 In another essay, “On Dispelling Self-interest” (Shisi lun), Ji Kang brings out further the ethical implications of ziran. Without self-interest means, at the very least, that one is completely open about one’s feelings and intentions. This does not guarantee moral purity, of course, but it reflects a mind no longer burdened by praise or blame, approval or censure, and other self-regarding concerns. Conversely, veiled motives and hidden feelings invariably involve calculations of cost and benefit that corrupt the mind, even if they are invested in moral ventures. Ideally, in the case of a sage endowed with a perfect nature, complete openness and purity coincide. For the majority, however, self-interest poses an obstacle to realizing ziran. From this perspective, nourishing life thus takes on a deeper ethical meaning. Although breathing exercises and the use of qi-enhancing drugs may be useful, ultimately all such effort must be directed at dispelling self-interest. To dispel self-interest and in this sense attain utmost “emptiness,” it is necessary to confront the root problem of desire.