Chuang Tzu, Express
Freedom of Daoism
By
the time of what in Chinese history is called the Period of the Warring
States (475 - 221 BC), Taoist thinking of philosophy was inherited and
developed by a scholar from the State of Song who was named Zhuang Zhou
and often referred to as Zhuang Zi. As a representative of the Taoist
school of thought, Zhuang Zi is as well known as Lao Zi. Hence the two
names often go together as Lao Zhuang.
All his life Zhuang Zi lived in straitened circumstances and sometimes
had to earn his rice by making straw sandals or even to borrow from others.
But he was not at all interested in an official position or offering his
service to any ruler. There was a king that went by the name of Wei Wang
in the State of Chu. When he was told that Zhuang Zi was very learned
and talented, he sent an emissary to the latter inviting him to become
his prime minister with a huge salary. Zhuang Zi was adamant in declining
the offer, saying, "I would prefer never to have anything to do with
the official world and hope for spiritual contentment only. " By
this he meant the life of a recluse which would make it possible for him
to devote his time exclusively to the study of the thinking of Lao Zi.
In his life he had authored many essays on Taoism and written a number
of humorous fables through which he succeeded in explicating some abstract
philosophical theories and making them easy to understand.
For example, there is this fable entitled "Creating Features for
Hun Tun" (Making Apertures in the Nebulae). According to which, there
is in ancient times an emperor in the south named Shu and another emperor
in the north named Hu. In between lies the territory of the Central Emperor
whose name is Hun Tun. Being close friends Shu and Hu make constant visits
to each other and so have to cross the territory of Hun Tun frequently
who is ever so hospitable. For this Shu and Hu are very grateful and they
have always wanted to repay his hospitality. It occurs to them that although
everyone has eyes, ears, mouth and nose which in Chinese are called the
seven apertures, Hun Tun somehow has been deprived of them. Consequently
they decide to create the seven apertures for him. So every day they go
and dig one aperture in Hun Tun. Who can imagine that this should have
ended up in a great tragedy! For at the end of the seven days, Hun Tun
is dead. With this fable, Zhuang Zi aims to make it clear that man should
not be allowed to tamper at will with what is created by nature. This
is the so-called Lao Zhuang philosophy of "leaving things well alone"
or "doing through not doing".
Zhuangzi had a friend who went by the name of Dongguozi. He was puzzled
by the question of where to find dao, which the former often referred
to. So he went to Zhuang Zi for an answer, only to be told that it was
everywhere. Dongguozi was not satisfied and asked again, "Please
be more specific. Where can it be? I still do not know. " Zhuang
Zi said in reply," Dao is seen in crickets and ants. " More
puzzled, Dongguozi asked, "How can dao be something so worthless?"
In answer, Zhuang Zi only said, "It's in millet and weed." More
nonplussed, Dongguozi asked, "Why, this is even more worthless J
" But Zhuang Zi continued, "Dao is in tiles and bricks. "
Getting more and more confused, Dongguozi hastened to ask, "Why are
you speaking more and more lowly of it?" At this, Zhuang Zi smiled
and said, "It exists even in human waste. " Believing that Zhuang
Zi was kidding, Dongguozi thought better of saying anything more. But
Zhuang Zi went on, "You want me to be specific about where dao is.
I can not make you see where it is unless I can make you see that it is
found in the most lowly and common things. " Dongguozi nodded, although
not quite understanding.
The philosophy and literary works of Lao Zhuang have had a far-reaching
influence all through the feudal age of China, a period lasting thousands
of years.