Opening and Closing

AnonymousBashu Publishing House · ChinaJun 2024

4.5

Word count: 978 words
Chapters: 2

Summary

The original meaning of bai he is opening and closing. Bai means to stir, he means to close and store away. "Guiguzi" holds that one opening and one closing is the universal law of how things develop and change, and the key to mastering them. The Horizontal and Vertical strategists took the way of opening and closing as the basis for adaptability and applied it in their persuasions.

Editor's review

"Bai He" revolves around the way of opening and closing in "Guiguzi," published by Bashu Publishing House in 2024. Bai is stirring and opening; he is closing, storing, and drawing in. The book treats one opening and one closing as the universal law of how things develop and change, and further grounds it in the Horizontal and Vertical strategists' adaptability and persuasive techniques. Its value lies not in fixed answers but in suggesting a sense of rhythm for observing human affairs: when to speak and when to stay silent, when to advance and when to draw back. The writing is concise and concept-dense, suited to slow, careful reading. Read alongside the original "Guiguzi" to trace the origins of its persuasive logic, and with stories of pre-Qin Horizontal and Vertical strategists to see how the art of opening and closing was put into practice. Note that such doctrines of adaptability are easily over-interpreted; readers should distinguish original meaning from later elaboration, taking its thought on assessing the times rather than treating it as a universal script for persuasion.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in "Guiguzi" and Horizontal and Vertical strategist thought
Students of history and literature researching pre-Qin thinkers and persuasive techniques
Traditional-culture enthusiasts seeking to understand the rhythm of opening and closing, advancing and retreating
Readers needing short intellectual material for book-club discussion

Not a good fit for

Readers expecting a systematic philosophical treatise or complete annotated edition
Readers treating the book as a crash course in interpersonal scripts
Beginners impatient with concept-dense classical Chinese expression

Reading tips

First clarify the original meanings of bai and he, then read the book, to avoid taking the words too literally.
For each passage, try illustrating the shift between "opening" and "closing" with a scene from life.
Read alongside relevant chapters of the original "Guiguzi" to clarify the thread of persuasive technique.
After reading, write a reflection: where are the boundaries of adaptable strategy, to prevent misuse.

About the publisher

Bashu Publishing House China · Founded in 1983

Bashu Publishing House is a publisher centered on collating and publishing classical Chinese cultural texts, with its main publishing areas covering classical literature, Eastern philosophy, ancient poetry, and educational classics. Its library currently holds 1,075 titles, including representative works such as Dream of the Red Chamber, the Preface to the Orchid Pavilion Gathering, Renjian Cihua, and Out to the Frontier, involving authors such as Cao Xueqin, Wang Xizhi, Wang Guowei, Wang Changling, Liu Xie, and Yan Yu. These reflect the publisher's focus on literary classics, poetry criticism, and philosophical readings. Its publishing character lies in working around ancient texts and canonical works, with attention to textual collation and presentation. Public information on its more detailed publishing background and series plans is limited; this introduction is based only on the library's book information.

版权信息
捭阖第一

FAQ

What exactly does bai he mean?

According to the materials, bai originally means to stir and open; he means to close, store, and draw together. The book treats one opening and one closing as the universal law of how things develop and change, and as the basis for the Horizontal and Vertical strategists' adaptability and persuasion. Understand it as a rhythm: open when one should open, close when one should close; the key is assessing the times, not mechanical application.

What is the relationship between this book and "Guiguzi"?

The book's content revolves around the way of opening and closing discussed in "Guiguzi"; it is a thematic exposition of that thought, not a separate construction. Readers may treat it as a small door into the persuasive techniques of "Guiguzi"; returning to the original afterward makes it easier to grasp the strategists' idea of opening and closing as the basis for adaptability.

What level of classical Chinese is needed to read this book?

The writing is concise but concept-dense; basic classical Chinese reading ability suffices, with annotations for obscure points. If your foundation is weak, first read a selected "Guiguzi" edition with vernacular translation; once familiar with the terms, the book will go much more smoothly, and you are less likely to misread the way of opening and closing as mere persuasive technique.

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About the author

Anonymous Author

Anonymous is not a real personal name but a general Chinese designation for authors whose names are unknown, lost, or unsigned. Neither nationality nor dates of birth and death can be verified, and available public information is limited, so the works attributed to this name are the only basis for description. The collection holds 2,078 works under Anonymous, spanning medicine, classics, historical readings, ancient poetry, classical literature, and philosophy. Representative works include The Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon: Lingshu, Mencius, The Book of Documents, Nineteen Old Poems, Complete Song Ci, and The Peacock Flies Southeast. Most of these works took shape through long transmission and editing, emerging either from collective folk creation or from authors whose names were lost over time. In ancient China, the Book of Songs, the Great Learning, and many popular storybooks and plays were signed Anonymous because their authors could not be traced. Anonymous works cross the classics, histories, philosophical writings, medical texts, and poetry; their subjects are broad, and their styles vary from archaic simplicity to clear naturalness, making them important and influential sources for understanding ancient Chinese thought, medicine, and literature.