One who relates to everything that exists is an equal companion of Nature. (6)
Chuang Tzu, along with Lao Tzu, is the most famous representative of early Taoism and the most prolific prose writer of his time. When representatives of the Taoist philosophical school began to explore their roots in the 1st century BC, they recognized Lao Tzu, Chuang Tzu, and Lieh Tzu as three great teacher-founders. Of these three, only Chuang Tzu emerges as a real historical figure, while for the other two it cannot be determined with certainty whether they even existed or if the works attributed to them are the result of the work of multiple authors. Not much is known about the life of Chuang Tzu. According to the records of the first great Chinese historian, Ssuma Ch’ien (1st century BC), this philosopher was born in the city of Mengu, on the border between the Shantung and Henan provinces, during the Chu dynasty, and today’s historians place him in the 4th century BC.
His name was Chuang Chu, while the addition of Tzu, which means teacher, is an honorary title found in many Chinese texts.
Chuang Tzu was a Taoist philosopher. He briefly worked as a lower-level government official in Ch’iyuan, but he retired early from that position to write and live according to the Tao. Considering that Taoism is often associated with an ascetic life in isolated mountain retreats, it is somewhat unusual that he was married and had children as a Taoist sage. However, it seems that the majority of the responsibility for the children and household belonged to his wife (probably to their happiness, as commented by one of his biographers).
Chuang Tzu, Useless Tree
Chuang Tzu’s teachings and way of life are described in a book named after him – Chuang Tzu’s book. It consists of three parts, or three groups of chapters: Inner Chapters (1-7), Outer Chapters (8-22), and Mixed Chapters (23-33). It is believed that Chuang Tzu personally wrote only the Inner Chapters, while the rest were written by his disciples. Chapters 17-27 and 32 directly relate to his teachings.
Ssuma Ch’ien describes Chuang Tzu as a prominent scholar whose wisdom, although eclectic, is a continuation of Lao Tzu’s teachings, which he complements and develops, often in the form of lively Taoist dialogues. Many of the characters in these dialogues are figments of his imagination, but even the greatest teachers of that time could not defend themselves against his relentless attacks.
He was a ruthless critic of Confucius and his restraint, strict ceremoniousness, and respect for social hierarchy, therefore, in his fictional dialogues, Confucius is always caught in contradiction. Chuang Tzu emphasizes that man must live in unity with nature, not impose his own laws upon her. In other words, he conveys the essence of Taoist teachings about wu wei, the action of non-action, or refraining from actions that go against Nature.
Ssuma Ch’ien compares this imaginative writing style, full of allegories, anecdotes, and humor, to an unstoppable tidal wave that floods everything in its path. Many writers consider Chuang Tzu u) ne bi pristao na to.
Kasnije, u vrijeme Chuang Tzua (IV-III. st. pr.Kr.), taoizam se razvio u filozofiju koja naglašava spontanost, prirodan tok događaja i koncept “wu wei” (neaktivnost). Chuang Tzu je bio veliki zagovornik ovih ideja i smatrao je da je najvažnije živjeti u skladu s prirodom, prihvaćajući promjene i odbacujući nametnute društvene i moralne norme.
Zbirka priča i pjesama koje čine Chuang Tzuovo djelo pružaju duboke uvide u prirodu ljudskog postojanja i univerzalne istine. Kroz svoje prikaze svakodnevnih situacija, Chuang Tzu nas nadmašuje u našoj ograničenoj percepciji i vodi nas prema otvorenijem razumijevanju svijeta. On nas potiče da se oslobodimo mentalnih prepreka i prisutni budemo u trenutku.
Thomas Merton ističe da Chuang Tzuovo djelo nije samo filozofija, već je vrhunac taoističke literature. Njegova jednostavnost, neposrednost i humor čine ga pristupačnim čitateljima svih vremena, a njegove poruke su univerzalne i relevantne i danas.
