Laozi, the founder of Taoism——
A brief introduction to Laozi’s life
The year of birth and death is unknown. According to records in "Historical Records", after Confucius asked Lao Tzu for courtesy, he said to his disciples that Lao Tzu was "like a dragon evil", which meant that Lao Tzu was as majestic as a dragon and his realm was unfathomable. In fact, who this world-class cultural celebrity is has become a mystery as early as Tai Shigong's time. "Historical Records? Biography of Laozi and Han Fei" records, "Laozi was a native of Qurenli, Lixiang, Chuku County. His surname was Li, his given name was Er, and his courtesy name was Sheng. He had a history of keeping the Tibetan House in Zhou Dynasty...or it could be said that Lao Laizi was also from Chu. Also...it may be said that Dan is Laozi, or it is not. No one in the world knows whether it is true or not." In other words, there were three Laozi who might be Taoists at that time, one was Li Er (earlier than Confucius), the other was Lao Laizi (at the same time as Confucius), and the third was Taishi Dan (after Confucius). Tai Shigong generally believed that the Taoist Laozi was Li Er, but in modern times only Hu Shi, Zhang Xu, and Ma Xulun inherited this view. It is generally believed that Laozi and his writings should be written after Confucius, such as Liang Qichao, Feng Youlan, Gu Jiegang and other scholars. There are also people who compromise the first two opinions, such as Tang Lan, who advocates that Lao Dan and Confucius were at the same time. Qian Mu clearly pointed out that Lao Tzu should be born in the late Warring States Period.
The legend of Laozi’s birth
During the Spring and Autumn Period, Luyi County was named Ku County. Ten miles east of the city, there is a village called Qurenli. It is a treasure land with green pines and green cypresses, beautiful water and bright mountains.
There is a Laixiang ditch in front of Shanshuo Village. The water in the ditch is crystal clear and plum trees are lush on both sides. There is a family deep in the plum forest. The daughter of this family is 18 years older. She is handsome, full of flowers, knowledgeable and polite, elegant and gentle. Her parents regarded her as a star in the palm of their hand. This girl has a special temperament and vows not to marry. She will stay with her elders all her life, study poetry and books, and serve her parents.
One day, this girl went to the ditch to do laundry. She rubbed it on the rocks for a while, then raised the mallet and said, "Bang! Bang! Bang!" After a few strokes, she saw two pairs of bellies growing together. The plums floated over from the water not far away. She stopped what she was doing and reached out to pick up the plums. I saw that the two plums were bulging on one side and flat on the other, like two ears put together. These plums are red with yellow inside, and yellow with red inside. Put it on the tip of your nose and smell it. It smells delicious! Take a bite and taste it, the honey is sweet! There is also an endless aftertaste in it. She finished it in a few bites.
As soon as she finished eating the plums, she felt uncomfortable and had unbearable abdominal pain. She wanted to vomit but couldn't. She lowered her waist and held her stomach, her face was like a piece of copper. At this moment, someone spoke in her belly: "Mother, don't be sad, it will be fine when the baby sits upright." She was shocked: Why did the plum turn into a fetus? She blushed and asked the little life in her belly in a low voice: "Baby, since you can speak now, please come out." The fetus replied: Mother, the baby can't come out right now. I want to think about something here! "What are you thinking about?" "What are you thinking about?" It can make fools smart, stupid people become clever, evil people become kind, and the world is peaceful. "Then when will you come out?" "Wait until the sky is strict." . . . . . Come with the camel leader. "No more going on.
The flowers fell, the flowers bloomed, and the flowers fell again. More than a year passed, but the child was still not born. The girl who was pregnant after eating plums was scared, so she secretly I ran to a quiet place and whispered to Jiao'er in my belly: "Son, when you are pregnant, you are born in ten months. You have been pregnant for more than a year, why are you still not born? The fetus asked the mother: "Is Tian Changyan there?" Is the camel leader here? The mother said, "None of them." The fetus said, "I can't be born before the time comes. If I am born, I will harm you." "
The leaves have turned green, the leaves have grown, and another year has passed. The girl who was pregnant with plums secretly ran to the big plum tree at the back of the village and begged the fetus: "Son, I have been pregnant with you for two years. Dula, she should be giving birth? "The fetus said: "Is Tian Changyan there? Is the camel leader here? The mother said: "The sky is not clear, and the camel leader has not come." Why do you keep asking? "The fetus said: "The time has not come yet, I can't be born yet."
