Zhuangzi, Inner Chapters, Chapter 1: Free and Easy Wandering

In the Northern Darkness there is a fish, its name is Kun. Kun is so large that no one knows how many thousands of miles it spans. It transforms into a bird, its name
is Peng. Peng’s back is so vast that no one knows how many thousands of miles it spans. When it flies in anger, its wings are like clouds hanging from the sky. This bird
, when the sea winds blow, will migrate to the Southern Darkness. The Southern Darkness is the Heavenly Pool.

The *Qi Xie* is a record of strange tales. The *Xie* says: “When the Peng bird migrates to the Southern Ocean, it stirs up the water for
three thousand miles, then rises ninety thousand miles on a whirlwind, departing after six months of rest.” Wild horses, dust
, and all living things are blown about by the breath of life. Is the azure of the sky its true color? Is it so distant that it has no end? When it
looks down, it sees only this.

Furthermore, if the water is not deep enough, it cannot support a large boat. Pour a cup of water onto a shallow pond, and a mustard seed can float on
it. Place the cup there, and it will stick, because the water is shallow and the boat is large. Similarly, if the wind is not strong enough, it
cannot support large wings. Therefore, only when the wind is below at a distance of nine thousand miles can one gather strength; only when one has the blue sky on one’s back and nothing can hinder one’s progress can
one set out to the south.

The cicada and the turtledove laughed at it, saying, “We can take flight and snatch elm or oak branches; sometimes we don’t even reach them and just fall to the ground
. Why bother flying ninety thousand miles south?” Those who travel to the wilderness return after three meals, their bellies still full;
those who travel a hundred miles prepare provisions for the night; those who travel a thousand miles gather provisions for three months. What do these two insects know?

Small knowledge cannot compare to great knowledge, and a short lifespan cannot compare to a long lifespan. How do we know this? The ephemeral mushroom does not know the difference between dawn and dusk, and the cicada
does not know the difference between spring and autumn; these are examples of short lifespans. In the south of Chu, there is a creature called Mingling, whose spring lasts five hundred years and whose
autumn lasts five hundred years; in ancient times, there was a great tree called Chun, whose spring lasted eight thousand years and whose autumn lasted eight thousand years. Yet Peng Zu is now
known for his exceptional longevity, and people compare themselves to him—is this not lamentable?

Tang asked Ji: “In the far north, there is a dark sea, the Heavenly Pool. There is a fish there, its breadth several
thousand miles, its length unknown, its name is Kun. There is a bird there, its name is Peng, its back like Mount Tai, its wings
like clouds hanging from the sky. It rises ninety thousand miles on a whirlwind, soaring above the clouds, carrying the blue sky on its back, and then heads south
, towards the Southern Ocean.”

The shrew laughed and said, “Where is he going? I
can leap up and down in no more than a few feet, soaring among the weeds. This is the ultimate in flying. Where is he going
?” This is a debate about small and large.

Therefore, those who are capable of serving in one official post, whose conduct is exemplary in one village, whose virtue matches that of one ruler, and who are summoned by one state, all see themselves
in this light. Yet Song Rongzi still laughs at this. Moreover, he is neither encouraged by universal praise nor
discouraged by universal condemnation; he is clear about the distinction between internal and external affairs, and discerns the boundaries of honor and disgrace—that is all. He is not concerned with worldly matters.
However, there is still something he has not established.

Liezi rode the wind, a truly wondrous feat, returning only after fifteen days. Yet, his attainment of true happiness was far from guaranteed
. Although he was free from the constraints of walking, he still depended on something else.

If one rides the true course of Heaven and Earth, and controls the transformations of the six qi, to roam the boundless realm, what need does he have to rely on? Therefore,
it is said: The perfect man has no self, the divine man has no merit, and the sage has no name.

Yao offered the throne to Xu You, saying, “The sun and moon have risen, yet the torches continue to burn; is this not
difficult in terms of light? Timely rains have fallen, yet irrigation continues; is this not laborious in terms of moisture? You, sir, have established yourself and brought order to the world
, yet I remain in your place; I feel ashamed. I beg to relinquish the throne.” Xu You replied, “You have already governed the world,
and it is already well-governed; yet I would still replace you. Would I be doing this for fame? Fame is but a guest of reality; would I be a guest
? The wren nests in the deep forest, needing only a single branch; the mole drinks from the river, needing only a full belly. Go back to your rest, my lord; I have
no use for the world! Even if the cook does not prepare the food, the officiant will not overstep the bounds of propriety to take his place.”

Jianwu asked Lianshu, “I heard something from Jieyu that was grandiose and impractical, something that never returns. I was terrified.
His words were like the Milky Way, boundless and unrestrained, completely contrary to human understanding.” Lianshu asked, ”
What did he say?” Jianwu replied, “He said, ‘On Mount Miaogushe, there dwells a divine being. His skin is like ice and snow, his demeanor like that of a maiden
; he does not eat grains, but drinks the wind and dew; he rides on clouds and controls flying dragons, roaming beyond the four seas; his spirit is
so concentrated that all things are free from disease and the harvests are plentiful.’ I thought this was madness and did not believe it.” Lianshu said: “However, the blind
cannot appreciate literature, and the deaf cannot appreciate the sounds of bells and drums. Is it only the physical body that can be deaf and blind? Even
knowledge can be deaf and blind. This saying is like that of a woman of the time. Such a person, such virtue, will encompass all things as
one. The world yearns for chaos; who would be so preoccupied with the affairs of the world! Such a person, unharmed by anything,
will not drown even in a great flood reaching the heavens, nor be scorched by a great drought, even if metal and stone are melted and earth and mountains are parched.
Even dust and chaff will be used to mold Yao and Shun; who would be so preoccupied with worldly matters!”