In his theory, Lao Tzu changes this extremely egocentric attitude into action through inaction, where “inaction” means “not exaggerating in action”. Therefore, a person should limit their actions to what is necessary and natural. Necessary for achieving a goal, and natural means following one’s inner nature (Te) without any additional imposed effort. Simplicity, therefore, must be the guiding principle of one’s life.
In Chuang Tzu’s thinking, this way of thinking is represented by the concept of the usefulness of the useless. The best example of this is the story of the sacred oak (Useless tree) that grew to enormous proportions because its wood was unusable, so, spared from the axe, it lived to a great age (6). The tree, through its uselessness for humans, ensured the usefulness of longevity for itself.
In this way, Chuang Tzu also solves the problem of how to preserve life while avoiding harm and danger. He philosophically eliminates the problem by considering it useless. A sage is a perfect man united with the universe. As the universe never ceases to exist, neither does the sage. Therefore, philosophy, which is considered “useless” from a practical point of view, actually provides a very useful perspective on life.
While Lao Tzu is a theorist of Taoism, it can be said that Chuang Tzu adds a mystical meaning to it. Lao Tzu pointed out the Way, but did not explain to what extent living in accordance with the Tao can help us overcome our destiny. Unlike him, Chuang Tzu gives us access to the infinity of the Tao. He addresses us as a true sage and a man of the Tao, who renounces and merges with the One because:
The sage does not discuss what is beyond the boundaries of the universe, but neither will deny the existence of such a thing.
He will talk about what is within the universe, but will refrain from giving his own opinion on it. (2)
You ask me what this means? The sage thinks comprehensively while average people constantly argue about something. That’s why I assert… Disagreement means that you basically don’t understand anything. All attempts to impose civilizational norms on the true nature of anything in the world, especially humans, Chuang Tzu treats as a huge mistake that distorts and defiles the natural world, the world of Tao, the flow of nature. He is actually strongly opposed to what Confucius and his followers advocate – order, control, and the influence of hierarchy, which is why Confucianists despised and ignored his works. Assigning specific meanings to concepts and then taking that meaning as “natural” or “normal,” Chuang Tzu and Lieh Tzu after him unequivocally reject. By pointing out the constant abuse of our true, inner nature, Chuang Tzu uses various approaches in his writing (humor, shock tactics, funny names, the most unusual characters like Bogalj Shua and Gazda Yua, as well as incredible scenarios) with the aim of forcing us to reconsider what we consider to be true. Experience. Tzu often uses metaphors to explain his ideas. In this way, he tries to portray the experience of Tao as a path to be taken, rather than a concept that can be explained in words. Experience is the most important.
This is illustrated by the story of the god of the Huangh He river and the god of the North Sea:
The Huangh He river swelled due to heavy rains, and its master thought that it was the greatest and most powerful in the world – until it reached the North Sea and realized how small it was.
The god of the North Sea then said to him:
“The marsh frog cannot discuss the ocean because it is limited by its marsh.
The summer insect cannot understand the concept of ice because it only knows its own season.
The narrow-minded student who is limited by his understanding cannot speak of Tao. I can speak to you about the great principles because you have stepped out of your narrow boundaries, seen the vast ocean, and become aware of your insignificance.” (17)
In other words, the god of the Huangh He can start learning from the god of the North Sea because he has realized his limitations and the vastness of the world. acknowledging the limitations of his own knowledge. This approach, according to which the Tao that can be talked about is not the true Tao, was also accepted by later generations of Taoists.
Rulers and Freedom
Chuang Tzu’s understanding of virtue (Te) is more developed and clearly explained than that of Lao Tzu. He also pays greater and more detailed attention to Nature, the position of man within it, where it originates and the great importance he attaches to each individual as an individual. In his reflections, Chuang Tzu also draws on shamanism from the earliest stream of Chinese spirituality. The paths of Heaven are superior, and the material world is only a pale reflection of the reality of the Heavenly world.
