--- title: "Zhuangzi 莊子 – Vol. 24 | Daozang" url: "https://daozang.app/en/text/KR5c0126/juan/24/" canonical: "https://daozang.app/en/text/KR5c0126/juan/24/" lang: "en" source: "Kanripo 漢籍リポジトリ（京都大学）" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" --- # 《莊子》Vol. 24 Dongshen 洞神部 · Vol. 24 / 33 · 15,296 characters ## Vol. 24 / 33 徐无鬼第二十四徐无鬼因女商見魏武侯，武侯勞之曰：「先生病矣！苦於山林之勞，故乃肯見於寡人。」徐无鬼曰：「我則勞於君，君有何勞於我！君將盈嗜欲，長好惡，則性命之情病矣；君將黜嗜欲，掔好惡，則耳目病矣。我將勞君，君有何勞於我！」武侯超然不對。少焉，徐无鬼曰：「嘗語君，吾相狗也。下之質執飽而止，是狸德也； **Interpretation** In “Xu Wugui,” a chapter of the Zhuangzi, Xu Wugui was introduced by Nü Shang to meet Marquis Wu of Wei. Marquis Wu greeted him, saying, “You must have suffered, sir. Life in the mountains and forests is so hard; that must be why you were willing to come and see me.” Xu Wugui replied, “I should be the one to express concern for you. What reason do you have to be concerned for me? If you indulge your desires and feed your likes and dislikes, you will damage the life within you. If you suppress your desires and force yourself to endure your likes and dislikes, you will wear out your senses. So I should be the one to express concern for you. What reason do you have to be concerned for me?” Hearing this, Marquis Wu felt at a loss and could not answer. After a while, Xu Wugui continued, “Let me tell you about my skill at judging dogs—that is, observing their qualities. The lowest sort of dog is content once it has eaten its fill. Its nature is much like that of a wildcat.” 中之質若視日，上之質若亡其一。吾相狗，又不若吾相馬也。吾相馬，直者中繩，曲者中鉤，方者中矩，圓者中規，是國馬也，而未若天下馬也。天下馬有成材，若䘏若失，若喪其一，若是者，超軼絕塵，不知其所。」武侯大悅而笑。徐无鬼出，女商曰：「先生獨何以說吾君乎？吾所以說吾君者，橫說之則以《詩》、《書》、《禮》、《樂》， **Interpretation** This passage from the *Zhuangzi* speaks of the art of judging horses and the way of governing a state. A horse of middling ability looks proper and well proportioned, like someone gazing straight at the sun. A horse of the highest ability, however, seems somehow to have lost something and is hard to fathom. My skill at judging dogs is not as good as my skill at judging horses. When I judge horses, the straight parts should be as straight as an ink line, the curves as smooth as a hook, the square parts should fit a carpenter’s square, and the round parts should fit a compass. A horse like this may be counted among the finest in the state, yet it still falls short of the best horse under Heaven. The best horse under Heaven is born with extraordinary qualities. It looks as though it has lost something, as though something were missing. When it gallops, even dust cannot catch up with it; no one can make out where it has gone. Marquis Wu of Wei heard this and laughed with delight. Xu Wugui then took his leave. Nü Shang asked, “What, exactly, did you do to make our ruler so happy? When I advise him, I do little more than use the *Book of Songs*, the *Book of Documents*, the *Book of Rites*, and the *Book of Music* to guide him…” Through the art of judging horses, this exchange hints at the way of governing and choosing people for office. Zhuangzi suggests that people of true ability often do not conform to conventional standards, just as the best horse seems “as though something were missing” while in fact it is exceptional. Traditional instruction through poetry, history, ritual, and music has value, but a vivid analogy like this may move a ruler more deeply. 從說之則以《金板》、《六弢》，奉事而大有功者不可為數，而吾君未嘗啟齒。今先生何以說吾君，使吾君悅若此乎？」徐无鬼曰：「吾直告之吾相狗馬耳。」女商曰：「若是乎？」曰：「子不聞夫越之流人乎？ **Interpretation** This passage from “Xu Wugui” in the Zhuangzi tells how the recluse Xu Wugui used an unusual approach to offer counsel to Marquis Wu of Wei. Nü Shang, one of Marquis Wu’s ministers, asked Xu Wugui, “In the past, people who came to advise our ruler quoted classics such as the *Golden Tablets* and the *Six Secret Teachings*, ancient military texts. Countless people who served the state and achieved great merit have done the same, yet our ruler has never once smiled. What did you say to make him so happy?” Xu Wugui replied, “I simply shared what I know about judging dogs and horses—the qualities that make one better than another.” Nü Shang was surprised. “That’s all?” Xu Wugui continued, “Have you never heard of the people exiled from Yue?” The allusion is to exiles longing for their homeland: even a simple idea can deeply move someone’s heart. 