《南华真经章句音义(陈景元)》Vol. 3

“Yi” is pronounced “yi” and refers to an ancient skilled archer. “Peng Meng” is pronounced “Peng” and was Yi’s disciple. “Pini” is pronounced “puji, yi”; Li Yi explains it as looking at someone with sorrow. “Kuji” is pronounced “zhangye,” “zhi” as “zhi,” and “gou” as “ju”; all are thorny trees. “Bubian” is pronounced “bimian,” “luanxiang” as “xiliang,” and “Bigan jian xian” as “bian.” “Zheng ye fu qi fei yingyan ye” means: “Is this not precisely a fulfillment?”

Great Understanding

“Leaning the left hand on a withered tree” means resting the left hand against dry wood; here, “withered tree” refers to a table. “Striking a dead branch with the right hand” means tapping a dead branch with the right hand; here, “dead branch” refers to a zither.

“Zhongshi” is pronounced “biyao.” “The ancient Yuan” refers to ancient rulers, though one interpretation identifies him as Shennong. “Liran” is pronounced “lixi”; Sima Biao explains it as “liran,” describing a plain and unadorned appearance. “You dang” is pronounced “dinglang.” “Huanmu” is pronounced “xuan” and means to turn one’s head and look back; “er kui” is pronounced “qigui” and means to peer from the side.

“Zao” can mean to arrive at or go to; another interpretation is that it means to make. “Sun” is pronounced “yishi,” and “qiongzhi” is pronounced “zhishi.” In an old Jiangnan manuscript, “yunhua” appears as “yunhua,” while older editions read “yunwu.” “Xie” is pronounced “xilie”; Sima Biao explains it as dispersing or revealing. In “yan yu zhi yan,” “yan” means to speak or discuss.

“Yier” is pronounced “yi’er”; Cheng Xuanying explains it as a swallow. In “the place that the eyes find unsuitable,” “place” is pronounced “changlü.” The meaning is that once the eyes have discerned where it is unsuitable to remain, they avoid that spot. “Buji shi” comes from the Shuowen Jiezi. “Ji” carries the sense of being sufficient for one another or matching appropriately; here, it means that a place unsuitable for setting down the table is not worth looking at for long.

In “dropping its eggs,” “eggs” refers to the eggs themselves; “er xi” is pronounced “xi,” which Cheng Xuanying explains as entering. The original note on the character “ji” in “Sheji” says, “Sheji is like a nest.” “Qi chan” is pronounced “shizhan”; Sima Biao explains it as granting, while Cheng Xuanying explains it as abdication or replacement. “Yan zhi” is pronounced “yuqian.”

“Diao Mausoleum” is the name of a mound; “fence” refers to an enclosure. “Inside the fence of Diao Mausoleum” means within the fence of the chestnut orchard at Diao Mausoleum. Some versions write “wilderness” instead of “fence”; “wilderness” is an ancient form.

Sima Biao explains “a span” as about one inch wide. In “struck Zhou on the forehead,” “struck” means to touch or collide with. “Its wings were too large to fly swiftly, and its eyes too large to see clearly” means that, because its wings were so large, it could not fly quickly, and because its eyes were so large, its vision was unclear; therefore, it could not see people. “Fly” here refers to flying in a winding path.

“Lift” is pronounced qian; older editions write it as “stumble.” “Stride” has two pronunciations. Sima Biao explains it as walking quickly. The Analects also says, “His feet moved with a quick, nimble gait,” likewise describing the way someone walks. In “holding a pellet bow,” “pellet” is pronounced dan. “Stay” is pronounced li jiu. Sima Biao says it has the same sense here as “pause for a while”: to remain temporarily, adapting to what is convenient at the time.

In “the mantis raised its shield,” “shield” means an axe. The mantis raises its axe-shaped forelimbs as if holding up an umbrella to shield itself. “Seize” is pronounced bo and means to capture. “Forgot its form” means forgetting one’s own physical form; “forgot itself” means forgetting oneself; “forgot its true nature” means forgetting one’s own nature.

The words “turned back into the palace” appear in the ancient Jiangnan recension; older editions omit them. “Palace” and “chamber” can be used interchangeably. “Lin” is pronounced li xin, and “and” is pronounced yu qie. Sima Biao says that Lin Qie was a disciple of Zhuangzi. The ancient Jiangnan recension writes “follow the customs of the time” as “follow the present.” The Wenhuhai edition omits the two characters meaning “chestnut grove.” “Be subjected to disgrace” means to suffer humiliation.

“Considering oneself worthy” is the title of a chapter. “Yangzi” refers to Yang Zhu. For “the inn had one female servant,” one edition reads “the innkeeper.” “Leave” is pronounced qi lü, and “travel” is pronounced xia meng.

The above glosses on pronunciation and meaning are from the end of fascicle nine of Nanhua True Scripture: Chapters, Phrases, Pronunciations, and Meanings. Fascicle ten was compiled by Bixuzi and includes “True Awakening,” the twenty-fifth chapter of the Miscellaneous Chapters, “Tian Zifang.”

The Nanhua True Classic: Chapters and Phonetic Glosses, Volume Ten

Composed by Master Bixu

“Miscellaneous Chapters: Tian Zifang,” Chapter Twenty-Five

True Awakening

Li Yi says that Tian Zifang was the teacher of Marquis Wen of Wei, and that his personal name was Wu Ze. The character shu is read as shuo; the same pronunciation applies below. Li Yi says that Xi Gong was a worthy man. Cheng Xuanying says that Dongguo Shunzi lived east of the city walls, so “Dongguo” became his surname. His personal name was Shunzi, and he was Tian Zifang’s teacher. The character bao is read as bao. Tangran describes a dejected state. The character xing in zhi xing is read with the pronunciation xia meng. The phrase xing jie is read with the pronunciation hu zhen. The character qian in kou qian qi mei is read as qie. The phrase tu geng is read with the pronunciation geng meng. Tu can mean earth or grass and trees. Sima Biao says it refers to a clay figure that crumbles when it meets water.

Mysterious Communion

Li Yi says that Wenbo Xuezi was a worthy man from the south; Cheng Xuanying says he was a worthy man from the state of Chu. Cheng Xuanying says that “the people of Lu” refers to Confucius’s disciples, and that “the Central States” refers to the state of Lu. Cheng Xuanying explains lou as “clumsy.” The character qi is read as qi. Cheng Xuanying explains zhen as “to shake.” Congrong is read with the pronunciation qi rong.

“Pattern” refers to rules, ritual, and righteousness; “dragon and tiger” refer to imposing dignity. In an old Jiangnan manuscript, qi dao (“his Dao”) appears instead as qi dao (“his guidance”). The fu in furen is read as fu. Sima Biao explains “Their eyes met, and the Dao was present” to mean that a movement in the other person’s eyes revealed their inner spirit; ji means “to move.” Another interpretation is that as soon as their gazes met, their intentions were already in communion.

Subtle Shifts

The man opened his eyes wide and looked straight at me, his expression seeming both intimate and familiar. His presence gathered before me, giving the impression of someone with a ruler’s bearing. How can a person be judged by outward appearance? People have eyes and toes, and are all sentient beings. The man’s breath was gentle, as though a harmonious, balanced energy were rising all around him.

Perhaps you have seen the appearance I show. Sima explains: “What I show is the aspect that changes in response to external things; perhaps you can approach this level. But as for the part of me that never changes, that is beyond your reach. It is like searching for a horse in a place unsuited for keeping horses.” Guo Xiang holds that “Tang market” is not a place for keeping horses. The version used by Sima reads “broad courtyard”: whether one looks for a horse in a marketplace or in a broad courtyard, neither is a suitable place.

Innate Talent and Virtue

His hair hung loose, his body was withered like a dead tree, and he sat motionless in silence. After a while, he seemed to see something; his expression appeared confused, and his gaze seemed unfocused. He looked gaunt, like someone who had left the company of others. His mouth was closed, or perhaps it had opened and could no longer close.

He had once known immense joy and had experienced all manner of ways of acting and moving. His heart could make room for things and let them change naturally; gain and loss did not constrain him. As for what remained blocked within his heart, had it truly been released? He took only a little for his use, like tiny flying insects in a jar.

During the reign of Duke Ai of Lu, Sima (a commentator surnamed Sima) said that Zhuangzi lived in the same period as King Hui of Wei and King Wei of Qi. According to Sima, Zhuangzi lived 120 years after Duke Ai of Lu. Cheng Xuanying said this was merely a parable.

“Guan” is pronounced with the gu-luan reading, while “yuan” in “round cap” is pronounced yuan. “Lü” is read as ju; Li Yi says it means square and upright. “Ju” is pronounced with the ju-ju reading. “Huan” is pronounced with the hu-guan reading; Sima’s text has shou instead.

“Pei jue” is pronounced pei jue. “Luan shi shou” refers to a jade pendant threaded with five-colored ribbons and worn as an ornament. Another view holds that the original text may instead read huan: dragging a ribbon and wearing a jade pendant meant that the matter was settled and a decision could be made. Some also say that a jue resembles a jade ring with a gap in it. When a ruler gave a jade jue to an exiled minister, it signified a decisive farewell. “Duan” is pronounced with the ding-luan reading. In the phrase “bu hao hao, he ye,” hao means “to join.”

Inner attainment and outer abundance: One has gained something inwardly, and one’s outer life is also well provided for.

Baili Xi, a senior official of Qin during the Spring and Autumn period, cared nothing for rank or stipend. So when he tended someone else’s cattle, he raised them to be fat and strong. The Records of the Grand Historian says that after Duke Xian of Jin conquered the state of Yu, he captured its ruler and his senior official, Baili Xi.

Baili Xi did not care about rank or salary, so he could tend the cattle with a settled mind and raise them until they were strong and well fed. The Records of the Grand Historian recounts that Duke Xian of Jin conquered the state of Yu and captured its ruler and the minister Baili Xi. Baili Xi was taken to Qin as a household servant accompanying Duke Mu of Qin’s wife. He later remained in Qin, escaped to Wan, and was seized by people on the Chu border.

When Duke Mu heard that Baili Xi was capable and worthy, he wanted to pay a large sum to ransom him. Fearing that the people of Chu would refuse to return him, he sent someone to say, “My household servant Baili Xi, who came with my wife, is there. Please accept five black ram skins as ransom for him.” The people of Chu agreed. By then, Baili Xi was already over seventy. Duke Mu released him and discussed affairs of state with him. Baili Xi demurred: “I am a minister of a fallen state. What could be worth asking me about?” Duke Mu replied, “The ruler of Yu failed to heed your advice, and that is why his state fell. It was not your fault.” Duke Mu questioned him insistently for three days and was greatly pleased. He then entrusted Baili Xi with the government, calling him “the Great Master of the Five Ram Skins,” a title given because he had been ransomed with five black ram skins.

Baili Xi demurred again: “My abilities do not match those of my friend Jian Shu. He has genuine talent and learning, though the world does not know it. I once traveled in Qi and became so destitute that I had to beg passersby for food. Jian Shu took me in. Later, I wanted to serve Wuzhi, ruler of Qi, but Jian Shu advised me against it, and so I escaped the turmoil in Qi. Afterward I went to Zhou. The prince Tui was fond of cattle, so I sought an audience with him on the strength of my skill in raising them. When Prince Tui was about to appoint me, Jian Shu again advised me to leave. I followed his counsel and escaped being killed. When I served the ruler of Yu, Jian Shu also advised me against it. I knew the ruler of Yu would not employ me, but I stayed out of greed for rank and salary. Later, Jian Shu urged me once more to leave, and only then did I escape disaster. The ruler of Yu failed to heed the advice and eventually met with calamity. This shows that Jian Shu is more worthy than I am.”

Duke Mu therefore sent someone with rich gifts to invite Jian Shu and appointed him Senior Grand Master.

Note: In the text, the character rendered as “zhi ren” is explained in the pronunciation notes as read “zhi”; it is a place name, though some say it refers to people cutting grain. “Yi” and “zhi” can be used interchangeably. The commentary says that Duke Mu forgot Baili Xi’s humble past as a cattle keeper and entrusted him with the affairs of state. A later passage mentions that Shun of the Youyu clan honored his parents, cared nothing for gain or loss in life or death, and became renowned throughout the realm, moving the ruler.

Perfecting one’s craft, one forgets one’s form.

He accepted the bow and remained standing. Sima says, “After receiving the command, he bowed and stood.” Shi is pronounced “shizhi.” Tantán is pronounced “tan”; Li says it describes a relaxed, unhurried manner. Panbo is pronounced “bangge”; Sima says it means sitting cross-legged like a winnowing basket. Lei is pronounced “liguo.” Sima says, “He was about to paint, so he loosened his clothes and bared his body.”

Consulting the Many and Entrusting the Worthy

King Wen was inspecting the region of Zang. Cheng Xuanying says that Zang was a place near the Wei River, and “the old man” refers indirectly to the Grand Duke. Sima’s version reads, “King Wen went in disguise to inspect Zang,” meaning that King Wen changed into ordinary clothes and went to look around the area.

Er is pronounced “zhu”; the damaged character N is pronounced “zhan.” Cheng Xuanying says that King Wen’s father, Ji Li, had a dark complexion and many marks on his body. Boma is pronounced “bangjiao.” Li explains “one red hoof” to mean that one hoof was red. Liaohu is pronounced “jiuliu”; Cheng Xuanying says it describes something unusual or different. Curan is pronounced “ziliu.”

“Former lord and king,” Sima says, means that it was brought about by the spirit of the former king. Sima explains “May the king have no other way” as “The king has not strayed from the right path.” The character huai in “the ranks of worthy men were ruined” is pronounced “guai,” as it is below; zhi is pronounced “zhi.” Sima says zhi means arranging things in rows, while “dispersing the groups” means not keeping a following. Another interpretation holds that zhi means to fortify the boundaries and build houses in order to await those who would offer remonstrance.

Chang is pronounced “dingda,” as it is below. Sima says “officials do not make virtue their aim” means that they do not pursue fame and achievement. Yu is pronounced “yu.” Li says that six hu and four dou make one yu, while ten dou make one hu. Meiran is pronounced “mei”; fanran is pronounced “shujian.” Yedun is pronounced “tukun”: once the work was accomplished, one withdrew and let one’s reputation fade, which is why this is called “withdrawing by night.” Ciyan is pronounced “qici.”