When the Song people arrived in Yue, they found the Yue people had cut their hair and tattooed their bodies, which they found useless.

Yao governed the people of the world and pacified the affairs of the realm. He went to see his four sons at Mount Miaogushe, on the south bank of the Fen River, and there they had vanished,
leaving behind their empire.

Huizi said to Zhuangzi, “The King of Wei gave me a seed of a large gourd. I planted it, and it bore five bushels of fruit. When used to
hold water, it was so hard that I couldn’t lift it myself. If I split it open to make a ladle, the gourd would fall apart and hold nothing. It’s not that it’s not
large, but I discarded it because it’s useless.” Zhuangzi replied,
“Master, you are indeed clumsy in using large things. There was a man in Song who was skilled at making a medicine to prevent chapped hands. His family had made their living by
making [a type of medicinal ingredient
]. A guest heard of this and offered to buy his formula for a hundred gold pieces.
The family gathered and discussed it, saying, ‘Our family has made a living by making [a type of medicinal ingredient] for generations, earning only a few gold pieces
. Now we can sell it in one day. ’” “A skill worth a hundred gold pieces, please give it to him.” The guest obtained it and used it to persuade the King of Wu. When Yue faced difficulties, the
King of Wu appointed him as general. In winter, he fought a naval battle with the Yue people, defeated them decisively, and was granted land as a reward. Whether one can avoid chapped hands
or not, the difference lies in the means used.
Now you have a gourd weighing five bushels; why not consider making it into a large vessel to float on rivers and lakes, instead of worrying that the gourd will fall and have nowhere to go? It
seems you still harbor the heart of a wandering hermit!”

Huizi said to Zhuangzi, “I have a large tree, which people call a choke. Its trunk is gnarled and cannot be straightened by a plumb line,
and its branches are twisted and cannot be straightened by a compass. It stands by the roadside, and carpenters do not even glance at it. Now, your words are grand but useless, and
everyone avoids them.” Zhuangzi replied, “Have you not seen the weasel
? It crouches low, waiting for its prey; it leaps and bounds, not avoiding heights or depths; yet it falls into traps and dies
in nets. Now, the ox, as large as a cloud hanging from the sky, is indeed large, but it cannot catch a mouse. Now
you have a large tree, and you worry about its uselessness. Why not plant it in a land of nothingness, in a vast wilderness, where you can wander freely
and sleep peacefully beneath it? It will not be felled by axes or axes, and nothing will harm it. Since it is useless, what hardship or suffering
will it cause?”

Zhuangzi, Inner Chapters, Chapter Two: On the Equality of Things

Nan Guo Ziqi sat leaning against his loom, gazing at the sky and sighing, as if he had lost his companion. Yan Chengziyou stood before him
and said, “Where do you dwell? Can the body truly be made like withered wood, and the heart truly be made like dead ashes? Is the one leaning against the loom today
not the one who leaned against the loom of the past?” Ziqi replied, “Yan, is it not a good question to ask! Now I have
lost myself, do you know that? You have heard the sounds of man but not the sounds of the earth, you have heard the sounds of the earth but not the sounds of heaven!”

Ziyou asked, “May I ask the method?” Ziqi replied, “The great mass exhales, and its name is wind. It is only
when it is still that it acts; when it acts, all its orifices roar. And why do we not hear its ‘呗呗
‘ (liu4)? The mountains and forests, the great trees with their hundred-encircle openings, resemble noses,
mouths, ears, hairpins, rings, mortars, depressions, and filth. Those that urge, those that shout
, those that inhale, those that call,
those that murmur, those that bite—
the former sing and the latter murmur. A cool breeze brings a gentle harmony, a gust of wind brings a great harmony, and a fierce wind makes all the orifices
empty.” But do you not see the affected and shrewish tone?

Ziyou said, “The sounds of the earth are simply the sounds of the myriad orifices; the sounds of man are simply the sounds of bamboo. May I ask about the sounds of nature?” Ziqi
replied, “The sounds of nature are myriad and different, yet each one is its own. All things are self-inflicted; who is it that is angry?”

Great knowledge is leisurely, small knowledge is fragmented. Grand pronouncements are fiery, small pronouncements are verbose. In sleep, the soul mingles;
in waking, the body opens. They engage in dialogue, daily struggles of the mind. The veiled, the hidden, the secretive. Small fears are trembling, great fears are veiled
. Their actions are like a clapper, signifying their control over right and wrong; their lingering is like a curse, signifying their defense of victory; their
killing is like autumn and winter, signifying their daily decline; their drowning is irreversible; their weariness is like
a sealed container, signifying their aging and decay; the heart nearing death cannot be revived. Joy, anger, sorrow, and pleasure; worry, sighs, changes, and hibernation;
joy and leisure reveal their states—pleasure arises from emptiness, steaming into fungi. Day and night alternate before them, yet no one knows where they originate. Alas,
alas! They obtain this day and night, how does it come to be?