去國數日，見其所知而喜；去國旬月，見所嘗見於國中者喜；及期年也，見似人者而喜矣；不亦去人滋久，思人滋深乎？夫逃虛空者，藜藋柱乎鼪鼬之逕，踉位其空，聞人足音跫然而喜矣，有況乎昆弟親戚之謦欬其側者乎！久矣夫莫以真人之言謦欬吾君之側乎！」徐无鬼見武侯，武侯曰：「先生居山林，食芧栗，厭葱韭，以賓寡人，久矣夫！今老邪？其欲干酒肉之味邪？其寡人亦有社稷之福邪？」 **Interpretation** This passage from the *Zhuangzi* describes how a person’s feelings change with their circumstances. Three scenes illustrate the idea that the longer one is separated from others, the more deeply one longs for them. A few days after leaving home, you are delighted to see someone you know. After a month or so, you are glad to see something you once saw in your hometown. After a year, even the sight of a human-shaped shadow fills you with joy. Doesn’t this show that the longer you are away from people, the more deeply you miss them? The text then offers a more vivid image. People who have fled to remote wilderness live among overgrown weeds, where weasels roam. They are overjoyed just to hear human footsteps. How much more joyful would they be to have their own brothers beside them, talking and laughing? It has been far too long since words of true insight were heard in the ruler’s presence. The next passage recounts a conversation between Xu Wugui and Marquis Wu of Wei. Marquis Wu said, “You have lived in seclusion in the mountains, eating acorns and wild fruit, chewing on wild onions and chives, and keeping away from me for so long! Are you old now? Do you want to taste wine and meat? Or do you think that I, as ruler, might bring some benefit to the state?” Xu Wugui is a fictional hermit. The exchange reveals the ruler’s mixed attitude toward hermits: he looks down on them, yet also hopes to make use of them. 徐无鬼曰：「无鬼生於貧賤，未嘗敢飲食君之酒肉，將來勞君也。」君曰：「何哉，奚勞寡人？」曰：「勞君之神與形。」武侯曰：「何謂邪？」 **Interpretation** Xu Wugui said: “I come from a poor and humble family, and have never dared to enjoy the wine and meat bestowed by a ruler. I have come this time to offer you comfort.” Marquis Wu of Wei, a ruler of the state of Wei during the Warring States period, asked: “What do you mean? Why have you come to comfort me?” Xu Wugui replied: “I have come to comfort your spirit and body”—that is, the ruler has become weary in mind and body from attending to affairs of state. Marquis Wu pressed him: “How so?” 徐无鬼曰：「天地之養也一，登高不可以為長，居下不可以為短。君獨為萬乘之主，以苦一國之民，以養耳目鼻口，夫神者不自許也。夫神者，好和而惡姦；夫姦，病也，故勞之。唯君所病之，何也？」武侯曰：「欲見先生久矣。吾欲愛民而為義偃兵，其可乎？」 **Interpretation** Xu Wugui, a Daoist recluse, said to Marquis Wu of Wei: “Heaven and Earth nurture all things equally. Standing high does not make a person greater, and being low does not make a person smaller. You are a lord of ten thousand chariots, yet you make the people of the whole state suffer just to gratify your eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. One who has attained the Dao does not boast. Such a person delights in harmony and dislikes wrongdoing. Wrongdoing is itself a sickness, so it takes care to put right. But what sickness is it that troubles you?” Marquis Wu of Wei replied: “I have long wanted to ask your advice. I want to care for the people and put an end to warfare in the name of humaneness and righteousness. Is that the right thing to do?” This exchange presents the Daoist idea that all things are equal and criticizes rulers who burden the people and waste resources to satisfy their private desires. Xu Wugui suggests that the true way to govern is to follow the natural course of things rather than impose humaneness and righteousness. Marquis Wu’s reply shows that he has not yet grasped the deeper meaning of governing through Wuwei (non-action). 徐无鬼曰：「不可。愛民，害民之始也；為義偃兵，造兵之本也；君自此為之，則殆不成。凡成美，惡器也；君雖為仁義，幾且偽哉！形固造形，成固有伐，變固外戰。君亦必无盛鶴列於麗譙之閒，无徒驥於錙壇之宮，无藏逆於得，无以巧勝人，无以謀勝人，无以戰勝人。夫殺人之士民，兼人之土地，以養吾私與吾神者，其戰不知孰善？勝之惡乎在？ **Interpretation** Xu Wugui, a Daoist recluse, said: “This will not do. What appears to be care for the people is, in fact, the beginning of bringing them harm. To proclaim benevolence and righteousness while halting warfare may instead become the root from which war springs. If a ruler acts this way, he will likely fail. “Those who deliberately pursue a reputation for goodness turn it into a tool for wrongdoing. Though rulers promote benevolence and righteousness, these are almost always false! Deliberately cultivating a particular image inevitably produces more false images; accomplishing a particular feat inevitably gives rise to rivalry; forcibly changing the existing order inevitably invites conflict from outside. “A ruler should never display neatly arrayed troops atop splendid towers, or line up warhorses and chariots at places of sacrifice. Do not acquire things out of greed. Do not use cleverness to defeat others, schemes to subdue them, or warfare to conquer them. “What good can come of wars waged by those who kill the people of other states and seize their lands to satisfy their private desires and so-called spiritual aspirations? What meaning does victory have?” 君若勿已矣，脩胸中之誠，以應天地之情而勿攖。夫民死已脫矣，君將惡乎用夫偃兵哉！」黃帝將見大隗乎具茨之山，方明為御，昌㝢驂乘，張若謵朋前馬，昆閽滑稽後車；至於襄城之野，七聖皆迷，无所問塗。適遇牧馬童子，問塗焉，曰：「若知具茨之山乎？」曰：「然。」 **Interpretation** If you can let go of attachments, cultivate inner sincerity, and follow the natural order of heaven and earth without forcing interference, the people will already be free from the threat of death. Why then must you deliberately pursue so-called "ending war"? The Yellow Emperor (Huangdi) set out to visit the recluse Dawei at Mount Jucí. Fangming served as the charioteer, while Changyu rode alongside. Zhang Ruo and Xipeng led the way in front, with Kunhun and Huaji following behind. When the group reached the outskirts of Xiangcheng, all seven sages—including the Yellow Emperor—lost their way and could no longer find their direction. At that moment, they encountered a young boy herding horses. The Yellow Emperor asked him, "Do you know where Mount Jucí is?" The boy replied, "I do." 「若知大隗之所存乎？」曰：「然。」黃帝曰：「異哉小童！非徒知具茨之山，又知大隗之所存。請問為天下。」小童曰：「夫為天下者，亦若此而已矣，又奚事焉！予少而自遊於六合之內，予適有瞀病，有長者教予曰：『若乘日之車而遊於襄城之野。』今予病少痊， **Interpretation** This dialogue comes from the “Xu Wugui” chapter of the Zhuangzi. It tells how the Yellow Emperor asked a young horse herder for advice on the Dao of governing: The Yellow Emperor asked, “Do you know where Great Kui lives? He is said to be an immortal who presides over the Great Dao.” The boy replied, “I do.” The Yellow Emperor exclaimed, “This child is remarkable! He knows not only Mount Juzi, where I am said to have sought the Dao, but also where Great Kui lives. Please tell me how to govern all under Heaven.” The boy replied, “Governing all under Heaven is as simple as herding horses. Why make such a fuss over it? When I was young, I roamed freely between Heaven and Earth. Later, I developed an eye ailment—a metaphor for being clouded by worldly concerns. An elder taught me, ‘You can ride the sun chariot, a metaphor for following the natural Dao, and wander across the fields of Xiangcheng.’ Now my eye ailment has eased a little...” 予又且復遊於六合之外。夫為天下亦若此而已。予又奚事焉！」黃帝曰：「夫為天下者，則誠非吾子之事。雖然，請問為天下。」小童辭。黃帝又問。小童曰：「夫為天下者，亦奚以異乎牧馬者哉！亦去其害馬者而已矣！」 **Interpretation** This passage from the *Zhuangzi* recounts the Yellow Emperor asking a young boy about the principles of governing the world. The boy first says, “I’m going to wander beyond the six directions—that is, beyond heaven and earth in all directions. Governing the world is much the same. Why should I spend my time on it?” The Yellow Emperor replies, “Governing the world is indeed not something you need to concern yourself with. Still, please tell me how it should be done.” The boy declines to answer, but the Yellow Emperor asks repeatedly. At last, the boy offers an analogy: “How is governing the world any different from tending horses? You simply remove the horse that harms the herd.” The exchange expresses the Zhuangzi school’s idea of Wuwei (non-action). By comparing governance to tending horses, it suggests that one need only remove what disrupts the natural order, without excessive human interference. 黃帝再拜稽首，稱天師而退。知士无思慮之變則不樂，辯士无談說之序則不樂，察士无淩誶之事則不樂，皆囿於物者也。招世之士興朝，中民之士榮官，筋力之士矜難，勇敢之士奮患，兵革之士樂戰，枯槁之士宿名，法律之士廣治，禮教之士敬容，仁義之士貴際。 **Interpretation** The Yellow Emperor, the legendary ancestor of Chinese civilization, respectfully knelt and bowed, addressing the other as “Celestial Master” (Tianshi), a teacher of the Dao. He then withdrew. A wise person is unhappy without the pleasure of reflecting on change. An eloquent person is unhappy without the chance to discuss and reason. A perceptive person is unhappy without matters to analyze and judge. Each is confined by things outside themselves. Those who want to distinguish themselves seek advancement at court. Ordinary people take pride in holding office. The strong boast of overcoming difficulties. The fearless rise to meet calamities. Warriors delight in battle. Hermits pursue a reputation. Law enforcers devote themselves to promoting the rule of law. Those who value ritual propriety attend to their appearance. Those who advocate benevolence and righteousness place importance on human relationships. By listing the characteristic pursuits of different kinds of people, this passage shows how each is bound by their own ambitions, reflecting Zhuangzi’s idea that “all things depend on something.” The story of the Yellow Emperor paying homage to a master suggests that one who has attained the Dao can transcend these limitations. 農夫无草萊之事則不比，商賈无巿井之事則不比。庶人有旦暮之業則勸，百工有器械之巧則壯。錢財不積則貪者憂，權勢不尤則夸者悲。勢物之徒樂變，遭時有所用，不能无為也。此皆順比於歲，不物於易者也，馳其形性，潛之萬物，終身不反，悲夫！莊子曰：「射者非前期而中，謂之善射，天下皆羿也，可乎？」 **Interpretation** If farmers had no land to cultivate, they would grow restless. If merchants had no marketplace to trade in, they would feel uneasy. Ordinary people become diligent when they have a livelihood to attend to; craftspeople throw themselves into their work when they have tools and skills at hand. Those who are greedy fret when they have not amassed enough wealth, while those who love to show off are distressed when their power is too small. People who chase power and wealth delight in schemes. When an opportunity comes along, they seize it for their own advantage. They cannot remain still and at ease. Like migratory birds that move with the seasons, they are led by things outside themselves. They wear down body and mind, sink into the desires stirred by the myriad things, and spend their whole lives unable to turn back. How pitiful! Zhuangzi offers this comparison: “If an archer could hit the mark without aiming, and we called him a master archer, then everyone under Heaven could call themselves Hou Yi, the legendary divine archer. Would that make sense?” This passage is about people bound by external fame, profit, and power, losing their natural nature. Through the image of archery, Zhuangzi suggests that actions that do not follow the natural order are illusory. 惠子曰：「可。」莊子曰：「天下非有公是也，而各是其所是，天下皆堯也，可乎？」惠子曰：「可。」莊子曰：「然則儒、墨、楊、秉四，與夫子為五，果孰是邪？ **Interpretation** This passage presents a debate between Zhuangzi and Huishi (Master Hui) about standards of truth. Huishi first gives a brief reply: “Yes.” Zhuangzi then asks: “There is no universally accepted, absolute truth under Heaven, and everyone thinks they are right. If so, could everyone under Heaven claim to be as perfect as Yao, the sage king of antiquity?” Huishi again answers briefly: “Yes.” Zhuangzi presses on: “Then among the teachings of the Confucians, the Mohists, the Yang Zhu school—which advocates ‘each for himself’—and Gongsun Long, courtesy name Bing, a leading figure in the School of Names, together with your own teaching, making five schools in all, which one is right?” This exchange shows Zhuangzi reflecting on relativism: when everyone insists on their own view, standards of truth fall into confusion. By comparing this to everyone claiming to be Yao or Shun, he reveals how absolute relativism may lead to a collapse of values. He ends by pointing to disagreements among the schools to question whether truth is subjective. 或者若魯遽者邪？其弟子曰：『我得夫子之道矣，吾能冬爨鼎而夏造冰矣。』魯遽曰：『是直以陽召陽，以陰召陰，非吾所謂道也。吾示子乎吾道。』於是為之調瑟，廢一於堂，廢一於室，鼓宮宮動，鼓角角動，音律同矣。夫或改調一弦，於五音无當也，鼓之，二十五弦皆動，未始異於聲，而音之君已形也。且若是者邪？」惠子曰：「今夫儒、墨、楊、秉，且方與我以辯，相拂以辭，相鎮以聲，而未始吾非也，則矣若矣？」 **Interpretation** This Zhuangzi parable discusses the Dao (the Way). A man named Lu Ju had a disciple who boasted, “I have mastered my teacher’s arts. I can make a cauldron boil rice in winter and create ice in summer.” Lu Ju replied, “That is simply using Yang Qi to attract Yang Qi and Yin Qi to attract Yin Qi—applying the principle that Yin and Yang give rise to one another. It is not yet the Dao I speak of.” To show what the true Dao is, Lu Ju conducted an experiment. He placed two se zithers, ancient stringed instruments, one in the hall and the other in a room. When he plucked the gong note on one zither, the gong string on the other resonated as well. When he plucked the jue note, its corresponding string vibrated too. This happened because the notes were tuned alike. But suppose one string was adjusted so that it matched none of the Five Tones—gong, shang, jue, zhi, and yu. When it was plucked, all twenty-five strings would vibrate together. This seemed to defy musical harmony, yet it had the effect of bringing all the notes under its influence—a metaphor for the Dao’s encompassing power. Huizi, a leading figure of the School of Names, then remarked: “The Confucians, Mohists, followers of Yang Zhu, and Gongsun Long now all debate with me. They trade arguments and try to overpower one another, yet they have never truly refuted me. Aren’t they much like the zithers in this parable?” Through the resonance of musical instruments, the parable suggests that the true Dao is more than a simple technique or a matter of argument. It is the fundamental principle that transcends oppositions and encompasses all things. The schools argue without end, like strings that seem out of tune yet hold a deeper unity. 莊子曰：「齊人蹢子於宋者，其命閽也不以完，其求鈃鍾也以束縛，其求唐子也而未始出域，有遺類矣！夫楚人寄而蹢閽者，夜半於无人之時而與舟人鬭，未始離於岑而足以造於怨也。」莊子送葬，過惠子之墓，顧謂從者曰：「郢人堊漫其鼻端若蠅翼，使匠石斲之。匠石運斤成風，聽而斲之，盡堊而鼻不傷，郢人立不失容。宋元君聞之，召匠石曰： **Interpretation** Zhuangzi tells a story: A man from the state of Qi sent his son to the state of Song to work as a gatekeeper, but had him do the job with a disabled body. He wanted a bell, yet tied it up so tightly with rope that it could not ring. He wanted to get his son back, yet never even went beyond the city gate. Acting this way was bound to leave regrets! He also tells of a man from Chu who lodged in someone else’s home and worked as a gatekeeper. In the middle of the night, when no one was around, the man got into a fight with a boatman. Before he had even left the foot of the mountain, he had already made an enemy. (These two cautionary examples show that using the wrong methods leads to bad consequences.) In another passage, Zhuangzi is passing Hui Shi’s grave in a funeral procession. He says to his attendants: Long ago, there was a man from Ying with a speck of white plaster on the tip of his nose, as thin as a fly’s wing. He asked Carpenter Shi, a renowned craftsman, to scrape it off. Carpenter Shi swung his axe, making the air whistle, and with a casual stroke removed all the plaster without so much as nicking the man’s nose. The man from Ying stood there, his expression unchanged. (This story illustrates that great skill depends on perfect coordination.) Later, when Lord Yuan of Song heard about this… (to be continued). 『嘗試為寡人為之。』匠石曰：『臣則嘗能斲之。雖然，臣之質死久矣。』自夫子之死也，吾无以為質矣，吾无與言之矣。」管仲有病，桓公往問之，曰：「仲父之病病矣，不可諱云，至於大病，則寡人惡乎屬國而可？」管仲曰：「公誰欲與？」公曰：「鮑叔牙。」 **Interpretation** This passage from the *Zhuangzi* tells two stories. In the first, a ruler asks Carpenter Shi to demonstrate his skill. Carpenter Shi replies, “I used to be able to do that kind of carving. But the partner who could work with me—the ideal subject for my craft—has been dead for a long time. Since that gentleman died, I have not found a suitable subject again, nor anyone who truly understands my art.” The second story concerns Guan Zhong’s illness. Duke Huan of Qi visits him and says, “My father minister, your illness is grave, so I must speak plainly. If you are near death, to whom should I entrust the state?” Guan Zhong asks, “Whom do you have in mind?” Duke Huan replies, “Bao Shuya.” Both stories reflect the *Zhuangzi*’s thoughts on how rare it is to find someone who truly understands you, and on choosing people to govern. Carpenter Shi needs a partner who understands his craft, just as an enlightened ruler needs a worthy minister who truly understands the Dao of governing. The text typically goes on to recount Duke Huan and Guan Zhong’s discussion of the standards for choosing officials. 