Having Intentions, Yet Missing the Subtlety

The wei in “Yu Kou acted” is pronounced “yuran.” Fanran is pronounced “shujian,” and yedun is pronounced “tukun.” Once the work was accomplished, one withdrew and let one’s reputation fade, which is why this is called “withdrawing by night.” Ciyan is pronounced “qici.”

“Yukou” is read “wei yu wei qie,” and “yinguan” is read “gu luan qie.” Sima says that “yinguan” means an arrowhead. The commentary explains that “yinguan” refers to an arrow that has penetrated deeply, past the arrowhead. “Shishi” is read “ding li qie” and means to draw near. “Fuda” is read “fu you qie,” as it is below. Cheng Xuanying says that “da” means repeated or overlapping. “Xiangren” means a puppet made of wood or clay. “Bianxun” is read “qi xun qie.” Cheng Xuanying says it means moving backward. “Hanliu” is read “hu dan qie.” “Huichi” is read “chi.” Guo Xiang says that “huichi” means acting without restraint. “Churan” is read “chi lü qie.” “Youxun” is read “xun.” The Erya says that “xun” describes trembling and fear. The commentary explains that a “xun” gaze is one that is blurred and dazzled; trying to dazzle and please others leaves the heart uneasy. “Yuzhong” is read “ding zhong qie.”

The Dao Is Full, Yet Unmoved

“Jianwu” was a recluse. “Sun Shuao” was a worthy minister of Chu. “Xuxuran” is read “kuang fu qie” and describes a state of ease, contentment, and joyful relaxation. “Chou” is read “zhi liu qie,” and “chu” is read “zhi yu qie.” Cheng Xuanying says these describe a relaxed and contented state. “Looking in all four directions” means gazing far in every direction. “Dejie” is read “ju ye chu” and means to seize by force. “Fuxi” is read “xi.” “Wujie” is read “jie.” The Shuowen says that “jie” can mean to mark off a boundary, and can also mean to hear of something. “Bubei” is read “pi bai qie.”

Cultivating the Self and Preserving Life

Cheng Xuanying says that the King of Chu was King Wen of Chu. King Wen of Chu sat with Marquis Xi of Fan and discussed an alliance of states. Chu intended to annex Fan, so the king sent someone from his retinue to sound out and sway the ruler of Fan with words. Sima says that Fan was the name of a state, whose capital was in Gong County, Jiyun Commandery. According to the Zuo Zhuan, the state of Fan was descended from the Duke of Zhou.

Miscellaneous Chapters: “Knowing the Northward Journey,” Chapter 26

“Chongmo” means empty stillness and silence.

Read “knowing” according to the character’s original meaning; do not follow the old edition’s reading of it as “wisdom.” Bei Yi traveled north to the waters of Xuan. The Sima edition reads “north of the waters of Xuan.” “Yinfen” is read as “yinfu”: “yin” means profound and remote, difficult to see, while “fen” describes plants growing lushly and taking on a distinct form. In “south of the White Waters,” “white” symbolizes purity and simplicity, and “south” symbolizes clarity. “Huoque” is read as “kuxue.” Li Yi says this is the name of a hill: “huo” carries the sense of doubt, and “que” the sense of coming to rest. “Er du” is read as “dinggu.” In “Kuangqu,” “kuang” means acting recklessly, and “qu” means winding or crooked. Sima Biao explains that “zhi” means “this is.” “Ai” is read as “aizai”; Li Yi says it is a sound of response. “Yu” is read as “fang,” “yuruo” as “yuju,” “qi yi” as “yichi,” and “suo wu” as “wulu.”

“Communicating with the single Qi of Heaven and Earth” appears in Liu De’s edition in this form; the old edition reads, “Communicating with the single Qi of all under Heaven.” Here, “great beauty” refers to the vast beauty of Heaven and Earth as they shelter and bear all things. “He bi” appears in Liu De’s edition; the old edition reads “jin.” “Bianran” is read as “pian.” Cheng Xuanying explains it as the state of growing everywhere; the main text also has “pianran,” explained as the state of continual renewal and transformation. “Wei li” is read as “lizhi.” “Within it” refers to being unable to escape one’s own transformations. “Hunran” is read as “hun” and means dim or obscure. Zhang Junfang’s edition writes it as “hun.” “Youran” is read as “you,” meaning free of thoughts or attachments; Cheng Xuanying explains it as being unconstrained.

Spiritual Understanding

“Bei Yi” is read according to the characters as written, though it may also be read as “pi.” “Tongyan” is read as “chihong” and describes eyes that do not blink. Li Yi says “like a newborn calf” describes someone who has not yet acquired knowledge and whose mind is simple. “Ruo gao” is read as “kulao.” “Meimei” is read as “mei,” and “huihui” as “hui”; both describe a state that is free of thought and intention, dim and profound.

The Constant Way

In the ancient official system there were the “Four Assistants”: the Left Assistant, Right Supporter, Front Adviser, and Rear Attendant. “Cheng” was probably an official title and is also written “zheng.” Li Yi says “Gongwan” was Shun’s teacher. “You fu” is read as “fu.” According to the explanation in the Shuowen Jiezi, “weixing” means “to have ceased.” Zhang Junfang’s edition reads “sons and grandsons,” while the old edition reads “grandsons and sons.” “Weishe” is read as “tu”…

“Cheng” was an ancient official title. In antiquity, four officials served as assistants: the Left Assistant, the Right Supporter, the Front Adviser, and the Rear Minister. Some editions write “Cheng” as “Zheng.” “Li Gongwan” was Shun’s teacher. In “you fu,” the character “fu” is pronounced “fu.” According to the Shuowen Jiezi, the term “weixing” means “to end” or “to stop.” The term “zisun” appears in Zhang Junfang’s edition; older editions have “sunzi.” “Weiyi,” pronounced “tuo wo,” refers to the vigorous, active original Qi between Heaven and Earth. Guo Xiang says that “qiangyang” means movement. The point here is that if Heaven and Earth are in constant motion, how could things formed from the gathering of original Qi possibly be grasped and held fast?

“Ke dao”

“Yan” is pronounced “yu jian.” “Shulun,” pronounced “yin yao,” means to soak; Cheng Xuanying says it means to wash. Cheng Xuanying explains “zaoxue” as purifying the spirit; the commentary to the Wenxuan says it means stilling the spirit. “Pouji,” pronounced “pu kou,” means to break apart, according to Cheng Xuanying; the commentary to the Wenxuan says it means to cast aside cleverness and artifice. “Yaoran” is pronounced “wu liao”; “jiangwei” is pronounced “yu wei.” “Wuxing” refers to the Great Beginning; “jingshen sheng yu Dao” means the constant Dao. “Jiuqiao” is pronounced “ku diao.” “Huanghuang” describes something without boundaries. “Yao” is pronounced “yu gu yao”; Cheng Xuanying says it means to encounter.

“Cizhe” refers to the profound and subtle Dao. “Xunda” is pronounced “xu lun.” The Shuowen Jiezi says it carries the meanings of trustworthiness and evenness. “Heaven cannot fail to be high” means that without attaining this Dao, Heaven could not become the lofty, distant Heaven. In “Dao yu,” “yu” is pronounced “yu,” as it is later in the passage. Cheng Xuanying explains, “Knowing much is not necessarily understanding; eloquence is not necessarily wisdom.” This means that familiarity with many classics does not necessarily mean one understands the truth; nor does eloquent speech and polished argument necessarily indicate discerning wisdom. In “yi duan,” “duan” is pronounced “duan guan”; Cheng Xuanying says it means to relinquish. “Weiwei,” pronounced “yu wei,” means lofty and great. In “it encompasses and measures the myriad things without leaving anything out,” “yi” is pronounced “yi jia” and means something omitted or left over. Liu De’s edition has “jian,” while older editions have “kui.” In “the myriad things all turn to it for support, and it is never depleted,” “kui” is pronounced “qiu wei” and means scarcity or depletion.

“Zhongji”

“Dark” is read as “dark” and is interchangeable with “shade”; “yi” is read as “hidden.” Guo Xiang says that “dark and hidden” describes Qi gathering together. “How much” is read as “where and how.” “Fruit” refers to the fruit of woody plants, while “melon” refers to the fruit of herbaceous plants. Literally, a “white colt” is a white horse; here it is interpreted as “light,” while Cheng Xuanying explains it as a fine steed. “Pass” is read as “withdraw,” and here “withdraw” refers to breast milk. “Rushing and surging” describes breath welling up and flourishing; Cheng Xuanying says it refers to the state at birth. “Seeping and dispersing” describes breath spreading and fading away; Cheng Xuanying uses it to depict the approach of death.

“Heaven’s sack” is read as “instruct knife,” which Cheng Xuanying explains as a pouch that holds and stores things. “Fall” is read as “allow rules” and means to untie; “Heaven’s wrapping” is read as “display brush,” which Cheng Xuanying explains as wrapping and binding. “Scattered and winding” is read as “in the courtyard”; Cheng Xuanying says both words describe a state of dispersal and turning.

The Dao is everywhere.

Dongguozi: Li Yi says he lived in the eastern outskirts of the city and was Tian Zifang’s teacher. In “where,” the character e is pronounced wu. “Lóu” is pronounced lihou, “yǐ” as yuqi, “tí” as daxi, and “bài” as pumai; all are names of grasses. In “tiles and bricks,” “pì” is pronounced buli. Li Yi says it refers to a type of brick called a ling brick.

“Eat” means to have a meal. “Shǐ” is pronounced shizhi, and “niào” as naidiao. In “between Zheng and Huo,” “jiàn” is pronounced gu xian. In “the market inspector feels the pig,” “xī” is pronounced xuqi.

Li Yi explains: “Zheng” is a patrol guard, responsible for keeping watch and maintaining security, much like a market official today. “Huo” is his name. The “market inspector” manages the market; “xi” means a large pig; and “feel” means to press or handle. The market inspector presses the pig’s thighs and feet, then feels the parts near the hooves, where it is harder for fat to accumulate. If those parts are still fat, he knows the rest of the pig is even fatter. This illustrates that when asking about the Dao, one can begin with what is low and near at hand and still know that the Dao is everywhere. Another interpretation takes “moreover” to mean “all the more”: if the parts beneath the pig’s hooves, where fat is less likely to gather, still feel thick and fat, then the other parts must be even fatter and more substantial. Some also say that “moreover” refers to a situation or condition.

The sentence “You need only not insist that there is nowhere it does not escape” appears in the version compiled by Zhang Junfang; it is missing from the older text.

No boundary between existence and nonexistence

As Cheng Xuanying explains, “all-embracing” means there is nothing it does not contain; “everywhere-reaching” means there is nowhere it does not reach; and “all-present” means there is nothing it does not possess. “Dàn” is pronounced tuzan. This passage is missing from the older text.

No boundary between existence and nonexistence

As Cheng Xuanying explains, “all-embracing” means there is nothing it does not contain; “everywhere-reaching” means there is nowhere it does not reach; and “all-present” means there is nothing it does not possess. “Dàn” is pronounced tuzan. “Liáo” is pronounced liao, and “wandering freely” is pronounced panghuang. Cheng Xuanying says this describes a state of unconstrained ease. “Féng” is pronounced pibing, and “hóng” as hong. Li Yi says both “feng” and “hong” express vastness; Guo Xiang says they mean empty and open. In “waning and diminishing,” “diminishing” is pronounced sejie, as it is below.

Attaining the Dao: a hair’s breadth in autumn

“He Gan” is pronounced hé gān and is a personal name: He Gan is the courtesy name. According to Li Yi’s commentary, “Old Dragon Ji” refers to a Daoist named Huai. According to Cheng Xuanying’s commentary, “Shennong” does not refer to the legendary ruler Shennong. “Leaning on a desk” means resting against a small table; “shutting the door” means closing it; “sleeping by day” means taking a nap during the daytime. “Sitting or dwelling with limbs spread out” is pronounced zhà chǔ, though it may also be read shē. Sima Biao explains it as “letting oneself go.” “With a bang” is pronounced bō rán and, according to Li Yi, refers to the sound of setting down a walking stick. “Remote and humble” means out of the way and lowly. “Lax” is pronounced mán, though it may also be read according to its written form. According to Cheng Xuanying, “careless” is pronounced dàn and describes a lack of focus and caution. In “That is all, indeed,” the final particle is pronounced fú. “E” is pronounced yǎn; “gang” is pronounced gāng. Li Yi says that Yan Diao, with Yan as the surname and Diao as the given name, was a person who embodied the Dao. “To which they all attach themselves” means that all things turn to it.

“Depth within depth”: within what is profound and remote, there is something still more profound and remote.

“Looking up and sighing”: Cui Zhuan’s version has “looking up,” while Zhang Junfang’s version has “raising one’s head.” The Jiyun says that “yin” and “yang” have the same pronunciation, and the Shuowen Jiezi explains “raise” as lifting upward. The old edition has “middle,” which is probably a copying error.

“Light and shadow both vanish”: both light and shadow disappear. “Dim and obscure” is pronounced yǎo rán; “grasping it” has “grasp” pronounced bó.

“Guarding the One”: maintaining a state of undivided focus.

“Grand Marshal”: Cheng Xuanying explains this as the Minister of War of Chu, the official in charge of military and government affairs. “Forging a hook” is pronounced chuí gōu: “forge” means to hammer metal, and “hook” refers to a belt hook. In the Jiangdong and Sanwei regions, people called forging “chuí.” In “skill and ability,” “and” is pronounced yú; in “and take pleasure,” “pleasure” is pronounced hào; in “use it to grow,” “grow” is pronounced zhǎng.

“Not preceding things”: “appear” is pronounced xiàn, meaning to become visible or come into being; it may also be read wéi. The scripture’s statement, “Before there were descendants, there were grandchildren,” illustrates that things have causes and lineages and cannot appear without reason. Since there are grandchildren, there must first have been children; likewise, Heaven and Earth cannot have been nonexistent before and then suddenly come into being from nothing. In “there is a prior existence,” “prior” is pronounced xiàn, as it is later in the text.

“Joined realm” means the entire domain becoming one.

In “settling in harmony,” “settling” means to dwell. In “the enclosure of it,” “enclosure” is pronounced “you.” In “the garden of it,” “garden” is pronounced “pu,” formed from the sounds “bu” and “wu.” In “harmonize with one’s child,” “harmonize” is pronounced “chi” plus “shi,” and “child” is pronounced “xi” plus “qie”; here it means to bring into harmony.

