By Robert Hentschel
China, 139 BC: Liu An, the Prince of Huainan, presents a recently completed text, Huainanzi, (The Masters of Huainan), to his 18-year-old nephew, Emperor Wu. The emperor is so impressed by this gift that he includes it in the imperial library.
Liu An was a grandson of the Han Dynasty’s founding emperor. He was a dedicated Daoist, a patron of the arts and sciences, and a scholar in his own right. He took an active part in philosophical debates, and historical sources suggest that he authored many original works on topics including philosophy, literature, music, alchemy and the natural sciences.
His court at Shouchun became a prominent centre of scholarship and attracted many of the finest minds of the time. Among them were a group of Daoist sages known as The Eight Immortals of Huainan, and it was with them that Liu An wrote Huainanzi.
Huainanzi addresses metaphysical, ethical, political and scientific questions within a unified framework. It explores themes such as the fundamental nature of reality; human nature; the relationship between humans and the cosmos; personal development; and practical methods of governance. A work of profound insight, it is a comprehensive guide for understanding and navigating the world.
In our time of turmoil and confusion, leaders and citizens alike can benefit from contemplating the wisdom of Huainanzi. Consider these excerpts, as translated by Thomas Cleary in The Book of Leadership and Strategy.
On governing and society:
- The way of rulers is to live quietly to cultivate themselves and to live frugally to lead those below. If rulers live quietly, those below will not be restless; if rulers live frugally, the citizens will not resent them
- Governing a country is like weeding a garden; just get rid of the sprouts of harmful plants – that’s all
- There are ways to evaluate people. If they are in positions of high status, observe what they promote. If they are wealthy, observe what they give. If they are poor, observe what they refuse to accept. If they are of low status, observe what they refuse to do. If they are covetous, observe what they will not take. See them change difficulties and you can know their courage. Move them with joy and happiness, and you can observe their self-control. Entrust them with goods and money, and you can assess their humanity. Shake them with fear, and you can know their discipline
- When people are influenced by their rulers, they follow what the rulers do, not what they say.
On human nature and personal development:
- Put away the wine and stop the music, and the mind suddenly feels as though it has suffered a loss; it is upset, as though it has been bereft of something. What makes this happen? Using externals to amuse the internal, instead of using the internal in such a way as to make the external pleasant.
- We may see the tip of a hair while failing to hear a peel of thunder, or hear the melody of a song while failing to see a mountain. Why? A small fixation of attention results in a large measure of heedlessness.
- If you do not hide from yourself, you do not hide from others either.
- If you do not contend with anyone, no one can contend with you.
These observations are just as valid today as they were 2000 years ago. Times may change, but human nature stays the same.
Featured image: A Qing-era copy of Huainanzi (left) and a book, translated by Thomas Cleary, containing excerpts. Photos: Robert Hentschel/Banyangarden/CC/Wikimedia Commons
