Zhuangzi, Inner Chapters, Chapter 5: The Sign of Perfect Virtue
In Lu there was a crippled man named Wang Tai, whose followers were similar in appearance to Confucius. Chang Ji asked Confucius, “Wang Tai is
crippled, and his followers share Lu with you. He neither teaches when standing nor discusses when sitting. He goes empty-handed and returns full-handed
. Is there truly a teaching that is unspoken, formed in the heart without form? Who is this man?” Confucius replied, “You are
a sage, and I have only come after you and have not yet gone to study with you! I will take him as my teacher, let alone those who are not as good as me! Why should I borrow
the state of Lu? I will lead the whole world to follow him.”
Chang Ji said, “That man is crippled, and Master Wang is far removed from the ordinary. If so,
what is the purpose of his mind?” Confucius said, “Life and death are indeed momentous, yet we cannot change them; even if heaven and earth were to collapse
, they would not be abandoned; we must understand that there is no falsehood and do not change with things, but rather follow the transformations of things and uphold our principles.”
Chang Ji asked, “What do you mean?” Confucius replied, “From the perspective of their differences, the liver and gallbladder are like the states of Chu and Yue; from the
perspective of their similarities, all things are one. If this is the case, one will not even know what is suitable for the ears and eyes, but will instead indulge one’s mind in the
harmony of virtue. One will see things only in their unity and not in their loss, and will regard the loss of one’s feet as a loss of soil.”
Chang Ji said, “He acts for himself, using his knowledge to understand his own heart, and using his heart to understand his own constant heart. What is the greatest thing
?” Confucius said, “People do not see themselves in flowing water but in still water. Only stillness can still all stillness. Receiving their mandate from
the earth, only the pine and cypress stand upright, evergreen in winter and summer; receiving their mandate from heaven, only Yao and Shun stand upright, at
the head of all things. Fortunately, they were able to live uprightly, thus uprighting all living beings. This is the sign of preserving the beginning, the reality of not fearing. A single brave warrior
enters the nine armies with valor. Even those who seek fame and can control themselves are like this, let alone those who govern heaven and earth, govern all things,
reside directly in the six limbs, are like ears and eyes, know only what is known, and whose hearts have never died! They will choose a day to ascend the mountain, and people
will follow. Why would they be willing to concern themselves with worldly matters!”
Shen Tu Jia was a cripple, yet he studied under Bo Hun Wu Ren alongside Zheng Zi Chan. Zi Chan said to Shen Tu Jia,
“If I leave first, you stay; if you leave first, I stay.” The next day, they sat together in the same hall. Zi
Chan said to Shen Tu Jia, “If I leave first, you stay; if you leave first, I stay. Now I am about to leave. Can you
stay? Or not? Moreover, you see those in power and do not disobey them. Do you agree with those in power?” Shen Tu Jia replied, ”
Does the school of the Master truly have such powerful figures? You speak of your own power before others. I have heard it said: ‘A
clear mirror will not be obscured by dust; if it is obscured, it will not be clear. Spending time with virtuous people prevents mistakes.’ Now, the
one you admire most is the Master, yet you still speak like this. Is this not excessive?”
Zichan said, “Since you are already like this, you still argue with Yao about goodness. Considering your virtue, is it not enough to reflect on yourself?
” Shentu Jia replied, “Many people admit their faults so that they shouldn’t have perished; few admit their faults so that they shouldn’t have survived. Knowing that
there is nothing that can be done and accepting it as fate, only the virtuous can do that. I once roamed within Yi’s net. The center is the center of the earth
; yet I missed, that was fate. Many people laugh at my incomplete feet because of my whole feet. I was indignant
and went to you, Master, only to turn away in despair. I don’t know if you cleansed me of my faults, Master, or if I was simply asleep
. I have been traveling with you, Master, for nineteen years, and you have never known that I am crippled. Now you and I travel within the realm of the physical body,
yet you seek me outside of it—is that not going too far?” Zichan suddenly changed his expression and said, “You are not being righteous
!”
