The philosopher Hui Shi’s (370?-310? BC) approach to commonality and difference among things was to unite them, regarding commonalities and differences as relative. There are bound to be small or great similarities and differences between any two concrete things. If we look at them from the point of view of commonality, all things have something in common, so they can be said to be similar. If we look at them from the point of view of difference, no two things are completely the same, so they are all different. Whether things are in common or different depends on the perspective from which we look at them. This led Hui Shi to determine that commonalities and differences are not separate; that is, they are unified.

There are big commonalities and small differences, or small commonalities and big differences between things, and these are known as the “minor commonality and difference.” When things are totally identical or totally different, this is known as the “major commonality and difference.” (Zhuangzi)