The Holistic Outlook: Consideration of both Sides

The idea Consideration of Both Sides ("Jian" or "Jian Liang") was formed under the influence of the ideas Golden Mean and Balance. It meant that two opposite sides rather than one should be taken into account. Evidently, it transformed from the ideas Golden Mean and Balance and aimed to assure completeness and avoid one-sidedness.

The idea Consideration of Both Sides appeared as early as in Spring and Autumn Period. In The Analects, Confucius told his disciples, "A man with less knowledge asked me, but I did not know the answer. Then, I enlightened him by asking the two opposite sides of his question." (Zi Han) Confucius did not have the knowledge, but he helped the man to solve the problem through asking the two opposites of the question. The idea was also applied in military theory. In The Art of War, Sun Tzu stressed the necessity of considering both sides, "A wise general must take the advantage and disadvantage into account when he is deciding." (The Nine Changes) In middle and late Warring States Period, the idea had been widely accepted among Chinese and used to observe, analyze, and judge things. For instance, in Commentaries on Book of Change, the one-sided thinking manner was criticized:

Should a man be called a sage, who knows advance but not retreat, life but not death, and gain but not loss? (Hexagram Qian, Wen Yan)

And the thinking manner that considered both sides was affirmed and advocated:

A gentleman should remind himself of the danger when in safety, of fall when in rise, and of disturbance when in peace." (Xi Ci I)

A man who knows the obscure and clear, the soft (Ron) and hard (Gang), can be respected by others." (Xi Ci I)

The idea was also embodied in agricultural and medical activities. In The Annals of Lii Buwei, it was recorded, "The rule for farming is as follows. To make the hard soil soft and the soft soil hard. To farm the unused land and fallow the seeded. To fertilize the barren land and sterilize the fertile. To loosen the solid soil and stabilize the loose. To dry the wet soil and wet the dry." (Making Use of the Earth) In The Inner Canon of the Yellow Emperor, it was said, "A man who is skilled in using thin needle should insert into Yin point to lead the Qi in Yang point and into Yang point to lead the Qi in Yin point, into the left point to cure the disease in the right and into the right to cure the disease in the left." (Basic Questions, On Yin and Yang)

Philosophically, Xun Zi elaborated on the idea Consideration of Both Sides in the deepest way. Xun Zi criticized the one-sided thinking, "When human see what they desire, they forget what they dislike; when human see what benefits them, they neglect what harms them." (Xun Zi, Being Earnest) Certainly, the one-sided thinking or understanding was harmful. To avoid it, Xun Zi stated that human must consider both sides rather than one side while judging things, "When human see what they desire, they should remember what they dislike; when human see what benefits them, they should consider what harms them." (Xun Zi, Being Earnest) Xun Zi defined this "considering-both-sides" thinking as Jian (Both):

Human should count both sides and consider carefully before they decide what they desire or dislike, take or abandon, by which they will make less mistakes. [Xun Zi, Being Earnest)

Human should list both sides and make a criterion, so that the different things cannot be confused or disordered. (Removing Obstructions)

Here Xun Zi meant that human should view the question as a whole, or consider both side rather than one side to ensure they analyze or judge right. Meanwhile, Xun Zi saw "considering-both-sides" thinking as the determinative for a ruler's success or failure: "A ruler who knows all happening in his country and has time to correct mistakes masters the most effective way to rule." (Ruling the Country) "A ruler who respects and follows other's opinion will obtain all citizens' support." (The Law for Rule) Xun Zi's thought greatly impacted later philosophers.