says, “You
can never get it if you do not seek the source
but try to tackle the ends." With regard to “words,"
the author observe s, “the gentleman (junzi) is not impressed with their
finish but values their starting point.If you do not begin with the
source or return to the origin ［and strengthen yourself first］, then even
though you might force others to do what you want to be done, they, at the end,
will not accept it ［in their hearts］ (qiangzhifuru 强之弗入)."B24
The last statement could apply to any number of things: forcing rules and
opinions on others; or telling others how to think or how to live.The point is
that if a person does not try to perfect his own character - or work on the
source - then oth ers will not enter (ru 入) his league or partake in his project. In other words, without integrity,
he might have tactics of persuasion, but his
sway would not last.
Chapter
six says, “In guiding the people, if a ruler cannot let his teaching se ep into them,
then its benefit will be superficial (fushen 弗深) ."B25A teaching that could accomplish this is able to ext end
its influence far and wide.Not only a whole country might profit from it but
also people who are born many generations later. Chapter eight tells us
more pr ecisely how the gentleman instructs.Surprisingly, this person, who is
supercharg ed with anxiety, does not fret and does not seek to assert himself;
he exhibits none of his deep
uneasiness.He is self-possessed because he finds no rest in lif e.Chapter eight
says, “
He is respectful when he guides his people, and he does
not hoodwink them.He directs them from behind with the reins (yu
御) but does not does not drag them forward (qian 牵)." Moreover , he “is
wise but settles on being second," “ is rich but groups himself with the poor and lowly,"
and “ is honored but is willing to yield himself to others."B26
This
type of paradox, so thoroughly developed in the Laozi as a
strategy or a technique of the ruler, takes on a different meaning in the
Guodian text when we consider that the man who is honored and wise has anxiety
as his basic constitution.B27 He cannot help perceiving himself as second and in want, so it is not out
of false modesty or any dark motive that he recoils.There is, however, a final
paradox: self-perception as such is the mark of superiority, and those who have
it, Zhougong 周公,
for instance, know it.
Chapter
two of chengzhiwenzhi suggests that such paradoxes have
their basis in Heaven's heart (tianxin 天心).In other words, the se paradoxes best describe Heaven's
way.In this section, the author begins by asking the question, "Why did the
“Great Yu" ( dayu 大禹) chapter say, ‘I reside in Heaven's m ind?'" H e then explains: “This
means, I am here and, therefore, I reside in Heaven's mind." Parts of what
follows are difficult to read, but it seems to say, it is important to have
restraint and to stay away from contention: “
When others are fighting for a boat
to ferry across a river, it is best to be last, not firs t.When debating with
others, it is best to know when to stop and not to insist o n winning."
I
believe that it would be a mistake to understand “
Heaven's mind" (ti anxin) as anything but what is presented in the
Chengzhiwenzhi .Professor Li Xueqin thought that the “ Great Yu" ( dayu 大禹 ) text might be the lost “ The Counsels of the Great Yu" (dayumo
大禹谟).B28 Until stronger evidence emerges, it is probab ly wise not to muddle up
this concept of tianxin 天心 with the sp urious version of the Dayumo, much less Zhu
Xi's reading of the renxin 人心(human mind) and daoxin 道心(mind of the Way) secti on of
this highly suspect text.In fact, an initial comparison of the concept of
tianxin in the Chengzhiwenzhi with Zhu Xi's discus sion of renxin and daoxin, in
both his commentary to the Dayumo and his preface to the Doctrine of the Mean
(zhongyong), shows fundamental disagreements between them.
Zhu
Xi 朱熹 in the commentary to the
Dayumo (“
Counsels of the Great Yu")
refers to the “ human mind" (renxin) as something th at was born out of our body and
qi, and “ the mind of the Way" (daoxin)
as something that originated from ou r inherent moral principles ( yili
义理).According to his for mul ation, one has its basis in our selfish desires
and the other in our sense of impartiality.B29 His preface to the Doctrine of the
Mean (zhongyong 中庸)makes this further distinction:
I have said in the past that the spirit ( xulin g虚灵) and the consciousness
(zhijue 知觉) of the mind are ultimately
one.Yet there is a difference between the human mind (renxin
人心) and the mind of the Way (daoxin 道心).One has its bas is in the selfish tendencies of our body and qi (
xingqizh isi 形气之私),
and the other has its basis in the correctness of our origi nal nature
(xingmingzhizheng 性命之正).As
a result, we have two types of
cognition.One makes us feel restless and on the verge of tottering (
weidai/er/buan 危殆而不安) and the other allows us to see the subtle and the nearly
imperceptible (wei miao/er/nanjian 微妙而难见).B30
Compared
with Zhu Xi's teachings, the Chengzhiwenzhi never regar ded the mind (xin 心) as having two kinds of cognition - one tha t gives us
restlessness and anxie
ty,
and the other that allows us to see the subtle and the imperceptible.In fact, it
would say that our fretting about the uncertainties of life and the possibility
of our faltering forces us to see the world and ourselves in a clearer light;
and it also galvanizes us to work harder and to do better.In other words,
because we have human perception (renxin), we can, throu gh effort, approach
having Heaven's perception (tianxin). Chapte r two says, “I
am here, and, therefore, I reside in Heaven's mind.(yuzh ici/er/zhaiyutianxinye 余之此而宅于天心也)."
