<span class="chinese-title">莊子</span> Zhuangzi

Contrary to Lao Tzu, Chuang Tzu - 莊子 (simplified: 庄子, pīnyīn: Zhuāng zi) or Chuang Chou -莊周(simplified:庄周, pīnyīn: Zhuīnyīn:ed) is a historical figure who lived between 369 B.C. and 286 B.C. During the Han Dynasty, he was classified with Lao Tzu under the Taoist school, but this classification is not contemporary to his work. Although there are many similarities, Chuang Tzu has a distinctive Taoism, handling the topic of how to live in the world, with a strong mystic accent. His works are concentrated on the book that holds his name. Given its style, it is well accepted today that it is anterior to the Lao Tzu, at least on the current form of the Lao Tzu:

• Tao -道 (pīnyīn: Dào), Te - 德 (pīnyīn:dé) and Nature - 天 (pīnyīn: tiny) – although Chuang Tzu’s philosophy is different from Lao Tzu’s, the concepts of Tao and Te are similar. Heaven, in Chuang Tzu’s is a natural one. (莊子 - 十二。天地,『技兼於事，事兼於義，義兼於德，德兼於道，道兼於天。』, “The skill was manifested in all the (departments of) business; those departments were all administered in righteousness; the righteousness was (the outflow of) the natural virtue; the virtue was manifested according to the Dao; and the Dao was according to (the pattern of) Heaven.”).
• Change – Chuang Tzu introduces the idea that what we know as “Nature” is actually a state of movement, that is called Evolution of Nature - 天鈞 (simplified : 天钧, pīnyīn: tiān jūn). (莊子 - 廿七。寓言,『萬物皆種也，以不同形相禪，始卒若環，莫得其倫，是謂天均。天均者，天倪也。』, “Things are under different species. They undergo change from one form to another. Their beginning and end are like a circle, no part of which is anymore the beginning than another part. This is called the evolution of nature. The evolution of nature is the boundary of nature.”) (莊子 - 二。齊物論。天地, 『一受其成形，不亡以待盡。與物相刃相靡，其行盡如馳，而莫之能止，不亦悲乎！ 』, “When once we have received the bodily form complete, its parts do not fail to perform their functions till the end comes. In conflict with things or in harmony with them, they pursue their course to the end, with the speed of a galloping horse which cannot be stopped.”)
• Chuang Tzu’s moral, or the way to live in the world is to be in harmony with heaven and earth (莊子 - 十三。天道,『夫明白於天地之德者，此之謂大本大宗，與天和者也；所以均調天下，與人和者也。與人和者，謂之人樂；與天和者，謂之天樂。』, “The clear understanding of the virtue of Heaven and Earth is what is called 'The Great Root,' and 'The Great Origin;' - they who have it are in harmony with Heaven, and so they produce all equable arrangements in the world - they are those who are in harmony with men. Being in harmony with men is called the joy of men; being in harmony with Heaven is called the joy of Heaven. ”)
  • Naturality or spontaneity自然 (pīnyīn: zì rán), the notion that when things happen in their natural course, the world will be in order. (莊子 - 七。應帝王,『汝遊心於淡，合氣於漠，順物自然，而無容私焉，而天下治矣。』, “Let your mind find its enjoyment in pure simplicity; blend yourself with (the primary) ether in idle indifference; allow all things to take their natural course; and admit no personal or selfish consideration - do this and the world will be governed.'”)
  • Simplicity 素樸(simplified: 素朴, pīnyīn: sù pǔ), or living without distinction from other beings. (莊子 - 九。馬蹄,『夫至德之世，同與禽獸居，族與萬物並，惡乎知君子小人哉！同乎無知，其德不離；同乎無欲，是謂素樸。素樸而民性得矣。』, “In the age of perfect virtue, men lived in common with birds and beasts, and were on terms of equality with all creatures, as forming one family - how could they know among themselves the distinctions of superior men and small men? Equally without knowledge, they did not leave (the path of) their natural virtue; equally free from desires, they were in the state of pure simplicity. In that state of pure simplicity, the nature of the people was what it ought to be.”)
  • Chuang Tzu talks of an ideal ‘true man’真人 (pīnyīn: zhnyīn) who lives in a world of pure experience, where knowledge and the knowledge of right and wrong was not yet present (莊子 - 九。馬蹄, 『古之人，其知有所至矣。惡乎至？有以為未始有物者，至矣盡矣，不可以加矣。其次以為有物矣，而未始有封也。其次以為有封焉，而未始有是非也。是非之彰也，道之所以虧也。道之所以虧，愛之所以成。』, “Among the men of old their knowledge reached the extreme point. What was that extreme point? Some held that at first there was not anything. This is the extreme point, the utmost point to which nothing can be added. A second class held that there was something, but without any responsive recognition of it (on the part of men). A third class held that there was such recognition, but there had not begun to be any expression of different opinions about it. It was through the definite expression of different opinions about it that there ensued injury to (the doctrine of) the Dao. It was this injury to the (doctrine of the) Dao which led to the formation of (partial) preferences.”)
