Who is He Guanzi 鹖冠子？

He Guanzi 鹖冠子(c. 300–220 BCE)
A Daoist philosopher at the end of the Warring States Period, He Guanzi was a native of Chu who 隐居(lived in seclusion) in remote mountains, wearing a hat adorned with 鹖 bird feathers (hence his name).

Political Views
He opposed monarchical dictatorship and advocated selecting virtuous officials to govern jointly while satisfying the basic livelihood needs of the people, ensuring that "the cold receive clothing, the hungry receive food, the wronged obtain justice, and the laborers find rest" (He Guanzi · Tian Ze; citations below refer to chapters only).

Philosophical Ideas
Philosophically, he expanded on Laozi’s concept of "the Dao generates the One," stating: "From the One comes qi (vital energy), from qi comes intention, from intention comes design, from design comes names, from names comes form, from form comes affairs, and from affairs comes order. Order gives rise to time, time establishes the existence of things. Thus, qi accumulates to form time, order accumulates to form cycles, cycles accumulate to form achievements, achievements accumulate to form gains/losses, gains/losses accumulate to form good/evil fortunes, and all things accumulate to form victory/defeat. Everything originates from qi, connects to the Dao, is regulated by affairs, governed by time, distinguished by names, and completed by laws" (Huan Liu). Here, his "One" essentially refers to qi or the Dao, as he asserts: "Heaven and earth are formed from primordial qi (元气), and all things rely on heaven and earth" (Tai Lu). Though he sometimes regarded "Heaven" as the supreme category ("Heaven is the foundation upon which all things exist" — Dao Duan), he clarified that heaven itself is qi: "Heaven is the source from which all qi emanates" (Tai Lu).
While upholding Daoist ontology, he emphasized "the Dao follows nature" (道法自然), advocating: "People act without waiting for orders, move without being directed, and fulfill their duties without coercion from above" (Tian Ze). He also stressed "adaptation" (因), or following natural laws: "Fields cannot grow grain without adapting to terrain; governance cannot form customs without adapting to the people" (Neng Tian).

Dialectics and Contradiction
He inherited Laozi’s dialectics, proposing: "Qi inherently brings both benefit and harm; categories inherently lead to both success and failure" (Huan Liu), affirming the existence of contradictions in things. He acknowledged the absoluteness of opposition and motion: "Gains and losses cannot coexist; success and failure are mutually exclusive" (Shi Bing), and "Change is constant, never ceasing" (ibid.). Meanwhile, he recognized the unity of opposites: "Yin and yang are different energies, yet they harmonize; sour, salty, sweet, and bitter tastes are opposite, yet they all contribute to flavor; the five colors differ, yet they all create beauty; the five tones vary, yet they all produce harmony" (Huan Liu).
Influenced by Zhuangzi, he embraced the idea of the "Perfect Man" (至人) who transcends worldly concerns: "The Perfect Man discards 外物，dwelling solely with the Dao. He follows fate, moving with the times. Who can fathom the cycles of rise and fall, life and death? Serene and profound, who can perceive his flaws? Misfortune is the harbinger of fortune; fortune conceals misfortune. They revolve like a ring, chaotic and intertwined, appearing as one. Who can discern their patterns? Only sages can grasp their essence" (Shi Bing). He also idealized the "era of supreme virtue" (至德之世), a primitive, unspoiled state: "In the height of virtue, mountains have no paths, rivers no bridges; people do not travel or trade. Why? They are as innocent as infants. The wise do not deceive, the strong do not dominate. One can peer into bird nests and tether wild 麋鹿 (elk)" (Bei Zhi).

Eclectic Thought
His philosophy was eclectic, incorporating ideas from legalists (刑名), strategists, and fatalists alongside Daoism. The Hanshu · Yiwenzhi (Book of Han) listed one chapter of He Guanzi under Daoist works. Liu Xie of the Southern Dynasties praised it in Wenxin Diaolong: "He Guanzi’s teachings are profound, repeatedly revealing deep insights." The Sui Shu · Jingji Zhi (Book of Sui) recorded three volumes of He Guanzi, which were also listed in Tang and Song dynasty bibliographies. Tang scholar Han Yu noted in Reading He Guanzi: "Nineteen chapters blend Huang-Lao thought with legalist principles. The 'Four Inspections and Five Perfections' in Boxuan Pian are profound. If its author had lived in a favorable era, applying his ideas to the state would have brought great merit!" Since Liu Zongyuan of the Tang Dynasty, some scholars have questioned its authenticity, though no credible evidence supports this claim.