Without that, there is no me; without me, there is nothing to take. This is close, yet I do not know its purpose. If there is a true ruler,
but I cannot find his mouth (the left side of the character “目” is borrowed to represent “朕”). I can act according to my own will, but I cannot see his form ; he has
feelings but no form. My hundred bones, nine orifices, six viscera, all exist within me;
with whom can I be intimate? Do you all speak of this? Is there any private connection? Are all of these people subjects? Are these subjects insufficient
to govern each other? Do they take turns being ruler and subject? Is there a true ruler present? Whether one obtains his feelings or not, it
neither benefits nor diminishes his truth. Once he receives his form, he will not perish but await his end. He clashes and erodes with things, his movement is like a galloping horse, and nothing can stop him; is this not tragic
? To toil one’s whole life without seeing success,
exhausted and not knowing where to return, is this not lamentable? People say that one cannot die, but what good is that? One’s form
changes, and one’s heart changes accordingly; is this not the greatest sorrow? Is human life inherently so uncertain? Am I the only one uncertain
, or are there others who are not uncertain?

If one follows one’s own preconceived notions and takes them as teachers, who alone is without a teacher? Why must one know that there are those who take things upon themselves? The foolish
are among them! To have right and wrong before one’s mind is to have arrived in Yue today but not yesterday. Therefore
, to mistake nothing for something. Even the divine Yu could not understand the meaning of this; what can I, alone, do?

Words are not mere boasting; those who speak have something to say. What they say is simply uncertain. Does it truly have something to say? Or has it never
spoken at all? Is it that its pronunciation differs from the sound of the bow (彀, pronounced like “kou4”),
and thus there is debate? Or is there no debate? How can the Way be hidden and yet possess truth and falsehood? How can words be hidden and yet possess right and wrong?
How can the Way go and not exist? How can words exist and yet be impossible? The Way is hidden in small achievements, and words are hidden in glory and splendor. Therefore, there are the Confucian and Mohist
distinctions of right and wrong, each using what they deny to affirm what they affirm. If one wishes to affirm what they deny and not what they affirm, then nothing is better than
clarity.

Things are neither other than “that,” nor are they neither other than “this.” From “that,” one cannot see; from “this,” one knows. Therefore it is said: “That” arises from “this
,” and “this” also arises from “that.” “That” and “this” are the concepts of arising and ceasing. However, arising and ceasing are also the same; ceasing
and impossibility are intertwined; impossibility and impossibility are intertwined; ”
this” and “this” are intertwined. Therefore, the sage, without relying on external forces, illuminates the heavens, also because of “this.” “This” is also “that,” and “that” is also “this.” “That” is also a matter of right and wrong, and ”
this” is also a matter of right and wrong. Is there truly “that” and “this”? Is there truly no “that” and “this”? “That” and “this” cannot find their counterpart; this is called the pivot of the Way. The pivot begins to find its
center, responding to the infinite. “This” is also an infinite possibility, and “this” is also an infinite possibility. Therefore it is said: nothing is better than clarity.

To use a finger to illustrate what is not a finger is not as effective as using what is not a finger to illustrate what is not a finger; to use a horse to illustrate what is not a horse is not
as effective as using what is not a horse to illustrate what is not a horse. Heaven and earth are one finger, all things are one horse.

Is it permissible? Is it not permissible? The Way is formed through practice, and things are so because they are so. How is it so? It is so because it is so
. How is it not so? It is not so because it is not so. Things inherently have their own so, and things inherently have their own permissible aspects. There is nothing that is not so, and nothing that
is not so. Therefore, even when we take a stalk and a pillar, a fierce beast and a beautiful woman, and observe the bizarre and strange, the Way unites them all as one.

Its division is its formation; its formation is its destruction. All things have no formation or destruction; they are ultimately one. Only the enlightened
understand this unity, and thus do not use it, but rather let it reside in the ordinary. The ordinary is use; use is understanding; understanding
is attainment. When one attains it, one is close to the truth. Therefore, having attained it without knowing why, this is called the Way. To labor with one’s mind and spirit for the sake of
unity without knowing its commonality is called “three in the morning.” What is “three in the morning”? The monkey keeper gave a gift
, saying, “Three in the morning and four in the evening.” The monkeys were all angry. He said, “Then
four in the morning and three in the evening.” The monkeys were all pleased. Name and reality are not diminished, yet joy and anger are used; this is also due to this. Therefore, the sage
harmonizes with right and wrong and rests in the balance of Heaven; this is called the two paths.

The ancients, their knowledge reached a certain level. How did it reach? Some believed there was no beginning of things—this is the ultimate
, the complete, nothing can be added! Next, they believed there were things, but no boundaries. Next, they believed there were boundaries,
but no right or wrong. The manifestation of right and wrong is the reason the Way is diminished. The diminishment of the Way is the reason love is
formed. Is there truly formation and diminishment? Is there truly no formation and diminishment? If there is formation and diminishment, then Zhao Shi
played the zither; if there is no formation and diminishment, then Zhao Shi did not play the zither. Zhao Wen’s zither playing, Shi Kuang’s staff-wielding
, and Hui Zi’s leaning on the paulownia tree—these three men’s knowledge was almost at its peak, hence they are recorded in their later years. Only their love of it
differed from theirs; their love of it was to clarify it. They clarified what was not meant to be clarified, thus
ending in ignorance of the principles of hardness and whiteness. And their son ended with literary pursuits, achieving nothing in his life. If it can be called success, then I too have achieved success
; if it cannot be called success, then neither things nor I have achieved success. Therefore, the brilliance of deceit and doubt is what the sage seeks
. He uses this to his advantage, residing in the ordinary; this is called “clarity.”