Turning Away from Convention

The character “with” in both “the mountain forest with…” and “the marshland with…” is pronounced “yu,” as it is below. “Marshland” refers to the sacred, secluded lands of mountains and marshes. The sentence “they have no kinship with me” appears in an ancient Jiangnan edition; it is absent from the older edition. “Joy” is pronounced “luo,” as it is below. In “able to control,” “control” is pronounced “yu” plus “lü.” In “equal in knowledge,” “knowledge” is pronounced “cai” plus “xi,” though it may also be read with its usual pronunciation.

This completes Volume Ten of Pronunciation and Meaning in the Chapters and Sentences of the True Classic of Nanhua.

Pronunciation and Meaning in the Chapters and Sentences of the True Classic of Nanhua, Volume Eleven

Written by Master Bixu.

Miscellaneous Chapters: Gengsang Chu, Chapter Twenty-Seven

Casting Off Intellect

In “Lao Dan’s attendant,” according to Sima Biao’s commentary, “attendant” means a messenger or a disciple. In “Gengsang Chu,” Chu is the given name and Gengsang is the surname.

Lao Dan’s followers, that is, his disciples. Gengsang Chu: Sima Biao says that “Chu” is his given name and “Gengsang” his surname; the Records of the Grand Historian writes his name as “Kangcang.” He was the most outstanding of Lao Dan’s disciples, hence the phrase “received a special share,” meaning that he had an especially profound understanding.

“Weilei” is the name of a mountain. He Can’s commentary on the Kangcangzi says that Mount Weilei is Mount Yu, in Xuzhou. “Huarán” describes plotting and scheming, or showing off one’s cleverness; “qierán” describes making agreements and deliberately conforming to benevolence and righteousness. Such conduct all arises from contrivance and artifice, and loses the natural essence. “Keep one’s distance from them” means to distance oneself from benevolence and wisdom. Sima Biao says that people treat benevolence, righteousness, and wisdom as tools for controlling others, whereas Master Gengsang cast them all aside.

“Yongzhong” describes a clumsy, useless appearance; “yangzhang” describes being constrained and ill at ease. Older commentaries also say that these two words describe an ugly appearance. The “three years” mentioned in the passage is explained by Cheng Xuanying as referring to an intercalary month added every three years; it can also serve as a metaphor for making initial progress in cultivating the Dao. “Daran” means abundance; “saran” describes astonishment.

Day by day, it seems there is no gain; measured over a year, however, there is a surplus. Xiang Xiu explains that this means forgoing small, immediate gains while following the seasons and thus attaining a harvest. By autumn, all kinds of grains and fruits have ripened, and Heaven and Earth treasure the myriad things. “Huan du” means a small house enclosed on all sides. “Qieqie” refers to private conversation, or to petty calculation. “Zu and dou” are ritual vessels used in sacrifices and banquets: the zu holds meat, and the dou holds food. “Shao” means a marker or standard; some versions instead have “yue,” meaning a constraint or standard.

“Xun” is eight chi, and “chang” is two xun. A “ditch of ordinary size” refers to a narrow ditch. Fish can turn around and swim in a ditch, and small fish such as salamanders and loaches can lord over it. “Zhi” may be understood as turning or bending: the small fish can swim in winding paths through the narrow space. Some commentators instead take it to mean monopolizing the ditch, which the fish occupy exclusively.

A “bu” is said to be six chi, while the length of a “ren” varies among commentators, who give six, seven, eight, or four chi. A small hill is a suitable den for foxes, so the foxes there appear auspicious; “xiang” can also mean an ominous or uncanny sign. When each thing finds its proper place and does not lose what suits it, a great person can enjoy abundant blessings and emoluments. “Han” means to contain. “Beasts large enough for a cart” refers to animals big enough to carry one. “Jie” can mean alone or scattered. “Swallowing boats” refers to a fish large enough to swallow an entire boat. When the waters rise, it swims freely; when the waters recede and it is left without water, it becomes stranded on land, where even ants, fish, and shrimp can prey upon it.

“Shen miao” means profound and subtle. Commentators believe that the “two men” in the passage are Yao and Shun. “Planting fleabane” means cultivating a worthless weed; “zhi” means a comb and, more broadly, combing or arranging. “Counting every grain of rice before cooking” is a metaphor for caring only about small, immediate gains. “Ya” means to crush under a wheel; “shi” means for a minister to kill his ruler. “Xue pei” refers to a hole in a wall or an earthen wall. Nan Rongchu, a personal name, was a disciple of Master Gengsang. Ancient texts also write his name as Nan Rongchou, Nan Rongchou, Nan Rongshou, or Nan Rongchou.

“Curan” describes being startled and uneasy. “Already grown” means having reached adulthood; “e” is pronounced “wu” and is a question word. “Pi” can mean to open; some commentators explain it as adhering to something. “Striving to hear the Dao” means hearing its teachings only through effort; “reaching the ears” means that they have entered the ears but have not truly penetrated the heart.

“Benfeng” means a small bee, though some say it is a ground bee. “Huozhu” refers to a large green caterpillar found among bean leaves. “Yue chicken” means a small chicken, though some commentators say it is a particular kind of fowl; “fu” means brooding. “Hu” means swan; “Lu chicken” is a large chicken, which Xiang Xiu identifies as a large fowl from Shu. “Carrying provisions” means bearing food on one’s back; “ying” means to carry. “Wei” is a word of response; “juran” describes being so frightened that one loses color. “Zhuyu” conveys the sense of being sincere yet simple-minded; some old editions write “zhiyu.” “Brows and lashes” means the eyebrows and eyelashes. “Guigui” describes a dazed state, or narrow understanding. “As if bereft” means as though one had lost something. “Taking a stalk to sound the sea” means probing the sea with a bamboo pole, a metaphor for using a shallow, limited means to measure something vast and deep.

“Are you a person who has lost your way?” means that you are someone who has lost your original nature. “Wangwanghu” describes being at a loss, with no sense of where to turn. “What one likes” means the things one loves; “what one dislikes” means the things one loathes. Versions of the text differ in their wording of phrases such as “resting sorrow.” “Washing and rinsing” means cleansing. “Yuyu” refers to stagnant obstruction: water left standing for a long time becomes foul, wood left piled up for a long time grows insects, and grass left in a heap for a long time rots. “Jinjin” can mean foulness or seepage. “There is still dislike” means that calculation and aversion in the heart have not yet been entirely cleared away.

“External bonds” refers to constraints imposed by external things; some commentators explain it instead as abundance or generalization. “Zhuo” means to grasp. “Internal barriers” can mean closing off or obstructing; it may also be understood as a closed heart. “Ke miu” means to bind tightly. “Following the Dao” means proceeding in accordance with the Great Dao. “Nourishing life” means caring for life so that it accords with the Dao. “Able to relinquish” means capable of letting go. “Xiao” can mean being held fast or constrained; “tong” describes being straightforward and unburdened, and can also mean open, penetrating, or simple.

“Hao” means to wail; “ai” means the throat and can also refer to choking or obstructed breath. “Not becoming hoarse” means that one’s voice does not grow hoarse after crying out. In the Chu dialect, crying until one loses one’s voice or becomes hoarse was called “ga.” “Wo” means to curl the hands into fists. “Not ni” can mean grasping or clenching the fists; some commentators explain it as becoming tired and slack. “Gong qi” means being single-minded and not exerting oneself unevenly; commentators believe an infant embodies this state. “Shun” means blinking or moving; “pian” means slanted; “wei” can mean bending or tilting; “she” refers to moving like a snake, twisting and winding. “Ice melting” means that ice thaws. “Eating together” means sharing a meal; “rejoicing together” means sharing in joy. “Mutually entangling” means disturbing one another. “Like a withered tree” means resembling dead wood. “How could there be?” is pronounced “wu you” and means “where could there be?”

When the four quarters of Heaven and Earth are open and at peace, the human heart, too, becomes broad and tranquil. People see only the outer appearance of things, not the reality behind them. The “True Ruler” refers to the inner master. It resides within the heart, which is therefore also called the “Spirit’s Abode,” or the “Spirit Terrace.” The true master is hidden within, yet people do not turn inward to contemplate their own reality; instead, they chase after things outside themselves. Whatever they set in motion is always ill suited. Here, “always” means “even if”: even when they act, they cannot act appropriately.

“Within the tally” means the part covered by a contract that belongs to oneself; “outside the tally” belongs to someone else. Those who preserve their inner reality have no wish to make a name for themselves. To concern oneself only with what is external and boast to others is merely to engage in trade. The scripture uses a merchant as an example: the merchant spends his efforts on petty profits. People see him stretching up on tiptoe to seek external gain and scheme for more than his due, while he remains seated and unmoved, convinced he is in the right. Such behavior is truly shameful.

If one cares only about scraping by and preserving oneself, with barely enough time to find shelter, how could one possibly make room for others? The Moxie, an ancient and exceptionally sharp sword, may be thrust at someone one despises, yet this may still fail to address the root of the problem. Once the true Way of nature and life has been lost, it is like something that departs and never returns. “Seeing its ghost” means that Yin Qi arrives and takes up residence in the body. “Meeting death” means that losing the true Way of life is itself equivalent to death. “Extinguished, yet with substance remaining” means that Heaven’s innate radiance has gone out. Though the body or some substance remains, it is no different from something dark and obscure. Daoist writings call such ghosts “clear spirits” or “benevolent souls.”

Creation has no fixed foundation, and the Great Void has no visible apertures. Yu means the space above and below and in all four directions; Zhou means the span from antiquity to the present. The myriad things move in and out through Heaven and Earth, yet their form cannot be seen.

Shifting Rightness

“E” is read as “wu” and means “where.” “For the funeral” is read as “lang,” “according to the distinction” as “fangyun,” and “to the buttocks” as “kugao.” Some editions write “one lineage” as “one root.”

“Bright scenes” means luminous sights. “Ye zhuo” is read as “dinglüe,” and “Jia shi” as “Zhang Lü.” In “a blemish appears,” “blemish” is read as “yucheng” and refers to a dark spot or flaw that has formed. Sima Biao annotates the character as “wudian.” When there is a flaw, one wants to cut it out. “Strip away” is read as “pupi” and means to peel off or disperse. “Separate” means to spread out. Thus the text says that what is called “shifting rightness” is like dark spots clustering and forming, or like something being stripped away, scattered, and disappearing.

“Wax offering” is read as “lihe.” The ox used in sacrifice has a “pi” (read as “pi,” the ox’s omasum, or third stomach) and a “gai” (read as “gulai,” the big toe of the foot). “Gai” can also mean completeness. Here, “wax offering” refers to a grand sacrifice, whose offerings should be complete; even when following simplified ritual forms, the sacrificial animal’s limbs should not be scattered and discarded arbitrarily.

In “hidden latrine,” “latrine” is read as “suoliu” and means a toilet; “hidden and concealed” means screened off or covered. The edition of the Li family from Jiangnan includes the character “latrine,” which is missing from the old edition. “To be right” is read as “yuwei,” and “death repaid” as “changliang.” The Guangya says that “repayment” means recompense or return. “Cicada” is read as “tiao,” and “oriole” as “xue.” The sentence “Shifting right and wrong is not the way of people today” appears in an old manuscript preserved in Jiangnan but is missing from the old edition.

Ritual Falsity

“Trample” is read as “nüzhǎn” and means to tread on or walk over. “Arrogant” is read as “yudao” and describes an overbearing, unruly manner. “Soothe” is read as “wuyu” and describes a gentle voice. Some commentaries also take it to mean losing one’s voice in surprise, or gently offering comfort and care. “Remove” is read as “bishuo” and means to eliminate.

Emptiness and Nothingness

“Burst forth” is read as “bimei”; the same applies below. “Deceive” is read according to its usual pronunciation and means error or deception. Another edition writes the character as “mou,” read as “wanghou,” meaning to strike or bind. “Abandon De” is read as “qilü,” “evil desire” as “wulu,” and “burden” as “lüwei”; the same applies below. “Disperse” is read as “tudang.” Guo Xiang explains it as “to move.”

De and Nature

“One edition writes ‘the radiance of De’ as ‘the precedence of De.’” “Glance sideways” is read as “yuji” and means to look askance or gaze.

Clumsy Falsity

“Yi” is read as “wuji,” and “center” as “dingzhong.” “Liang” is read as “liang”; Cui Zhuan explains it as a worthy person. It can also be read as “lang.” “Evil” is read as “lu”; the same applies below.

Wisdom’s Cage

“Long” is read according to the pronunciation “lidongqie.” King Tang of Shang recruited Yi Yin by giving him work in the royal kitchen: Yi Yin carried a cooking cauldron on his back when he went to seek an audience with King Tang. Recognizing his talent, Tang made use of his particular skill and put him in charge of the kitchen, so that he would remain by his side. This matter was explained earlier in the “Rang Wang” chapter.

Duke Mu of Qin once recruited Baili Xi with sheepskins. After fleeing Qin, Baili Xi wandered to the border of Chu, where local people captured him. Duke Mu used five sheepskins to ransom him from Chu. Another account says that Baili Xi liked five-colored fur coats, so Duke Mu appealed to his taste and recruited him with sheepskins. This matter was explained earlier in the “Tian Zifang” chapter.

Forgetting One’s Form and Becoming One with Heaven

“Jiejia” is pronounced “yin jie.” Guo Xiang’s commentary says it refers to someone who had been subjected to the punishment of cutting off the feet. The Guangya says it means “alone.” “Yihua” is pronounced “chizhiqie.” It means to analyze and carve, and also refers to implements used to adorn one’s appearance. One explanation says that a person whose feet have been cut off no longer cares about such adornments. Another says that “yi” means to depart. Cui Zhuan says that “yihua” means not to be bound by rules and standards.

“Fu” is pronounced “yin fu” and means to review or practice repeatedly. “Zhu” is pronounced “yin xi” and, according to the context, means to play at or become familiar with something. “Kui” is pronounced “qikuiqie”; the Guangya explains it as “to give.” “Forgetting others” means no longer keeping others in mind.

To review means to practice repeatedly. People greatly cherish things they have become familiar with, even when those things are small. To learn a skill that another person has practiced, yet neither return nor give it back to that person, is an extremely foolish act, because one has failed to obtain what people cherish. Since this shows a lack of mutual kindness, it is called “forgetting others.” “Wu” is pronounced “wangfuqie.”

End of Volume Eleven of the Nanhua Zhenjing Zhangju Yinyi.

Volume Twelve of the Nanhua Zhenjing Zhangju Yinyi, compiled by Bixuzi.

Miscellaneous Chapter: “Xu Wugui,” Chapter Twenty-Eight.

