Song-Yin xuepai 宋尹學派, The School of Song Xing and Yin Wen

The so-called Song-Yin xuepai 宋尹學派 "School of Song Xing and Yin Wen" was one of the philosophical schools of the Warring States period 戰國 (5th cent.-221 BCE). Its prominent representatives were Song Xing 宋銒 (also called Song Jing 宋徑, Song Jing 宋鋞 or Song Rong 宋榮, 385-304) and Yin Wen 尹文 (360-280). Both were scholars in the Jixia Academy 稷下 in the state of Qi 齊. The 18-chapters-long book Songzi 宋子 is lost, but from a short book called Yinwenzi 尹文子, some fragments are preserved. It might be that the chapters Neiye 内業, Baixin 白心 and Xinshu 心術 in the book Guanzi 管子 originated by Song Xing or disciples of his. According to the book Zhuangzi 莊子, Song Xing stressed the importance of objectively analysing things. In politics, Song Xing emphasised that a ruler had to make use of the best advisors, live in austerity personally, and accordingly not waste state funds, and not exploit his ministers nor his people.

Like Mozi 墨子, Song Xing warned against a war of conquest. Warfare should only be a means of defence. This is the reason why Song Xing is often mentioned together with Mo Di 墨翟 (Mozi).

Concerning the frequently discussed relation between objects and designations, Song Xing stressed that a thorough investigation of things was necessary to understand their objective existence. Only then would it be possible to give names to objects that were appropriate to their reality, and subjective perception would be excluded. All objects would then be given an appropriate designation. Appropriate designations would lead to proper standards, and with such conditions, the sage ruler could govern without activism.

This interpretation brings Song Xing in the vicinity of Daoist thought. The enlightened man would have to make himself free of traditions, to liberate things from embellishment, to get rid of the influence of others, and to be released from the dullness of the masses. The personal desires would then become less and smaller, and nobody would strive for fame and fortune.

Yin Wen studied at the Jixia Academy, together with Song Xing, Peng Meng 彭蒙 and Tian Pian 田騈. After King Min's 齊湣王 (r. 323-284) assassination, he took refuge in Guyi 谷邑 and later on went to the state of Wei 衛. Yin Wen represented the Daoist style of inactive government (wuwei 無為), which he thought would result in a peaceful realm. Military activities were reserved for defence, and the ruler had to adhere to economy and sparingness.

His interpretation of the dichotomy of appearance and designation, he stated that shape (xing 形) and appearance (shi 實) are something objectively existing, and that designations (ming 名) are a concept of pointing at those objective realities. The designations are thus derived from the actual shapes, defining matters in speech and practical activities. Action, in a responsive and confirmative way, regulates the designations. Shape is the basis for designations, and all objects must have designations, while designations can also exist that do not correspond to an existing object. Even things without a designation must have shape and colour. Anyone who desires to speak about anything in the world must first distinguish what he is talking about and objectively define things, in other words, to "rectify the names" (zhengming 正名). Only after preparing such a general base can one speak concretely about specific measures in politics.