Now, let me speak of this. Is it similar to this? Or is it dissimilar? If they are similar or dissimilar, and thus belong to the
same category, then they are no different from that. However, let me try to say this: there is something that has a beginning, and there is something that
has no beginning, and there is something that has no beginning beyond the beginning; there is something that exists, and there is something that does not exist
, and there is something that has no beginning beyond the beginning beyond the beginning of existence and non-existence. Suddenly, existence and non-existence arise, but we do not know which truly exists and
which truly does not. Now, I have already spoken of existence, but I do not know whether what I have spoken of truly exists or truly does not
.

Nothing in the world is greater than the tip of an autumn hair, yet Mount Tai is small; nothing lives longer than a child who dies young, yet Peng Zu died young.
Heaven and earth were born together with me, and all things are one with me. Since we are already one, can there be anything more to say? Since we are already considered
one, can there be no more to say? One and words make two, two and one make three. From this point onward, even the most skillful cannot
attain it, let alone the ordinary! Therefore, from nothingness to existence, it leads to three, let alone from existence to existence! There is no further direction
, therefore it is so!

The Way has never been bound by boundaries, nor have words ever been fixed; it is for this reason that distinctions arise. Let me explain these distinctions: there is left and right
, there is order and righteousness, there is division and debate, there is competition and contention—these are called the Eight Virtues. Beyond the six directions, the sage preserves them
but does not discuss them; within the six directions, the sage discusses them but does not debate them; the Spring and Autumn Annals record the will of the former kings, and the sage discusses them but does not
debate them.

Therefore, there is division, and there is non-division; there is debate, and there is non-debate. One might ask, “Why?” “The sage
cherishes it, while the masses debate it to show each other. Therefore it is said: debate is something that cannot be seen.” The Great Way is unnamed
, the Great Debate is unspoken, the Great Benevolence is unbenevolent, the Great Integrity is unhumble, the Great Courage is not vengeful. The Way is revealed yet not spoken, words are eloquent yet
inadequate, benevolence is constant yet incomplete, integrity is pure yet untrustworthy, courage is vengeful yet incomplete. These five are round yet almost square!
Therefore, knowing to stop at what one does not know is the ultimate. Who knows the debate that is unspoken, the Way that is unspoken? If someone could know this, it would
be called the Heavenly Treasury. It is filled yet never full, drawn from yet never exhausted, and its origin is unknown; this is called Preserving Light.

Therefore, Yao once asked Shun, “I wish to attack Zong Kuai, Xu, and Ao, but I am uneasy even facing south. Why is that
?” Shun replied, “Those three are still living among the weeds and wormwood. Why are you uneasy? In the past,
ten suns rose at the same time, illuminating all things. How much more so should those whose virtue surpasses that of the sun!”

Nie Que asked Wang Ni, “Do you know what all things have in common?” Wang Ni replied, “How could I know?”
Nie Que asked, “Do you know what you don’t know?” Wang Ni replied, “How could I know?” Nie Que
asked, “Then are things without knowledge?” Wang Ni replied, “How could I know? However, let me try to explain: How can I know that what I call knowledge is not ignorance? How
can I know that what I call ignorance is not knowledge? Furthermore, let me ask you: When people sleep in damp places, they suffer from back pain and die
on one side—is this true of loaches? When they live in wood, they tremble with fear—is this
true of monkeys? Which of these three is truly right? People eat grass and livestock, deer and elk eat meat—is this true of monkeys?”
“Maggots and sweet-smelling fish, owls and crows, which of these four knows the true taste? Monkeys and gibbons take
females, deer mate with deer, loaches swim with fish. Mao Qiang and Li Ji are considered beautiful by humans; fish dive deep upon seeing them
, birds fly high, deer and elk flee swiftly. Which of these four knows the true color of the world? From my own perspective,
the principles of benevolence and righteousness, the paths of right and wrong, are all confused and disordered. How can I discern their distinctions?” Nie Que said, “If you do not understand
profit and loss, then does the perfect man truly not understand profit and loss?” Wang Ni said, “The perfect man is divine! He cannot
be heated by the burning of a great marsh, nor chilled by the freezing of the Milky Way; he cannot be startled by thunder that shatters mountains or by whirlwinds that shake the seas. Such a man rides the clouds
and the sun and moon, roaming beyond the four seas. Life and death do not change him, let alone the principles of profit and loss!”

Qu Quezi asked Chang Wuzi, “I have heard from the Master that the sage does not engage in affairs, does not pursue profit, does not
avoid harm, does not delight in seeking, does not follow the Way, is without meaning and yet has meaning, and is both meaningless and yet has meaning, and thus roams beyond the dust and grime.
The Master considers this rash talk, but I consider it the practice of the profound Way. What do you think?”

Changwuzi said, “This is what the Emperor listens to, and how could I possibly know it! Moreover, you are far too
presumptuous, seeing an egg and seeking the time of night, seeing a slingshot and seeking roasted meat
. I once told you this nonsense, and you listened to it arbitrarily. Why then, do you consider the sun and moon, the universe, their perfect harmony, their subtle differences,
to elevate each other? The masses are busy and indolent, even
the sages are foolish and dull, yet after ten thousand years, they achieve perfection. All things are thus, and they are interconnected in this way. How can I know that the talk
of life is not delusion? How can I know that the fear of death is not the fault of the weak and those who do not know their place?”