Eighty-one years have passed, and the girl who ate plums and became pregnant has become a gray-haired old man. She walked into her house, Sitting in front of the bed, I asked my son: "Son, my enemy, it has been eighty-one years, shouldn't you have been born? "The son asked the old saying again. The mother thought in her heart: "There is still a patch of sky in the northeast corner that is not clear, and the camel leader has not come yet.
He kept asking these two questions and said he couldn't harm me. What was going on? Alas, it doesn’t matter whether he is a trap or not! I said, "It's getting serious, and the camel leader is coming." Thinking of this, he said to his son in his belly: "It's getting serious this morning, and the camel leader is here too. You should be born soon." "As soon as he finished speaking, the son broke his mother's right rib and pushed out from the inside! Hey! It turned out to be the old man Yagami with a white beard! Even his hair and eyebrows were white!
Mother and right rib No bleeding. When my son saw that the camel leader didn't come, he suddenly understood what was going on. He panicked. I couldn't tear off the camel and patch it on your old ribs. What should I do? He knelt down on his knees and kowtowed three times. The mother said, "Son, don't cry. I won't blame you. You were conceived for my mother by eating plums, and the plums look like two ears made of two ears. My mother will give you a name. Call me Li Er!" I have nothing else to say before I die. When a person passes, he leaves a name, and when a flying goose passes, he leaves a voice. After my mother enters, if you are a good person in this world, it will be worth the eighty-one years that I have been pregnant with you." After that, she said. Angry to death. Li Er knelt beside his mother's body and cried bitterly.
Because Li Er was born as an old man, people later called Li Er Laozi.
Confucius asked about rituals
Confucius of Lu State studied the knowledge of rituals hard, but in the end he could not get any results. For this, he felt very distressed. When he heard that after years of painstaking exploration and study, I had profound knowledge and had obtained the way of heaven, he decided to visit Laozi. He took Uncle Nangong Jing with him to Luoyang, the capital of Zhou Dynasty.
When Laozi saw Confucius, he asked enthusiastically: "You are here. I heard that you have now become a sage in the north, but I wonder if you have understood the way of heaven?"
Confucius replied: "I have not yet understood the way of heaven."
Laozi asked again: "Then, how do you explore the way of heaven?"
Confucius replied: "Study on etiquette, benevolence and righteousness, and seek them in the name of system. It has been five years now, but I still haven't found it."
I asked again: "How can you continue to go on? Are you seeking it?"
Confucius replied: "I have been seeking it from the changes of yin and yang for 12 years, but I still haven't found it."
Laozi said: "Yes. Ah. The Tao of yin and yang cannot be seen by the eyes, heard by the ears, and expressed by words. Therefore, the so-called Tao can only be understood by understanding tangible and vocal things. To understand the Tao, you can’t hear it by listening with your ears, you can’t see it by looking at it, and you can’t express it clearly with words. ”
Laozi. He paused for a moment, looked at Confucius, and continued: "You said that you have been seeking for twelve years and cannot find it. That is of course. If the Tao can be dedicated, then there is no way people would not dedicate it to the king. ; If the Tao can be given as tribute, then there will be no children who will not give it as tribute to their parents; if the Tao can be told to others, there will be no people who will not tell their brothers; if the Tao can be given to others, then there will be no people who will not give it to their descendants. . However, these are just assumptions and cannot be realized. The reason is that the Tao cannot be seen, heard, spoken, and given away. The key to seeking the Tao is to have inner understanding. If you don’t have the Tao in your heart, you can’t keep it. , and it needs to be corroborated with the external environment. Therefore, it can be said that a person who has attained the Tao is inaction, simple and contented, does not regard himself as a giver, and spends nothing to correct others. If you cannot correctly understand the Dao in your heart, your spiritual activities will not be smooth."