Turning Toward Goodness

Xu Wugui was a native of Mount Min, meaning that he lived in seclusion there, and was a recluse of the state of Wei. Sima Biao’s version places “a native of Mount Min” after “Xu Wugui.” Nü Shangcheng said that Nü Shang was a favored minister of Wei. Duke Wu of Wei, whose personal name was Ji, was the son of Marquis Wen of Wei and governed the state from Anyi.

Here, “lao” is pronounced with the reading “li bao qie.” Only in “the toil of the mountains and forests” is it read with its usual pronunciation; elsewhere, and in similar usages below, it is read “li bao qie.” “Ying” is read “shi,” “chang” as “ding zhang qie,” “hao” as “hu bao qie,” and “wu” as “wu lu qie.” These characters are pronounced the same way in the passages below.

“Chu” is read “chi lü qie” and means to withdraw or dismiss. “Qian” is read “ku tian qie.” The Erya explains it as firm; Cui Zhuan says it means to pull open or draw away; Sima Biao says it means to lead or pull. Sima Biao explains “chaoran” as being disheartened. “Shaoyan” is read “shi zhao qie,” “chang yu” as “yu ju qie,” and “wu xiang” as “xi liang qie”; the same readings apply below.

“Clinging to food and stopping there”: Cheng Xuanying explains this as holding fast to one’s own inclinations while seeking nothing more than a full belly. This is “fox virtue,” meaning greed like that of a fox. Sima Biao says “looking toward the sun” means gazing at it from afar. “As if forgetting his own body” means that his spirit is settled and unmoving, as though he had forgotten his body. In “the straight fits the carpenter’s line,” “zhong” is read “ding zhong qie”; the same applies below.

Sima Biao says that “straight” refers to a horse’s teeth, “curved” to its back, “upper and square” to its head, and “round” to its eyes. Cheng Xuanying, however, says that “curved” refers to the horse’s neck. “Fully formed” means that the horse’s natural qualities are already complete and require no further training. “Xu” is read “yin xu”; traditional character glosses say it means illness. “Shi” is read “yin yi”; glosses say it means loss. Li Yi explains “illness and loss” as troubles and faults. When startled, horses all seem ready to leap into the air. In “as if it had lost,” “sang” is read “xi lang qie”; the same applies below. “Its one” means that it has lost its companion. “Chaoyi” is read “yin yi” and means to pass over; “xu” is read “tu lie qie,” which Cui Zhuan explains as meaning to be unhindered.

“Congshuo” is read “zi rong qie.” Some say “Golden Tablets” refers to a secret prophetic text foretelling good and ill fortune; Sima Biao says it is the title of a chapter in the Book of Zhou. “Liutao” is read “tu dao qie” and refers to the Six Secret Teachings of the Grand Duke, comprising the Civil, Martial, Tiger, Leopard, Dragon, and Dog Teachings.

Sima Biao says “exiles of Yue” refers to people from Yue who were convicted and banished; others explain “Yue” as meaning to go far away. “Shuri” is read “suo zhu qie,” and “qinian” is read “yin ji,” meaning a full year. Sima Biao says “those who flee to the empty space” means those who flee to the tombs in their former homeland; Cheng Xuanying says it means those who take refuge in deserted gardens and empty houses. “Li” is read “li xi qie,” “cao” as “tu diao qie,” and “zhu” as “zhu ju qie”; Sima Biao explains “zhu” as meaning to block. “Yu” appears in Junfang’s version; old editions write “hu.” “Sheng” is read “yin sheng,” and “you” as “you jiu qie.”

In Sima Biao’s version, “zhi jing” is written “jing,” meaning a road. In “staggering to take its place in the empty space,” “liang” is read “yin liang.” Guo Xiang’s commentary says it describes someone about to walk; Sima Biao’s version writes the character as “liang” and explains it as “a good man,” meaning someone who walks about in empty places. “Taking its place in the empty space” means being in an open, deserted place. In “hearing the sound of a person’s footsteps, tangran,” “tang” is read “ju gong qie” and refers to the sound of feet striking the ground; Cheng Xuanying says it is the sound of someone walking.

Li Yi explains that this passage is an analogy for Duke Wu of Wei: he lacked the virtue proper to a ruler, yet lived behind layers of guards and defenses. Though he forced himself to display an imposing manner when attending court, he felt uneasy within. When he encountered someone he longed to see, he was like an exile hearing footsteps: how could his expression not change at once and brighten with joy? “Qing” is read “ku xiang qie,” and “kai” as “ku ai qie.” Li Yi says “qingkai” is an analogy for speech and laughter: merely hearing the voice of someone one loves brings great happiness; how much more, then, when the person is a close relative—joy naturally reaches its utmost. In “It has been a long time, indeed,” “fu” is read “yin fu”; the same applies later.

“Cultivating Sincerity” is the title of the section. It means cultivating a sincere heart.

In “eating taro,” the character in the word for “taro” is pronounced “xu.” The word for “chives” is pronounced “jiu.” In “using as a guest,” some editions have “discarding” instead; that character is pronounced “birenqie” and means to cast aside. Sima Biao understood “guest” to mean “discard,” while Li Yi took it to mean a guest or visitor. Li Yi explained “seek” in “seeking to gain” as meaning to pursue or obtain. “The blessing of the state” refers to good words and sound policies that benefit the country. In “a state of ten thousand chariots,” the word for “chariot” is pronounced “shengzhengqie.” For “not approving of oneself,” Sima Biao understood “approve” as praise or recognition. The point here is not to pursue one’s own private interests.

For “evil brings calamity,” Wang Pang explained that evil means distorting the right way into a crooked one, and thus becomes a source of disaster. “Halting the troops” means ceasing military action. “Crane formation” has several interpretations: Li Yi understood it as troops advancing in ranks like cranes; Sima Biao took it to mean bells and drums; and the commentary to the Wenxuan understood it as a battle formation. In “ornate watchtower,” some editions have “ornate lookout.” The word for “lookout” is pronounced “xiao.” Sima Biao said this was the name of a tower. Others have understood it as a splendid, towering pavilion or as a tower used in battle. For “infantry and cavalry,” Sima Biao understood “infantry” as foot soldiers; the commentary to the Wenxuan understood “cavalry” as mounted troops.

The word for “Zitan” is pronounced “ceqiqie.” Some say Zitan was the name of an altar; others say it was an official title or a battlefield. In “where?” or “why?”, the word for “where” is pronounced “wu.” In “do not disturb,” the word for “disturb” is pronounced “ying” or “ying”; it means to offend or unsettle. In “already stripped,” the word for “stripped” is pronounced “duo.” It refers to cutting away the flesh and exposing the bones. Another interpretation is to remove the bones while leaving the flesh, but that reading is considered unsuitable here.

“Letting go of the heart” means allowing one’s heart to run unchecked or indulging it.

Da Kui, a perfected person of ancient legend. “Wang” is pronounced like “zui.” Cheng Xuanying says that Da Kui was a perfected person of antiquity.

Ju Ci, the name of a mountain. “Ci” is pronounced like “zi.” Sima Biao’s version reads “jiu.” Mount Ju Ci lies east of Mi County in Xingyang and is now called Mount Tai Kui.

Chang Yu. “Chang” is pronounced like “yu.”

Cancheng, the person riding on the right side of a carriage. “Cheng” is pronounced like “shengzheng.” The cancheng sits on the carriage’s right, while the driver sits on the left.

Wei. “Wei” is pronounced like “xi.” Peng. “Peng” is pronounced like “deng.” Cui Zhuan’s version reads “yi,” pronounced like “shu.”

Qianma: Sima Biao says these are two people walking ahead of the carriage to guide it.

Kun Hun. “Hun” is pronounced like “hun.” Hua. “Hua” is pronounced like “gu.” Ji. “Ji” is pronounced like “ji.”

Houche: Sima Biao says these are two people following behind the carriage.

The wilderness of Xiangcheng: Xiangcheng County is in present-day Ruzhou, south of Mount Da Kui.

The Seven Sages: the Yellow Emperor is one; Fang Ming, two; Chang Yu, three; Zhang Ruo, four; Wei Peng, five; Kun Hun, six; Hua Ji, seven.

Yu shao. “Shao” is pronounced like “zhao.” Mao. “Mao” is pronounced like “modou.” Li Yi says this describes dizziness and blurred vision. Sima Biao reads “mao” as “jing” and takes it to mean seeing stars.

Zhangzhe. “Zhang” is pronounced like “dingzhang.”

Riding the Sun’s chariot: Sima Biao says this means taking the sun as one’s chariot, that is, following the sun as it renews and changes day by day. A chariot is characterized by constant motion, never remaining still.

Shao quan. “Quan” is pronounced like “qiquan.” Li Yi says it means to dispel.

Qie fu. “Fu” is pronounced like “fuyou.”

Yi qu. “Qu” is pronounced like “qilü.”

Leyou, a garden park where music is enjoyed.

Bu le. “Le” is pronounced like “luo”; the same applies below.

Chashi: Li Yi says “cha” refers to someone who clearly discerns how things stand.

“Perceptive scholars” are people with keen insight who can clearly discern how things work; “scholars who serve the common people” are skilled in governing the people. “Ling” means to bully or oppress; “sui” means to question or reprimand, and can also mean to insult. The phrase “all confined to one perspective” means that each is trapped within a limited way of seeing things and cannot grasp the whole.

“Withered and austere” describes a life of hardship and solitude. “A reputation built over time” means fame accumulated over many years. Wang explains that some people take a lifetime of hardship as a source of pleasure, seeking nothing beyond leaving behind a name. “Extensive governance” means governing on a broad scale. “Valuing alliances” means placing importance on dealings and associations with others. In “not being on close terms,” “close” means living in harmony or intimacy.

“Scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants” refers, respectively, to those who gain official positions through learning; those who clear land and grow grain; craftspeople who make objects; and those who trade in goods. “Jia” can also refer to a merchant who sells goods from a fixed stall. In ancient times, markets were set up around wells, which is why a marketplace was called a “well market.” Here, “strong” carries the sense of diligence.

“Confucians, Mohists, Yangists, and Bing” refer, respectively, to the Confucian school, the Mohist school, Yang Zhu, and Gongsun Longzi. The commentary says that “Ru” was Zheng Huan’s surname and name, “Mo” refers to Di, “Yang” to Yang Zhu, and “Bing” to Gongsun Longzi. The pronunciation indicated for “Lu Ju” is “shou”; this also explains the pronunciation and meaning of “jia” as “merchant.”

“Confucians, Mohists, Yangists, and the School of Names” refer respectively to Confucianism, Mohism, the school of Yang Zhu, and Gongsun Longzi. Guo Xiang’s commentary says that “Confucian” refers to Zheng Huan, “Mohist” to Mo Di, “Yangist” to Yang Zhu, and “the School of Names” to Gongsun Longzi. Lu Ju was a man of the early Zhou dynasty.

To kindle a fire in winter, surround the tinder with dry ashes that have been stored for ten years. After a while, the fire will catch, and can be used to boil water and cook rice. To make ice in summer, pour boiling-hot soup into an earthenware jar in the height of summer and place it at the bottom of a well; it will then freeze into ice.

“Abandon” means to set aside or stop; “change the tune” means to alter the melody; “not fitting” means that things do not agree with or correspond to one another. Some versions read “just as he was about to debate with me” as “just as he was about to debate with me”; both mean that he was on the verge of arguing with me. “Refuting one another with words” means opposing each other through speech; “subduing one another with sound” means trying to overwhelm one another with one’s voice.

A man from Qi abandoned his child in the state of Song. “Cast away” means to throw or discard. Sima’s commentary says that a man from Qi, disgusted with his child, threw him into Song and entrusted him to a gatekeeper. The child was now disabled, yet considered himself in the right. “Elegant bell” refers to a kind of small bell. “Tie up the outer casing” means to bind the casing with rope; Guo Xiang explains that this was done for fear it might be damaged. The story of someone despising a child while cherishing a bell is used here as a metaphor for Huizi, who went against reason and delighted in argument.

“Never having left” means that one has not departed from the place; “bank” refers to the shore. Cheng Xuanying explains: A man from Ying in the state of Chu was lodging near the riverbank. He threw his arrows into the home of the gatekeeper, then, late at night when no one was around, climbed aboard someone else’s boat. Before the boat had even left the shore, he began fighting with its owner. Though clearly in the wrong and ashamed in his heart, he made up complaints; he was so confused and yet still thought himself right.

“Loss of one’s basis”

“Cong” is pronounced caiyongqie. “Ying” is pronounced yijingqie and was the capital of the state of Chu. The phonetic gloss in the Book of Han reads “you ren,” referring to people in ancient times who were skilled at plastering walls. One such person wore a wide-collared robe with long sleeves and leaned back as he plastered, yet neither his collar nor his sleeves got dirty. A small fleck of mud accidentally landed on the tip of his nose, so he asked the craftsman Shi to swing an axe and chip it off.

“You” is pronounced wen. “E” is pronounced wuluoqie and means white earth. “Man” is pronounced mog anqie; Li Yi explains it as “to smear.” The four characters “close the eyes and use the hand freely” appear in the Jiangnan edition as part of the main text, but in older editions they are assigned to Guo Xiang’s commentary. The original author argues that the older editions are mistaken. “Shi” is pronounced yuweiqie.

In the phrase “gong ju,” the Jiangnan edition of the Li family writes “hui,” while the older edition writes “wei.” The “da” in “great illness” means “extremely” or “very.” In “where would it be?” the word “e” is pronounced wu. “Shu” is pronounced zhu. “Yu yu” is usually read according to the characters as written, though some say it should be pronounced “yu.”

“Moreover, hook and hook: it turns back” means that “hook” carries the sense of turning around or reversing direction. “Above, forget oneself; below, do not abandon others” means that when in a higher position, one should not become self-important, and one should not turn one’s back on those below. In the phrase “approach people as a sage, and place oneself beneath them as a worthy person,” the Jiangnan edition reads “approach people as a sage, and place oneself beneath them as a worthy person,” while the older edition writes “as a worthy person” in both places.