Lady Li was the daughter of a man from Ai. When the state of Jin first acquired her, she wept bitterly. But when she arrived at the king’s
court, sharing his bed and eating his meat, she regretted her weeping. How can I know that the dead do not regret their initial
desire for life? One who dreams of drinking wine weeps in the morning; one who dreams of weeping goes hunting in the morning. While dreaming,
one is unaware of the dream. Within the dream, one interprets the dream, only realizing it upon waking. Moreover, there is a great awakening that reveals
it was all a great dream, yet the foolish think themselves awake, secretly knowing. “Ruler! Shepherd!” How true
! I and you are both dreaming, and I say your dream is also a dream. This statement is called a paradox.
Only after ten thousand generations will a great sage encounter one who understands its meaning—a chance to meet him every morning and evening.

Even if I were to debate with you, and you were to win, would it be better for me to win than for you to win?
Would you then be right? Would I then be wrong? If I were to win, and you were not, would I then be right? Or would I then be wrong?
Perhaps I am right? Perhaps I am wrong? Perhaps we are both right? Perhaps we are both wrong? I and you cannot understand each other. Therefore, people are bound by their own opinions
, and who can correct them
? If I were to have someone like you correct them, since they are already like you, how can they correct them? If I were to have someone like me correct them, since they
are already like me, how can they correct them? If I were to have someone different from me and you correct them, since they are already different from me and you, how can they
correct them? If I were to have someone like me and you correct them, since they are already like me and you, how can they correct them? Therefore, I and
you cannot understand each other, nor can we rely on others?

“What is meant by harmonizing with the natural order?” The answer is: “Is it or isn’t it? If it is, then there is
no difference between ‘is’ and ‘is not’; if it is indeed, then there is no difference between ‘is’ and ‘is not’. The mutual
dependence of sounds is like their mutual non-dependence. Harmonizing with the natural order, and thus extending endlessly, is how one reaches the end of time. Forgetting
age and forgetting righteousness, one resonates in the boundless, therefore residing in the boundless.”

The netherworld asked the reflection, “You walked before, now you stop; you sat before, now you stand. Why do you have no independent will
?” The reflection replied, “Do I depend on something for this to happen? Or does what I depend on also depend on something for this to happen? Do I depend on the snake’s mouth
or the cicada’s wings? How can I know why it happens? How can I know why it doesn’t?
”

Once upon a time, Zhuangzi dreamt he was a butterfly, fluttering about happily. He felt so content and unaware that he was
Zhuangzi. Suddenly he awoke, and there he was, Zhuangzi again. He wondered whether he had dreamt he was a butterfly, or a butterfly dreamt he was Zhuangzi
. There must be a distinction between Zhuangzi and the butterfly. This is called the transformation of things.

Zhuangzi, Inner Chapters, Chapter 3: The Principle of Nourishing Life

Life is finite, but knowledge is infinite. To pursue the infinite with the finite
is perilous! And to pursue knowledge in this way is utterly dangerous! Do good without seeking fame, do evil without incurring punishment, follow the natural order as your guide, and you can preserve
your life, maintain your parents’ health, and live out your years.

When Cook Ding was carving up an ox for Lord Wenhui, wherever his hand touched, wherever his shoulder leaned, wherever his foot stepped, wherever his knee rested,
there was a resounding sound. The sound of his knife cutting was so clear and precise that it
was in perfect harmony with the music of the Mulberry Grove Dance and the music of the Jingshou Festival
.

Duke Wenhui said, “Ah, excellent! Has your skill reached this level?” Cook Ding laid down his knife and replied, “What I
love is the Way, which transcends mere skill. When I first began butchering oxen, all I saw was the whole ox; after three years
, I no longer saw the whole ox; now, I perceive with my spirit, not with my eyes. My senses cease, but my spirit moves
. I follow the natural order, cutting the large opening, guiding the large opening
, following its natural course. My skill has never even touched the vital points, let alone the large
opening! A good cook changes his knife annually, for cutting; a mediocre cook changes his knife monthly, for breaking.” “Yes
,” said the butcher, “my knife is nineteen years old, and I have butchered thousands of oxen, yet the blade
remains as sharp as if newly honed. There are gaps between the joints, and the blade has no thickness; by inserting the thin blade into the gaps, there is ample room for maneuver. Therefore, after
nineteen years, the blade remains as sharp as if newly honed. However, whenever I reach a joint, seeing its difficulty, I am alarmed and wary
, stopping abruptly, moving slowly, and making only the slightest movement of the knife. Then, with a swift movement, it
is completely separated, like earth falling to the ground. I stand with the knife, look around, and feel a sense of accomplishment, then carefully put the knife
away.” Duke Wenhui said, “Excellent! I have heard the words of Butcher Ding and learned how to nourish life.”

Gong Wenxuan was surprised to see You Shi and asked, “Who is this person? What makes him so special? Is he a deity or a human?” You Shi
replied, “He is a deity, not a human. The deity gives birth to him alone, but the appearance of a human is similar. Therefore, I know that he is a deity
, not a human.”

The pheasant pecks once every ten steps and drinks once every hundred steps; it does not wish to be kept in a cage. Though the god is king, he is not virtuous.

When Laozi died, Qin Shi offered condolences, wailing three times before leaving. His disciple asked, “Was he not a friend of the Master?” He replied,
“Yes.” “Then was it appropriate to offer condolences like this?” He said, “Yes. At first I thought he was a true friend, but
now I realize he is not. When I went in to offer condolences, there were old men weeping as if weeping for their sons; young men weeping as if weeping for their
mothers. The reason they gathered there must have been those who spoke without intention, and wept without intention. This is to defy Heaven and betray
one’s feelings, forgetting what one has received; the ancients called this the punishment of defying Heaven. Your coming was timely, Master; your leaving was in accordance with Heaven. Being at
peace with the times and in accordance with Heaven, sorrow and joy cannot enter one’s heart; the ancients called this the release from the Emperor’s shackles.”