When leaving, Laozi said to Confucius: "Wealthy people give away money, and educated people give away words. I am not considered rich. I am a learned man, but I still want to give you a few words. I paused for a while and then said: "Confucius, the Zhou rites you want to restore have lost their vitality. When your time is right, you drive your car to be an official. When your time is not right, you are like a grass spinning in the wind. You must know that people who are good at business always hide their goods as if they have nothing; people with high morals are as humble as a fool. Abandon your pride and excessive desires! These things will do you no good. ”
Laozi’s words deeply touched Confucius. He said to his students: “Birds, I know they are good at flying; fish, I know they are good at swimming; beasts, I know they are good at running.”
For birds, you can shoot them with arrows; for fishes, you can catch them with nets; for beasts, you can use traps to catch them. As for the dragon in the sky, I don't know its shape or how it flies up to the sky on the wind. When I saw Lao Tzu today, it was like seeing a dragon!"
Famous Proverbs
Tao can be Tao, but it is not the eternal Tao. Name, it can be named, but it is not the eternal name. Nameless, The beginning of heaven and earth; it has a name and is the mother of all things. Therefore, there is always no desire to observe its wonders; these two have the same origin but have different names. They are both mysterious and mysterious, and they are the door of all wonders. p>
Some questions about Laozi’s Tao
Laozi’s Tao has rich and profound connotations and can be explained from different angles and levels. Therefore, if there are different or even opposite views, they all It is a natural and normal phenomenon. Comparing and analyzing different opinions can help deepen the understanding and understanding of Laozi’s way.
1. Does Laozi’s way actually exist?
Is Laozi's Tao a real existence, or is it just a conceptual existence? This question was raised by Mr. Chen Guying. He himself answered: "On this issue, we can simply say, 'Tao'. It only exists conceptually. The description of all the characteristics of "Tao" is presupposed by Laozi. " (Chen Guying's "New Theory of Lao and Zhuang Zhuang", Shanghai Ancient Books Publishing House, 1992 edition, page 36) This answer may not be in line with Laozi's thinking characteristics as an ancient Chinese sage.
According to this In other words, Laozi's description of all the characteristics of "Tao" is like a mathematician constructing and deducing theorems about pure mathematics at will, without being restricted by any subjective or objective conditions. If so, this "Tao" is not only. "It can be named", but it is also "eternal"; this "name" is not only "nameable", but also "eternal". However, Laozi not only clearly pointed out that "the Tao can be Tao, but it is not the eternal Tao; the name can be named, but it is not the eternal name." ” ("Laozi? Chapter 1"), and explains that the method of observing and understanding "Tao" is "therefore, always have no desire in order to observe its wonderfulness; always have desire in order to observe its beauty" ("Laozi? Chapter 1") . This shows that Laozi's "Tao" is not a purely mathematical intellectual game, but reflects an objective reality. In fact, although Laozi's Taoism has rich connotations, no matter what sense of "Tao" it is, it all follows. It is something that can be thought about and realized in all things in the universe and in social life. Especially from the perspective of cultivating the Tao and experiencing the Tao, this kind of "Tao" is inseparable from everyone's personal practice and experience. Mr. Mou Zhongjian said it well, "Laozi". 》"A series of full experiences" ("General Theory of Taoism" edited by Mou Zhongjian et al., Qilu Publishing House, 1991, p. 149) Laozi's description of the characteristics of "Tao", such as nature, inaction, nothingness, tranquility, purity, simplicity, and simplicity. , tranquility, weakness, non-competition, etc., are all "experienced". Among them, "nature, inaction" has the most fundamental meaning. Laozi said: "Human is the same as the earth, the earth is the same as the sky, the sky is the same as the Tao, and the Tao is the same." nature. "("Laozi? Chapter 25") "Dao always does nothing but does everything. " ("Laozi? Chapter 37") These two characteristics are actually one and two, two and one, and can be attributed to "natural inaction". This is not only the characteristic of "Tao" itself, so it has philosophical ontological significance, and at the same time It has the methodology significance of cultivating Taoism. Therefore, Laozi’s Tao is not a so-called “preset” model.
