Here, jing (静) means being tranquil and focused, whereas wang (王) means “exuberant.” Together, they describe a tranquil state of mind as being a source of inspiration. This concept is used in ancient times to describe the metal state during the process of literary creation. First proposed by Jiaoran, a Tang Dynasty poet-monk (720-796?), it sketches a highly creative state of mind that enables a poet to bring out his best. The term has much in common with the Daoist ideas of “pure state of the mind” or “forgetting the difference and opposition between self and the universe,” as well as the tranquil and creative state of the mind described by Liu Xie (465?-520? or 532?) of the Southern Dynasties, which values “quiet emptiness of the mind” in conceiving a piece of writing.

When a poet is in a tranquil state of mind, he is able to give full rein to his imagination and write a stream of beautiful lines as if inspired by a divine being. (Shi Jiaoran: Poetic Styles)

In conceiving an essay, one should strive for a mental state of quiet emptiness and not let oneself be bothered by external interferences, and be relaxed and at ease just like all his internal organs are put in perfect comfort and his spirits refreshed by a thorough wash. (Liu Xie: The Literary Mind and the Carving of Dragons)