Chuang Tzu: Mystic, Moralist, And Social Reformer

Chuang Tzŭ

Mystic, Moralist, and Social Reformer TRANSLATED FROM THE CHINESE BY HERBERT A. GILES H. B. M.'s Consul at Tamsui London BERNARD QUARITCH 1889...

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Note on the Philosophy of Chaps. i-vii.

By the Rev. AUBREY MOORE, Tutor of Keble and Magdalen Colleges, Oxford; Hon. Canon of Christ Church, &amp;c. The translator of Chuang Tzŭ has asked me to append a note on the philosophy of chs. i-vii. It is difficult to see how one who writes not only in ignorance of Chinese modes of thought, but with the preconceptions of Western philosophy, can really help much towards the understanding of an admittedly obscure system, involving terms and expressions on which Chinese scholars are not yet a

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CHAPTER I.

Transcendental Bliss. Argument :—Space infinite—Time infinite—Relativity of magnitudes, physical and moral—The magnitude absolute—Usefulness as a test of value—The usefulness of the useless. In the northern ocean there is a fish, called the Leviathan, many thousand li in size. This leviathan changes into a bird, called the Rukh, whose back is many thousand li in breadth. With a mighty effort it rises, and its wings obscure the sky like clouds. At the equinox, this bird prepares to start for the

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CHAPTER II.

The Identity of Contraries. Argument :—Contraries spring from our subjective individuality—Identity of subjective and objective—The centre where all distinctions are merged in One —How to reach this point—Speech an obstacle—The negative state—Light out of darkness—Illustrations. Tzŭ Ch'i of Nan-kuo sat leaning on a table. Looking up to heaven, he sighed and became absent, as though soul and body had parted. Yen Ch'êng Tzŭ Yu, who was standing by him, exclaimed, "What are you thinking about that

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CHAPTER III.

Nourishment of the Soul. Argument :—Life too short—Wisdom unattainable—Accommodation to circumstances—Liberty paramount—Death a release—The soul immortal. My life has a limit, but my knowledge is without limit. To drive the limited in search of the limitless, is fatal; and the knowledge of those who do this is fatally lost. In striving for others, avoid fame. In striving for self, avoid disgrace. Pursue a middle course. Thus you will keep a sound body, and a sound mind, fulfil your duties, and w

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CHAPTER IV.

Man Among Men. Argument :—Man must fall in with his mortal environment—His virtue should be passive, not active—He should be rather than do—Talents a hindrance—But of petty uselessness great usefulness is achieved. Yen Hui went to take leave of Confucius. A disciple of the Sage. Also known as Tzŭ Yüan. "Whither are you bound?" asked the Master. "I am going to the State of Wei," was the reply. "And what do you propose to do there?" continued Confucius. "I hear," answered Yen Hui, "that the Prince

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CHAPTER V.

The Evidence of Virtue Complete. Argument :—Correspondence between inward virtue and outward influence—The virtuous man disregards externals—The possession of virtue causes oblivion of outward form—Neglect of the human—Cultivation of the divine. In the State of Lu there was a man, named Wang T'ai, who had had his toes cut off. His disciples were as numerous as those of Confucius. Ch'ang Chi One of the latter. asked Confucius, saying, "This Wang T'ai has been mutilated, yet he divides with you, S

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CHAPTER VI.

The Great Supreme. Argument :—The human and the divine—The pure men of old—Their qualifications—Their self-abstraction—All things as ONE—The known and the unknown—Life a boon—Death a transition—Life eternal open to all—The way thither—Illustrations. He who knows what God is, and who knows what Man is, has attained. Knowing what God is, he knows that he himself proceeded therefrom. Knowing what Man is, he rests in the knowledge of the known, waiting for the knowledge of the unknown. Working out o

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CHAPTER VII.

How to Govern. Argument :—Princes should reign, not rule—Rulers find their standards of right in themselves—They thus coerce their people into obeying artificial laws, instead of leaving them to obey natural laws—By action they accomplish nothing—By inaction there is nothing which they would not accomplish—Individuals think they know what the empire wants—In reality it is the empire itself which know best—Illustrations. Yeh Ch'üeh asked Wang I See ch. ii . four questions, none of which he could

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CHAPTER VIII.