2. Is Laozi’s Tao the ontological category of old Western metaphysics? A view that is quite similar to the above-mentioned "presupposition" is the so-called "old ontology" theory proposed by Mr. Zhang Shiying. He believes that the "Tao" of ontology taught by Laozi is the "constant Tao" and is transcendent. The universal and eternal thing is therefore basically an "ontological category of the old metaphysics from Plato to Hegel" (Zhang Shiying, "Between Heaven and Man - Confusion and Choices in Chinese and Western Philosophy", People's Publishing House, 1995 edition, p. Page 403). This view is also untenable.
From the perspective of the relationship between heaven and man, "Heaven" (i.e. "Tao"), as an ontological category, is both absolute and infinite. It is also the process of developing all things and becoming popular; and the ontology of human beings depends on "Heaven". Human beings are endowed with the nature given by "Heaven", so they also have absolute and infinite transcendent nature. Therefore, in terms of ontology, "Human" and "Heaven" are one, although this unity is only potential and self-existent. On the other hand, from the perspective of human beings' individual existence in reality, they are limited and relative. "Heaven" is different.
This difference is not only an objective existence in nature, but also reflected in people's thinking and consciousness. In this way, the separation of "man from man, heaven from heaven" appears.
However, this separation of heaven and man can at most temporarily "cover" the potential, ontological unity of nature and man, but cannot fundamentally cancel its unity. Human beings are a special kind of existence. “According to traditional Chinese philosophy, human existence is the unity of metaphysics and metaphysics, the unity of form and spirit, and the unity of body and mind. There is no Western kind of separation of soul and body, and the separation of spirit and spirit. "The dualism of material opposition" (Meng Peiyuan's "The Subjective Thinking of Chinese Philosophy", People's Publishing House, 1993 edition, p. 146) Therefore, Lao-Zhuang Taoist philosophy helps to explore and solve the separation of soul and body, and the separation of heaven and man. The phenomenon of "alienation" enables people to "return" to heaven, grasp the infinite from the finite, and achieve the absolute in the relative, thereby achieving the goal of settling down and settling down, and the unity of nature and man. The so-called "Heaven and man do not compete with each other." Real person" ("Zhuangzi? Great Master"). This state of unity between man and nature achieved by "real people" has its philosophical basis. First of all, from an ontological point of view, the philosophical basis of "Ti Dao" is that "the Tao is one" ("Zhuangzi: Equality of Things") and "all things are one" ("Zhuangzi: De Chongfu"), which is the so-called "The whole world is connected with one Qi" ("Zhuangzi Zhi Beiyou"); secondly, from the perspective of natural nature and way of existence, "natural inaction" is the existence characteristic of "Tao", and therefore it should also be the characteristic of all things in the world, including human beings. Nature and its way of being. Therefore, "natural inaction" as a basic Tao method actually reflects the natural nature of human beings to "return to their roots". In short, Laozi’s Tao focuses on cultivating the Tao, embodying the Tao, and integrating it with “Tao”, which determines that Laozi’s “Tao” cannot be the “old metaphysical ontological category” in the history of Western philosophy.
3. Is Laozi’s theory of “being” and “nothing” contradictory?
Some commentators believe that in terms of the theory of cosmogenesis, Laozi believes that the "being" of specific existence must have a beginning, and the thing at the beginning can no longer be "being" but can only be "nothing". ". However, this is impossible. Because in fact, all things live on "being", and everything is the transformation of specific material forms, and nothing is produced from absolute "nothing". In order to overcome this contradiction, Laozi sometimes described Tao as a chaotic and undivided initial substance that includes things, images and essences. In this way, Tao is no longer "nothing" but "being". , thus creating a fundamental contradiction with the statement that "something" comes from "nothing". In short, Laozi once said that there is something, and the other said that there is nothing, thus getting himself into self-contradiction.