In Lu, there was a crippled man named Shushan Wuzhi who went to see Confucius. Confucius said, “You were careless, and you have already committed such a sin
. Even though you have come now, what good is it?” Wuzhi replied, “I only failed to be diligent and recklessly used my body, which is why I
lost my foot. Now that I have come, there is still someone with a foot, so I am trying to preserve it. Heaven covers everything, and earth
supports everything; I regard you, Master, as heaven and earth, how could I know that you would be in such a state?” Confucius said
, “I am ignorant! Master, why don’t you come in? Please allow me to explain what I have heard.” Wuzhi left. Confucius said, “Disciple, strive on
! Even Wuzhi, a crippled man, strives to learn and make up for his past mistakes; how much more so should a person of perfect virtue!”
Wuzhi said to Lao Dan, “Is Confucius not a sage? Why does he act like a humble student? He
is known for his strange and fantastical teachings, unaware that
sages use these to bind themselves.” Lao Dan replied, “Why not simply make him see life and death as one, and right and
wrong as a unified principle, thus freeing him from these shackles? Would that be possible?” Wuzhi said, “Heaven has decreed it; how can it be freed!
”
Duke Ai of Lu asked Confucius, “There is a wicked man in Wei named Ai Tai Tuo. Men who live with him yearn for him
and cannot leave; women who see him plead with their parents, ‘I would rather be a concubine than a wife,’ and this
continues dozens of times. No one has ever heard him sing; he merely echoes others. He has no position to
save the dying, no wealth to satisfy the hungry, yet he shocks the world with his wickedness. He echoes others without singing; his knowledge extends beyond
the four corners of the earth. Moreover, he unites with the opposite sex before him; surely there is something to this.” He was an extraordinary man. I summoned him to observe, and indeed, his
wickedness horrified the world. He spent less than a month with me, yet I took notice of his character; less than
a year, and I trusted him. The state had no prime minister, yet I entrusted it to him. He responded only after a moment of bewilderment,
his words barely audible, as if he were declining. I was ashamed, and in the end, I gave him the state. Not long after,
he left me. I felt a deep sorrow, as if I had lost something, as if I had no one to share joy with in this state. What kind of man was he?!
Confucius said, “I once served as an envoy to Chu and happened to see a piglet eating its dead mother. A short while
later, it all abandoned the piglet and ran away. It was because it could not find
its own kind there. What it loved about its mother was not its form, but the one who made it. Those who die in battle
are not buried with any money; those who have their feet cut off are not
loved. All of this has lost its essence. The emperor’s charioteers: their nails are not cut, their ears are not pierced; those who take wives are confined to the
outside world and cannot be used again. Even with a complete form, this is enough; how much more so for a person of complete virtue! Now, Ai Tai is trusted without speaking
, and befriended without merit. He sends someone to offer him a state, fearing only that they will not accept it. This must be someone with complete talent but whose virtue is not outwardly apparent
.”
Duke Ai asked, “What is meant by complete talent?” Confucius replied, “Life and death, existence and extinction, poverty and success, wealth and poverty, the virtuous
and the unworthy, praise and blame, hunger and thirst, cold and heat—these are the changes of events and the workings of fate. They alternate day and night,
and knowledge cannot predict their beginning. Therefore, they are insufficient to harmonize and cannot enter the spiritual realm. To make them harmonious and joyful,
to be unobstructed and not lose their balance, to make them seamless day and night, and to be in harmony with all things like spring—this is to connect with and nurture life in the heart. This is
what is meant by complete talent.” “What is meant by virtue not taking form?” Confucius said, “Peace is like still water at its fullest. It can serve as
a model, protecting the inner self and preventing external turmoil. Virtue is the cultivation of harmony. Virtue not taking form means that things cannot separate it from one’s being
.”
Duke Ai later told Minzi, “Initially, I ruled the world from the south, holding the reins of the people and worrying about their
deaths. I thought I was perfectly enlightened. Now, having heard the words of a sage, I fear I lack the substance and may recklessly use my abilities to the devastation
of my state. My relationship with Confucius is not that of ruler and subject, but rather one of virtuous friendship!”