Seven macaques. “King Wu” here refers to King Fuchai of Wu. Xunran: Sima Biao explains this as looking hurried and alarmed; Cheng Xuanying explains it as being afraid. In the depths of the forest, among dense growth. Wei describes something winding and twisting; the snake glides along at ease. Jue means to pounce and strike; sao means to scratch. The phrase “swift and nimble” describes quick, agile movements. Jian is read as xian, “to appear”; the she in “the king shoots” is read as yi. Bo means to fight; jie means swift. Xiangzhe: Sima Biao explains this as the people who assisted the king in hunting. Qu she means to hurry after something and shoot at it. The macaque was seized and died: Sima Biao explains that it died after being captured. The zhi in zhi ju means “this.” Bian means convenient or handy; ao is equivalent to “arrogant” and means to treat someone with disdain; ji means to execute. Dong Wu was a man of the Way. Others took his virtue as their model, using it to rid themselves of arrogance. Chu means “to remove”; qu is read as qi.

Selling One’s Reputation

Yin ji means leaning against a small table. Xu is read as xu. The jian in “entered to see him” is read as xian, “to appear.” The mouth of the mountain cave: Li Yi says this was the entrance to a cave in the southern mountains of Qi; Sima Biao’s version reads “inside the mountain cave.” Tian He was the ruler of Qi. Because he honored virtue, the people of the state all celebrated for him. Yu is read as yu. The e in “that person” is read as wu; the sang in “loses himself” is read as lang.

Esteem for Silence

The character for “shang” refers broadly to vessels for wine. Li says it is a general term for wine vessels; Cheng Xuanying says that a jue is also a wine vessel, holding about one liter. The text describes how, in ancient times, people at gatherings such as covenant ceremonies would pour wine onto the ground while reciting a prayer.

Sun Shuao was the prime minister of King Zhuang of Chu, the highest governing official in the state of Chu. Xiong Yiliao was a Chu warrior skilled in “playing with pellets,” a technique of rolling pellets in his hands. Earlier commentaries point out that both men lived before Confucius. The text’s discussion of them alongside Confucius is likely an allegorical use of historical figures.

A story about Xiong Yiliao goes as follows: Bai Sheng was preparing to rebel and planned to kill the prime minister, Zixi. Someone told him that Xiong Yiliao, who lived in the southern market district, could hold off five hundred men by himself. Bai Sheng therefore sent someone to ask for his help. Xiong Yiliao refused to get involved. Even when the visitor threatened him with a sword, he continued playing with his pellets as before. Bai Sheng later killed Zixi, and Ziqi lamented that Xiong Yiliao had not intervened in the calamity.

Another account says that both Bai Sheng and Zixi sent messengers to summon Xiong Yiliao. Xiong lay back with his head on a high pillow, continuing to roll pellets in his hands. When the two messengers returned, each explained his actions in the same way: lying back with his head on a high pillow showed that he did not wish to take action; remaining still in the face of a sword’s edge showed that weapons were not worth relying on. His two hands symbolized the two sides, while the pellets symbolized harmony and Wuwei (non-action). His continued play with the pellets meant that if the two sides kept fighting, both would eventually become exhausted and depleted. So they stopped fighting and each returned home.

In the phrase “sleeping soundly while holding a feather fan,” “holding a feather fan” means just that literally. Earlier commentaries also note that some versions use the characters for “stool,” “feather,” “wing feather,” or “wing.” The people of Ying, a city in Chu, laid down their weapons. An earlier commentary explains this as follows: Sun Shuao was content to rest peacefully and cultivate his De (Virtue/Power). By planning and deliberating at court, he made enemy states afraid to invade. The people of Chu therefore had no need to launch further attacks.

The word for “beak” is pronounced “hui” and can refer to the mouth or to breathing; “three chi” describes a length. Earlier commentators offer different readings. Sima Biao says that Confucius hoped to resolve conflict through strategy, as Sun Shuao had done, and also wished to express admiration for Xiong Yiliao’s “three chi”—a reference to a seven-foot sword. Cheng Xuanying, by contrast, takes “beak” to mean the mouth: once the Way has been expressed appropriately, even a mouth three chi long would be better kept shut.

“Those” may refer to Xiong Yiliao and Sun Shuao, though some say it means the person who slept at ease while holding a feather fan. “This one” may refer to Confucius, though some say it means the person who played with pellets. Earlier commentators differ on these interpretations.

The phrase “cannot be the same” appears as “the same” in some versions. “Good at barking,” pronounced “fa fei,” is explained by Sima Biao as failing to distinguish guest from host—in other words, failing to recognize whom one is dealing with. “Good at speaking” refers to speech that loses sight of its roots and chases after details, continuing without end.

“Following the ancient Way without wearing it away” appears in some versions as “without grinding it down.” Guo Xiang explains that “wearing away” means rubbing; Wang Xianqian interprets it as wearing down or destroying. Even when dealing with worldly affairs adeptly, one must not lose oneself. In handling present matters, one should still follow the ancient Way. Then, from ancient times to the present, the Dao’s reputation and principles will remain undiminished.

“Observing form” means examining someone’s body and appearance. Jiu Fangyin (a skilled judge of horses, also written Jiu Fanggao) examined your appearance for me. At first, you widened your eyes in alarm; then tears welled up. Later, you seemed to be driven and held back, but then became calm and content. The passage mentions images such as a sheep, a pig, and a quail, and explains the positions they symbolize through directions and the Earthly Branches. “The Wei position” refers to the southwest, and “the Chen position” to the southeast.

“Roaming between Heaven and Earth” appears in the Jiangnan ancient manuscript; it is absent from the older editions. In the passage, “yao” means to encounter or meet; “le” is read with the meaning “joy”; and “wei” conveys the sense of yielding or being at ease. “Chang” means to return or repay. “Strange conduct” refers to unusual behavior, and “wuji” means “before long.” “Yan” is read as “smoke”; “yu” means to sell; “yi” means to exchange; and “yue” means to cut off a foot.

Qu Gong was a wealthy man from the state of Qi. He once had Kun serve as his street warden, an official responsible for street affairs, and bought Kun to serve in his place. As a result, Kun ate meat throughout his life, until he died. Another account says that Qu Gong was a butcher, and that he and Kun addressed each other as lord and subject and ate meat together.

“Outwardly worthy” means appearing virtuous.

“Chuxu” describes the manner of diligently practicing benevolence, as Li explains it. Wang says it describes showing consideration and care for others while urging them to work.

In “Will people then eat one another?”, the final word is pronounced yu. The meaning is that if people devote themselves solely to pursuing the name of benevolence and righteousness and neglect farming, then famine will drive them to devour one another.

“Suoe” is pronounced wulu, and “zhixing” is pronounced xiameng.

Regarding “And suppose we give the greedy a tool,” Sima explains that greedy people harm one another without end, and the harm caused by those who seek a reputation for benevolence and righteousness is likewise limitless. Benevolence and righteousness may even be used as tools by the greedy to harm others.

“Yipie” is pronounced bojie. The Shuowen says that “bi” means that people cannot see one another.

“Nuan Xu” is read “nuan xu” and describes the appearance of a mulberry tree. “Shu” is read “shu”; the Shuowen Jiezi says it means beautiful or lovely. “Nuan shu” can also describe someone who is self-satisfied and convinced of their own correctness. “Ru” is read “ru” and means at ease; “xu” is read “xu.” Here it refers to craving comfort and seeking temporary refuge, as though lingering for a moment in warm, pleasant ease. “Juan” is read “quan,” and “lou” is read “lü.” “Juan qi” suggests being bound and entangled.

The text says that people who are cautious and self-restrained, and who pursue a reputation, often humble themselves to accommodate external things. Even if those things draw near and attach themselves for a time, in the end they still bring suffering. After Shun was appointed, he was put to the test and eventually became thin and haggard. This depletion arose from his having displayed conduct that attracted people to him.

“Shi shi” is read “se.” Some editions read “shu lie chang mao” (“sparse bristles and long hair”). In “Kui □,” “kui” is read “kuigui”; the Shuowen Jiezi says it refers to the space between the thighs. “Qu xian” is read “wuhui” and also means the space between the thighs. “Cao yan” is read “qicao.”

Mutton does not envy ants. “Yu” is read “qi.” The point here is that Shun was old, his strength and mind worn out, and he had no wish to enjoy himself—just as mutton does not envy ants. “Shan” is read “sheran,” and “shan xing” is read “xiameng.”

Shun moved three times, and each place he lived gradually developed into a capital: after one year it became a settlement, after two years a town, and after three years a capital. Later he went to “the ruins of Deng”; Deng is a place name. “Tong tu” means land without vegetation. “Chi chang” is read “dingzhang,” and “wu zhong” is read “wulu.” “Bu bi” is read “piwang,” as below, and means to harmonize and accord. “Yang” is read “yang” and means to warm or scorch; here it refers to being warmed and scorched by harmonious Qi.

“For ants, it is to abandon cleverness; for fish, it is to gain a means of survival; for sheep, it is to abandon intention”: ants die when they encounter water, fish can live only in water, and sheep become ill when they encounter water. Another interpretation is that a perfected person—one who has reached the state of natural Wuwei—has no rank odor and therefore attracts no ants. This is what it means for ants to abandon cleverness. When beings dwell together in the Great Dao of mutual forgetfulness, without acquiring the habit of craving comfort and moisture, this is like fish following their own way of life. Sheep have no rank odor that attracts ants, so they do not draw them; this is what it means for sheep to abandon intention.

Conceal yourself and hold back your sharpness.

The phrase “using Heaven to treat people” appears in the Zhang Junfang edition; older editions read “from.”

“Dong” is read as “jin.” Sima Biao says that wutou is a medicinal herb used to treat wind-cold-damp impediment. “Jiegeng” is read as “jie,” with the ancient pronunciation “meng.” Sima Biao says it can treat stagnant blood and impediment pain in the chest and abdomen. “Jiyong” is read “yu rong qie.” Sima Biao says jiyong is the head of the chicken, also called fox nut; ground into powder together with lotus seeds and taken, it can prolong life. Another version reads “jie...”; yet another reads “sh nang,” also called zhuling. Its root resembles a pig’s egg and can relieve thirst. In general, all four are medicinal herbs.

As for “this was the time when they ruled,” Sima Biao explains that each herb has its own appropriate season and takes the lead in turn. The passage refers to each being in season, in harmony, at rest, or in decline; each therefore has its own proper use.

“Shengyan” is read as “shengyan.” “Goujian” is read as “Goujian”; he was the king of Yue. “Jiandun” is read “chun yin qie.” Dun means a shield, an object used to cover the body and protect the eyes. “Qi yu” is read as “bing.” Li Yi says that climbing a mountain is called qi. “Hui” is read “gu wai qie,” “ji” as “ji,” and “zhong” as “zhang yong qie.” Wenzhong was a minister of Yue. The Spring and Autumn Annals of Wu and Yue says that his family name was Wen and his courtesy name was Shaoqin. One edition reads “what could be preserved” instead of “what was preserved,” meaning: although Yue was defeated, there was still a way to preserve it.

“Chi” is read “chi yi qie.” Mu Cheng says that owls see poorly by day and have bright eyes at night, so they are suited to the night, not the day. “Crane’s shin” is read “xing ding qie.” “Jie” is read “jia mai qie”; Sima Biao says it means to depart. Cheng Xuanying explains that a crane’s legs are naturally slender and long: they are suited to stretching out, but not to being shortened. If its legs were cut short, it would grieve. The same principle applies to Wenzhong: he was poor at looking after himself, though skilled at preserving his state.

“There is harm in it” means that once physical forms exist, they inevitably burden one another. Things in the world can burden people, and people can burden things. Thus, when Minister Wenzhong departed, he felt grief. Though he could preserve his state, he could not look after himself, and in the end could not escape misfortune.

“He who relies on the source and flows onward” refers to water that draws on its source: even when exposed to wind and sun, it does not dry up. After attaining the Dao, a person’s nature is the same. Even while living in the world, it is not changed by external things.

“Zhi chang” is read “ding zhang qie.” “Zi” means to gather. Li Yi says it refers here to a large number. In “relying on what does not tread,” “nian” is read “nü zhan qie.” Li Yi says that one foot must remain steady for the other to take a long stride. The image illustrates that relying on a stable point makes it possible to travel far.

“Abandoning number” means giving up one’s original allotted number or customary norm.

“Jie” is pronounced like “xie,” as below; it may also be pronounced “jia mai qie.” “Jie” in “jiehua” is pronounced “jie,” and “hua” is pronounced “ba.” “Jiehua” means disorder. “Yangque” is pronounced “yangjiao.” The Sancang says that “que” means to compare or discuss. Xu Shen says “yangque” means to assess standards in broad terms; Wang explains it as commenting on something generally and making it clear. In “huojie,” “jie” is pronounced “jia mai qie”; in “fuyu,” “fu” is pronounced “fu.”

End of volume twelve of the Nanhua Zhenjing Zhangju Yinyi.

Volume thirteen, titled Nanhua Zhenjing Zhangju Yinyi, volume thirteen, compiled by Bixuzi. The text proceeds to chapter twenty-nine, “Zeyang,” in the “Miscellaneous Chapters.”

“Yijin” is a term appearing in the chapter. Regarding Zeyang, Sima says his given name was Zeyang and his courtesy name Pengyang. Another account says his surname was Peng, his given name Zeyang, and that he lived in the early Zhou period. Cheng Xuanying says he was from the state of Lu and once traveled about and served thirteen…

Zeyang: Sima Biao says his personal name was Zeyang and his courtesy name Pengyang. Another account says his surname was Peng and his given name Zeyang, and that he lived in the early Zhou dynasty. Cheng Xuanying says he was from the state of Lu, traveled among the feudal states, and later went to Chu, where he hoped to serve King Wen of Chu.

Yijie was a minister of Chu. Sima Biao says he was a worthy man of Chu; Cheng Xuanying says he was a high-ranking official there. In “bu tan,” tan is pronounced like “talk,” and Li Yi explains it as “to speak.” In Gong Yuexiu, yue is pronounced like “pleased”; he was a recluse.

Chuo is pronounced “chu-jue” and Sima Biao explains it as “to stab.” In “mountain thicket,” fan is pronounced like “bother.” Li Yi says it means the mountainside, Sima Biao says the shady side of a mountain, and another interpretation gives it as the boundary. Cheng Xuanying says it means dense woods. Sima Biao explains “my dwelling” as saying that one lives in seclusion on the shady side of a mountain, hidden from the world; another interpretation says one lives on the mountainside.

In “dian ming,” ming is pronounced like “sleep,” and Sima Biao explains it as “confusion.” The passage refers to someone who befriends a ruler while setting his sights on wealth and status. Ye is pronounced like “ye” and means to suffer heatstroke. Rao is pronounced “nai-xiao.” Wang says that people of upright De win others over through the Dao, while those skilled in flattery capture people’s hearts with their talent for argument. In this way, they can unsettle and bend people’s hearts.

