Pre-Chin Daoism II 先秦道家 : Zhuangzi 莊子

I. Zhuangzi/ Chuang Tzu (399-295B.C.) a contemporary of Mencius, know not much about his life

The Zhuangzi : Inner chapter, Outer chapter, Mixed chapter to transcend the mundane world, yet always in the very daily lif

e stories/metaphors/images humorous, highly poetic: rarely in Chinese ancient texts language = difficult. Why?

mystical, but follows reason e.g. an apparently nonsensical remark, yet jolts the mind into a

wareness of a truth outside the pale of ordinary logic The pseudo-logical discussion/debate: starts out rational and so

ber vs. by the end reducing language to a gibbering inanity. e.g. the first two sections of his books

II. Zhuangzi’s Teaching philosophy

a direct product of his idea of Nature

Zhuangzi’s idea of “nature”: spontaneity in the state of constant flux and incessant transformati

on 無為而萬物化 (Z. ch.13)

His model, the “Pure/True man” 真人 “pure knowledge” 真知 a “companion” of Nature 與自然同體 does not attempt to interfere with nature by imposing th

e way of man on it.

II. Zhuangzi’s Model (z.ch 6) The Master 大宗師 :

“The True/Pure Man” 真人 “… The True Man of ancient times knew nothing of loving life, knew nothing of hating death. He emerged without delight; he went back in without a fuss. He came briskly, he went briskly, and that was all. He didn’t forget where he began; he didn’t try to find out where he would end. He received something and took pleasure in it; he forgot about it and handed it back again. This is what I call not using the mind to repel Dao, not using man to help out Tian. This is what I call the True Man...” “… 古之真人 , 不知說生 , 不知惡死 ; 其出不訢 , 其入不距 ; 翛然而往 , 翛然而來而已矣 . 不忘其始 , 不求其所終 ; 受而喜之 , 忘而復之 , 是之謂不以心捐道 , 不以人助天 . 是之謂真人… (Z. ch.6)

“The Perfect Man” 至人 (Z. ch.7) “Do not be an embodier of fame; do not be a storehouse of schemes; do not be an undertaker of projects; do not be a proprietor of wisdom. Embody to the fullest what has no end and wander where there is no trail. Hold on to all that you have received from Tian but do not think you have gotten anything. Be empty, that is all. The Perfect Man uses his mind like a mirror—going after nothing, welcoming nothing, responding but not storing. Therefore he can win over things and not hurt himself.” (Z. ch.7) 无為名尸 , 无為謀府 ; 无為事任 , 无為知主 . 體盡无窮 , 而遊无朕 ; 盡其所受乎天 , 而无見得 , 亦虛而已 . 至人之心若鏡不將不迎 , 應而不藏 , 故能勝物而不傷

II. “The True/Pure Man” 真人 :Life & Death as One

*** Daoism*** (Laozi, Zhuangzi) life and death as one: common at Zhuangzi’s time never glorifies death, as it is sometimes mistakenly understood E.g.Lauzi: long-lived, no danger

Zhuangzi: free-wandering (enjoy/ free/ fun/pleasure 逍遙 ) i.e. absolute spiritual emancipation and peace How to achieve?

1. to know capacity & limitations of “nature” (applicable also to human) 2. to nourish it 3. to adapt it to the universal process of transformation

That is, by abandoning selfishness of all descriptions, be it fame, wealth, bias, or subjectivity

attain enlightenment through the light of Nature: “a pure/true man” = attains “great knowledge” 大知 and “profound d

e” 至德

II. “The True/Pure Man” 真人 i.e. free yourself from any conventional values/traditions

“Alone he [I] associates with Tian and Earth and spirit, without abandoning or despising things of the world. He does not quarrel over right or wrong and mingles with conventional society…Above, he roams with the Creator, and below he makes friends with those who transcend life and death and beginning and end. In regard to the essential, he is broad and comprehensive, profound and unrestrained. In regard to the fundamental, he may be said to harmonized all things and penetrated the highest level. However, in his response to change and his understanding of things, his principle is inexhaustible, traceless, dark and obscure, and unfathomable...” (Zhuangzi 33)