The character 囗 (without the radical “土” and adding “门”) is pronounced yin1. 囗 (left “足” and right
“支”) is disjointed and without 囗 (top “辰” and bottom “月”) is pronounced chun2. This character was used to persuade Duke Ling of Wei, who was pleased
and looked at the whole person: his 囗 (left “月” and right “豆”) was shoulder-width apart. The character 囗 (top “雍”
and bottom “瓦”) is pronounced wen4. 囗 (top “央” and bottom “瓦”) is pronounced ang4. A large goiter was used to persuade
Duke Huan of Qi, who was pleased and looked at the whole person: his 囗 (left “月” and right “豆”) was shoulder-width apart. Therefore,
virtue has its strengths, but form has its limitations. People do not forget what they forget, but forget what they do not forget; this is called true forgetting.
Therefore, the sage has various pursuits, and knowledge is considered a form of calamity, agreements are used as glue, virtue is used for connection, and craftsmanship is used for commerce. If the sage does not plan,
why use knowledge? If he does not engage in trade
, why use glue? If he does not suffer loss, why use virtue? If he does not sell goods, why use commerce? These four are gifts from Heaven
. Gifts from Heaven are food from Heaven. Having received food from Heaven, why would one need to rely on man?
It has the form of a human, but not the feelings of a human. Having the form of a human, it is among people; lacking the feelings of a human, it is free
from right and wrong. How insignificant it is, yet it belongs to humanity;
how vast it is, yet it alone forms its own heaven.
Huizi asked Zhuangzi, “Are people truly without feelings?” Zhuangzi replied, “Yes.” Huizi said, ”
If people have no feelings, how can they be called people?” Zhuangzi said, “The Dao gives them their appearance, and Heaven gives them their form; how can they not be called
people?” Huizi said, “Since they are called people, how can they be without feelings?” Zhuangzi said, “That is not what I mean by
feelings. What I mean by being without feelings is that people do not let likes and dislikes harm their bodies internally, and always follow nature without adding to their life
.” Huizi said, “If they do not add to their life, how can they have a body?” Zhuangzi said, “The Dao gives them their appearance, and Heaven
gives them their form; they do not let likes and dislikes harm their bodies internally. Now you are detached from your spirit, and you are weary of your essence, leaning against a tree and
chanting, resting your eyes on a withered paulownia tree. Heaven has chosen your form, and you sing with your integrity and purity.”
Zhuangzi, Inner Chapters, Chapter Six: The Great Master
To know the workings of Heaven and the workings of man is the highest form of knowledge! To know the workings of Heaven is to be born of Heaven; to know
the workings of man is to use what one knows to nourish what one does not know, thus living out one’s natural lifespan without dying prematurely
—this is the pinnacle of knowledge. However, there is a concern: knowledge depends on something to be accurate, and what it depends on is uncertain
. How can one know that what I call Heaven is not man, or that what I call man is not Heaven? Furthermore, true
knowledge only comes from true men.
What is a True Person? The True Person of ancient times did not oppose the few, did not boast of achievements, and did not scheme against scholars. Such a person would not
regret their mistakes, nor would they be complacent when they were right. Such a person would not tremble when climbing high, would not get wet when entering water, and would not feel hot when entering fire. This is the wisdom
of one who has ascended to the level of the Dao.
The true men of old did not dream in their sleep, nor worry when they awoke, nor find food unsatisfying, and their breath was deep and resonant. The true men breathed
from their heels, while the common people breathed from their throats. Those who submit utter garbled words. Those whose desires are deep have shallow understanding of the ways of heaven
.
The ancient true men knew neither the joy of life nor the fear of death. They were not elated by their comings nor resistant by their goings.
They went forth naturally and returned naturally, and
that was it. They did not forget their beginning, nor did they seek their end. They received with joy, and forgot and then returned. This is called not
abandoning the Way with their hearts, nor aiding Heaven with human intervention; this is what is meant by a true man. Such a person’s mind is serene, their countenance tranquil, their forehead
serene like autumn, warm
like spring. Their joy and anger resonate with the four seasons, and they are in harmony with all things without knowing their limits. Therefore, when the sage uses troops, even if a country is destroyed,
he does not lose the hearts of the people. His benefits extend to all generations, not out of love for the people. Therefore, those who delight in worldly affairs are not sages; those who have close relatives
are not benevolent; those who follow the will of Heaven are not wise; those who are ignorant of profit and loss are not gentlemen; those who pursue fame at the expense of themselves are not scholars;
those who sacrifice themselves without sincerity are not servants. Those like Hu Buxie, Wu Guang, Boyi, Shuqi, Jizi, Xuyu, Ji
Ta, and Shentu Di are servants of others, serving others’ pleasures, but not finding their own true pleasure.