It means that the fire is passed on, but its end is unknown.

Zhuangzi, Inner Chapters, Chapter Four: The Human World

When Yan Hui met Confucius, he asked to leave. Confucius asked, “Where are you going?” Yan Hui replied, “I am going to Wei.” Confucius asked, “Why
?” Yan Hui replied, “I have heard that the ruler of Wei is young and acts alone. He uses his power recklessly without seeing his faults.
He uses his power recklessly, causing the people to die, the number of deaths being measured by the weight of the state, like a swamp of banana trees. The people are helpless! I have heard the Master say, ‘
Abandon a well-governed state, and flock to a chaotic one. This is the path to healing the sick.’ I wish to use what I have heard to understand this principle, so that perhaps the state may be healed
!”

Confucius said, “Alas, you will surely be punished if you go forth! The Way does not desire to be mixed; if mixed, it becomes numerous; numerous, it becomes chaotic; chaotic
, it becomes worrisome; worrisome, there is no remedy. The sages of old first cultivated themselves before cultivating others.
If what they cultivated within themselves is not yet settled, how can they have time to concern themselves with the actions of violent people! Moreover, do you also know the source of virtue and the origin of knowledge? Virtue
is corrupted by fame, and knowledge arises from contention. Fame is the means of mutual exploitation; knowledge is the instrument of contention. These two are instruments of destruction,
not the means to fully realize one’s potential.”

Furthermore, virtue and integrity (pronounced qiang1) do not reach the hearts of the people; fame and
renown do not win hearts. Yet, to forcefully impose the principles of benevolence and righteousness upon others is to intimidate them.
Therefore, people despise those who possess virtue, calling it a calamity.
Those who bring calamity upon others will inevitably be calamized in return. It is almost as if one is a calamity brought upon oneself.

Furthermore, if one pleases the virtuous and despises the unworthy, why would one seek to gain advantage through cunning? If there is no imperial decree, princes and dukes will surely seize the
opportunity to exploit others. Their eyes will gleam, their expressions will flatter, their words will scheme, their demeanor will shape, and their hearts will
compel them. Thus, they will use fire to fight fire, water to fight water, calling it “adding more and more.” This cycle will continue endlessly. If one acts with disbelief and
falsehood, one will surely die before a violent person!

Furthermore, in the past, Jie killed Guan Longfeng, and Zhou killed Prince Bigan. Both of them cultivated themselves to bend over and
fawn over the people, while the lower classes offended their superiors. Therefore, their rulers took advantage of their cultivation to suppress them. They were people who loved fame.

In the past, Yao attacked Congzhi, Xu, and Ao; Yu attacked Youhu. The states were rendered powerless, and the rulers themselves were executed. Their military campaigns
never ceased, their pursuit of power was endless; these were all those who sought fame and fortune, yet have you not heard of them? Fame and fortune are things even sages
cannot overcome, let alone you! However, if you must have a reason, please tell me.”

Yan Hui asked, “If one is upright yet humble, and strives for unity, is that acceptable?” The reply was, “No! No, that’s unacceptable! To use yang ( positive
energy) to fill one’s mind with excessive pride, with inconsistent colors and patterns, is something ordinary people wouldn’t violate. To try to please people by conforming to their feelings, and
to call that gradual virtue is impossible, let alone great virtue! If one clings to this and cannot change, outwardly agreeing but inwardly not criticizing,
how can that be acceptable!”

“Then I am inwardly upright but outwardly crooked, striving for perfection and comparing myself to the highest. Inwardly upright, I am a follower of Heaven. A follower of Heaven
knows that both the Son of Heaven and I are children of Heaven, yet I alone use my words to seek praise or
condemnation. If so, people call me a child; this is what it means to be a follower of Heaven. Outwardly crooked, I am
a follower of men. Kneeling and bending the fists are the etiquette of a subject. Everyone does it; how could I not? What others do, they find no fault with
; this is what it means to be a follower of men. Striving for perfection and comparing myself to the highest, I am a follower of antiquity.
Though my words may be instructional, they are the reality of punishment; they existed in antiquity, not in me. If so, though upright, I am not flawed; this is what it means
to be a follower of antiquity. Is this acceptable?” Confucius said, “Alas! How can it be acceptable! It involves many laws and regulations without investigation
. Though rigid, it is not a crime. However, that is all; how can it be applied to transformation? It is like following one’s own heart.”

Yan Hui said, “I have no further explanation. May I ask for the method?” Confucius said, “Fasting, I will tell you.
Is it easy to do it with a sincere heart? If it is easy,
Heaven will not approve.” Yan Hui said, “My family is poor, and I have abstained from alcohol and meat
for several months. Can this be considered fasting?” Confucius said, “That is fasting for sacrifices, not fasting of the heart.”

He replied, “May I ask about the fasting of the mind?” Confucius said, “If you are single-minded, do not listen with your ears but with your heart
; do not listen with your heart but with your spirit. Listening stops at the ears, and the heart stops at the symbols. The spirit is that which is empty and awaits things
. Only the Dao gathers in emptiness. Emptiness is the fasting of the mind.”