Joined Toes. Argument :—Virtues should be natural, not artificial; passive not active. [Chs. viii to xiii inclusive are illustrative of, or supplementary to, ch. vii .] Joined toes and extra fingers are an addition to nature, though, functionally speaking, superfluous. Wens and tumours are an addition to the bodily form, though, as far as nature is concerned, superfluous. And similarly, to include charity and duty to one's neighbour among the functions of man's organism, is not true Tao . The wh

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CHAPTER IX.

Horses' Hoofs. Argument :—Superiority of the natural over the artificial—Application of this principle to government. Horses have hoofs to carry them over frost and snow; hair, to protect them from wind and cold. They eat grass and drink water, and fling up their heels over the champaign. Such is the real nature of horses. Palatial dwellings are of no use to them. One day Poh Loh A Chinese Rarey, of somewhat legendary character. appeared, saying, "I understand the management of horses." So he br

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CHAPTER X.

Opening Trunks. Argument :—All restrictions artificial, and therefore deceptive—Only by shaking off such fetters, and reverting to the natural, can man hope to attain. The precautions taken against thieves who open trunks, search bags, or ransack tills, consist of securing with cords and fastening with bolts and locks. This is what the world calls wit. But a strong thief comes who carries off the till on his shoulders, with box and bag to boot. And his only fear is that the cords and locks shoul

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CHAPTER XI.

On Letting Alone. Argument :—The natural conditions of our existence require no artificial aids—The evils of government—Failure of coercion— Tao the refuge—Inaction the secret—The action of Inaction—Illustrations. There has been such a thing as letting mankind alone; there has never been such a thing as governing mankind. With success. Letting alone springs from fear lest men's natural dispositions be perverted and their virtue laid aside. But if their natural dispositions be not perverted nor t

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CHAPTER XII.

The Universe. Argument :—The prëeminence of Tao —All things informed thereby—The true Sage illumined thereby—His attributes—His perfection—Man's senses his bane—Illustrations. Vast as is the universe, its phenomena are regular. Countless though its contents, the laws which govern these are uniform. Many though its inhabitants, that which dominates them is sovereignty. Sovereignty begins in virtue and ends in God. Therefore it is called divine. The term here used has been elsewhere rendered "infi

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CHAPTER XIII.

The Tao of God. Argument :— Tao is repose—Repose the secret of the universe—Cultivation of essentials—Neglect of accidentals—The sequence of Tao —Spontaneity of true virtue— Tao is unconditioned— Tao cannot be conveyed—Illustrations. The Tao of God operates ceaselessly; and all things are produced. The Tao of the sovereign operates ceaselessly; and the empire rallies around him. The Tao of the Sage operates ceaselessly; and all within the limit of surrounding ocean acknowledge his sway. He who a

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CHAPTER XIV.

The Circling Sky. Argument :—The Ultimate Cause—Integrity of Tao —Music and Tao —Failure of Confucianism—Confucius and Lao Tzŭ—Confucius attains to Tao —Illustrations. [This chapter is supplementary to ch. v .] "The sky turns round; the earth stands still; sun and moon pursue one another. Who causes this? Who directs this? Who has leisure enough to see that such movements continue? "Some think there is a mechanical arrangement which makes these bodies move as they do. Others think that they revo

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CHAPTER XV.

Self-Conceit. Argument :—Would-be sages—The vanity of effort—Method of the true Sage—Passivity the key—The soul and mortality—Re-absorption into the immortal. Self-conceit and assurance, which lead men to quit society, and be different from their fellows, to indulge in tall talk and abuse of others,—these are nothing more than personal over-estimation, the affectation of recluses and those who have done with the world and have closed their hearts to mundane influences. Preaching of charity and d

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CHAPTER XVI.

Exercise of Faculties. Argument :— Tao unattainable by mundane arts—To be reached through repose—The world's infancy—The reign of peace—Government sets in— Tao declines—The true Sages of old—Their purity of aim. Those who exercise their faculties in mere worldly studies, hoping thereby to revert to their original condition; and those who sink their aspirations in mundane thoughts, hoping thereby to reach enlightenment;—these are the dullards of the earth. The ancients, in cultivating Tao , begat

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CHAPTER XVII.