The true men of old, their demeanor was righteous yet unsociable, seemingly lacking yet unyielding; their forms were substantial yet not rigid, expansive
yet not ostentatious; they appeared joyful yet reluctantly so, subtly yielding yet ultimately helpless; they seemed
to advance with their expressions, yet restrained with their virtues; they seemed worldly yet unrestrained yet ultimately
uncontrollable; they seemed to prefer seclusion yet ultimately forgot their words. They took punishment as their foundation, rites as their wings , knowledge as their timing, and virtue as their guide.
Those who took punishment as their foundation were adept at killing ; those who took rites as their wings were able to act in the world; those who took knowledge as their timing were able to act when necessary; those who took virtue as their guide were able to reach the hills with those who had enough , and people truly considered them diligent practitioners. Therefore, their love for something is one, and their dislike for something is also one. Their oneness is one, and their non-oneness is also one. Their oneness is in harmony with Heaven, and their non-oneness is in harmony with humanity. Heaven and humanity do not contend with each other ; this is what is meant by a True Person.
Life and death are ordained by fate; their cycle of night and day is ordained by Heaven. What humans cannot control is simply the nature of things
. They regard Heaven as their father, yet still cherish it; how much more so should those who are truly superior! People consider having a ruler better than themselves,
yet still die for him; how much more so should those who truly possess him!
When the spring dries up, the fish are stranded on land, trying to moisten each other with their saliva,
barely surviving. It would be better to forget each other in the rivers and lakes. Rather than praising Yao and condemning Jie, it would be better to forget both and let their ways transform
.
The great earth gives me form, burdens me with life, eases me in old age, and rests me in death.
Therefore, to cherish my life is to cherish my death. Hiding a boat in a ravine, or a mountain in a marsh, is considered secure! Yet, in the dead of night, a strong
person can carry it away, and the ignorant will not know. Hiding small or large things has its proper place, and there are still guidelines. But to hide the world within the world
, without any guidelines, is the great nature of all things. Yet, even those who violate human form find joy in it. As for human form
, it is infinitely transformative and without end; how can its pleasure be immeasurable? Therefore, the sage will roam where things cannot follow their paths,
and all will survive. He is good at cultivating virtue, good at aging, good at beginnings and good at ends; even people emulate him. How much more so should all things depend on him for transformation
!
The Dao is sentient and trustworthy, yet inactive and formless; it can be transmitted but not received, obtained but not seen; it is self-originating
and self-rooted, existing before heaven and earth, and has been steadfast since ancient times; it gives birth to gods, spirits, and emperors, and gives birth to heaven and earth; it is above the Taiji but not
high, below the six extremes but not deep, born before heaven and earth but not old, older than the ancient times but not aged
. The character 囗 (pronounced xi1) was obtained by the Wei clan, who used it to control heaven and earth; Fuxi clan obtained it
, who used it to inherit the Qi Mother; Weidou obtained it, and it remained unchanged throughout eternity; the sun and moon obtained it, and it never ceased throughout eternity; Kanhuai obtained it
, and he attacked Kunlun; Fengyi obtained it, and he traveled through the great rivers; Jianwu obtained it, and he dwelled in the great mountains; the Yellow Emperor obtained
it, and he ascended to the clouds; Zhuanxu obtained it, and he dwelled in the Xuan Palace; Yuqiang obtained it, and he stood at the North Pole; the Queen Mother of the West
obtained it, and she sat in Shaoguang, with no beginning and no end in sight; Pengzu obtained it, and his influence extended from the time of Yu to
the Five Hegemons; Fu Yue obtained it, and he served as minister to Wu Ding, who then ruled the world, riding the Eastern Wei and the tail of the Winnowing Basket, and was among the
stars.