Yan Hui said, “Before I was given a command, it was truly because of me; and when I was given a command, it was never because of me. Can this
be called an illusion?” Confucius said, “That’s it! I tell you: If you can enter its enclosure without being bothered by its name,
you will cry out when you enter and remain still when you don’t. Without doors or poison, you can reside in a single dwelling where you have no other choice. It is easy to disappear without a trace, but
difficult to leave no place to walk. It is easy to deceive others, but difficult to deceive angels. I have heard of those who fly with wings, but I have never heard of
those who fly without wings; I have heard of those who know, but I have never heard of those who know without knowing. Look at that gate, an empty room filled with
white light, auspiciousness dwells there. Even this does not cease; this is called sitting and running. If one follows the internal communication of the ears and eyes and is detached from the knowledge of the heart, even
ghosts and spirits will come to dwell there, let alone humans! This is the transformation of all things, the bond of Yu and Shun,
the end of the journey of Fu Xi and Ji Qu, let alone those who are scattered!”

Ye Gongzi Gao was about to be sent as an envoy to Qi. He asked Confucius, “The King’s envoy to Zhuliang is of great importance. Qi will treat the envoy
with great respect but not haste. Even a commoner cannot be moved, let alone a feudal lord! I am very apprehensive. You often
told Zhuliang, ‘In all matters, whether small or large, few will succeed through improper means. If things fail, there will be human
troubles; if things succeed, there will be yin-yang troubles. Only those with virtue can avoid troubles by considering whether things succeed or fail
.’ I eat coarse food and have no desire for fine cooking. Now I receive orders in the morning and drink ice in the evening
; am I not burning inside? I haven’t even grasped the true nature of the matter, yet I already face yin-yang troubles! If things fail, there will be
human troubles—these are two sides of the same coin. As a subject, I am not fit to bear this responsibility. You must have something to say to me!”

Confucius said, “There are two great precepts in the world: one is destiny, and the other is righteousness. A son’s love for his parents is destiny
, which cannot be undone from the heart; a subject’s service to his ruler is righteousness, for there is no place where he is not with his ruler, and there is nowhere he can escape between heaven and earth
. These are called the great precepts. Therefore, those who serve their parents do not choose where they are at peace, which is the utmost filial piety;
those who serve their ruler do not choose where they are at peace, which is the height of loyalty; those who serve their own hearts do not easily let sorrow or joy affect them, knowing
that they cannot do anything about it and accepting it as destiny, which is the utmost virtue. As subjects and sons, there are things that are unavoidable. When one acts out
of a sense of duty and forgets oneself, how can one have time to rejoice in life and fear death! Master, your conduct is commendable!”

Qiu asked to reiterate what he had heard: “Those who are close to each other will inevitably trust each other implicitly; those who are distant will inevitably speak with loyalty. Words will inevitably be passed on
. To pass on words that express both joy and anger is the most difficult thing in the world. When both are joyful, there will inevitably be many words of praise; when both are angry,
there will inevitably be many words of condemnation. All excessive words are false, and false words cannot be believed; if they cannot be believed, the one who passes on the words will suffer. Therefore, the law
says: ‘Pass on what is true and unbiased, and do not pass on what is excessive and unbiased, and you will almost certainly be safe.'”

Those who rely on skill and strength begin in the light and often end in the dark; when things reach their peak, they are full of ingenious tricks. Those who drink wine with propriety
begin in order and often end in chaos; when things reach their peak, they are full of strange pleasures. The same applies to all things: they begin with understanding and often end in baseness;
their beginnings are simple, but their end will inevitably be grand. Words are like storms; actions are like real losses. Storms are
easily stirred, and real losses are easily endangered. Therefore, anger arises without cause, and clever words and biased statements are used. A dead beast does not choose its cry; its breath surges
forth, and thus, a fierce heart arises. When things are excessively complicated, there will inevitably be
unworthy hearts responding without knowing why. If one does not know why, who knows where it will end? Therefore, the law says
: ‘Do not change orders, do not urge completion. Excess is harmful.’ Changing orders and urging completion are dangerous. Good things take time to achieve, bad
things cannot be changed in time; how can one not be careful! Moreover, to ride on the winds of nature and let the mind roam freely, to entrust oneself to the unavoidable and cultivate inner peace—
this is the highest achievement. What then is the reward? Nothing is more difficult than sacrificing one’s life, even if it is the most challenging.

Yan He was about to tutor the eldest son of Duke Ling of Wei when he asked Qu Boyu, “There is a man here whose virtue is deadly.
If I associate with him without principle, my state will be endangered;
if I associate with him with principle, my life will be endangered. His knowledge is only enough to know people’s faults, but not why they are faulty. What should I do?” Qu Boyu replied, “Excellent question! Be wary
, be cautious, and rectify yourself! In form, nothing is better than
yielding; in mind, nothing is better than harmony. However, both have their dangers. Yielding should not lead to stagnation, harmony should not lead to collapse. Yielding and entering will lead to ruin, destruction, collapse, and ruin; harmony and leaving
will lead to fame, reputation, and evil. If he is like an infant, be like an infant with him; if he is without boundaries
, be like without boundaries with him; if he is without limits, be like without limits with him; achieve enlightenment, and you will enter into perfection.”

Do you not know the praying mantis? It raises its arms to block a chariot track, unaware of its inadequacy; yet,
this is the beauty of its talent. Beware, be cautious; those who accumulate beauty and pretense will be easily offended!