“To transform from a low position and occupy a high one” means rising from humble circumstances to a high position while taking humility as one’s foundation. Another textual version reads “and in transforming, be beneath others,” meaning to remain below others while undergoing change. In “delighting in things,” le is pronounced “luo.” In “drinking poison,” zhen is pronounced “qie.” Chou is pronounced “zhi-zhou,” and miu “wang-hou”; both suggest winding and close interweaving. Cheng Xuanying says this refers to deliberately cultivating relationships and making connections. To extend everywhere and encompass the whole means to see through every aspect, from the coarse to the fine. “The whole” refers to Heaven.

In “returning to life’s mandate, setting things in motion and causing them to stir,” yao means movement. All things move and grow, each according to its inborn nature; this is what it means to return to one’s original nature. In “naming it,” ming means “to name.”

“Worried about wisdom, yet one’s actions rarely last long: how could they ever come to a stop?” Wang explains that worrying over insufficient wisdom is the distress experienced by those who deliberately act when their own intellectual abilities and schemes fail to achieve their aims. They do not understand that excessive cleverness inevitably brings harm, yet they worry that their cleverness is inadequate. Their actions are beset with problems and rarely effective, so the source of their distress never ceases. How could it ever come to an end? Those who cannot set aside cleverness and free themselves from worry have good reason to be distressed.

“One who is born beautiful needs others to give them a mirror” means that a person is beautiful from birth, but only realizes it when someone gives them a mirror. The mirror reveals their appearance without any intention of its own. If no one tells them, they do not know that others consider them beautiful. Hao is pronounced “hu-bao”; changran describes a joyful expression. In “zhi min,” min is pronounced “min-ren.” Guo Xiang explains it as “to unite,” while Sima Biao explains it as “abundant.” Yu is used in place of ju, “to raise” or “to include.” “Nineteen” means knowing nine out of ten things one encounters. In “what one sees and hears,” “what one sees” means one’s sights, and “what one hears” means one’s sounds.

Ranxiangshi is pronounced “xi-liang,” and Guo Xiang says this was an ancient sage king. In “once dwelt,” she is pronounced “she.” In “all followed,” xun is pronounced “ci-jun.” In “what they did was complete and did not sink into excess,” xu is pronounced “kuang-bi” and means to sink deeply or become immersed. Li Yi reads it as yi, “to overflow,” while Wang explains it as “to be ruined.” Wang says that when one accompanies all things without intention, one can pass through wherever one goes; this is why the text says “all followed.” What one does is complete and harms neither things nor oneself, so it is not ruined.

Men Yin is an official title, and Deng Heng is a personal name. Wei zhi is pronounced “yu-wei,” and fu zhi “fu.” Ying is pronounced “ying.” In “the method grasps both,” liang is pronounced “xian-xian-bian.” The sentence means that by grasping the patterns through which things take shape as they change, one can grasp their names. Both name and substance follow a method, so each can be made clear, just as a person and a mirror correspond to one another.

Rong Chengshi was Laozi’s teacher and wrote a work in fourteen chapters.

King Hui of Wei—Ying, pronounced like “Ying” in Yingying—and Lord Tian Mou, namely King Wei of Qi, whose name was Mou, agreed to a truce. However, the Records of the Grand Historian gives King Wei of Qi’s name as Yin, not Mou. Here, “agree” means to make an agreement.

King Hui of Wei broke the agreement. The character for “break” is pronounced pèi and means to violate an agreement. Qi sent troops to attack Wei, and Wei’s Xishou—an official post in the state of Wei, once held by Gongsun Yan and similar to a general’s position—also led troops out to meet them. Wei had ten thousand war chariots, and the fighting grew fierce for a time.

The phrase “a commoner avenges a personal enemy” refers to an ordinary person without official rank taking revenge on their own behalf. “To serve one’s ruler” means to exert oneself for the monarch. “Seize his state” means to capture cities and take territory, like pulling up grass by the roots. Tian Ji, a Qi general, came under threat and fled; another account says he was besieged. Wei’s army then defeated Qi’s, and Tian Ji went into exile.

When Ji Zi, a nobleman of Wei, and Hua Zi heard about this, they both became uneasy. Hui Shi met Dai Jinren, a worthy man from Liang whom Hui Shi had recommended to the king of Wei, and spoke of a battle on the horns of a snail. A snail is a small creature with two horns, commonly called a snail. Suppose there were a state on the snail’s left horn and another on its right. If the two states fought over territory, pursued the defeated as they fled, and killed and wounded countless people, what purpose would such a conflict serve?

“To pursue the defeated” means to chase enemy troops as they retreat in flight. “Yi” is an exclamation. “Henhen” describes a feeling of grievance and resentment. “Di” is the sound of a wind instrument and can also suggest a sobbing sound. The pommel is the small opening at the end of a sword hilt; “xuran” describes a faint sound, like a gust of wind passing by.

“Ant Hill” is read as “qi”; Li Yi says it is the name of a mountain. “The household that sells gruel” refers to a family who make their living selling gruel. In “climbed to the ridgepole,” Sima Biao explains “ridgepole” as the eaves. “Look from outside” means observing from outside the house. Another interpretation holds that “the roof above the head” also refers to the eaves.

“Ji ji” is read as “zong”; Li Yi says it describes things gathering together. “The sage became a servant” refers to someone of sage-like virtue who withdrew into obscurity and lived like a servant. The version known to Sima Biao reads “the sage became plain,” meaning that the sage returned to simplicity. Wang Shuzhi explains “hidden at the field’s edge” as working the land and keeping out of sight by the fields. “Sound fades” is read as “xiao”; Sima Biao says it means that the sound is faint. “A master craftsman makes the sound fade and vanishes without a trace” refers to a person of exceptional skill who quiets their presence and goes unrecognized. In “not troubled by petty concerns,” “petty concerns” means trivial nuisances: the person is undisturbed by worldly affairs. Sima Biao explains “sinking on dry land” as willingly withdrawing from a position one should have attained, like sinking beneath water when there is none.

“Changwu border guard” refers to the person who guarded the frontier in a place called Changwu. Changwu is a place name. According to Cheng Xuanying, it was so named because many Changwu trees grew there. According to Sima Biao, “Zilao” was Qin Lao, a disciple of Confucius.

“Careless and slipshod” has several interpretations. Li Yi takes it to mean doing things without skill. Guo Xiang understands it as acting hastily and carelessly, with a rough, negligent manner that fails to fulfill one’s proper duties. Sima Biao explains it as sloppy farming, such as plowing too shallowly, sowing too sparsely, or cutting weeds haphazardly. “Changing the order of the people” means altering the laws governing ordinary people; another reading takes it to mean that the grain is heading.

“You” is a farming tool used to level and press down the soil. It is also explained as a hoe or a push. “Eating one’s fill” means being satiated, though it is also interpreted as pouring water over rice. “The many human activities” refers to various contrived actions. The flight, dispersal, and destruction described in the original all arise from such careless conduct. Sima Biao’s version reads “the many contrivances.” “Desires and aversions” refers to wanting and hating; “misfortune” means calamity.

“Huan” is a plant of the reed family; “jian” and “jia” are also kinds of reeds. The original then describes vital essence and energy dispersing, overflowing above and leaking below, with no fixed outlet. This is called “leaking forth.” “Piaojü” refers to swollen sores that break open and ooze pus; “scabies” is a skin disease. According to Sima Biao, “gao” is the thick, pale foam that forms on the surface of the urine of someone weakened by chronic illness. These symptoms are all explained as the result of being stirred by the pursuit of profit and desire, while one’s vital energy loses its guard. By contrast, deep plowing and careful cultivation, with the land properly prepared, can yield a harvest.

“Wading into the dust” means entering the mundane world.

Baiju

The text says that Lu had a man who understood the Dao and wanted to go to Qi to instruct its people. “Guren” means a criminal. Li’s commentary says it refers to someone who should be executed; another interpretation is that the person was abandoned in the marketplace, with the body left exposed in the street. “Qiang” is pronounced qiliang. “Chaofu” is pronounced zhiyao. In “er mu,” “mu” is pronounced mo; Sima’s commentary says it means to cover. “Haotian” is pronounced hudao. In “da zai,” “zai” is pronounced zai. In “li zhi,” “li” means to attach; the commentary says to cover. “Ni” is pronounced nüli; the commentary says it means to hide away. “Bu sheng” is pronounced sheng.

Following Things

“Qu” is pronounced qiju. Cheng Xuanying’s commentary says Qu was the surname of a worthy and wise minister of Wei, whose given name was Qiong and courtesy name Boyu. “Shan” is pronounced qiwu. The Guangya explains it as “crooked”; Guo Xiang pronounces it “chu.” In “ran yu,” “yu” is pronounced yu. “Ran hu” means that the matter had not yet been settled.

Settled in Advance

“Da tao” is pronounced tidao. “Bo Changqian” is pronounced qiqian, and “xi” is pronounced xiqi. Wei Cheng’s commentary says these three were the names of historians. “Zhan” is pronounced dingnan; it means “to take pleasure in lasting a long time,” and is also read as “shen.” “Le” is pronounced luo. “Zhuhou zhi ji” refers, according to Sima’s commentary, to alliances among the feudal lords. “Lan” is pronounced lukan. The Shuowen explains it as water spreading and overflowing. Some editions instead write “jian,” pronounced huzan, meaning a bathing vessel.

“Shi Qiu” is pronounced qiu. Sima’s commentary says this is Shi Yu. “Suo bo” is pronounced bo and refers to cloth or a bathing towel. Sima reads it as “bi,” meaning to pull up one’s clothes and cover the body. “Er fu yi,” according to Sima’s commentary, describes the Duke of Lu and the woman bathing helping one another and covering each other’s bodies.

One edition reads “da mu” (“great tomb”) instead of “gu mu” (“ancient tomb”). Shaqiu is a place name on the northern bank of Mengjin. “Jue” is pronounced qiyue, and “xi” is pronounced xili. “Bu feng” is pronounced ping. Regarding the phrase “qi zi,” Sima’s commentary says that his descendants could not be relied upon, and so the Duke of Lu was able to be buried here. One edition reads “duo er li zhi” instead of “duo er mai zhi”: “er” means “you,” and “li” refers to the place where one lives.

Investigating Principle

“Few in knowledge” describes someone whose wisdom is shallow and understanding limited; hence the name “Few in Knowledge.” “Great and Impartial Attunement” means that the Dao’s De is vast, fair, and selfless, and can also nourish and harmonize all things; hence the name “Great and Impartial Attunement.” Here, “Attunement” is probably the name of a character in a fable.

“Sayings from the villages” refers to local expressions. A local unit called a li was known as a “well”; sixteen wells made a qiu. Li’s commentary says that four wells made a town, and four towns made a qiu; five households made a neighborhood, and five neighborhoods made a li. In antiquity, neighborhoods, li, wells, and towns each had their own local customs, just as villages and regions do today, with their own customs and differences in the way things are done. If ten surnames are grouped together, then among a hundred names each surname has ten people; the ten surnames together make a hundred names. Since there are both differences and similarities, they must be assessed by bringing them together and separating them.

“Accumulating the lowly” is the literal reading; another version has “accumulating in storehouses.” “Joining the waters” appears in another version as “joining the streams.” When things are brought together, they form a common whole; likewise, when wells, commanderies, counties, and the like are brought together, they form a common whole.

In “Heaven does not bestow,” “bestow” means to grant. According to Cheng Xuanying, the “five offices” were officials in ancient times who oversaw the Five Phases; according to Wen, the term refers to the five ranks of feudal lords. Wang explains “flowing and flowing” as describing movement; Wen takes it to mean having no fixed pattern. In “what it goes against,” the character for “goes against” is pronounced fúfú and means to oppose.

In “the breadth of Qi,” the text Liu De used has “breadth,” while the old edition has “greatness.” “And” is read as “to speak” or “to say.” “Evil” is read as wū; “desire and aversion” is pronounced wūlù. “Rising forcefully,” read literally, is explained by Wang as describing something tall and vigorous; it refers to a sudden, rapid surge. “Joining in parts” may be read as “dividing,” or taken literally.

“Following in sequence” means that Qing and Bei follow one another in turn, each in its proper order. One version has “thick” for “sequence,” while another has “enjoy.” “Their forceful movement makes them act upon one another” means that they connect and take up one another’s place in turn, causing things to arrive in succession. Through this movement they communicate with and regulate one another, while also restraining and driving one another.

Ji Zhen and Jiezi were both worthy men associated with the state of Qi. Cheng Xuanying says that Ji Zhen took Wuwei as the Dao, while Jiezi took purposeful action as the Dao. Each held to his own school of thought, and neither offered an account that was fully comprehensive.

Miscellaneous Chapters, “External Things,” Chapter 30

“Nothing fixed as certain” means not insisting on any particular certainty.

Wang’s commentary on the chapter “External Things” says: “‘To make’ means to drive or compel.” Jizhen and Jiezi were worthy men of the state of Qi. Jizhen held that Wuwei (non-action) was the Dao, while Jiezi held that purposeful action was the Dao. Each clung to his own view, and neither had yet reached a comprehensive understanding.

Miscellaneous Chapters: “External Things,” Chapter Thirty

“No Fixed Position”

Wang’s commentary says: Those who can truly forget their attachment to self will naturally cease to set themselves against the myriad things of the world. External things can then no longer disturb their minds. But as long as the mind remains attached to something and acts deliberately, it is difficult to maintain the mysterious, natural state at all times.

The familiar things discussed in the chapter “External Things” are matters such as good and evil, loyalty and filial piety. If one sets the self against external things, treating the self as inner and everything else as outer, then the pursuit of goodness, the avoidance of evil, loyalty, or filial piety may keep one from preserving one’s life. Hence the saying: “In doing good, do not draw near to fame; in doing evil, do not draw near to punishment.”

Long Feng and Bi Gan have already been discussed in the chapter “In the Human World.” Jizi was a minister of King Zhou of Shang. King Zhou lived in debauchery and excess. Jizi remonstrated with him, but his advice went unheeded. When someone urged him to leave, Jizi thought that for a minister to depart after his counsel had been rejected would publicize his ruler’s faults and present himself to the people as a model. He could not bear to do this. So he let his hair down and feigned madness, concealing his identity by becoming a slave. He also played the qin to express his grief and anger. Later generations called this piece “Jizi’s Lament.”

