This article aims to establish a close connection between biased
attitudes and the persistence of self-existence. I will argue that cheng-xin
(成心) encompasses a biased attitude of viewpoint, with the root cause of
humans clinging to their self-existence lying in the anxieties surrounding
death.
In recent research, two perspectives on the meaning of cheng-xin have
emerged. One school views cheng-xin as a limitation of cognition, while
the other sees it not only as a cognitive limitation but also as a biased
attitude of cognition. The key distinction between these perspectives is
whether cheng-xin includes emotions. However, both fail to address the
origin of cheng-xin.This paper will analyze the source of cheng-xin within the school that
argues for the inclusion of emotions. I will present three points to support
this argument. Firstly, it is more apt to understand cheng-xin within the
context of anxieties about death. Secondly, building on the first point, a
reexamination of the relationship between the anxieties of death and chengxin is warranted. Thirdly, in line with the first point, the self-cultivation
theory of wo-shen-wo (吾喪我) in Chapter 2 of the Zhuangzi can be
comprehended in a more profound manner.