Nanbo Zikui asked the woman, “You are old
, yet you look like a child. Why is that?” She replied, “I have heard of the Way.” Nanbo Zikui asked, “Can the Way
be learned?” She said, “No! No! You are not the right person. Bu Liangyi has the talent of a sage but lacks the Way of a sage
; I have the Way of a sage but lack the talent of a sage. If I wish to teach him, perhaps he will truly become a sage
? Otherwise, it would be easy to teach him the Way of a sage with the talent of a sage. I still hold fast to…” And he was told, ”
After observing the sun for seven days, one can transcend the world; having transcended the world, I guard it again, and after seven days, one can transcend material things; having transcended material things
, I guard it again, and after nine days, one can transcend life; having transcended life, one can achieve morning clarity; having achieved morning clarity, one can
see the unique; having seen the unique, one can transcend past and present; transcending past and present, one can enter into the state of neither death nor life. Those who kill do not die
, those who give life do not live. As for things, there is nothing that they will not welcome, nothing that they will not destroy, nothing that they will not accomplish.
Its name is Yingning. Yingning is that which is accomplished only after being disturbed.”
Nanbo Zikui asked, “Where did you hear this?” He replied, “I heard it from the son of Fumo, the son of Fumo
heard it from the grandson of Luosong, the grandson of Luosong heard it from Zhanming, Zhanming heard it from Niexu, Niexu heard it from Xuyi,
Xuyi heard it from Yu’ou, Yu’ou heard it from Xuanming, Xuanming heard it from Canliao, and Canliao heard it from Yishi.”
Zisi, Ziyu, Zili, and Zilai spoke to each other, saying, “Who can take non-being as the head, life as
the spine, and death as the buttocks; who understands the unity of life, death, and extinction? I will befriend him!” The four looked at each other and
laughed, their hearts in perfect harmony, and thus they became friends. Soon after, Ziyu fell ill, and Zisi went to inquire after him. Ziyu said, “How wondrous
! The Creator intends to make me into this constrained state.” Ziyu had a hunched back, five tubes on his head, his chin hidden
at the waist, his shoulders higher than his head, and his chin pointed to the sky. His yin and yang energies were visible (the character “诊” is replaced by “氵”,
pronounced li4). His mind was at peace and without worries.
He looked into a well and said, “Alas! The Creator intends to make me into this constrained state again.”
Zisi asked, “Do you dislike it?” Zisi replied, “No, why would I dislike it! If I were to borrow my left arm and transform it
into a chicken, I could use it to watch the night; if I were to borrow my right arm and transform it into a slingshot, I could use it to
roast meat; if I were to borrow my buttocks and transform them into wheels, and my spirit into a horse
, I could ride it. Why would I need another vehicle? Moreover, what is gained is due to timing; what is lost is due to circumstances. If one is at peace with timing and circumstances
, sorrow and joy cannot enter one’s heart. This is what the ancients called ‘liberation.’ Those who cannot liberate themselves are bound by external things.
Furthermore, things have long been unable to overcome Heaven; why should I dislike it?”
Soon after, the son fell ill, panting heavily and on the verge of death. His wife and children surrounded him and wept. Zili went to ask him, and he said,
“Shoo! Get out of the way! Don’t be afraid!” Leaning against the door, he spoke to him, saying, “How magnificent is the Creator! What will he use you for
? What will he use you for? Will he make you a rat’s liver? Or an insect’s arm?” Zili came and said, “Parents are to
their children, east, west, south, and north, and we obey their commands without question. Yin and Yang are to people no less than parents. If they are close to my death and I do not
listen, then I am rebellious. What crime have they committed? The Great Earth carries me with form, labors me with life, eases me with old age
, and rests me with death. Therefore, he who cherishes my life is also the one who cherishes my death. Now, when casting gold in a great smelter, the gold leaps and says
, ‘I will surely become a Moye!’ The smelter will surely consider it inauspicious gold. Now, someone who takes the form of a human and says, ‘
Human! Human!’ The Creator will surely consider him an inauspicious person. Now, if one takes Heaven and Earth as a great furnace and the Creator as
a great smelter, where can one not go?” He then fell asleep and suddenly awoke.
Zisanghu, Mengzifan, and Ziqinzhang became friends and said, “Who can be friends with each other without being friends, and act
without acting? Who can ascend to the heavens and roam the mists, roam the boundless, forget each other in life, and have no end?” The three
looked at each other and laughed, their hearts in perfect harmony, and thus became friends.