It
is interesting to consider this position in light of Xunzi's 荀子，who was born around the time the Guodian texts were
being circulated.As many scholars have noted, the famous line from the Dayumo (“
Counsellors of the Great Yu") - that “the mind of man is anxiously on guard (renxinweiwei 人心惟危) while the
mind of the Way is subtle and indiscernible (daoxinweiwei 道心惟微)"
- was probably lifted out of Xunzi's work on “
Dispelling Obsessi ons" (jiebipian 解蔽篇).In Xunzi's essay, this statement appears a s a quote from the Classic on
the Way ( daojing 道 经), and the a uthor adds this comment: “
Only the enlightened gentleman is able to recognize the first signs of a crisis (wei 危); he is also the one wh o has insight into the subtlety of things (wei 微)." The Qing sc holar, Ruan Yua n 阮元, gave these words of Xunzi a careful gloss.He probably realized that Xunz
i was trying to articulate a difficult and important point.The strategy Ruan Yua
n followed was “ to use Xunzi to speak about Xunzi."B31
In
his own explanation of the idea that "the mind of man is anxiously on guard
while the mind of the Way is subtle and indiscernible," Xunzi 荀子 stated,
In the past when Shun put
the world in order, he did not issue individual pronouncements, yet everything
was brought to completion.This was because he gave full attention to his
anxieties and so was prepared ( chuyiweizhi
处一危之).Consequently peace and prosperity filled every cor ner (
qirongmance 其荣满侧).He
also cultivated a subtlety of the mind
(yangyizhiwei ), which was also splendid but impossible to d iscern
(rongyi/er/weizhi 荣矣而未之).B32
Ruan
Yuan, in his own commentary, stressed that it was Shun's 舜 anxiety and readiness that brought about peace and
prosperity.He was also interested in what Xunzi had said about Shun's additional
mark of splendor, which cannot be known unless one is enlightened. He pointed to
a story Xunzi told in the same essay about a man named Ji, who was good at
solving riddles and at thinking.Ji lived in a stone cave because “
if the desires of his eyes or ears were aroused, his th oughts became
distracted, and if he heard the buzzing of mosquitoes or flies, it
destroyed his concentration." Xunzi asked, “ If such a man had been reflecting on
the meaning of humanity (ren 仁), could we say that, in fact , he could have attained subtlety?"
What is implied
in Xunzi's rhetorical questi
on is that an understanding of human relations and their fulfillment requires
a subtle
mind.Those who ponder this question in a stone cave could never get it.Cu t off
from desires and protected from distractions, they might be able to solve
riddles but not questions concerning human characters, which resist any
tidy app roach.
But
what is a subtle mind? Who has it? And how does one cultivate it? Xunzi claimed
that Shun had it although its glory is unknown to ordinary perception.What about
Zhougong? If we apply Xunzi's criteria in the Jiebi
解蔽 chapter, the Zhougong 周公 of Shangshu 尚书,
was only half a
Shun 舜.He
“
gave full atten tion to his anxieties and so was prepared, and peace and
prosperity filled every corner."
The Chengzhiwenzhi took this half and applied it to cu ltivation.So its
thesis reads like this: an extraordinary man is burdened with anxiety,
and he l ets it drive him to perfect himself.(This approach is very close to
Mencius' in his passionate
retelling of the Shun story.B33) But does this man have
subtlety? Among the distinctions
Xunzi made in his teachings, the word
“subtlety"
(wei微) refers to the difficulty of
findi ng what is appropriate —
what will suffice, a sudden rightness (yi 义) - while accep ting that fact
that we have energy, life, and consciousness.B34
Thus he says, “ The sage follows his desires, satisfies his emotions, and lets reason (li)
put them into order."B35
As a thinker , the author of Zhengzhiwenzhi never reached Xunzi's level.He did not have Xunzi's acumen; he did not attempt to
explore the mysterious workings of the mind; and his arguments do not have the
immediacy we find in Xunzi's.But he recognized the significance political
exhortations had for moral cultivation.And he saw moral goodness as the result
of having confronted life's uncertainties with courage and caution, and
determination.
Could
Xunzi have read the Chengzhiwenzhi? Until we have more mat erial support, any
speculations would be moot.A more valid question to ask is th is: what exactly
did the Chengzhiwenzhi add to our knowledge of
the Warring States philosophers? For one thing, we can now say with
greater assurance that these philosophers agreed on certain fundamental
assumptions even though they might have said unkind things about one another.B36We also know more precisely what these assumptions were.In the case of
Xunzi and Mencius, for instance, we observe that their narratives of Shun were
different.The Shun in Xunzi had a powerful sense of impending danger while the
Shun in Mencius was overwhelmed by a deep anxiety that he had not done his best
to perfect his nature.The Chengzhiwenzhi
showed us that Xunzi's and Mencius' worries could have
both originated in the Duke of Zhou.
(作者为美国耶鲁大学历史系讲师)
注 释：
①I am referring to the
version Professor Qiu Xigui 裘锡圭 proposed in Guodianchumuzhujian3
郭店楚墓竹简(The Chu b amboo slip s of Guodian) ( Beijing: Wenwuchubanshe
文物出版社， 1998), pp.167—170.See als o Prof.Qiu's discussion in his notes of the
problems he encountered in trying to make sense of this text.
②Guo Yi 郭沂, Guodianchujian/chengzhiwenzhipian/shuzheng 郭店楚简成之闻之篇疏证(A
commentary on the Chengzhiwenzhi cha pter of the Guodian bamboo slips) in
Guodianchujianyanjiu 郭店楚 简研究(Studies in Guodian bamboo slips), edited by Jiang
Guanghui 姜广辉
et al, Zhongguozhexue 中国哲学, no.20 (Shenyang: Liaoningjiaoyuchubansh e 辽宁教育出版社，1999), 281—5.
③Throughout this paper, I have followed Guo Yi's rearrangement of Chengzhiwenzhi.The chapter numbers are all