Who is Jie Ni 桀溺?

Jieni was a hermit during the Spring and Autumn Period, living at the same time as Confucius.

His thought of withdrawing from society was in opposition to Confucius' idea of transforming reality. He believed that the dark side of society could not be changed, and rather than engaging in politics, it was better to withdraw from the world. 

He said, "The world is full of chaos everywhere like surging floods, and who can change it? Moreover, instead of following those who avoid certain people, isn't it better to follow those who avoid the world?" In the face of the bad things that were spreading everywhere like floods, he completely lost confidence and thought that being a "hermit who withdraws from the world" was the best choice at that time.

This idea of being a "hermit who withdraws from the world" has a certain connection with the Taoist thought of knowing when to stop and seeking retreat. His deeds and remarks can be found in "The Analects of Confucius · Weizi."