This idea is continuously present in the comparison of the natural paths of Heaven and Earth and those unnatural (imposed) ones that stem from various rulers, sages, and emperors. At that time, the so-called cult of the state was in force in China, i.e., the exceptional worship of state authority, where the ruler represented a mediator between humanity and Heaven. Chuang Tzu strongly disagrees with this. by embracing their true nature. By elevating the true nature of the individual, he defies the foundations of the then Chinese religious and social structure.
Several of his stories illustrate the concept of natural freedom and the call not to succumb to the temptations of power and titles:
Once, Chuang Tzu was offered a ministerial position at court.
Chuang Tzu said to the messenger: “Have you ever observed a sacrificial ox? It is covered in a beautiful cloak and fed the freshest grass and grain. Yet, when the time comes for it to go to the Great Temple, it would still rather be an ordinary ox. But at that point, it is no longer possible.” (32)
“Poverty is not misfortune,” he explained to King Wei. “Misfortune is when a learned man possesses Tao and Te, but does not know how to apply them.
If he wears patched clothes and worn-out shoes, he is poor but not unhappy. It is only when one is rich but lacking in virtues that misfortune arises. So that means that the right moment did not come for him to replace them.” (20)
Once, Yellow Emperor, along with his ministers, tried to find the wise man, Tai Kuei. He had heard that he lived somewhere on Mount Chu Tzu, but none of his people knew the way to that mountain. Then they came across a boy with a horse-drawn carriage. They asked him:
“Do you know the way to Mount Chu Tzu?”
“Of course I do.”
“And do you know where Tai Kuei lives?”
“Of course I do.”
“What an amazing boy you are,” said Yellow Emperor, “you know everything. I would just like to ask you how to govern everything on Earth?”
“Well, probably in the same way I am doing right now. What’s so unclear about that?”
“Alright, alright, I know that ruling over everything under the Heavens is not exactly your task, but I would like you to explain your answer to me.”
The boy didn’t answer immediately, but when Yellow Emperor repeated his question, he said:
“Well, it’s the same as when you’re handling horses. Don’t use anything that can hurt the horse.” Words and their Meaning
One more in a series of facts that brings us closer to the personality of Chuang Tzu is his great friendship with the philosopher Hui Tzu. Although they were representatives of different philosophical schools, they were extremely close and enjoyed frequent verbal debates. One of Chuang Tzu’s key principles is that the meaning of words depends entirely on the context and that there is no so-called “objective fact” that is separate from the speaker’s context:
Chuang Tzu and Hui Tzu were walking along the bank of the Hao River when Chuang Tzu said:
“Do you see how the fish joyfully swim back and forth? It brings great pleasure to the fish.”
“Come on, please, you’re not a fish, how can you say that you know what brings joy to the fish?”
“And you’re not me, how can you know that I don’t know what the fish enjoy?”
“I’m not you, I really don’t know what you know. However, it is certain that you are not a fish, which proves that you don’t know what brings them joy.”
“Ha, let’s go back to the beginning of the discussion. You asked me how I can know what brings joy to the fish.” nodded. So, since you asked the question, it was clear to you that I knew it.”
Relativity
Regarding the process of understanding the world and the way knowledge is acquired, absolute truths consist of a series of relative truths, and their acquisition requires constant effort from humans. People are always limited by the space and time in which they act, so the truths they arrive at are always relative. Chuang Tzu accepts the simultaneous existence of different conceptual frameworks, thoughts, and theories. Since humans only function within a specific period of time and have limited experience and capabilities, the acquisition of knowledge is limited.
Because of this, it is advisable to choose what knowledge to seek and what to learn about, as no matter how erudite someone is, what they know is incomparable to what they don’t know:
Our life has certain boundaries, but knowledge has no boundaries.
Trying to grasp the infinite with the finite is dangerous;
If we continue to chase knowledge, knowing this, we will fall into trouble. (3)
I acknowledged. I cannot see through the eyes of others, I can only truly know what I know. So, I must say something. Does it have the same weight as what others say? I don’t know. From one perspective, it is not the same, but from another perspective, it undoubtedly is. Whatever the truth may be, let me explain to you.