曰：「不可。其為人絜廉善士也，其於不己若者不比之，又一聞人之過，終身不忘。使之治國，上且鉤乎君，下且逆乎民。其得罪於君也，將弗久矣！」公曰：「然則孰可？」對曰：「勿已，則隰朋可。其為人也，上忘而下畔，愧不若黃帝，而哀不己若者。 **Interpretation** Guan Zhong replied, “That will not do. Although this man is honest and upright, he has a flaw: he does not associate with people he considers beneath him. And when he hears of someone’s wrongdoing, he remembers it for the rest of his life. If he were put in charge of the state, he would be demanding toward the ruler above him and would go against the people below him. Before long, he would offend the ruler.” Duke Huan of Qi asked, “Then who would be suitable?” Guan Zhong replied, “If we truly must choose someone, Xi Peng would do. He is not demanding toward the ruler above him, nor does he turn against the people below him. He feels humbled by the thought that he falls short of the Yellow Emperor, the sage ruler of antiquity, and he can sympathize with those who fall short of him.” This exchange expresses a Daoist wisdom about how to conduct oneself: an ideal ruler is tolerant toward others and strict with himself, neither unduly harsh toward people nor proud and complacent. 以德分人謂之聖，以財分人謂之賢。以賢臨人，未有得人者也；以賢下人，未有不得人者也。其於國有不聞也，其於家有不見也。勿已，則隰朋可。」吳王浮于江，登乎狙之山。眾狙見之，恂然棄而走，逃於深蓁。有一狙焉，委蛇攫搔，見巧乎王。王射之，敏給搏捷矢。王命相者趨射之，狙執死。王顧謂其友顏不疑曰：「之狙也，伐其巧恃其便以敖予， **Interpretation** One who transforms others through De (Virtue/Power) may be called a sage; one who gives material goods to others may be called a worthy person. But when a worthy person treats others condescendingly, they fail to win people’s hearts. When they approach others with humility, there is no one whose heart they will not win. Such a person, when governing a state, does not deliberately seek to make a name for themselves; when managing a family, they do not deliberately draw attention to themselves. If one must name an example, Xi Peng, the worthy minister of the state of Qi during the Spring and Autumn period, was just such a model. King Wu of Wu traveled by boat on the Yangtze River and went ashore at a mountain where monkeys lived. Seeing people arrive, the monkeys panicked and scattered, hiding among the dense thickets. Only one monkey remained. Calm and composed, it leapt about, showing off its agility in front of the king. The king shot an arrow at it, but the monkey nimbly caught the arrow in midair. The king ordered his attendants to shoot together, and the monkey was eventually killed. King Wu turned to his friend Yan Buyi and said, “That monkey flaunted its skill and, relying on its agility, looked down on me. In the end, it brought death upon itself. Take this as a warning! Ah, do not treat others with arrogance!” Here, Zhuangzi uses a parable to show the dangers of relying on one’s talents and looking down on others. 以至此殛也！戒之哉！嗟乎，无以汝色驕人哉！」顏不疑歸而師董梧以鋤其色，去樂辭顯，三年而國人稱之。南伯子綦隱几而坐，仰天而噓。顏成子入見曰：「夫子，物之尤也。形固可使若槁骸，心固可使若死灰乎？」曰：「吾嘗居山穴之口矣。當是時也，田禾一覩我，而齊國之眾三賀之。我必先之，彼故知之；我必賣之，彼故鬻之。若我而不有之，彼惡得而知之？ **Interpretation** A modern interpretation of two stories from the *Zhuangzi*: The first story is about Yan Buyi: (The passage just before this mentions someone who brought disaster upon himself through arrogance.) Take this as a warning! Alas, do not treat others with conceit. After Yan Buyi returned, he became Dong Wu’s student, changed his arrogant manner, gave up his pleasures, and resigned from his high position. Three years later, people throughout the land praised him. The second story is a conversation between Nanbo Ziqi and Yancheng Ziyou: Nanbo Ziqi sat leaning against a table, tilted his head toward the sky, and slowly breathed out. Yancheng Ziyou entered, saw him, and said, “Master, you seem truly beyond the ordinary! Can the body really be still like dead wood, and the mind and spirit truly be quiet like cold ashes?” Nanbo Ziqi replied: “When I lived by the entrance to a mountain cave, Tian He, the ruler of Qi, saw me, and the people of Qi repeatedly congratulated him on finding a worthy man. I must have revealed something first for him to recognize me; I must have displayed something for him to proclaim my worth. If I had not made myself conspicuous, how could he have known of me?” (Background: Both stories express the Daoist ideal of letting go of arrogance and cultivating stillness. The first shows the importance of removing conceit through Yan Buyi’s transformation. The second presents Nanbo Ziqi’s meditative stillness and his account of it, evoking the self-forgetting state of “a body like dead wood, a mind like cold ashes,” as well as an approach to life that does not advertise itself.) 