“ 獨與天地精神往來 , 而不敖倪於万物 , 不之言遣是非 , 以與世俗處… 上與造物者遊 , 而下與外生无終始者為友 . 其於本也 , 弘大而闢 , 深閎而肆 , 其於宗也 , 可謂調適而上遂矣 . 雖然 , 其應於化而解於物也 , 其理不竭 , 其來不蛻 , 芒乎昧乎 , 未之盡者 .”

III. Laozi vs. Zhuangzi Only after 5th century: Daoism = Lao + Zhuang ( 老莊 )

Mencius advocates beyond Confucius; Zhuangzi advocates beyond Laozi

dao: Laozi: a vague order for nature (the world ) Zhuangz: transcendental (above the worldly)

nature: Laozi: according to dao Zhuangzi: self-transformation, dynamic, in a flux

opposite term (e.g: glory/disgrace; strength/weakness) Laozi: emphasis the tender/lower (closer to dao); ends are non-cyclical Zhuangzi: identifies both ends, ends are cyclical

The Model-man: how to live in this world??? Laozi: live/reform according to dao Zhuangzi: to “travel beyond (above)/ free from the mundane world”

IV. A Comparison of

Confucianism: full development of one’s nature, fulfilling one’s destin

y, participation in the creative work of Tian Through xue (Confucian’s idea of “education”) Become a person of ren, i.e. a junzi

Zhuangzi: Accept nature = dynamic leaves transformation to things themselves accepts such transformation process, nourish oneself to enjoy Nature i.e. free from worldly/conventional values and judgement

s

VI. Zhunagzi’s Target Audience Confucianism:

target the majority Zhuangzi:

for the minority like other mystical philosophers, it is seldom been fully u

nderstood. Some (ending) chapters are still controversial after 2000 y

ears of interpretation and discussion.

Most ancient Chinese thinkers: address to the political or intellectual elite

Zhuangzi: address to the spiritual elite.

VII. Zhuangzi’s dao –Similar to Laozi’s dao

“Dao has its reality and its signs but is without action or form. You can hand it down but you cannot receive it; you can get it but you cannot see it. It is its own source, its own root. Before tian and earth existed it was there, firm from ancient times. It gave spirituality to the spirits and to God…” (ch. 6)

“ 夫道 , 有情有信 , 无為无形 ; 可傳而不可受 , 可得而不可見 ; 自本自根 , 未有天地 , 自古以固存…”

VIII. The Book- Zhuangzi Inner Chapters, Outer chapters, Mixed Chapters

How can one live in a world dominated by chaos, suffering, and absurdity (Spring-autumn & Warring Period)?

most: to reform yourself (e.g. be a junzi), to reform the society

Zhuangzi: Unique answer: free yourself from the world free from conventional values/bias free-wandering with joy 逍遙

The Story: (Z section 23) A man named Nan-jung Zhu who went to visit the Da

oist sage Laozi in hopes of finding some solutions to his worries. When he appeared, Laozi promptly inquired, “Why did you come with all this crowd of people?” ( 子何與人偕來之眾也 ?) The man whirled around in astonishment to see if there was someone standing behind him. Needless to say, there was not.

Free from conventional values Zhuangzi:

saw the same human sufferings (war, poverty, injustice, cruelty, illness, death etc.) as any other philosophers

1. man = the author of his own suffering (we named such-&-such as sufferings)

2. fears/pain: created by oneself alone sufferings were ills only because one recognized them as suc

h one should forsake his habit of labeling things (as good/bad, d

esirable/ undesirable etc.) all the “so-called man-made ills” (products of man’s purpos

eful and value-ridden actions) = disappear = no sadness

3. All natural ills in the world = inevitable part of human life

Sufferings as a Part of Life His story: in the metaphor of the leper woman

(Z ch. 12): “when she gives birth to a child in the deep of the night, rushes to fetch a torch and examine it, trembling with terror lest it look like herself.” “ 厲之人夜半生其子 , 遽取火而視之 , 汲汲然唯恐其似己也”

BUT: how to persuade the leper woman that disease and uglin

ess are merely man-made labels that have no real validity? (e.g. death of a close relative)

A difficult task for the majority…

How to Live in the World?: Zhuangzi’s Way

The one who frees himself from conventional judgments can no longer be made to suffer!