E Lai was the son of Fei Lian. Historical records say that E Lai was very strong, while Fei Lian was a swift runner. The father and son served King Zhou, each relying on his own ability. When King Wu of Zhou attacked King Zhou, E Lai was killed alongside him. E Lai’s surname was Ying, and he was a trusted aide of King Zhou.

Wu Yuan has already been discussed in the chapter “Rifling Through Trunks.” Chang Hong was a loyal minister under King Ling of Zhou. Later, Liu Gonggong falsely accused him, and he was exiled to Shu. Bitter that his loyalty had brought him false accusations, he ultimately disemboweled himself and died. The people of Shu pitied him and kept his blood in a casket. It is said that three years later the blood turned into bi jade. Bi is a kind of jade. The Spring and Autumn Annals of Lü Buwei also records that his blood was stored for three years and then became bi jade.

Xiao Ji was the crown prince of King Gaozong of Shang. Persecuted by his stepmother, he died in grief and suffering. Zeng Shen was deeply filial, yet his father detested him. He once went without food and survived only later. Cheng Xuanying explains that Zeng Shen was beaten by his father and nearly died, which is why he wept bitterly.

“Da gai” is read as “hai.” “Caught on both sides” means that attachment to either good or evil can plunge a person into sorrow and suffering. “Chen” is read as “chen,” and “dun” as “dun.” “Chen-dun” describes a state of terror and unease, with the breath seeming blocked. Sima Biao reads the phrase as “zhongrong,” describing fear filling the body and unsettling the spirit. “Wei” means pent-up distress; “min” means gloom and worry. In “deep hardship,” “deep” means profound, and “hardship” means difficulty. “Fenran” is read as “tuiran,” describing a mindless, sluggish state.

Marquis Jianhe, a feudal lord of the state of Wei during the Warring States period, agreed to lend grain to Zhuangzi. But he said he would have to wait until the rents from his fief had been collected before lending it to him. Hearing this, Zhuangzi exclaimed, “Just now, as I was walking along the road, I heard someone calling me. I turned around and saw a crucian carp, a kind of small fish, in the water-filled rut left by a wheel.”

The fish said, “I am a subject of the Eastern Sea, one of its creatures. Could you give me a little water to save my life?”

Zhuangzi asked, “Certainly. I am about to travel south and persuade the kings of Wu and Yue to join my cause. When I get there, I’ll divert the water of the Western River to welcome you. Would that do?”

Angrily, the fish replied, “I’ve lost the water I depended on to survive, and now I have nowhere to live. Just give me a little water, and I can stay alive. By the time you divert the Western River here, I’ll already be a dried fish. You’ll have to look for me in a dried-fish shop.”

The word “lend” means to give something on loan; “travel far” means to go to a distant place. The water in its pool was what the fish relied on to live, close at hand and always with it. Through the fish’s desperate plight, this parable shows that a promise of help in the distant future cannot resolve an immediate crisis.

Ren Gongzi Li: “Ren” is the name of a state. “Large hook” appears in one version as “a large hook and a huge black line.” Sima Biao says this means a fishing line that is large and black. The character for “ox” is read mai and refers to a castrated bull. “Bait” is read er. “Crouch” is read cun; Cheng Xuanying says it means to squat. “Hui” is read wai, and “Ji” is read xi. It is the name of a mountain and later became the name of a commandery. “A full year” appears in one version simply as “a period,” read ji. It means that one must persist at this for a long time before any response can be expected.

“Sink beneath the surface” is read xian and means to submerge. “Rush upward” appears in one version as “be startled.” “Tremble” is read qiu yi. “Li” is read xu. “Fear” is read dan wei. “He” is read huo bai. “Within a thousand li” means that everyone within a thousand li feels afraid. Sima Biao says “ruo yu” is the name of a large fish, while “ruo mei” is the name of a spirit. Some say that “ruo yu” simply means “this fish.”

“Preserved meat” is read xi. “Zhi River” appears in one version as “Zhe River,” read zhu she. He can also mean a river; people in the north call all bodies of water he. The Zhejiang was regarded as the boundary between Wu Commandery and Kuaiji Commandery. Sima Biao says the Zhejiang is the waterway in the area of present-day Kuaiji and Qiantang. Some say Cangwu is a mountain in Lingnan; others identify it with Jiuyi Mountain.

“Limited ability” is read cai jin. Li Yi says it refers to measuring a person’s abilities. Another version has ling ling, meaning small; yet another has qing, meaning light. “Persuade by argument” is read fang feng. “Lift” is read either qi lie or qi jie. “Fishing tackle” is read lie bi and refers to equipment such as a fishing rod made from thorn bamboo and a line made from silkworm silk; lei means the fishing line. Sima Biao says an irrigation ditch is a channel used to water fields.

“Keep watch over the salamander” is read xi. “Crucian carp” is read fu; Li Yi says both the salamander and the crucian carp are small fish. In “county magistrate,” xian means high, while ling means a fine reputation.

Lu is read as lu. Su Lin’s commentary on the Book of Han says, “A message passed downward from someone above is called lu.” The term can mean to transmit or convey a message. Xiang Xiu says that passing a message downward is also called lu-chuan. It has another pronunciation, lian, meaning “swiftly.”

“Dongfang zuo yi” (“The east is stirring”) refers, according to Sima Biao, to the sun being about to rise. Qunru, with the fanqie reading er zhu qie, means a skirt and a short jacket. “Qingqing zhi mai” (“the green wheat”) is, according to Sima Biao, a fragment of an ancient poem that satirizes murder.

Lingpi, with the fanqie reading bi yi qie. Bus hi, with the fanqie reading shi chi qie, means “to receive and hold”; Cheng Xuanying says it can also mean “to gather together.” The graph T is read nai xie qie. The Zilin says it refers to pressing with one finger. The graph hui in the original is also written yue, with the fanqie reading xu hui qie. Sima Biao says it refers to the beard on the chin, while Cheng Xuanying says it means “mouth.” Jinzhui, with the fanqie reading zhi zhui qie. Kong, with the fanqie reading ku jiang qie, means “to strike,” according to Cheng Xuanying. Xu, with the fanqie reading bie bi lie qie, means “to separate.”

Jin is read as jing.

Lao Laizi was a distinguished recluse of the state of Chu who lived in seclusion on Mount Meng for many years. When the king of Chu summoned him, he did not answer the call. He fled south of the Yangtze with his wife, and no one knows where he went afterward. He went there to gather firewood; some versions read “gathering wood” instead of “collecting firewood.”

He walked with short, hurried steps, his back bent like a hunchback’s, his ears pressed back, and his eyes seeming to scan in every direction. This appearance came from people exhausting their bodies and exercising their minds to cope with worldly affairs, thereby losing their natural nature. Thus Yao used the “soaring dragon” as a metaphor, Shun was described as “hunched and bent,” the Duke of Zhou compared this condition to a wolf on the run, and Confucius to a dog in flight. Are these comparisons not apt?

“Pride in oneself” means believing one’s bodily discipline and good deeds to be outstanding. “Displaying one’s cleverness” means dressing up one’s ingenuity to make oneself look impressive. “Can this undertaking be advanced?” asks whether the way of benevolence and righteousness can be put into practice in the world. The speaker’s face shows surprise and self-importance. “Poor” means impoverished; in the phrase “putting it into practice,” “practice” means conduct or implementation. “It would be easy enough to advance it” means simply that it would be easy to put into practice.

If every action goes against what is proper, nothing will escape harm. If one acts with constant self-importance, one will inevitably fall into crookedness. The sage carries out affairs with ease and composure. Even when they often succeed, the sage does not dwell on the credit. Once a trace is left for others to imitate, it may still cause harm and bring calamity upon later generations. How much more so when one boasts of good deeds and continually records and proclaims them?

“Zhi xing”: Read like “zhixing,” following the pronunciation indicated by the fanqie spelling. “Entrusting and giving”: appointing and granting. “Toppled and fallen”: overturned and brought down. “Xi Wei”: an ancient emperor. “Not rushing about”: describing a state of being unhurried and not constantly on the move. The passage’s phrase “stirred and unsettled” refers to the nature of things being disturbed. “Not deviating”: not going astray.

Inner Communication

“Chan”: to examine a smell carefully. “Geng”: blocked. “Tian”: to trample. “Dou”: a cave. “Bao”: a fetus in the womb, the life enclosed there before birth. “Zhong”: pronounced according to the fanqie spelling “zhilong.” “Lang”: an open, spacious place.

“Bo xi” means strife or conflict. Sima Biao explains that “bo” means disorder and rebellion, while “xi” means a gap. When a household has no space in which to accommodate each person’s private concerns, people collide with one another and fight without end.

“Six openings” refers to the six senses or channels of perception; “contending with one another” means competing and pushing one another aside. Guo Xiang says that “contending” means going against one another, while Sima Biao explains it as the six emotions vying with one another.

“The beauty of great forests, hills, and mountains” means that dense woods and hills, though beautiful, can thereby invite harm: when the trees are cut down, their vitality is damaged; unusual talent can make a person stand out, but being put to work for one’s intelligence can also exhaust the spirit.

“Xian”: urgent. Guo Xiang says it means pressing; Xiang Xiu says that holding firmly to the right path with excessive urgency can instead give rise to scheming. “Chai”: small pieces of scattered wood; it can also mean a fence made of such wood. Guo Xiang explains it as an obstruction. “Diao”: to scrape. “Nou”: a tool for removing weeds, similar to a hoe. “Dao zhi”: to fall down and then grow again. Sima Biao says that what grows back after being hoed away is called “dao zhi.”

“Zi”: the corner of the eye. “Jian” is interchangeable with “jian,” meaning to cut. “Mie”: to pluck or rub away by hand. The relevant text says one can rub the wrinkles at an elderly person’s eye corners by hand, washing away the appearance of age; another version reads “restoring youth.”

“Not ease”: not peaceful or at ease. “Hai”: to alarm or disturb. Wang Niansun explains it as changing what the people see and hear; Xu Miao reads it as “jie,” meaning that those in high positions do not inquire into the circumstances of those below them.

Yuan Zhen: Yan Gate. “Yan” is pronounced as in qianqie. It may have been a city gate in the state of Song; another view holds that it was a place in the state of Chu. “Official Master” was an official title in Chu.

Unrestrained Nature: The accounts of Wuguang, Jita, Shentu Di, and others have already been explained in the earlier chapter “The Great Ancestral Teacher.” “Cun” is pronounced like “cun” and is an ancient form of the character for “squat.” “Kuan River,” pronounced like “kuan,” is the name of a river. The Sima commentary explains “went to mourn him” this way: fearing that he might throw himself into the water and die, they went to visit him. “Bo” is pronounced like “fu”; another version writes it as “qu.” The Zilin glosses it as “falling face-down,” while Master Li explains it as “stumbling and falling.”

Forgetting the Fish Trap: “Quan” is pronounced like “quan.” Cui reads it as “sun,” referring to a kind of sedge that can be used to lure fish. Some say it means piling brushwood in the water so that fish gather around it to feed. Another view holds that “quan” means a fish trap made of bamboo. The character “□” is pronounced daxi qie and refers to a net for catching rabbits; some say it means a rabbit snare, which loops around a rabbit’s foot and is therefore called “□.” “Juan” is pronounced like “xian,” “jiang” like “liang,” and the “fu” in “de fu” like “fu.”

This concludes volume thirteen of The True Classic of Southern Florescence: Chapters, Pronunciations, and Meanings. Volume fourteen was compiled by Bixuzi and belongs to the “Miscellaneous Chapters.” “Juan” is pronounced like “xian,” “jiang” like “liang,” and the “fu” in “de fu” like “fu.” What follows is the thirty-first chapter, “Parables,” in the “Miscellaneous Chapters,” titled “The Middle Way.”

In nine cases out of ten, an allegory is a speaker expressing an idea under someone else’s name. Since people do not believe the speaker, the speaker attributes the words to another person; in this way, nine out of ten statements are often believed.

“Weighty words” are spoken by people of deep virtue and standing. “Goblet words”—utterances that tilt and rise like a wine goblet—arise naturally each day. When a goblet is full, it tilts; when empty, it rises; when balanced, it stands upright. It serves as a metaphor for words that accord with what is centered and proper. “The sun emerges” also draws on the principle of the sun’s course: before noon, the sun is still rising; after noon, it begins to sink in the west; at noon, its light is at its fullest. Thus “goblet words emerge with the sun” means that such words appear naturally, both balanced and clear.

“The boundary of Heaven” is a limit formed by nature. “Relying on” means borrowing or making use of something; “serving as a mediator” means bringing things together. “The aged” refers to people advanced in years and rich in virtue. “Warp and woof” refers to the guiding patterns and principles woven together lengthwise and crosswise; it can also refer to the six warp texts and six woof texts. The lengthwise lines are called warp, and the crosswise lines woof. “Root and branch” means the fundamental and the secondary; here, Dao and De are the root, while benevolence and righteousness are the branches. “Waiting” means to await. “People of long standing” refers to those who have been around for many years. “Unfolding without end” means extending continuously, without pause. “Where?” means “in what place?” “All kinds of things” refers to the many different things. “Replacing one another” means taking turns succeeding each other.

Changes with Time

“Liking” is pronounced hū bào and means to be fond of something; “disliking” is pronounced wū lù and means to detest something. “Resisting” is pronounced wù, also wǔ gè, and means to go against something.

Entangled in Salary

“Three cauldrons” amount to about six dou and four sheng. In “the heart is glad,” “glad” is pronounced luò.

“Three thousand bells” amount to about six hu and four dou. “Not reaching” means failing to attain something. “As if participating” is pronounced suǒ jīn. In “is there nothing by which his guilt is bound?”, “bound” is written with the character that means “suspended” and refers to being entangled. Even when a person’s feelings change with their salary, their thoughts remain with their family; though bound to their salary, they are not thereby entangled in guilt.

In “like watching crows and sparrows,” the character for “crow” appears as “crow” in the Zhang Junfang edition, but as “dark” in the old edition. “Mosquito” is pronounced mèng gēng. Crows and sparrows, and mosquitoes and gnats, pass one another and are gone in an instant, without anyone noticing. Wang says that the vast difference in size between crows and sparrows is used as a metaphor for the great difference between a salary of three cauldrons and one of three thousand bells.

On Learning

“Zi Qi” is pronounced “qi.” The line “admonishing the lord” means persuading someone to let their selfish desires die. The character “selfishness” appears in Zhang Junfang’s edition but is missing from the old edition.

