Who is Guo Pu 郭璞
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Guo Pu
(276–324) A litterateur, exegete, and metaphysician of the Eastern Jin Dynasty. His courtesy name was Jingchun, and he was from Wenxi in Hedong (now part of Shanxi Province).
(276–324) A litterateur, exegete, and metaphysician of the Eastern Jin Dynasty. His courtesy name was Jingchun, and he was from Wenxi in Hedong (now part of Shanxi Province).
In the early years of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, he served as an Assistant Compiler, and later as a Military Secretary. He was killed for refusing to serve Wang Dun, a rebel. After Wang Dun's rebellion was suppressed, he was posthumously awarded the title of Prefect of Hongnong.
In philosophy, he put forward the assertion that "Things are not inherently different; they become different only through me", denying the objectivity of differences and maintaining that differences arise subjectively. He stated: "What the world calls 'different,' people do not know why it is different; what the world calls 'not different,' people do not know why it is not different. Why? Things are not inherently different; they become different only through me. The difference truly lies in me, not in the things themselves." (from Preface to Annotations on The Classic of Mountains and Seas)
He adhered to the Taoist view that wu (non-being) is the foundation of all things, advocating that "The myriad sounds are entrusted to the formless; the countless differences are contained in a single return" (from A Guest's Pride).
Starting from the view that wu is the foundation, he advocated discarding form and abandoning knowledge, embracing stillness and unrestraint, blurring the distinction between self and things, disregarding right and wrong, and unifying all things in the mystery of oneness. He said: "Those who embody wholeness become sacrifices; those who are supremely unique are not lonely. Those who disdain the world cannot attain self-realization; those who silently perceive cannot reach wu. Thus, one does not force the mind yet abandons form; one is not burdened by external things yet discards knowledge. Without dwelling in mountain caves, one achieves stillness; without roaming rivers and lakes, one lives freely. Profound insight does not rely on responding to circumstances; clear perception does not depend on brightness and breadth. One does not fixate on 'things' or 'self,' nor cling to 'right' or 'wrong.' Forgetting intention is not my intention; attaining meaning is not my concern... One does not consider an infant's death as short-lived, nor Peng Zu's longevity as long; one does not regard a autumn hair as small, nor Mount Tai as large. Mosquitoes and gadflies flow with heaven and earth; mayflies and the sacred tree share the same years." (Ibid.)
While advocating carefree seclusion, he also sought immortality. He wrote: "I soar beyond the dust of the world, bowing deeply to bid farewell to Bo Yi and Shu Qi" and "Unfettered, I roam beyond the clouds, savoring blossoms and sipping flying springs. I wander above the Red Pine Grove, riding a swan through purple mist. On my left, I grasp the sleeve of Fuqiu; on my right, I pat Hongya's shoulder. I ask the mayfly-like multitude: Do you know the years of turtles and cranes?" (from Fourteen Poems of Immortal Wanderings).
His biography is recorded in Volume 72 of The Book of Jin. A collection of his works, Collected Works of Guo Hongjia, was compiled during the Ming Dynasty. In addition, he authored annotations such as Annotations on Er Ya, Annotations on Dialects, and Annotations on The Classic of Mountains and Seas.
About the Author
Paul Peng
Paul Peng is a Zhengyi Taoist priest from Longhu Mountain, Jiangxi — the ancestral home of the Celestial Masters' tradition. Ordained at 25 after a dream from the Celestial Master, he has practiced for 25 years under Master Zeng Guangliang. He is the curator of this store, which is officially authorized by Tianshi Fu. All items are consecrated at the temple by the resident priest team.
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