What The Most Carefree Philosopher Can Teach Us | ZHUANGZI
Many centuries ago, a curious Taoist philosopher named Zhuangzi sat by the riverbank, absorbed in the gentle flow of the water, as his fishing rod lay nearby. Unexpectedly, two vice-chancellors appeared before him, having been dispatched by the Prince of Chu to offer Zhuangzi the esteemed position of prime minister. Without a worry on his face, Zhuangzi continued to observe the river’s serene motion and said to his visitors: “I’ve heard of a sacred turtle that was removed from its natural habitat, only for its shell to be draped in silk and enshrined within the royal palace. Now, let me ask you,” Zhuangzi continued, “which do you think is preferable? To be revered by the masses in the company of royalty, all while being sacrificed as a lifeless object of worship? Or to live as an ordinary turtle, freely dragging its tail through the mud?”
After a moment of contemplation, one of the vice-chancellors replied, “For the turtle’s well-being, it is surely better to live and drag its tail in the mud.”
“Ah,” said Zhuangzi, “There you have it. Please return to your prince and tell him that I prefer to remain here, dragging my tail in the mud.”
The story about Zhuangzi, who rejected a powerful position to maintain his peaceful, obscure life by the riverside, characterizes the light and laid-back vibe surrounding the eponymous philosophical work, the Zhuangzi, which is one of the main Taoist scriptures, containing many thought-provoking parables, allegories, and anecdotes.
As a character, Zhuangzi embodies a sense of calm, playfulness, and humility. He saw the world differently. As opposed to many of his contemporaries, he manages to break through conventions, let go of fixed views, and look beyond the human scope and understanding of right and wrong. He saw the usefulness in uselessness, beauty in ugliness, and order in chaos.
And by seeing and approaching the world in his unique and, sometimes, upside-down ways, he exudes a strong sense of contentment and ease in the midst of an ever-changing and often chaotic existence. Zhuangzi reminds us to go with the flow and see the silver lining of whatever happens. He didn’t take life too seriously and embraced living spontaneously. Instead of living according to a set of constraining, fixed, dogmatic rules, like the Confucianists with their rituals and etiquette, Zhuangzi preferred an existence in harmony with nature, in agreement with Tao, the underlying principle of the universe.
In this video, we delve into the philosophy of Zhuangzi, examining several philosophical concepts from the Taoist text and how they can inspire us to live more spontaneously and carefree. Please note: the Zhuangzi is a vast, comprehensive work, so this essay highlights only a selection of ideas and perspectives.
Zhuangzi, both the philosopher and the text bearing his name, have left a lasting mark on Chinese culture. Living around the 4th century BCE, during the Warring States period, Zhuangzi has become synonymous with parables and anecdotes that show the joy of simplicity, the relativity of all things, and the harmony and ease achieved by aligning oneself with the all-encompassing force known as Tao.
His teachings diverge from Confucianism, which is a social and ethical philosophy – or social ritual – which focuses on teaching morality, maintaining social hierarchy, and strict codes of conduct. While Confucianism can be seen as effective, in the eyes of the Taoist sages, it’s inflexible and artificial. Zhuangzi’s teachings, on the other hand, come across as playful and unconfined.
He mocks rigid principles, structured social order, hierarchy, and any form of dogmatic thought and practice. After all, the universe is ever-changing, our views of reality are extremely limited, and so the only true experience of life is through direct, spontaneous engagement with the present moment, not through some fixed man-made collection of beliefs and convictions.
The stories in the Zhuangzi show this typical Taoist playfulness and open-mindedness in viewing and approaching the world and p...