This view is questionable. The author believes that regarding the contradictions in Laozi's Taoism, it is not actually the contradictions in Laozi's Taoism itself, but the contradictions in the understanding and understanding of later generations. To understand and understand Laozi’s Taoism, we need to pay attention to three issues: First, we should pay attention to the different angles and levels of Laozi’s Taoism in terms of methods; second, Laozi’s so-called “existence” and “nothing” both belong to the ontology and generation theory of the universe. , "Existence" and "Nothing" are just different characteristics and states in the existence of "Tao body" and its evolution and development. From the perspective of ontology, Laozi’s “nothing” does not mean to deny the ontology of all things in the universe; from the perspective of the theory of generation, “nothing” does not mean to deny that all things in the universe have not yet been formed, and the duality of yin and yang The source of the chaotic whole that has not yet been differentiated. Mr. Dong Guangbi pointed out that Laozi’s “nothing” is equivalent to the “ground state quantum field” in modern physics. Modern physics has also changed people's understanding of the concept of "vacuum". It does not refer to a state of void where nothing exists. "According to quantum field theory, all kinds of particles are excited states of vacuum, and everything in the real world is formed by vacuum excitation. 'Vacuum' returns to Laozi's 'nothing' that contains infinite vitality." (Dong Guangbi, "Taoist Thought" "Modernity and World Significance", contained in the first volume of "Taoist Culture Research", Shanghai Ancient Books Publishing House, 1992 edition, page 48) This view is of great reference significance for scientific research. Mr. Pang Pu pointed out from the perspective of philology that there are three stages in the ancients' understanding of "nothing": the first is "death", which refers to existence and then nothing; the second is "wu", which refers to the seemingly nonexistent existence; the third is "wu", Refers to nothingness and pure nothingness. The word "wu" in what Lao Tzu calls "being is born from nothing" was originally the word "无". (Pang Pu's "Speaking of "Nothing"", see "One Divided into Three" pp. 271-282) This also shows that there is no contradiction in Laozi's statement that "being is born from nothing".
Therefore, it is not appropriate to understand the "nothing" in Laozi's philosophy as a "nothing" that has nothing and is absolutely empty. The third is to grasp the language art of Laozi's description of "Tao". Mr. Mou Zhongjian said it very clearly. The so-called "Tao is not something. It is formless, intangible, and exists in a hidden way. It is extremely mysterious and indescribable." , it can only be understood, but once it is said, it falls behind and loses its true nature. It can only convey the meaning and describe it reluctantly, and it must also be scanned as it is said, leaving no trace." ("General Theory of Taoism" edited by Mou Zhongjian and others. pp. 70-71). Therefore, Laozi's so-called "nothing" should be understood as a kind of language expression art that is right and contradictory.
4. Isn’t Laozi’s teaching moral?
Mr. Zhang Shiying believes that "the 'Heaven and Earth are not benevolent' in "Laozi" more clearly cancels the moral significance of Tao and Heaven", "the 'Tao' in "Laozi" is the opposite of human nature" (Zhang Shiying, "Between Heaven and Man—Confusion and Choices in Chinese and Western Philosophy" p. 364). It is hard to imagine that Laozi's "Tao Te Ching" would cancel the moral meaning and be the opposite of humanity!
In Laozi’s view, although “Tao” is the foundation and origin of all things, the existence and formation process of all things in the universe are still inseparable from “De”. Laozi said, "Tao is born, virtue is the animal. If you nurture it, it will be poisoned by the pavilion, and if you nourish it, it will be overthrown." It also plays an important role and significance in terms of the existence and formation process of all things in the universe. The reason why "De" has such an important role and significance is that "De" is closely related to "Tao". It is said that "the appearance of Confucius is only followed by Tao" ("Laozi? Chapter 25"). It means that "Tao" is the main one and "De" is the subordinate one. "Tao" determines the characteristics of "De" and "De" embodies the nature of "Tao". "Guanzi Xinshu Shang" also said: "Virtue means the renunciation of the Tao,...so virtue means getting it, and getting it is called getting it. Inaction is called the Tao, and renunciation is called virtue, so the Tao and Virtue is endless." This means that "De" is the embodiment of "Tao". All things rely on it to grow, and the mind relies on it to understand the essence of "Tao", so "De" is "getting". The so-called "getting" means that what you want to get ("Tao") has been realized. Inaction is called "Tao", and manifesting it is called "De", so there is no difference between "Tao" and "De". It is precisely because of the close relationship between "morality" and "Tao" that determines the important role and significance of "morality" in the existence and formation process of all things in the universe. In particular, for "people", Laozi's "virtue" mainly refers to people's pure nature (the so-called "the thickest virtue is greater than that of a pure child" ("Laozi Chapter 55")) and the state of cultivation (the so-called "Xuanzi"). The depth of virtue is far away, and it is contrary to things" ("Laozi? Chapter 65")).
