Guo Xiang’s Metaphysics of Being and Action: On the Importance of Xing 性

Abstract

Guo Xiang 郭象 (d. 312) holds a unique place in the history of Chinese thought. The only Zhuangzi we have access to is the version heavily edited, likely changed, and perhaps even rewritten by Guo Xiang. However, his commentary on this Daoist classic is not simply an explanation of what the Zhuangzi says, and in many ways, it is not even a development of the thought found within this text—though at times it is indeed both. Reading Guo’s work reveals a complex philosophical system that critically reimagines some of the key terminologies in early Chinese thought, as well as core assumptions about what things are (being) and how they interact (action). This paper seeks to provide a sketch of Guo Xiang’s metaphysical appreciation of being and action by investigating his unique understanding of the relevant terms and their interrelation. Most scholars see ziran 自然 “self-so” as the conceptual glue that holds Guo’s complex system together. In this paper, I will argue that xing 性, which may be translated as “nature” or “natural dispositions” is more fundamental. In other words, without properly appreciating how Guo conceives of xing, interpretations of Guo’s philosophy can easily go awry.