There is a beginning; there is still no beginning of the beginning, but also no beginning that is not the beginning of the beginning. There is what is and there is what is not, but it is not easy to determine whether what is not – is not or whether what is – is.
I have just made a statement, but I don’t know if what I said is reality or if it was not truly said.
Dreams and wakefulness
Unlike Buddhism and Hinduism, in Taoism, there is no distinction between the state of wakefulness, dreams, and deep, blessed sleep. Everything occurs in the same reality, in one continuous existence. Dreams and wakefulness are two equal physiological functions. Taoism sees this in a simpler way than other Eastern philosophies. After all, why should there be multiple levels when it comes to the same reality? Why is Tao everywhere?
For Taoists, there is no being that is separate from the Tao, nor is there anything that is detached from it. Whether awake or dreaming, the vision of the One equally presents itself to us. The intertwining of dream and wakefulness, object and subject, self and non-self, has always intrigued Chuang Tzu.
As usual, he brings forth his thoughts through a charming story:
Once, I, Chuang Tzu, dreamt that I was a butterfly, flying from flower to flower. Fluttering around, I enjoyed myself and had no idea that I was Chuang Tzu. Then suddenly, I woke up and once again I was Chuang Tzu. However, I couldn’t determine whether it was Chuang Tzu dreaming that he was a butterfly, or if now the butterfly is dreaming that it is Chuang Tzu.
Happiness
All beings are happy when they can freely express their Te, i.e., their inner nature. Different creatures are not inherently the same, yet they all share the same happiness when they express their inner nature. There is no uniformity in the nature of things, and imposing a single standard would limit the diversity and beauty of existence. Imposing uniformity can only cause pain:
The legs of a duck are short, but if we try to lengthen them, the duck will feel pain.
The legs of a crane are long, but if we try to shorten them, the crane will feel pain.
Therefore, we should not shorten what is naturally long, nor lengthen what is naturally short.
The purpose of laws, moral norms, institutions, and governments is precisely to establish uniformity and eliminate differences. People who try to enforce this uniformity often do so with good intentions, but it only makes the situation worse:
In ancient times, a seabird landed on the walls of the main city of the state of Lu.
The ruler saw it as a heavenly sign, as Lu was far from the sea, and ordered that the bird be taken to the Ancestral Temple with great honors. He commanded that special music be played for it, and he personally chose the most delicious food and drink for it. However, the poor bird looked completely lost and confused, it didn’t take a single bite of the offered meat and didn’t drink a sip of wine, and after three days it simply flew away. on the hook.
If you want to feed a bird in a way that it survives, let it go into the forest, meadow, riverbank… do not treat it as if it were a human… (18)
About death
By using naturalness and simplicity, the true sage achieves tranquility and enters the infinite Tao. Chuang Tzu defended this simplicity throughout his life, at any cost, and also sought it in death:
When Chuang Tzu was on his deathbed, his disciples wanted to ensure a magnificent funeral for him. Upon hearing this, Chuang Tzu said: “The sky and the earth are my shroud and coffin, the sun and the moon are my jade symbols, the stars are my pearls and gems, and all living beings are my funeral procession. I have everything I need, what could you add to that?”
“But Teacher, ravens and hawks will eat you,” the disciples feared.
“Above the ground, ravens and hawks will eat me, below the ground worms and ants. Why would you take me away from some and give me to others?” replied the Teacher. (32)
The universe has given me a physical body to carry me, life for struggle, and Birth is for rest and death is for peace.
What makes life good, also makes death good. (6)
When Chin Shih died, friends wondered why Chuang Tzu did not mourn or cry, even though he had just lost a friend. He replied to them:
When he was born, it meant that it was time for that.
It is completely natural for one day to die.
If you are ready to accept this sequence of events, neither excessive joy nor excessive sorrow will affect you. (3)
For Chuang Tzu, everything is relative, and if we could still try to convince him of one statement for which there is no counterargument, his biographers say it would most likely be:
Heaven and Earth and I were born at the same time, and all forms of existence and I are one. (2)