Therefore, Laozi's "Tao" is not only a natural philosophy category, but also a metaphysical category about human beings' inner ontology and value. The nature of "Tao" is "natural". It is said that "the respect of Tao, the nobleness of virtue, and the fate of Fu Mo are always natural" ("Laozi? Chapter 51"). The so-called "nature" refers to the existence state, mode and process of "Tao". It does not exclude the natural world outside human beings, but is related to the practical principles and significance of human life. The so-called "man follows the earth, and the earth follows the heaven". , Heaven follows the Tao, and the Tao follows nature” ("Laozi? Chapter 25"). Therefore, Laozi's "Tao" ultimately aims to explore the meaning of life and the source of value, and to solve the metaphysical basis of human value ontology, which is the so-called "settlement and livelihood" problem. Therefore, for people, Lao Tzu's "Tao" is only a potential basis. It depends on people's conscious practice and experience (the so-called "practicing the Tao" and "experiencing the Tao") in order to turn the potential into reality and be consistent with the "Tao". “Be united and be free. This is the meaning of "humanity" contained in Laozi's "Tao" as an ontological category, which shows its unique theoretical value and practical significance.
5. Is it credible that "the way of heaven has no relatives, but always associates with good people"?
In "Historical Records: Biography of Boyi", there is a passage that is often praised by later generations, namely: "It may be said that the way of heaven has no relatives and is always associated with good people. If Boyi and Shuqi can be said to be good people, Isn't that right? He died of starvation after doing this! Zhongni only recommended Yan Hui as a scholar. What is the virtue of being a thief who kills innocent people, acts violently and violently, and gathers thousands of people to run amok across the world? This is especially true for those who are very famous in modern times. , specializes in violating taboos, but enjoys life-long enjoyment, and is rich and prosperous for generations to come.
There are countless people who choose a place to walk, speak out words from time to time, act out of control, act unjustly and without anger, and suffer disasters. I am so confused! What if the so-called way of heaven is evil or not? "Looking at ancient and modern times, this passage is very representative and expresses the common confusion in the hearts of all living beings throughout the ages. So, how should we deeply understand "the way of heaven has no relatives and is always with good people", as well as phenomena such as Boyi and Yan Hui What?
In Laozi's view, "the way of heaven" is naturally unconditioned, so it is "unrelated"; the reason why "it is always with good people" is because good people are in line with (or are the same as) the way and are in harmony with each other. Virtue, and "Those who are the same as Dao, Dao will also be happy to get it; those who are the same as Virtue, virtue will also be happy to get it" ("Laozi? Chapter 23"), so it can be said that the way of heaven "always be with good people". What needs to be emphasized is that, The so-called "always with a good person" refers to enriching or enriching his inner moral character (a good person), that is, enriching and magnifying his inner beauty of humanity, rather than "giving" (giving) him something else. And all of this is natural and the result of "good people" doing it on their own, rather than having a personal God helping him secretly. We can also borrow a sentence from "Zhuangzi? Lie Yukou" to explain: " The Creator repays people, not the people but the Heaven that repays them. "The so-called "creator" refers to the "way of heaven"; the so-called "his person" generally refers to a certain person, which extends to a person's fame, wealth and status in society, misfortunes, blessings, honors and disgrace, etc.; the so-called "his person's heaven" refers to the inner nature of a person. Natural nature, nature, virtue, etc. To sum up, the general idea is that God's reward to man is not to reward him for the misfortunes, blessings, honors and disgrace in the world, but to reward his innermost and most authentic nature. , If a "good person" is truly good, then "goodness" itself is God's best and most real reward for him. If he is benevolent, why should he ask for it? On the contrary, if the "evil person" really does a lot of evil, then " "Evil" itself is the harm and destruction of his innermost and most authentic nature and character. His mind is dirty, his state is despicable, and there is no "lord of heaven" at all. This is God's response to This is the most severe retribution for him. No matter how high he is in human rank, he may be extremely powerful for a while, or he may be famous all his life. Boyi and Shuqi are good people who behave like this! If you don't violate benevolence in three months, you can really practice the Tao and achieve your virtue! This is the best reward for them! Those who are thieves and dandies may live in leisure and wealth for many generations, but they will eventually die. It's such a sad day! What's so precious about longevity? p>Zhuangzi——
A brief introduction to the life of Zhuangzi
Zhuangzi (about 369 BC - 286 BC), named Zhou Dynasty, lived in Mongolia during the Warring States Period (one theory is that it is northeast of Shangqiu County, Henan Province, and the other is One theory is that he was born in Mengcheng County, Anhui Province today. He was a representative figure of the Taoist school during the Warring States Period. He was also an outstanding writer and philosopher. His masterpiece "Zhuangzi" (also known as "Zhuangzi"). "Nanhua Sutra") elucidated the essence of Taoist thought and developed Taoist theory, making it a philosophical school that had a profound impact on later generations.
