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Zhuangzi

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Zhuangzi

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What's driving coverage of Zhuangzi right now?

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Where does Zhuangzi rank?
History
Greatest ancient philosophers of the East
8 candidates · 490 votes · vote on the order

Zhuangzi across IJR

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Overview

The Zhuangzi (Chinese: , historically romanized Chuang Tzŭ) is an ancient Chinese text from the late Warring States period (476221) containing stories and anecdotes that exemplify the carefree nature of the ideal Taoist sage. Named for its traditional author, "Master Zhuang" (Zhuangzi), the Zhuangzi is one of the two foundational texts of Taoism, along with the Tao Te Ching. The Zhuangzi consists of a large collection of anecdotes, allegories, parables, and fables that are often humorous or irreverent. Its main themes are of spontaneity in action and of freedom from the human world and its conventions. The fables and anecdotes in the text attempt to illustrate the falseness of human distinctions between good and bad, large and small, life and death, and human and nature. While other ancient Chinese philosophers focused on moral and personal duty, Zhuangzi promoted carefree wandering and becoming one with the "Way" by following nature. Though primarily known as a philosophical work, the Zhuangzi is regarded as one of the greatest literary works in Chinese history, and has been called "the most important pre-Qin text for the study of Chinese literature". A masterpiece of both philosophical and literary skill, it has significantly influenced major Chinese writers and poets for more than 2000 years from the Han dynasty (206AD220) to the present. History

From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Notable quotes

“The great bird rises on the wind to a height of a thousand miles. What does it see from on high there in the blue? Is it droves of wild horses galloping? Is it primeval matter whirling in atomic dust? Is it the exhalations that give birth to all things? Is it the blue of the sky itself, or is it only the colour of infinite distance?”
— Ch. 1 (tr. Anthony Watson-Gandy and Terence Gordon, from the French of René Grousset, 1952)
“Forget the years, forget distinctions. Leap into the boundless and make it your home!”
— Ch. 2 (tr. Burton Watson, 1968 )
“He who pursues fame at the risk of losing his self is not a scholar.”
— Ch. 6 (tr. Lin Yutang, 1942)
“For all men strive to grasp what they do not know, while none strive to grasp what they already know; and all strive to discredit what they do not excel in, while none strive to discredit what they do excel in. This is why there is chaos.”
— Ch. 10 (tr. Lin Yutang, 1942)
“You cannot speak of ocean to a well-frog.”
— Ch. 17 莊子/秋水 (tr. Herbert A. Giles, 1889)
“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！”
— The fish trap exists because of the fish; when you've got the fish, you can forget the trap. The rabbit snare exists because of the rabbit; once you've got the rabbit, you can forget the snare. Words exist because of meaning; once you've got the meaning, you can forget the words. Where can I find a man who has forgotten words so I can have a word with him?

Quotes via Wikiquote (CC BY-SA), each with its original source.

Overview

The Zhuangzi (Chinese: , historically romanized Chuang Tzŭ) is an ancient Chinese text from the late Warring States period (476221) containing stories and anecdotes that exemplify the carefree nature of the ideal Taoist sage. Named for its traditional author, "Master Zhuang" (Zhuangzi), the Zhuangzi is one of the two foundational texts of Taoism, along with the Tao Te Ching. The Zhuangzi consists of a large collection of anecdotes, allegories, parables, and fables that are often humorous or irreverent. Its main themes are of spontaneity in action and of freedom from the human world and its conventions. The fables and anecdotes in the text attempt to illustrate the falseness of human distinctions between good and bad, large and small, life and death, and human and nature. While other ancient Chinese philosophers focused on moral and personal duty, Zhuangzi promoted carefree wandering and becoming one with the "Way" by following nature. Though primarily known as a philosophical work, the Zhuangzi is regarded as one of the greatest literary works in Chinese history, and has been called "the most important pre-Qin text for the study of Chinese literature". A masterpiece of both philosophical and literary skill, it has significantly influenced major Chinese writers and poets for more than 2000 years from the Han dynasty (206AD220) to the present. History

From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).

The Zhuangzi (Chinese: , historically romanized Chuang Tzŭ) is an ancient Chinese text from the late Warring States period (476221) containing stories and anecdotes that exemplify the carefree nature of the ideal Taoist sage. Named for its traditional author, "Master Zhuang" (Zhuangzi), the Zhuangzi is one of the two foundational texts of Taoism, along with the Tao Te Ching.

Notable quotes

“The great bird rises on the wind to a height of a thousand miles. What does it see from on high there in the blue? Is it droves of wild horses galloping? Is it primeval matter whirling in atomic dust? Is it the exhalations that give birth to all things? Is it the blue of the sky itself, or is it only the colour of infinite distance?”
— Ch. 1 (tr. Anthony Watson-Gandy and Terence Gordon, from the French of René Grousset, 1952)
“Forget the years, forget distinctions. Leap into the boundless and make it your home!”
— Ch. 2 (tr. Burton Watson, 1968 )
“He who pursues fame at the risk of losing his self is not a scholar.”
— Ch. 6 (tr. Lin Yutang, 1942)
“For all men strive to grasp what they do not know, while none strive to grasp what they already know; and all strive to discredit what they do not excel in, while none strive to discredit what they do excel in. This is why there is chaos.”
— Ch. 10 (tr. Lin Yutang, 1942)
“You cannot speak of ocean to a well-frog.”
— Ch. 17 莊子/秋水 (tr. Herbert A. Giles, 1889)
“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！”
— The fish trap exists because of the fish; when you've got the fish, you can forget the trap. The rabbit snare exists because of the rabbit; once you've got the rabbit, you can forget the snare. Words exist because of meaning; once you've got the meaning, you can forget the words. Where can I find a man who has forgotten words so I can have a word with him?

Quotes via Wikiquote (CC BY-SA), each with its original source.

Zhuangzi across IJR

Ask Genius about Zhuangzi Create in Studio Build a game Watch videos

Where does Zhuangzi rank?

History

Greatest ancient philosophers of the East

8 candidates · 490 votes · vote on the order