What are Fullness and Emptiness in Taoism? 什么是盈虚
Paul PengWhat are Fullness and Emptiness in Taoism?
It refers to the prosperity and decline of all things. The Appended Remarks of the I Ching in the Hexagram of Abundance states: When the sun reaches its zenith, it begins to set; when the moon is full, it starts to wane. Heaven and earth undergo fullness and emptiness, waxing and waning with time—how much more so for humans, and even for ghosts and gods? All things in heaven and earth transform from fullness to emptiness and then from emptiness back to fullness as time elapses. The Autumn Floods chapter of the Zhuangzi states: Understanding fullness and emptiness, one rejoices not in gain and grieves not in loss, knowing that fate is inconstant. It holds that gain and loss, life and death of all things in the world each have their destined lot, and thus humans should conform to the natural changes of fullness and emptiness.
What are Fullness and Emptiness in Taoism?
Cheng Xuanying of the Tang Dynasty further elaborated on this thought: If the way of heaven entails fullness and emptiness, how can human affairs be free of gain and loss? Therefore, perceiving the transformations of fullness and emptiness and comprehending the principle of gain and loss, one will see that sudden gain is a matter of timing, not worthy of joy; accidental loss is a matter of fate, not worthy of sorrow.
Since Taoism pursues longevity and eternal vision, Zhuangzi’s view of fullness and emptiness was transformed into a cultivation theory of seeking fullness through emptiness and preserving prosperity and peace by maintaining balance. The Preserving Fullness section of the Nine Observances in the Seven Bamboo Slips in the Cloudy Satchel states: The Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors had a warning vessel called the Warning Zun. When it is upright, it remains steady; when it is full, it overturns. All things decline when they reach their prime: the sun shifts after its zenith, the moon wanes after it is full, and joy ends in sorrow. Hence, the wise and intelligent should uphold foolishness; the erudite and eloquent, modesty; the brave and powerful, reverence; the noble and wealthy, frugality; those who bestow virtue upon the world, humility. These five principles are how the ancient kings governed the world. Those who practice this way do not seek fullness—and precisely because they do not seek fullness, they can remain unspoiled and avoid excessive renewal.