The Deeds of Zhuangzi
Zhuang Zhou wrote ten books in his life. Yu Wanyan, the title of the book is "Zhuangzi". The emergence of this document marks that during the Warring States Period, our country's philosophical thought and literary language had developed to a far-reaching and profound level. Therefore, it is a treasure among ancient Chinese classics. Zhuangzi is not only a famous thinker in the history of Chinese philosophy, but also an outstanding writer in the history of Chinese literature. He has given profound influence to thinkers and writers of all ages in my country, both in terms of philosophical thought and literary language. He has a huge influence and plays a very important role in the history of Chinese thought and literature.
He served as a minor official in Mengcheng Lacquer Garden (the former site of Lacquer Garden on the north bank of Guohe River in today's county), but Soon he resigned. He lived in a shabby alley and wrote books in plain clothes and straw sandals. When his life was difficult to maintain, he once borrowed food from the Marquis of Jianhe. When King Chu Wei heard that Zhuang Zhou was a learned and virtuous man, he sent an envoy to prepare a fortune. Huoli came to Qiyuan (Mengcheng) and asked Zhuangzi to be the prime minister of Chu. After the envoy explained the intention of King Xu of Chu to be the prime minister, Zhuangzi smiled and said to the envoy of Chu: "A thousand pieces of gold is a great gift, and the position is the most noble. But, haven’t you seen the cows used for sacrifice? People fatten the cows and wear them in red and colorful colors during sacrifices. Shouldn’t they be taken to the Ancestral Temple and killed as sacrifices? I would rather live in indifference than sacrifice cows.” Zhuangzi In the conversation and laughter, he was "like a cow and resigned from the prime minister", but he was not the prime minister of Chu State in the end.
In the early years of the Warring States Period, the princes fought against each other, wars were frequent, and society was in turmoil. Under such a social background, academic thought has been unprecedentedly active, and academic schools have emerged one after another, forming his unique philosophical system and thoughts. They are only a hundred miles apart, so their academic thoughts are also called "the studies of Lao and Zhuang Guohe" .
In his later years, Zhuangzi often fished in the Pu River (now the Gorgon River in the south of the city) and the Wo River, swam in Haoliang (now southwest of Linhuai City in Fengyang, Anhui) to watch fish, and had fun with fish and birds. A quiet and leisurely life. In the first year of Tianbao of the Tang Dynasty (742), Emperor Xuanzong promulgated the book "Nan Hua Zhen Jing" and named Zhuang Zi "The True Man of Nan Hua", calling his book the "Nan Hua Zhen Jing".
Comments from later generations (from netizens)
(1) The elegance of poetry and the thorough understanding of philosophy are all present in Zhuangzi
There is no doubt that Zhuangzi’s thoughts brought great influence to the world at that time. It has a slightly reactionary tone (this is the author's humble opinion. If you have different opinions, you are welcome to criticize and correct me), such as "Those who steal the hook will be punished, and those who steal the country will be princes" - it is too sharp, too profound, and too willful, and therefore it is not accepted by all walks of life. The princes accepted him, but fortunately he did not seek high position or power, nor did he seek fine clothing and food, so he continued to be his lacquer garden official, still read his "Xiaoyaoyou", and still hid in the alleys, chewing the mouthful. A salary that can't sustain you even if you're hungry. Zhuang Zhou was not as motivated as Meng Ke, who persuaded the princes to show off his eloquence with high spirits. "He only talked to himself in a remote place" (Zhu Xi said in his answer to the question). He let his full body of economics jump out on the paper and let his talents flow slowly.