Some time later, Zisanghu died and was not buried. Confucius heard of this and sent Zigong to attend to him. Some composed
music, others played the zither, and they sang together: “Alas, Zisanghu! Alas, Zisanghu! He has returned to his true self
, while I remain a mere mortal!” Zigong hurried forward and asked, “May I ask, is it proper to sing before a corpse?” The two
looked at each other and laughed, saying, “How could they know the meaning of propriety!” Zigong returned and told Confucius, “Who was that person
? He cultivated himself without regard to form, and sang before a corpse without changing his expression. There is no way to describe him. Who was that person
?” Confucius said, “He was a wanderer beyond the realm of mortals, while I wander within the realm of mortals. We are not connected
, yet I sent you to mourn him. ” How ignorant I am! He, too, lives alongside the Creator, wandering in
the single breath of heaven and earth. He sees life as an appendage, a wart, and death as a festering boil
. If so, how can he know the order of life and death? He borrows from different things
, relies on the same body; forgets his own liver and gall, abandons his ears and eyes; repeating the cycle from beginning to end, unaware of the beginning or end; wandering aimlessly
beyond the dust and grime, roaming freely in the realm of non-action. How can he then [unintelligible]
adhere to worldly rituals to please the eyes and ears of others?
Zigong asked, “Then where will you rely, Master?” Confucius replied, “I am a subject condemned by Heaven. Nevertheless
, I will share this with you.” Zigong asked, “May I ask about your method?” Confucius said, “Fish find their home in water
, and people find their home in the Way. Those who find their home in water dig ponds for sustenance; those who find their home in the Way live in peace and tranquility
. Therefore it is said: Fish forget each other in rivers and lakes, and people forget each other in the Way and its arts.” Zigong asked, “May I ask about the eccentric?” Confucius
replied, “The eccentric is one who is different from others but equal to Heaven. Therefore it is said: Heaven’s petty man is man’s gentleman; man’s
gentleman is Heaven’s petty man.”
Yan Hui asked Confucius, “Mengsun Cai, when his mother died, wept without tears, showed no grief in his heart, and did not
grieve during the mourning period. Lacking these three qualities, how could he be considered the best at handling mourning in Lu? Is it possible that someone has gained a reputation for being good at mourning without any real substance? I find this very strange
.” Confucius replied, “Mengsun Cai has exhausted all his knowledge, progressing to the level of wisdom, yet he cannot grasp the essence of simplicity
. He has already simplified himself to some extent. Mengsun Cai does not know how to live, nor how to die. He does not know what comes first, nor what comes last.
If he were to transform into something, waiting for the transformation he does not know to complete, then how could he know that transformation has not occurred while he is about to transform?” “Ah? If it is not yet
transformed, how can one know it has already transformed? I am only telling you, are you still dreaming? Moreover, they are startled but not harmed
, they have a home but die without feeling. Mengsun is the only one who is awake; he cries when others cry, that is his own reason. And they merely say
‘my’ to each other, how could they know what I mean by ‘my’? Moreover, you dream of being a bird soaring in the sky,
dream of being a fish sinking into the abyss. Do you not understand those who speak now, are they awake or dreamers? Creating a moment is too late for laughter
, offering laughter is too late for rejection, arranging and departing, then entering the vastness of the heavens.”
When Yi Erzi met Xu You, Xu You asked, “How did Yao provide you?” Yi Erzi replied, “Yao told me: ‘
You must personally practice benevolence and righteousness and clearly distinguish right from wrong.'” Xu You said, “Then why did you come to Zhi? Yao has already branded you
with benevolence and righteousness and cut off your nose with right and wrong. How will you roam the desolate and unrestrained path of wandering?”
Yi Erzi said, “Although, I wish to travel to his domain.” Xu You said, “No. The blind cannot
appreciate the beauty of eyebrows and eyes, nor can the blind appreciate the splendor of brocade and embroidery.” Yi Erzi said, “
The loss of beauty by Wu Zhuang, the loss of strength by Ju Liang, and the loss of knowledge by the Yellow Emperor all stemmed from the crucible of metalworking.