He does NOT in any literal sense with draw and hide from the world

to do so would show that he still passed judgment upon the world.

He remains within society but refrains from acting out of the motives that ordinary men to struggle for wealth, fame, success…

Zhuangzi’s way of living in the world One should live in a course of action that is n

ot founded upon any purposeful motive of gain or striving.

Actions become as spontaneous and mindless as those of the natural world. i.e. the “pure man” 真人 becomes one with Nat

ure Zhuangzi calls it, “merges himself with Tian an

d earth and spirit” 與天地渾然同體 , = the underlying unity that embraces man, Natur

e, and all that is in the universe.

Zhuangzi’s way of living in the world wu-wei 無為

Laozi: wu-wei for attaining success ( 為無為 則無不治 )

Zhuangzi: the analogy of the artist/ craftsman

e.g. the skilled woodcarver, the skilled butcher ( 疱丁解牛 )

Zhuangzi’s way of living in the world Zhuangzi:

the metaphor of a totally free and purposeless journey

using the Chinese word, yu 遙 (to wander or a wandering) to designate the way

the enlightened man (pure/true man) wanders through all of creation, enjoying its delights without ever becoming attached to any one part of it

The Butterfly Dream (section 2) “Once Zhuang Zhou dream he was a butterfly, a b

utterfly flitting and fluttering around, happy with himself and doing as he pleased. He didn’t know he was Zhung Zhou. Suddenly he woke up and there he was, solid and unmistakable Zhung Zhou. But he didn’t know if he was Zhuang Zhou who had dreamt he was a butterfly, or a butterfly dreaming he was Zhuang Zhou. Between Zhuang Zhou and a butterfly there must be some distinction! This is called the Transformation of Things.”

The Butterfly Dream (section 2)

“ 昔者莊周夢為胡蝶 , 栩栩然胡蝶也 , 自喻適志輿 ! 不知周也 . 俄然覺 , 則蘧蘧然周也 . 不知周之夢胡蝶與 , 胡蝶之夢為周與 ? 周與胡蝶 , 則必有分矣 . 此之謂物化 .”

Life/ Death (section 6) “Life and death are fated—constant as the succession of dar

k and dawn, a matter of tian. There are some things which man can do nothing about—all are a matter of the nature of creatures. If a man is willing to regard tian as a father and to love it, then how much more should he be willing to do for that which is even greater! If he is willing to regard the ruler as superior to himself an to die for him, then how much more should he be willing to do for the Truth…

“Instead of praising Yao and condemning Jieh, it would be better to forget both of them and transform yourself with dao. The Great Clod burdens men from form, labors me with life, ease me in old age, and rests me in death. So if I think well of my life, for the same reason I think of my death.”

Life/ Death (section 6)

死生 , 命也 , 其有夜旦之常 , 天也 . 人之有所不得與 ,皆物之情 .彼特以天為父而身猶愛之 , 而況其卓乎 ! 人特以有君為愈乎己 , 而身猶死之 , 而況其真乎…興其譽堯而非桀也 , 不如兩忘而化其道 . 夫大塊載我以形 ,勞我以生 ,佚我以老 ,息我以死 . 故善吾生者 ,乃所以善吾死也 .

The Story of Wun-tun/ “Chaos” (section 7) “The emperor of the South Sea was called SHu (Bri

ef), the emperor of the North Sea was called Hu (Sudden), and the Emperor of the central region was called Wun-tun (Chaos). Shu and Hu from time to time came together for a meeting in the territory of Wun-tun, and Wun-tun treated them very generously.