Do you not know the ways of those who raise tigers? They dare not give them live animals, for fear of the tiger’s rage to kill them; they dare not give them whole
animals, for fear of the tiger’s rage to decide its fate. They keep them hungry and full at appropriate times, thus satisfying their anger. Tigers are different from humans, and
those who flatter and raise them are compliant; therefore, those who kill them are rebellious.

Those who love their horses fill baskets with dung and clams with urine. If a mosquito or horsefly happens to land on it and they don’t swat it away in time, the horse
will suffer a broken bit, a shattered head, and a broken chest. Their affection is misplaced because of their intentions. Shouldn’t they be careful?

The carpenter Shi, on his way to Qi, reached the curved shaft and saw an oak tree. It was so large it
could shelter an ox, its girth a hundred spans; its height rose ten fathoms above the mountain before it grew branches; and there were
several planks of wood suitable for boats. Onlookers thronged like a marketplace, but the carpenter ignored them and continued on his way. His disciple, tired of watching, ran to the carpenter
Shi and said, “Since I began to follow you, Master, with my axe, I have never seen such beautiful wood.
Why do you refuse to look and continue on your way?” The carpenter Shi replied, “Enough! It is worthless wood. If used to make a boat, it will sink; if used to
make a coffin, it will quickly rot; if used to make a vessel, it will quickly break; if used to make a door, it will become sap-filled;
if used to make a pillar, it will be eaten by insects. It is useless wood. It is of no use
, therefore it has such a long lifespan.”

When the craftsman Shi returned home, the village elder saw him in a dream and said, “How can you compare me to a piece of wood? Are you comparing me to a piece of wood? Fruits
like hawthorn, pear, orange, and pomelo, when ripe, are peeled
, and peeling them is dishonorable. Large branches break, small branches wither. This is because they suffer hardship in their lives. Therefore, they do not live out their natural lifespan and
die prematurely, suffering injustice in the world. All things are like this. Moreover, I have long sought something useless! I almost
died, and now I have found it, which is of great use to me. If I were useful, would I have such great power? And you and
I are both things, so how can you compare us? And how can a man who almost died know what a piece of wood is!” The craftsman
Shi awoke and examined his dream. The disciple asked, “If pursuing something is useless, then what is the point of forming a society?” The disciple replied, “Keep it quiet
! If you remain silent, they will simply rely on you! They will only criticize you for not understanding them. Those who do not form a society will likely be eliminated!
Moreover, what they uphold is different from the majority, and to try to explain it to them with righteousness is far-fetched!”

Nanbo Ziqi was traveling in Shangzhiqiu when he saw a large tree that was unusual: it could be used by a thousand chariots, and when it became hidden, he intended to use it for
a feast. Ziqi exclaimed, “What kind of tree is this? It must
possess extraordinary talent!” Looking up at its slender branches, he saw they were twisted and could not be used as beams; looking down at its large roots
, he saw they were broken and could not be used as coffins; licking its leaves caused his mouth to rot and become sore; smelling its fragrance caused a person to go mad for
three days without
waking up. Ziqi said, “This is indeed a useless tree, yet it has grown so large. Alas, even
the gods and men use it to be useless.”

In the Song Dynasty, there was a man named Jing who favored catalpa, cypress, and mulberry trees. He would have those trees, tall enough to be carried up to the arm’s length,
cut down by a monkey (the character for “hundred” is pronounced yī). Those with a girth of three or four inches, he would have cut down
by a beautiful tree seeking high status. Those with a girth of seven or eight inches, he would have cut down by a wealthy merchant seeking a tree near a temple. Thus, these trees would die prematurely before reaching their natural lifespan, a
consequence of the wood’s malice. Therefore, it was said that a cow with a white forehead, a pig with a prominent nose, or a person with hemorrhoids should not
cross the river. This was all known to shamans and sorcerers, and thus considered inauspicious. This, however, was how divine intervention brought great fortune
.

The man with a crooked and sparse chin, his chin hidden at the waist, his shoulders higher than his head, his fingers pointing to the sky, his five tubes on top, and his thighs forming his ribs
. He can use acupuncture to treat
his mouth, enough to fill it; he can use a pod to sow essence, enough to feed ten people. When the emperor summons warriors, the crooked and sparse man stands among them
; when the emperor undertakes a major task, the crooked and sparse man refuses to perform the work due to his chronic illness; when the emperor distributes grain to the sick, he receives three bushels and ten bundles
of firewood. Even someone with a crooked and sparse chin can still sustain his body and live out his natural lifespan; how much more so someone with a crooked and sparse physique
!

Confucius went to Chu, where the madman Jie Yu wandered around his gate and said: “Phoenix, oh phoenix, how your virtue has declined! The future
cannot be awaited, the past cannot be retrieved. When the world is governed by the Way, sages are made; when the world is not governed by the Way, sages are born
. In these times, one can barely escape punishment! Fortune is lighter than a feather, none know how to carry it; misfortune is heavier than the earth, none know how to avoid it
. Enough, enough! Treat others with virtue. Perilous, perilous! Draw
a line on the ground and run. Dizzy, dizzy, do not harm my journey. My path is winding, do not harm my feet.”

Trees in the mountains are felled by their own hand; oil lamps are consumed by their own fodder. Cinnamon is edible, so it is felled; lacquer is usable, so it is harvested
. People all know the use of the useful, but none know the use of the useless.

Next, chapters 5-7 of the inner section.

author By Dr. You-Sheng Li

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