How could one know that the Creator would not cease my tattooing and mend my nose, but instead allow me to ride on his success and follow you, Master?” Xu You
said, “Alas! It is not certain. Let me tell you the gist: My teacher! My teacher! He bestows all things
without seeking righteousness, his benevolence extends to all generations without seeking benevolence, he is older than antiquity without being old, he covers heaven and earth, and carves all
forms without seeking skill. This is where I will travel!”
Yan Hui said, “I have improved.” Confucius asked, “What do you mean?” Yan Hui
replied, “I have forgotten benevolence and righteousness.” Confucius said, “That’s good, but not yet.” Another day, Confucius saw him again and said, “I have improved.” Confucius asked, “What do you mean
?” Yan Hui replied, “I have forgotten rites and music!” Confucius said, “That’s good, but not yet.” Another day, Confucius saw him again and said
, “I have improved!” Confucius asked, “What do you mean?” Yan Hui replied, “I have achieved sitting in oblivion.” Confucius was startled and asked,
“What is sitting in oblivion?” Yan Hui replied, “To abandon one’s limbs, discard one’s intelligence, separate oneself from form and knowledge, and become one with the Great Void—
this is called sitting in oblivion.” Confucius said, “If one is the same, there is no good; if one transforms, there is no constancy. And is he truly wise? I, Qiu
, will follow him.”
Ziyu was friends with Zisang. For ten days it rained heavily, and Ziyu said, “Zisang is probably ill!” He packed some food and went to
feed him. When he arrived at Zisang’s door, Zisang seemed to be singing and crying, playing the zither and chanting, “Father! Mother! Heaven! Man
!” Some could not bear the sound and rushed to recite his poem. Ziyu entered and said, “Why do you sing and recite your poem like this
?” Zisang replied, “I think of what brought me to this extreme, but I cannot find it. Did my parents want me to be poor? Heaven
covers all without bias, earth bears all without bias, how could Heaven and Earth selfishly impoverish me? I seek the cause, but cannot find it! Yet, to have reached this
extreme is fate!”
Zhuangzi, Inner Chapters, Chapter Seven: Responding to Emperors
Nie Que asked Wang Ni four questions, but Wang Ni didn’t know the answer to each. Nie Que was overjoyed and went to tell Pu Yi Zi.
Pu Yi Zi said, “Now you know? The Yu clan was inferior to the Tai clan. The Yu clan still concealed benevolence to win
people over, and they did gain people, but they never truly became inhuman. The Tai clan, however, lay down slowly, yet woke up easily.
They considered themselves a horse one moment and an ox the next. Their understanding and trustworthiness were genuine, and their virtue was truly profound, yet they never truly became inhuman.”
Jianwu met with Kuang Jieyu. Kuang Jieyu said, “Why did you tell me this at midday?” Jianwu replied, “Tell me
: A ruler should establish principles and standards based on his own actions; who would dare disobey and be transformed by them?” Kuang Jieyu said, “That is deceiving
virtue. In governing the world, it is like digging a river across the sea or making mosquitoes carry mountains. The sage’s governance is not about governing
external things, but about rectifying the situation before acting, and being truly capable of doing so. Even birds fly high to avoid the harm of arrows
, and mice burrow deep under sacred hills to avoid the danger of being smoked or dug
. How can these two insects be so ignorant?”
Tiangen was traveling in Yinyang when he reached the Liao River. There he encountered an anonymous person and asked, “May I ask what the world is
?” The anonymous person replied, “Go away! You are a lowly person; why do you ask such an unwelcome question! I am about to become
a human with the Creator. When I tire of this, I will ride a vast, boundless bird beyond the six extremes to roam the land of nothingness, dwelling in
the wilderness of Kuangkou. What then will you use to govern the world and
move my heart?” Tiangen asked again, and the anonymous person said, “If you let your mind wander in tranquility, harmonize your breath in the vastness, and follow the natural course of things
without selfishness, then the world will be at peace.”
