Bei Yi (or Pi Yi) was a man from the time of Emperor Yao. Yao’s teacher was Xu You; Xu You’s teacher was Nie Que; Nie Que’s teacher was Wang Ni; and Wang Ni’s teacher was Bei Yi.
Once, Nie Que asked Bei Yi about the Dao. Bei Yi said:
“Straighten your form, unify your gaze, and the harmony of Heaven will arrive. Restrain your intellect, unify your deliberation, and the Spirit will come to dwell within you. Virtue will become your beauty, and the Dao will become your home. Let your eyes be like those of a newborn calf, seeking no cause or reason.”
Before Bei Yi had finished speaking, Nie Que fell asleep. Bei Yi was greatly delighted. He walked away singing:
“His form is like a withered skeleton, his mind like dead ashes. He truly possesses knowledge yet relies on no old habits. Holding himself in a state of dimness and obscurity, he has no scheming mind and cannot be plotted with. What kind of man is this!”
Note
The Lineage of Sages (The Transmission of the Dao)
- Bei Yi, Wang Ni, Nie Que, Xu You, Yao: This passage outlines a mystical lineage of teachers and students stretching from the legendary Emperor Yao back to the obscure sage Bei Yi.
- Yao: One of the legendary “Sage Kings” of ancient China, revered for his virtue and for abdicating the throne to a worthy successor rather than passing it to his son.
- Xu You: A famous hermit who refused Yao’s offer to take the throne. In this text, he is positioned as a student of the reclusive tradition, linking imperial power to hermit wisdom.
- Nie Que & Wang Ni: Figures often appearing in the Daoist classic Zhuangzi. They represent seekers of truth who are learning to shed conventional human logic.
This lineage suggests that true wisdom (the Dao) is transmitted not through books or government, but through a direct, personal line of reclusive masters who stand outside of political power.
“Newborn Calf”
A calf has no preconceived notions, judgments, or past experiences. It sees the world purely as it is. Bei Yi advises Nie Que to return to this state of primal innocence, free from the “causes and reasons” (intellectual analysis) that clutter the adult human mind.
“Withered Skeleton” and “Dead Ashes”
These are classic metaphors found in the Zhuangzi. They do not imply physical death, but a spiritual state where ego, desire, and emotional turbulence have been completely extinguished. The body remains, but the “self” that causes trouble is gone.
“Dimness and Obscurity”
A state of being unnoticeable and unintelligible to the worldly mind. A true sage does not shine brightly to attract fame; they remain hidden and obscure, which protects their integrity.
“Cannot be plotted with”
Because the sage has no personal ambition, desire, or fixed plans, no one can manipulate them or draw them into schemes. They are immune to political intrigue because they possess “no mind” (Wu Xin) for such things.
Nie Que falling asleep
- In a normal context, falling asleep while a teacher speaks is rude. However, in Daoism, this is the highest compliment.
- Nie Que understood the teaching so profoundly that his intellectual mind shut down immediately. He entered the state of “oneness” and tranquility that Bei Yi was describing while listening. His sleep was a manifestation of enlightenment, not boredom.
- Bei Yi sings because he recognizes that his student has instantly grasped the essence of the Dao, transcending the need for further words.
被衣者，尧时人也。尧之师曰许由，许由之师曰啮缺，啮缺之师曰王倪，王倪之师曰被衣。啮缺问道乎被衣，被衣曰：“若正汝形，一汝视，天和将至。摄汝知，一汝度，神将来舍，德将为汝美，道将为汝居。汝瞳焉如新生之犊，而无求其故。”言未卒，啮缺睡寐，被衣大悦，行歌而去之，曰：“形若槁骸，心若死灰，真其实知不以故，自持媒媒晦晦，无心而不可与谋，彼何人哉！”
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