Zhuangzi’s Jie Xin解心 (Untangling the Heartmind) and the Wisdom of Biomimicry : An Innovative Approach to Humanity, Nature, and Technology for the 21st Century

Wang, Robin R. (author)

Zhuangzi employs the term jie 解 (untangling, dissecting, releasing, unravelling) in both jie xin 解心 (untangling the heartmind) and jie niu 解牛 (dissecting the ox). This concept embodies Zhuangzi’s philosophy of achieving clarity and balance by aligning with the natural order rather than resisting it. This philosophical spirit resonates with the wisdom of biomimicry, which draws on nature’s time-tested systems as models for addressing hu­man challenges. Both Zhuangzi’s 解心 and biomimicry involve observing and emulating natural forms, processes, and patterns to produce new products and practices attuned with nature’s living forces. This approach advocates integrating the natural world into human practices—not exploiting nature, but treating it as a teacher and guide rather than merely a resource. Such perspectives and practices offer a pathway toward sustainable innova­tion, ecological balance, and synchronized coexistence in the 21st century.

• Language: English
• Keywords: jie xin 解心 (untangling the heartmind), jie niu 解牛 (dissecting the ox), Biomimicry, miaoji 妙技 (subtle technique), shen 神 (spirit)
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FF - Faculty of Arts
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Publication date: 09.01.2026
• Number of pages: Str. 39-63
• Numbering: Vol. 14, no. 1
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-178325
• ISSN: 2232-5131
• eISSN: 2350-4226
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4312/as.2026.14.1.39-63
• Publication date in RUL: 23.01.2026

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Asian studies
• Publisher: Znanstvena založba Filozofske fakultete, Znanstvena založba Filozofske fakultete, Založba Univerze v Ljubljani
• ISSN: 2232-5131
• COBISS.SI-ID: 265206272

Licences

• License: CC BY-SA 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/
• Description: This Creative Commons license is very similar to the regular Attribution license, but requires the release of all derivative works under this same license.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Title: Zhuangzijevo delo Jie Xin解心 (Razpletanje srca in uma) ter modrost biomi-mikrije : inovativen pristop k človeštvu, naravi in tehnologiji za 21. stoletje

Abstract

Zhuangzi uporablja izraz jie 解 (razpletanje, razčlenjevanje, sproščanje, razpletanje) tako v jie xin 解心 (razpletanje srca in uma) kot v jie niu解牛 (razčlenjevanje vola). Ta kon-cept uteleša Zhuangzijevo filozofijo doseganja jasnosti in ravnovesja z usklajevanjem z naravnim redom namesto z upiranjem njemu. Ta filozofski duh je v sozvočju z modrostjo biomimikrije, ki črpa iz preizkušenih sistemov narave kot modelov za reševanje človeških izzivov. Tako Zhuangzijev jie xin kot biomimikrija vključujeta opazovanje in posneman-je naravnih oblik, procesov ter vzorcev za ustvarjanje novih izdelkov in praks, usklajenih z živimi silami narave. Ta pristop zagovarja vključevanje naravnega sveta v človeške prakse – ne izkoriščati naravo, ampak jo obravnavati kot učiteljico in vodnico, ne le kot vir. Takšne perspektive in prakse ponujajo pot k trajnostnim inovacijam, ekološkemu ravnovesju ter usklajenemu sobivanju v 21. stoletju.

• Keywords: jie xin 解心 (razpletanje srca in uma), jie niu 解牛 (razrezovanje vola), biomimikrija, miaoji妙技 (subtilna tehnika), shen神 (duh)