Autumn Floods. Argument :—Greatness and smallness always relative—Time and space infinite—Abstract dimensions do not exist—Their expression is concrete—Terms are not absolute—Like causes produce unlike effects—In the unconditioned alone can the absolute exist—The only absolute is Tao —Illustrations. [This chapter is supplementary to chapter ii. It is the most popular of all, and has earned for its author the sobriquet of "Autumn Floods."] It was the time of autumn floods. Every stream poured int

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CHAPTER XVIII.

Perfect Happiness. Argument :—The uncertainty of human happiness—What the world aims at is physical well-being—This is not profitable even to the body—In inaction alone is true happiness to be found—Inaction the rule of the material universe—Acquiescence in whatever our destiny may bring forth—Illustrations. [This chapter is supplementary to chapter vi.] Is perfect happiness to be found on earth, or not? Are there those who can enjoy life, or not? If so, what do they do, what do they affect, wha

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CHAPTER XIX.

The Secret of Life. Argument :—The soul is from God—Man's body its vehicle—The soul quickening the body is life—Care of the internal and of the external must be simultaneous—In due nourishment of both is Tao . [This chapter is supplementary to chapter iii.] Those who understand the conditions of life devote no attention to things which life cannot accomplish. Those who understand the conditions of destiny devote no attention to things over which knowledge has no control. For the due nourishment

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CHAPTER XX.

Mountain Trees. Argument :—The alternatives of usefulness and uselessness— Tao a tertium quid —The human a hindrance to the divine—Altruism—Adaptation—Destiny—Illustrations. [This chapter is supplementary to chapter iv.] Chuang Tzŭ was travelling over a mountain when he saw a huge tree well covered with foliage. A woodsman had stopped near by, not caring to take it; and on Chuang Tzŭ enquiring the reason, he was told that it was of no use. "This tree," cried Chuang Tzŭ, "by virtue of being good

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CHAPTER XXI.

T'ien Tzŭ Fang. Argument :— Tao cannot be imparted in words—It is not at man's disposal—It does not consist in formal morality—It is an inalienable element of existence—Without it the soul dies—With it man is happy and his immortality secure—Illustrations. [This chapter is supplementary to chapter vi.] T'ien Tzŭ Fang was in attendance upon Prince Wên of Wei. Whose tutor he was. He kept on praising Ch'i Kung, until at length Prince Wên said, "Is Ch'i Kung your tutor?" "No," replied Tzŭ Fang; "he

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CHAPTER XXII.

Knowledge Travels North. Argument :—Inaction and Tao —The universe our model—Spontaneity our watchword—Omnipresence and indivisibility of Tao —External activity, internal passivity—Man's knowledge finite—Illustrations. [This chapter is supplementary to chapter vi.] When Knowledge travelled north, across the Black Water, and over the Dark-Steep Mountain, he met Do-nothing Say-nothing and asked of him as follows:— "Kindly tell me by what thoughts, by what cogitations, may Tao be known? By resting

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CHAPTER XXIII.

Kêng Sang Ch'u. Argument :—The operation of Tao is not seen—Spheres of action vary— Tao remains the same—Spontaneity essential— Tao can be divided but remains entire—It is infinite as Time and Space—It is unconditioned—The external and the internal—Illustrations. Among the disciples of Lao Tzŭ was one named Kêng Sang Ch'u. He alone had attained to the Tao of his Master. He lived up north, on the Wei-lei Mountains. Of his attendants, he dismissed those who were systematically clever or convention

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CHAPTER XXIV.

Hsü Wu Kuei. Argument :— Tao is passionless—Immorality of the moral—Obstructions to natural virtue—The evils of action—Too much zeal—The outward and visible—The inward and spiritual—Illustrations. Hsü Wu Kuei , introduced by Nü Shang, went to see Wu Hou of Wei. A hermit, a minister, and a prince, respectively. The Prince greeted him sympathisingly, and said, "You are suffering, Sir. You must have endured great hardships in your mountain life that you should be willing to leave it and visit me."

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CHAPTER XXV.

