Zhuangzi’s “Heaven and Earth”: A Chill Dude’s Guide to Not Overcomplicating Life Alright, let’s talk about Zhuangzi’s Heaven and Earth – but imagine you’re explaining it to a friend over bubble tea. 1. What’s the Big Idea? This chapter is basically Zhuangzi yelling (in a very calm, Daoist way): “Hey, stop forcing things! The universe already has…
A Chill Dude’s Guide to Zhuangzi’s Let It Be (Chapter 11: Zai You|在宥) Yo, so you’ve heard of Zhuangzi, right? The ancient Chinese philosopher who’s all about going with the flow, laughing at life’s absurdities, and basically being the ultimate laid-back sage? Well, Chapter 11 of his book, Zai You (在宥), is like his manifesto for why you should stop…
Yo, let’s talk about Zhuangzi’s “Qū Qiè” (Opening the Toolbox or Breaking Open the Chest). This chapter is wild, hilarious, and low-key kinda savage—classic Zhuangzi vibes. If you’ve ever thought, “Man, society’s rules are kinda fake,” then this chapter is basically Zhuangzi nodding like, “Yup, and here’s why.” Wait, What’s the Deal with the Title? So, “Qū Qiè” literally means prying open a…
There is an idiom to describe the idea of this passage: too much is bad（过犹不及） 1. The “Tiger Mom” Problem You know those parents who sign their kids up for every after-school class—piano, coding, advanced calculus, underwater basket-weaving—until the poor kid’s schedule looks like a CEO’s? Yeah, Zhuangzi totally saw that coming. In Horses’ Hooves, he tells us: The more you…
Taoism meets Materialism: How does Fan Zhen rewrite the history of Thought with ‘Form and Spirit against each other’? Introduction: Historical Context of Intellectual Transmission Similarities in Historical Background Social turbulence during the Wei-Jin and Northern-Southern Dynasties (5th-6th century CE)（It’s similar to the chapter of Parallel thumb on Parallelism） The flourishing of Buddhism and indigenous…
I. Textual Positioning and Background Textual Attribution First chapter of “Outer Chapters” in Zhuangzi (traditional classification) Academic debate: Some scholars consider it retains the essence of Inner Chapters Forms a critique of Confucianism series with “Horse Hooves” and “Breaking Open Trunks” Historical Context Intensified social transformations during mid-Warring States period（Today’s society is also in a…
1. Overview The Philosopher-King (Ying Di Wang) is the seventh and final chapter of the Inner Chapters of Zhuangzi, primarily exploring the political philosophy of “the way of the ruler” and “governing through non-action” (wu wei). Through parables, dialogues, and philosophical discourse, Zhuangzi proposes that an ideal ruler should follow nature and govern effortlessly, rather than imposing artificial control….
I. Chapter Positioning and Core Themes Position in the Inner Chapters The Great and Venerable Teacher is the sixth chapter of the Inner Chapters of Zhuangzi, building upon the ideas of Free and Easy Wandering and Discussion on the Equality of Things, systematically expounding the ultimacy of the Dao and the state of the “True Man.” Core proposition: “To know what is of Heaven and…
I. Overview of the Chapter De Chong Fu (The Sign of Virtue Complete) is the fifth chapter of the inner chapters of Zhuangzi, focusing on the essence and manifestation of De (virtue or inner power). The title suggests the idea of inner virtue being so complete that it naturally expresses itself outwardly. Through a series of characters with…
In the long river of Chinese philosophy, Zhuangzi‘s The Human World (《人间世》) acts as a peculiar mirror, reflecting the dilemmas of human existence and the possibilities of transcendence. On the surface, this text—filled with allegories and metaphors—tells stories of “uselessness”: a carpenter rejects a “worthless” tree, a deformed man named Zhili Shu survives due to his disability,…