“Calendrical calculations are established in the heavens and take form as celestial patterns” means that the heavens have a calendar and star patterns from which calculations can be made. “People rely on what is established on Earth and take form” means that human bodies exist on Earth and can be used as a basis for understanding. “Ehu” is pronounced “wu,” as it is below.

Independent Transformation

“Gua” and “cuo” are both pronounced with the ancient huoqie spelling. The character “cuo” appears in Zhang Junfang’s edition but is missing from the old edition. “Beifa” is pronounced pijiqie. One edition writes “sousou” where another has “sousou”; the two forms mean the same thing. It is pronounced sukouqie, though some say it is pronounced “xiao.” Xiang Xiu explains that it describes the appearance of a movement. “Shao” has two pronunciations, shanqiaoqie and suo jiaoqie, and means “gradually.” “Tiaojia” is pronounced “tiao.” Sima Biao explains that it refers to the shell left behind when a cicada sheds. “She tui” is pronounced “yue,” though there are also two other pronunciations, tuwo and shirui. “Wutun” is pronounced tumenqie and means “to gather.”

In “How much more so for one who depends on nothingness and nonbeing?” the character “wu” appears in Zhang Junfang’s edition but is missing from the old edition.

Putting Aside Arrogance

Yang Ziju’s surname was Yang, his given name Rong, and his courtesy name Ziju. “Going to Pei”: “Pei” is pronounced “bei.” Cheng Xuanying says that Pei was in the region of Pengcheng, in what is now Xuzhou. “Yao” is pronounced guyaoqie and can mean “to seek,” “to meet,” or “to intercept.”

“Yu Liang”: Cheng Xuanying says this was in the territory of Song, in what is now Bianzhou. “She” means an inn, or lodging house. “Guan” is pronounced “guan” and refers to washing the hands or sprinkling water. “Shu” is pronounced sujiuqie and means rinsing the mouth. “Jinzhi” is pronounced zhuangyiqie; “zhi” is a general term for a comb. “Ju” is pronounced juyuqie and means footwear. “Su sui” is pronounced xuguiqie and means looking upward with raised eyes; “xu xu” is pronounced xiangyuqie and means staring with the eyes wide open. “Cu” is pronounced ziliuqie. Cheng Xuanying says it describes a state of shame and alarm. Li Yi explains “jiagong” as “the host.” “Yang” is pronounced yangshangqie. Xiang Xiu explains that it means making a fire to cook.

Bohun Wuren (“Wuren” is pronounced “Mao” or “Wu”) was a worthy man and recluse of the state of Chu. Liezi once studied under him. Some versions give his name as Bohun Wuren. In “What Way?”, Li Yi glosses “way” as the Dao. “I am astonished” means “I feel surprised.”

The thirty-second chapter, “Lie Yukou,” in the Miscellaneous Chapters.

“Strange Appearances” is an internal subheading of the chapter.

In “Where?”, “where” is pronounced “wu.” “Ten drink sellers” refers to ten households that sold beverages. “Offer” means to present or give; here, it says that five of the ten households came to visit first and offered drinks. Wang Shumin argues that all ten households came first to make offerings.

In “not understand,” “understand” is pronounced “xie.” In “form and flattery,” “flattery” is pronounced “xie.” Guo Xiang explains it as being skilled at ingratiating oneself; the Shuowen Jiezi defines it as “interstice.” Sima Biao understands “showing flattery in one’s heart” to mean that the heart reveals an ingratiating manner, while “becoming radiant” means displaying one’s brilliance.

“Esteemed above the elderly” means that Liezi received greater respect than the old men. In “and,” the word is pronounced “xi” and means disorder. In “to provide food,” “food” is pronounced “si” and refers to provisions.

In “without surplus,” “surplus” is pronounced “ying.” The word “without” does not appear in the Jiangnan Li edition or the Zhang Junfang edition, and is also absent from old editions. In “ten thousand chariots,” “chariots” is pronounced “sheng.” In “and follow,” “follow” is pronounced in its usual way; some versions write a different character, pronounced “xiao.”

In “settle oneself,” “oneself” is pronounced “ji.” Cheng Xuanying explains that this means you cannot forget yourself when settling your own person: you keep deliberately displaying your appearance, and so become someone to whom the people turn. Sima Biao explains “preserve you” as “attach oneself to you.” In “not many,” “many” is pronounced “qi.”

In “leaning on a staff,” “leaning” is pronounced “dun.” In “pressing him,” “pressing” is pronounced “zi liu.” Some editions write “attendant” as “binzhe,” meaning a person who receives guests. “Barefoot” is pronounced “xian.” “Until” is pronounced “qi” and means “arrive at” or “reach.” “Administer medicine” is read as written; Sima Biao’s edition has “set medicine aside,” where “set aside” means to put away. In “and there,” “there” is pronounced “qian.”

Some editions give “shaking and” as “shaking one’s original nature.” Another interpretation holds that “shaking one’s nature to seek fame and profit” has nothing to do with virtue.

“Small words” means words that do not accord with the Way, hence the name. “Poison to people” means that it brings people many troubles, like a poison. “No one notices or understands; how can anyone know one another?” means: Others dare not tell you, and you do not notice for yourself; how, then, can you be close and familiar with one another? Wang Shumin argues that “small words” cause harm, yet no one tells you the truth. Since no one speaks up and people are not close, there is no basis for saying who is familiar with whom. In “drifting as though,” “drifting” is pronounced “fang jian.”

Self-Praise

“Huan” is a personal name; he was also called Huan and was a Confucian from the state of Zheng. At the time, both Confucianism and Mohism were flourishing. Huan wanted his younger brother, Di, to study Mohism and become a Mohist. In the text, “chanting” refers to the sounds of recitation and reading. “Fur robe” is a place name, though some believe it refers to the clothing worn by Confucian scholars; Huan is said to have received his name from this.

The phrase “the Earth Spirit brought forth life for three years, and Huan became a Confucian” means that after three years of study, Huan became a Confucian. “The Earth Spirit” refers to the power that brings all things into being. Commentators use this to explain that after roughly a thousand days of study, one can complete one’s Confucian learning. “The river nourishes for nine li” compares this to a river watering the land for nine li. Commentators explain that “nine” comes from the yang number of the Qian trigram.

“To make his younger brother a Mohist” means that Huan made his younger brother Di a Mohist. “Why not” is the meaning of “he.” In “why not look at his good,” “good” refers to Huan, so the phrase means “why not look at Huan?” Some versions write “good” as “grave mound,” pronounced like “lang.” Some old editions also read, “Why not, then, look at his good?”

“To seize one another” means to grab and pull at each other. Commentators use the digging of a well as an analogy: the person who digs thinks the spring water came from his digging, while the person who drinks does not know that the water was already there. This means that Huan did not understand that his younger brother Di already had a natural inclination toward Mohism, and so he resented him.

Inner Radiance

Zhuangzi says, “Knowing—understanding the Dao—is not difficult.” A version in the Zhang Junfang edition reads “seeing”; this sentence is missing from the old editions.

No Benefit

Zhu Pingman and Zhili Yi are both personal names. “Slaughter” means killing, and “all” means the entirety. A “household of a thousand gold” is a wealthy family. Some versions read “merchant,” “price,” or “property.” In “the skill was mastered,” “mastered” is pronounced like “qi.”

Going Against Principle

Some versions read “be cautious in matters of war” instead of “comply with military affairs.”

Shallow and Worn

“Ordinary man” refers to a person of modest standing. “Cannot leave” means being unable to depart; “envelop” means to wrap or contain.

Following Military Affairs

In some versions, the character “shun” (“follow”) is written as “shen” (“be cautious”).

Shallow and Worn

“An ordinary man achieves something” means that a common person attains some success. “Bu li” means to exert oneself or do one’s utmost. “Bao” means to wrap or enclose. Sima Biao says that “bao guo” refers to something used for wrapping; Cheng Xuanying says it is an aromatic herb. “Gan” is pronounced like “gan,” and “du” like “du.” Sima Biao says that in ancient times people wrote letters on bamboo slips, exchanging greetings and gifts through them to cultivate their feelings. Cheng Xuanying says that bao is simply an aromatic herb: gathering fragrant plants to give as gifts and breaking off bamboo slips to write letters and send greetings are not things a true man should do.

In “wearing down the spirit,” “wearing down” means becoming exhausted or depleted. “Jian qian” describes something shallow and narrow. In “delight in sleep,” “ming” is pronounced like “mian.” In “release and vent,” “xie” is pronounced like “lie.”

Reckless Advancement

Cao Shang was a petty man from the state of Song. “Wei” is pronounced like “wei,” “shi” like “suo li,” “cheng” like “zheng,” “e xiang” like “yu xie,” “kun jiong” like “qi yun,” and “gao” like “ku lao.” Xiang Yu and Li Yi say that “gao” describes someone thin and weak. “Huang guo” is pronounced like “gu huo”; Sima Biao says it refers to a yellowish complexion. In “following the carriage,” “cong” is pronounced like “cai yong” and means to accompany someone on a journey.

Sima Biao says that the King of Qin was King Hui of Qin. “Cuo” is pronounced like “zu he” and refers to a boil; “shi” is pronounced like “zhi”; “zhi” in “hemorrhoids” is pronounced like “zhi ji.”

Observing Traces

“You liu” is pronounced like “chi you,” and “ji hu” like “yu ji”; both mean dangerous. “Engaging in ornate speech, taking side branches as the main point” means polishing elaborate expressions and multiplying digressions while straying from the central point. In “you yu yu,” “yu” is pronounced like “yin,” and “yi” like “bing yin”; here “yu” means an ally or companion. “Yu” is pronounced like “chui,” and “yu zhi” means to give it to him.

“Li” is pronounced like “li zhi,” and “shi” like “shi chi.” In “merchants,” “gu” is pronounced like “gu.” Wang says that “night people” refers to those who do not act openly and honorably, like people who conduct their affairs at night. “Xun zhi” is pronounced like “xin wen” and means to ask him.

Examining Conduct

“Mao-yuan,” pronounced “mao-yuan,” is explained in the Guangya as cautious and sincere. In “possessing seniority,” “seniority” is pronounced ding-zhang: if a person’s appearance does not resemble that of an elder, their inner character does not emulate the conduct of an elder either. Some editions write “orderly” as “cautious,” while others write “following”; here, “orderly” refers to having a clear structure. “Xuan,” pronounced huan, is described in the Sancang as a quick-tempered disposition; Wang interprets it as skill in investigation and debate. Those who appear cautious yet are skilled at debate often strive to remain plain and say little. “Man,” pronounced ban, is said by Li to describe someone inwardly full and steadfast, yet outwardly broad-minded and calm. “Han,” pronounced hu-dan, also read gan, means eager or impatient; another interpretation is that a person’s true feelings differ from their outward appearance. “Suddenly” is pronounced cun-hu. “Its rule” means its principle. Some editions have “askew,” meaning not upright; another interpretation is that it refers to a drunk who likes to wear his hat crooked. “The nine tests” are nine methods of examination for discerning a person’s true character.

“True Virtue”: Here, “han” is pronounced hu-dan, also read gan, and means eager or impatient; another interpretation is that a person’s true feelings differ from their outward appearance. “Suddenly” is pronounced cun-hu. “Its rule” means its principle. Some editions have “askew,” meaning not upright; another interpretation is that it refers to a drunk who likes to wear his hat crooked. “The nine tests” are nine methods of examination for discerning a person’s true character.

Zheng Kaofu was a distant descendant of Duke Min of Song and a great-grandson of Fu-fu He. Cheng Xuanying says he was Confucius’s eighth-generation ancestor and a minister of the state of Song. “Bent” is pronounced yu-ju, and “stooped” li-ju; both describe a hunched posture. In ancient times, noble rank was divided into grades: a shi received the first rank, a grandee the second, and a district grandee the third. According to Guo Xiang, “man” here means an ordinary person. “Lü Ju” describes a vigorous, imposing figure. “Which resembles Tang or Xu?” asks: compared with an ordinary person, whom does Zheng Kaofu more resemble? Tang Yao and Xu You both esteemed humility. “Self-satisfied” is pronounced hu-bao and means considering oneself to be right. “Censure” is pronounced pi-er and means to disparage or criticize.

“Limitations have eight extremes”: there are eight kinds of limits, and “extreme” means a point of culmination. “Fulfillment has three inevitabilities”: there are three inevitable limits to fulfillment, and “inevitability” refers to the point at which the course of events reaches its end. “Forms have six repositories”: there are six places where forms converge, and “repository” means a place of gathering. In “beautiful beard,” “beard” is pronounced ren-yan and refers to a fine beard. “Following the course” means acting in accordance with it; the commentary says that one cannot put the way of fulfillment into practice.

Poverty has eight limits; “extreme” means the endpoint. The foundations of access to the Way number three; “necessity” means that each has its own limit. The human body has six places where things gather; “storehouses” are places of accumulation. “Beautiful beard” refers to an attractive beard. Walking along the grain means being unable to walk normally. “Leaning back” describes the chest thrust outward. Being downtrodden and shrinking back, unable to measure up to others, refers here to timidity and weakness. People of these three kinds can all attain access to the Way. The text says they are of no use to the world and so are not appointed or employed, yet each can live out the natural course of their life. The six places, by contrast, can damage the body. “Kuì” describes a state of extreme ease and leisure. “Xiào” means resemblance.

Illicit Emoluments

Someone went to see the King of Song. Cheng Xuanying says this took place during the reign of King Xiang of Song: an ordinary, petty man went to persuade the king, who rewarded him with ten carriages. “Arrogant and childish” means conceited and contemptuous. Li Yi says that “putting aside” means placing Zhuangzi below oneself; Cheng Xuanying explains it as ranking Zhuangzi beneath oneself and believing oneself superior to others. “Weaving rushes” means weaving; “rushes” refers to grasses such as reed and mugwort. The grasses were woven into baskets and sold. Some versions write “reed” instead, pronounced the same way. “Hammering” means striking and crushing. “Ninefold” means nine layers. A “black dragon” is a dark-colored dragon; the text identifies it as a venomous dragon. “Beneath the jaw” means under the chin. In “powder merchant,” the word for “merchant” is pronounced like “fu.”

Enjoying Life

In the phrase “his attendants,” “attendants” means those sent on a mission; “clothe him with” means to provide him with garments. Another interpretation says that the ruler was invited through letters and gifts; “invite” here means to recruit. “Feed him with” means to provide him with food. “Fodder and beans” refers to forage and legumes.