Tsê Yang. Argument :—Influence of virtue concealed—The true Sage a negative quantity—The great, the small, the infinite—Crime and Capital—Rulers and their vices—What is Society? Predestination or Chance? Illustrations. When Tsê Yang visited the Ch'u State, I Chieh An official of Ch'u. spoke of him to the prince; but the latter refused an audience. Upon I Chieh's return, Tsê Yang went to see Wang Kuo, A local Sage. and asked him to obtain an interview with the prince. "I am not so fitted for that

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CHAPTER XXVI.

Contingencies. Argument :—The external uncertain—The internal alone without harm—Life and death are external—The soul only is under man's control—Folly of worldliness—Illustrations. Contingencies are uncertain. Hence the decapitation of Lung Fêng, the disembowelment of Pi Kan, the enthusiasm of Chi Tzŭ, the death of Wu Lai, the flights of Chieh and Chou. See pp. 40 , 72 . Wu Lai was an intriguing official who held office under the tyrant Chou Hsin. No sovereign but would have loyal ministers; ye

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CHAPTER XXVII.

Language. Argument :—Speech, natural and artificial—Natural speech in harmony with the divine—Destiny—The ultimate cause—Purification of the soul—Illustrations. Of language put into other people's mouths, nine tenths will succeed. Of language based upon weighty authority, seven tenths. But language which flows constantly over, as from a full goblet, is in accord with God. The natural overflowings of the heart. When language is put into other people's mouths, outside support is sought. Just as a

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CHAPTER XXVIII.

On Declining Power. [Spurious.] Yao offered to resign the empire to Hsü Yu, but the latter declined. He then offered it to Tzŭ Chou Chih Fu, who said, "There is no objection to making me emperor. But just now I am suffering from a troublesome disease, and am engaged in trying to cure it. I have no leisure to look after the empire." Now the empire is of paramount importance. Yet here was a man who would not allow it to injure his chance of life. How much less then would he let other things do so?

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CHAPTER XXIX.

Robber Chê. [Spurious.] Confucius was on terms of friendship with Liu Hsia Chi, whose younger brother was known as "Robber Chê." This is an anachronism. Liu Hsia Chi ( or Hui) was a virtuous official of the Lu State. He flourished some 80 and more years before the time of Confucius. Robber Chê had a band of followers nine thousand strong. He ravaged the whole empire, plundering the various nobles and breaking into people's houses. He drove off oxen and horses. He stole men's wives and daughters.

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CHAPTER XXX.

On Swords. [Spurious.] Of old, Wên Wang of Chao loved sword-play. Swordsmen thronged his halls, to the number of three thousand and more. Day and night they had bouts before the prince. In the course of a year, a hundred or so would be killed or wounded. Yet the prince was never satisfied. Within three years, the State had begun to go to rack and ruin, and other princes to form designs upon it. Thereupon the Heir Apparent, Li, became troubled in mind; and said to the officers of his household, "

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CHAPTER XXXI.

The Old Fisherman. [Spurious.] Confucius , travelling in the Black Forest, rested awhile at Apricot Altar. His disciples sat down to their books, and he himself played upon the lute and sang. Half way through the song, an old fisherman stepped out of a boat and advanced towards them. His beard and eyebrows were snowy white. His hair hung loose, and he flapped his long sleeves as he walked over the foreshore. Reaching firm ground, he stood still, and with left hand on his knee and right hand to h

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CHAPTER XXXII.

Lieh Tzŭ. Argument :—Outward manifestation of inward grace—Its dangers—Self-esteem—Its errors—Inscrutability of Tao —Artificiality of Confucius—Tests of virtue—Chuang Tzŭ declines office—His death. When Lieh Tzŭ Lieh Yü K'ou, a name well known in connection with Tao . But it is extremely doubtful if such a man ever lived. His record is not given by the historian Ssŭ-ma Ch'ien, and he may well have been no more than an allegorical personage created by Chuang Tzŭ for purposes of illustration. It w

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CHAPTER XXXIII.

The Empire. [Summary by early editors.] Systems of government are many. Each man thinks his own perfect. Where then does what the ancients called the system of Tao come in? There is nowhere where it does not come in. It may be asked whence our spirituality, whence our intellectuality. The true Sage is born; the prince is made. Yet all proceed from an original One . He who does not separate from the Source is one with God. He who does not separate from the essence is a spiritual man. He who does

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