  • Chuang Tzu values a mild skepticism and promotes ones 'discernment' or 'wisdom' 以明. The sage is the one that is able to ponder differents views and opinions, learn from them an apply his own discernment. (莊子 - 二。齊物論『是故滑疑之耀，聖人之所圖也。為是不用而寓諸庸，此之謂以明。』"Therefore the scintillations of light from the midst of confusion and perplexity are indeed valued by the sagely man; but not to use one's own views and to take his position on the ordinary views is what is called using the (proper) light."
  • The relativity of language: Chuang Tzu relation indicates that knowledge and language interfere with the true man’s harmony with Heaven and Earth. Distinctions and intellectual knowledge interfere with our perception of the world and should be abandoned, and should be forgotten. (廿六。外物, 『荃者所以在魚，得魚而忘荃；蹄者所以在兔，得兔而忘蹄；言者所以在意，得意而忘言。吾安得忘言之人而與之言哉？”』, “Fishing-stakes are employed to catch fish; but when the fish are got, the men forget the stakes. Snares are employed to catch hares, but when the hares are got, men forget the snares. Words are employed to convey ideas; but when the ideas are apprehended, men forget the words. Fain would I talk with such a man who has forgot the words! ”).
  • Sitting in Forgetfulness - 坐忘 (pīnyīn:zuò wàng) (莊子 -六。大宗師, 『顏回曰：“回益矣。”仲尼曰：“何謂也？”曰：“回忘仁義矣。”曰：“可矣，猶未也。”他日復見，曰：“回益矣。”曰：“何謂也？”曰：“回忘禮樂矣。”曰：“可矣，猶未也。”他日復見，曰：“回益矣。”曰：“何謂也？”曰：“回坐忘矣。”仲尼蹴然曰：“何謂坐忘？”顏回曰：“墮肢體，黜聰明，離形去知，同於大通，此謂坐忘。』, “Yan Hui said, 'I am making progress.' Zhongni replied, 'What do you mean?' 'I have ceased to think of benevolence and righteousness,' was the reply. 'Very well; but that is not enough.' Another day, Hui again saw Zhongni, and said, 'I am making progress.' 'What do you mean?' 'I have lost all thought of ceremonies and music.' 'Very well, but that is not enough.' A third day, Hui again saw (the Master), and said, 'I am making progress.' 'What do you mean?' 'I sit and forget everything.' Zhongni changed countenance, and said, 'What do you mean by saying that you sit and forget (everything)?' Yan Hui replied, 'My connexion with the body and its parts is dissolved; my perceptive organs are discarded. Thus leaving my material form, and bidding farewell to my knowledge, I am become one with the Great Pervader. This I call sitting and forgetting all things.'”).
  • Fasting of the mind - 心齋 (simplified: 心, pīnyīn:xīn zhāi) (莊子 - 四。人間世, 『 回曰：“敢問心齋。”仲尼曰：“一若志，無聽之以耳而聽之以心，無聽之以心而聽之以氣。聽止於耳，心止於符。氣也者，虛而待物者也。唯道集虛。虛者，心齋也。”』, “ ' 'I venture to ask what that fasting of the mind is,' said Hui, and Zhongni answered, 'Maintain a perfect unity in every movement of your will, You will not wait for the hearing of your ears about it, but for the hearing of your mind. You will not wait even for the hearing of your mind, but for the hearing of the spirit. Let the hearing (of the ears) rest with the ears. Let the mind rest in the verification (of the rightness of what is in the will). But the spirit is free from all pre-occupation and so waits for (the appearance of) things. Where the (proper) course is, there is freedom from all pre-occupation; such freedom is the fasting of the mind.'”).
  • The ideal man is therefore the one that abandons knowledge and language - the perfect man - 至人 (pīnyīn: zhnyīn:) ; the spiritual man -神人 (pīnyīn:shnyīn:r); the sage - 聖(simplified:圣, pīnyīn:shnyī) (莊子 - 一。逍遙遊, 『至人無己，神人無功，聖人無名。』, “'The Perfect man has no (thought of) self; the Spirit-like man, none of merit; the Sagely-minded man, none of fame. ”).