The flow of history is like a surging river, which has the tendency to flow thousands of miles and never look back. The Western Zhou Dynasty of slavery disappeared in the smoke and dust of feudal feudal rule, followed by the intrigues, melee and fighting between the Five Hegemons of the Spring and Autumn Period and the Seven Heroes of the Warring States Period - the fragmentation before unification was the last pain before the rebirth of this vast and beautiful land!
Zhuang Zhou was not the only one struggling in this heartbreaking throes. His ability to fade out gracefully in the end instead of escaping in embarrassment was one of the reasons why I initially became interested in him. He once used a ring as a metaphor for society, saying that all conflicts in the world, life and death, blood and tears, are all carried out on the ring; any point on the ring may become the position of both parties in the struggle; if you don’t want to be in danger, just You can only float in the emptiness of the ring. You don't have to participate in the right and wrong of the ring - you should neither promote nor resist the evolution of things. It is best to let nature take its course. At that time, I felt that this view was too negative, too tactful, and not like what a man would say. After reading "The Governance of Wenjing", I discovered that for a society without too much material accumulation, governance by doing nothing seems to be more reasonable.
Sometimes I feel that Zhuang Zhou is inevitably somewhat contradictory. Throughout his life, he regarded the world as a passing cloud, and sometimes criticized the world's conditions with sharp and uncompromising words. When Zhuang Zhou met King Hui of Liang for the first time, he was wearing a linen robe with a scar on his lapel. When he stepped up the stairs, his robe and shoelaces were broken. King Hui asked: "Why is Mr. Zhuang so coward?" Zhuang Zhou Said: "It's not that it's just poverty, it's just poverty. That's true weakness when scholars have ambitions but can't realize them. Scholars are useless because they were born at the wrong time, just like me. Look at the gibbon jumping on the treetops, let it rest in the Nan Trees like the camphor tree can climb high branches and move freely. If you cut off all the trees and force it to escape into the thorny bushes such as the tangerine, it will dodge and tremble. Is it because of cramps and broken bones? Of course not? . The situation is not good, and I can't use my skills. Nowadays, there is a stupid king at the top and a chaotic prime minister (Hui Shi) at the bottom. It is easier said than done for aspiring scholars! ”
King Hui of Liang naturally did not dare to compliment such words. This is probably the reason why the talented Zhuang Zhou could not get an official position.
I also feel that Zhuang Zhou is inevitably a little innocent. He was so talented when he was young that he did not know that Tao Hui had lured him to the capital of Liang for three days and nights to arrest him, just because he was worried that Zhuang Zhou would steal his prime minister's job. Hui Shi would never believe it - Zhuang Zhou came all the way out of a sincere friendship and a nostalgic enthusiasm - he hadn't seen him for a long time and wanted to see his friend - nothing more.
Why do all the schools of thought fall in love with him alone?
Maybe it’s because... he is proud enough, hurtful enough, his articles are spicy enough, and his literary talent is bright enough. Indeed, he did not live a stable enough life, and he did not live a glorious enough life. However, I would like to say that his life was peaceful enough, smooth enough, comfortable enough, meaningful enough, and romantic enough.
The scorching flames are his core, the absolute freedom and ease are his inner being, the rugged rocks are his character, and the clouds in the blue sky are his feelings!
In terms of loyalty to the king and patriotism, he was not as good as Qu Yuan - the former tried his best to assist King Huai, and was slandered and exiled but still swore to live and die with the Chu State - while Zhuang Zhou was like a wild man living in the mountains and forests. Crane; in terms of hard work and merit, he is not as good as Confucius - the former went through ups and downs and traveled around the country, although his true knowledge and insights were not used, he still taught and educated people conscientiously - and Zhuang Zhou was just like it