Yang Ziju met Lao Dan and said, “There is a man here who is quick to anger and violent, yet possesses profound understanding of things, and tirelessly studies the Way
. Can such a man be compared to an enlightened king?” Lao Dan replied, “This man is no sage; he is merely a skilled craftsman, weary in body
and mind. Moreover, even tigers and leopards, with their markings, can easily catch a snipe, and
a dog can easily snatch a widow. Can such a man be compared to an enlightened king?” Yang Ziju was startled and asked, “May I ask about
the governance of an enlightened king?” Lao Dan said, “The governance of an enlightened king is: his achievements cover the world yet seem not to be his own; he transforms and benefits all things
yet the people do not rely on him. No one names him, and all things rejoice on their own. He stands in the unfathomable and roams in nothingness.”
In Zheng there was a divine shaman named Ji Xian, who knew people’s life and death, survival and demise, fortune and misfortune, lifespan and premature death, predicting events in years and days
as if by magic. The people of Zheng, upon seeing him, all fled in terror. Liezi, upon seeing him, was captivated. Returning home, he told Hu Zi,
“At first I thought the Master’s Way was the ultimate, but now there is something even more ultimate.” Hu Zi said, “I have only read
the words, not the substance. How can you claim to have attained the Way? If there are only females and no male, what eggs are there? If you use the Way
to contend with the world, it will surely be believed. Therefore, I have allowed people to understand you. Try bringing him here, and I will show him.”
The next day, Liezi took him to see Huzi. Huzi came out and said to Liezi, “Alas! Your master is dead! He is
not alive! He will not live for more than ten days! I find it strange, I see damp ashes.” Liezi went in, weeping, and told
Huzi. Huzi said, “Just now I showed him the patterns on the earth, and it sprouted without shaking or being upright; this is probably the mechanism of my virtue
. I will bring him here again.” The next day, he took him to see Huzi again. Huzi came out and said to Liezi, “Fortunately! Your
master met me, and he is healed! He is fully alive! I have seen his power!” Liezi went in and
told Huzi. Huzi said, “Just now I showed him the heavens and the earth, and the name and reality did not enter, yet the mechanism arose from his heels. This is probably
the mechanism of my goodness. I will bring him here again.” The next day, he took him to see Huzi again. Huzi came out and said to Liezi,
“Your master is not righteous; I have no way to assist him. Let me try to righteousness, and then I will assist him again.” Liezi went in and told
Huzi. Master Hu said, “I showed him the concept of Taichong, which is unsurpassed. This likely revealed the workings of my Qi.
The stillness of a salamander is called a deep pool, the stillness of water is called a deep pool, and the stillness of flowing water is called a deep pool. There are nine names for a deep pool, and three of them are here. I will bring
him here again.” The next day, he met Master Hu again. Before he could settle down, he lost his way and ran away. Master Hu said, “Chase
him!” Liezi chased after him but could not catch him. He returned and reported to Master Hu, “He has vanished, he has disappeared, I could not reach him
.” Master Hu said, “I showed him the concept of Weishi, which is not yet part of my lineage. I treated him with humility and evasiveness, not knowing
who he was or what he was. Therefore, I thought he was a brother, I thought he was a flowing wave, and so he fled.” Then Liezi, believing he had not yet learned anything,
returned home. He did not leave for three years, cooking for his wife, eating pigs as if they were human, and having no close relatives. He returned to simplicity,
standing alone in his form. He was shrouded in mystery, and thus ended his life.
Do not act as a corpse, do not scheme, do not take on responsibilities, do not be a knower. The body is boundless, yet wanders without trace
. Exhaust all that Heaven bestows, yet see no gain; it is nothing but emptiness! The mind of the perfect man is like a mirror, neither resisting
nor opposing, responding without clinging; therefore, he can overcome things without being harmed.
The emperor of the South Sea was named Shu1 (the character “修” is replaced by “黑” and pronounced shu1). The emperor of the North Sea
was named Hu, and the emperor of the Central Region was named Hundun. Shu1 and Hu often met in the land of Hundun, and Hundun treated them
very well. Shu1 and Hu plotted to repay Hundun’s kindness, saying, “Humans all have seven orifices for seeing, hearing, eating, and breathing;
this one alone has none. Let’s try to carve them out.” They carved one orifice each day, and after seven days, Hundun died.
Next, below are chapters 8-22 of the Outer Chapters .
author By Dr. You-Sheng Li
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