Shu and Hu discussed how they could repay his kindness. “All men,” they said, “have seven openings so that they can see, hear, eat and breathe. But Wun-tun alone doesn’t have any. Let’s trying boring him some!”

“Everyday they bored another hole, and one the seventh day Wun-tun died.”

The Story of Wun-tun/ “Chaos” (section 7) 南海之帝為儵 ,北海之帝為忽 ,中央之帝

為渾沌 .儵與忽時相與遇於渾沌之地 ,渾沌待之甚善 .儵與忽謀報渾沌之德 ,曰 : “ 人皆有七竅以視聽食息 , 此獨无有 ,嘗浗鑿之 .”日鑿一竅 ,七日而渾沌死 .

What Fish Enjoy (section 17)

“Zhuangzi and Huizi were strolling along the dam of the Hao River when Zhuangzi said, “See how the minnows come out and dart around where they please! That’s what fish really enjoy!”Huizi said, “You are not a fish—how do you know what fish enjoy?”Zhuangzi said, “You are not I, how do you know I don’t know what fish enjoy?”Huizi said, “I’m not you, so I certainly don’t know what you know. On the other hand, you’re certainly not a fish—so that still proves you don’t know what fish enjoy!”

What Fish Enjoy (section 17) Zhuangzi said, “Let’s go back to your original qu

estion, please. You asked me how* I know what fish enjoy—so you already knew I knew it when you asked the question. I know it by standing here beside the Hao.”

*how, assumes/entails that I know 莊子與惠子遊於濠梁之上 . 莊子曰 : “儵魚出游從容 ,

是魚樂也 .”惠子曰 : “ 子非魚 ,安知魚之樂 ?” 莊子曰 : “ 子非我 ,安知我不知魚之樂 ?” 惠子曰 : “我非子 , 固不知子矣 , 子固非魚也 , 子之不知魚之樂 ,全矣 .” 莊子曰 : “請循其本 , 子曰 ‘女安知魚樂’云者 ,既已知吾知之而問我 ,我知之濠上也 .”

The Death of Zhuangzi’s Wife (section18)

“Zhuangzi’s wife died. When Huizi went to convey his condolences, he found Zhuangzi sitting with his legs sprawled out, pounding on a tub and singing, “You lived with her, she brought up your children and grew old,” said Huizi. “It should be enough simply not to weep at her death. But pounding on a tub and singing—this is going too far, isn’t it?”

Zhuangzi said, “You are wrong. When she first died, do you think I didn’t grieve like anyone else? But I looked back to her beginning and the time before she was born. Not only the time before she was born, but the time before she had a body. Not only the time before she had a body, but the time before she had a spirit…

The Death of Zhuangzi’s Wife (section18) “Midst of the jumble of wonder and mystery a

change took place and she had a spirit. Another change and she had a body. Another change and she was born. Now there’s been another change and she’s dead. It’s just like the progression of the four seasons, spring, summer, fall, winter. Now she’s going to lie down peacefully in a vast room. If I were to follow after her bawling and sobbing, it would show that I don’t understand anything about fate. So I stopped.”

The Death of Zhuangzi’s Wife (section 18) 莊子妻死 ,惠子弔之 , 莊子則方箕踞鼓盆而歌 .惠子曰 : “ 與人居 ,長子老身 , 死不哭亦足矣 ,又鼓盆而歌 , 不亦甚乎 !”

莊子曰 : “ 不然 . 是其始死也 ,我獨何能无概然 !察其始而本无生 , 非徒无生也而本无形 , 非徒无形也而本无氣 .雜乎芒芴之間 ,變而有氣 ,氣變而有形 , 形變而有生 ,今又變而之死 , 是相與為春秋冬夏四時行也 . 人且偃然寢於巨室 , 而我噭噭然隨而哭之 , 自以為不通乎命 , 故止也 .”