Zhuangzi
Our views of the world shift like dreams: the sage welcomes them all and follows the transformation of things.
Life
Zhuangzi (c. 369-286 BCE), also called Zhuang Zhou, was a Chinese thinker from the state of Song, regarded with Laozi as a founder of philosophical Daoism. The book that bears his name, partly by him and partly by followers, mixes parables, dialogues and humour. In it he invites us to relativise our judgements, to follow the spontaneous course of things and to welcome death as a transformation.
Main works
First of the "inner chapters": the sage wanders freely, not bound by narrow viewpoints. Approximate date.
Second chapter: viewpoints on right and wrong are relative, as in the butterfly dream. Approximate date.
In his own words
« Once Zhuang Zhou dreamed he was a butterfly, a butterfly happy to follow its fancy. He did not know he was Zhou. Suddenly he awoke, and there he was, Zhou. He did not know whether Zhou had dreamed he was a butterfly, or a butterfly was dreaming it was Zhou. Between Zhou and the butterfly there must be some difference: this is called the transformation of things. »
昔者莊周夢爲胡蝶，栩栩然胡蝶也，自喻適志與，不知周也。俄然覺，則蘧蘧然周也。不知周之夢爲胡蝶與？胡蝶之夢爲周與？周與胡蝶，則必有分矣，此之謂物化。
Positions
click a row to see the evidenceThe Dao is an impersonal way that runs through all things, not a God who made or judges them.
Zhuangzi, ch. 6 'The Great and Venerable Teacher' (c. 4th c. BC)
No viewpoint can claim to be the final one, since each judgement depends on a perspective; the sage welcomes them all.
Zhuangzi, ch. 2 'Discussion on Making All Things Equal' (c. 4th c. BC)
'Right' and 'wrong' shift with each viewpoint, so no side can claim to hold them absolutely.
Zhuangzi, ch. 2 'Discussion on Making All Things Equal' (c. 4th c. BC)