Daoist Figures: Yu Ai 庾敳

Yu Ai
(262–311) A metaphysician of the Western Jin Dynasty. His courtesy name was Zisong, and he was from Yanling in Yingchuan (now in Henan Province).

He initially served as the Prefect of Chenliu, then was promoted to the position of Court Gentleman of the Ministry of Personnel. He later joined the military staff of Sima Yue, the Prince of Donghai and Grand Tutor, and was transferred to Military Advisor and Libationer. He was killed during the rebellion of Shi Le.

He was fond of the doctrines of Zhuangzi and "indulged his thoughts beyond worldly affairs." During his tenure in office, "he never let official matters trouble his mind, remaining calm and carefree, merely finding ease in detachment. Among the crowd, he stood out with a sense of independence" (The Book of Jin·Biography of Yu Ai).

In philosophy, he adhered to Zhuangzi’s relativism and fatalism, and pursued metaphysical emptiness:

(1) He regarded the relativism that merges all things into one as the highest truth, believing that opposing things such as honor and disgrace, existence and extinction have no fundamental qualitative determination. He stated: "The ultimate principle returns to unity; honor and disgrace are inherently interconnected. Since existence and extinction are equally balanced, what is there to lament when life ends!" (Fu on Intent).

(2) He advocated fatalism, saying: "All things were determined from the very beginning (before existence); they await the arrival of time to be verified. Just as the four seasons alternately replace each other, how can what is current last forever? Moreover, what is the difference between longevity and premature death? Perhaps it is just excessive attachment. The origin of all lineages is ultimately indistinguishable; great virtue transcends personal wishes. All living beings are governed by the divine; fools and sages are merely shaped by their inherent nature" (ibid.). He emphasized that "all things were determined from the very beginning," arguing that the fate of humans and things was fixed even before the formation of heaven and earth ("the beginning before existence") and could never be changed, only gradually unfolding over time—this he called "awaiting the arrival of time to be verified." He attributed fatalism to theism, believing that the force that "determined all things from the very beginning" was the divine: "All living beings are governed by the divine."

(3) He pursued metaphysical emptiness and advocated "wandering in the realm of profound vastness." He wrote: "The true person discards all impure burdens; their nature is boundless and without limit. They roam freely in the courtyard of the vast cosmos, entrusting their body to the mansion of silence. Heaven and earth are shorter than a day’s life; a hundred million generations are briefer than the first dawn. Looking upon the universe, it seems tiny, as small as half a blade of grass. Wandering in the realm of profound vastness, they delve into the deep and unobstructed, without attachment. Merging with nature as one, they dissolve and disperse like liquid" (ibid.).

He put forward the theory of preserving emptiness, holding that nobility, profit, and beautiful things are meaningless, and only emptiness and metaphysical remoteness are the ideal destination. He stated: "Nobility is not worth glory, profit is not worth longing for; excessive prosperity leads to decline, extreme joy leads to sorrow. The inevitable end is clear—how can circumstances defy it? People only know how to advance but forget how to retreat... The recluse preserves emptiness, looking up to and delving into the metaphysical and remote" (Admonition to Recluses).

His biography is recorded in Volume 50 of The Book of Jin. He originally had a collection of 5 volumes, which is now lost. Some of his works are compiled in Volume 36 of Complete Prose of the Jin Dynasty.