若我而不賣之，彼惡得而鬻之？嗟乎！我悲人之自喪者，吾又悲夫悲人者，吾又悲夫悲人之悲者，其後而日遠矣。」仲尼之楚，楚王觴之，孫叔敖執爵而立，巿南宜僚受酒而祭曰：「古之人乎！於此言已。」曰：「丘也聞不言之言矣，未之嘗言，於此乎言之。巿南宜僚弄丸而兩家之難解，孫叔敖甘寢秉羽而郢人投兵。丘願有喙三尺。」 **Interpretation** First paragraph: If I do not willingly sell the Dao (the Way), how could anyone buy it from me? How sad! I grieve for those who have lost themselves; I grieve for those who grieve for others; and I even grieve for those who grieve for the people who grieve for others. With each turn of this cycle, we move farther and farther from the essence of the Dao. Second paragraph: When Confucius, whose courtesy name was Zhongni, came to the state of Chu, the king hosted a banquet in his honor. Sun Shuao, Chu’s renowned minister, stood nearby holding a wine vessel. As Nanyi Liao, a hermit from the southern market, received the wine cup and made an offering, he said, “O sage of antiquity, please partake here.” Third paragraph: Confucius continued, “I, Kong Qiu, have heard of truths that cannot be expressed in words, but I have never truly spoken of them. Today, let me speak of them here. Nanyi Liao resolved the feud between two families through the game of playing with pellets—that is, by giving a juggling performance that settled a conflict between two great Chu clans. Sun Shuao, by lying at ease and holding a fan, caused the soldiers of Ying, Chu’s capital, to lay down their weapons—that is, through governance by Wuwei (non-action), he brought the fighting to an end. I only wish I had a three-foot-long tongue”—a metaphor for eloquence. 彼之謂不道之道，此之謂不言之辯，故德總乎道之所一。而言休乎知之所不知，至矣。道之所一者，德不能同也；知之所不能知者，辯不能舉也；名若儒墨而凶矣。故海不辭東流，大之至也；聖人并包天地，澤及天下，而不知其誰氏。是故生无爵，死无謚，實不聚，名不立，此之謂大人。狗不以善吠為良，人不以善言為賢，而況為大乎！ **Interpretation** This passage from the *Zhuangzi* describes the highest state of the Dao and the character of a true sage. The first section says: That state may be called “the Dao that cannot be spoken,” and this kind of debate may be called “debate without words.” True De (inner cultivation) belongs wholly to the unified whole of the Dao. Speech comes to an end where understanding can reach no further; this is the highest state. The Dao is a unified whole, yet De cannot be made fully identical with it. What understanding cannot grasp, debate cannot make clear. Those who cling to distinctions of name and concept, as the Confucians and Mohists did, only invite trouble. The second section uses the sea as a metaphor: The sea never turns away the rivers that flow eastward into it. This is the height of greatness. The sage embraces all things under Heaven and Earth, and his beneficence reaches throughout the world, yet no one knows who he is. He holds no rank in life and receives no posthumous title in death. He gathers no wealth and makes no name for himself. This is what it means to be a true “great person”—someone of the highest spiritual stature. The third section uses a dog as an example: A dog is not a good dog just because it barks well, and a person is not wise just because they speak elegantly. How much more so when it comes to accomplishing great things! The highest state does not lie in outward display. 夫為大不足以為大，而況為德乎！夫大備矣，莫若天地；然奚求焉，而大備矣。知大備者，无求无失，无棄，不以物易己也。反己而不窮，循古而不摩，大人之誠。子綦有八子，陳諸前，召九方歅曰：「為我相吾子，孰為祥？」九方歅曰：「梱也為祥。」 **Interpretation** This passage from the *Zhuangzi* explores the ideas of “greatness” and De (Virtue/Power). The first part says that deliberately pursuing greatness prevents one from attaining true greatness—so how much less can one attain De by pursuing it? Heaven and Earth are naturally complete in their greatness, yet they never strive after anything. Someone who truly understands greatness does not seek things outside themselves, worry over what they may gain or lose, or cast anything aside. Nor do they alter their nature for the sake of external things. The second part says that continually examining oneself without falling into confusion, and following the ancient Way without being worn down by it, express the true nature of a “great person”—someone whose De is complete. The third part tells a story. A man named Ziqi called his eight sons before him and asked the physiognomist Jiufang Yin, a famous judge of faces in ancient times, which son was most blessed. Jiufang Yin pointed to a boy named Kun and said, “This child has the most auspicious appearance.” The passage reflects Zhuangzi’s thought of Wuwei (non-action) and naturalness: true greatness exists naturally, like Heaven and Earth, and needs no deliberate pursuit. The story of physiognomy that follows suggests that good fortune shows itself on its own; it cannot be forced. 子綦瞿然喜曰：「奚若？」曰：「梱也將與國君同食以終其身。」子綦索然出涕曰：「吾子何為以至於是極也！」九方歅曰：「夫與國君同食，澤及三族，而況父母乎！今夫子聞之而泣，是禦福也。子則祥矣，父則不祥。」 **Interpretation** Ziqi (a Daoist figure) suddenly brightened and asked, “Well?” Jiu Fangyin, a physiognomist, replied, “Kun, your son, will dine with the ruler. It will be so throughout his life.” On hearing this, Ziqi suddenly wept and said, “How could my son have fallen so low?” Jiu Fangyin explained, “To share a meal with the ruler is a blessing that can benefit three clans—the father’s, the mother’s, and the wife’s. How much more, then, should it benefit his parents? Yet when you hear this news, you weep instead. You are turning away a blessing. The son is fortunate, while the father is unfortunate.” This exchange reveals the Daoist view of worldly wealth and status. Ziqi sees dining with the ruler as a loss of one’s original nature, while the physiognomist regards it as a worldly blessing. Their responses reflect a clash between two systems of values. 子綦曰：「歅，汝何足以識之，而梱祥邪？盡於酒肉，入於鼻口矣，而何足以知其所自來？吾未嘗為牧而牂生於奧，未嘗好田而鶉生於宎，若勿怪，何邪？吾所與吾子遊者，遊於天地。吾與之邀樂於天，吾與之邀食於地；吾不與之為事，不與之為𢜮，不與之為怪；吾與之乘天地之誠而不以物與之相攖，吾與之一委蛇而不與之為事所宜。今也然有世俗之償焉！ **Interpretation** Ziqi, a Daoist figure, said: “Alas, how could you truly understand these things? You cannot even read the auspicious signs shown by *kun*, a method of divination. You only know how to stuff your mouth with wine and meat. How could you understand where these things come from?” “I have never kept sheep, yet a ewe appeared in the corner of my room. I have never hunted, yet a quail appeared on a roof beam. Do you find this strange? Why do you think it happened?” “My disciples and I roam between Heaven and Earth. We share Heaven’s joy and Earth’s food. We take no part in worldly affairs, harbor no greed, and do nothing bizarre.” “We follow the natural patterns of Heaven and Earth, undisturbed by external things. We go along with nature’s changes and do not force our actions to meet worldly standards. Yet now we must bear the consequences imposed by the world!” The passage reflects the Zhuangzi school’s emphasis on following nature. Ziqi points to unusual events in everyday life to suggest that all things have their own natural patterns, which need not be forced into an explanation. In the end, he laments that even those who have transcended worldly concerns cannot escape the world’s influence. 凡有怪徵者，必有怪行，殆乎，非我與吾子之罪，幾天與之也！吾是以泣也。」无幾何而使梱之於燕，盜得之於道，全而鬻之則難，不若刖之則易，於是乎刖而鬻之於齊，適當渠公之街，然身食肉而終。齧缺遇許由，曰：「子將奚之？」曰：「將逃堯。」 **Interpretation** The passage from the *Zhuangzi* tells several parable-like stories. The first says that whenever strange signs appear, strange events are bound to follow. This is probably no fault of mine or my students; it is fate ordained by Heaven. That is why I weep. This expresses the Daoist idea of following Heaven’s mandate: unusual events have Heaven’s will behind them. The second is a satirical story. Before long, Pang Kun (a personal name) was sent to the state of Yan, but on the way he was captured by bandits. The bandits realized that selling a man whole would be difficult, so they decided he would be easier to sell if they cut off his feet. They did so and sold him in the state of Qi. By chance, Qu Gong, a nobleman of Qi, bought him to guard the marketplace. As a result, Pang Kun ended up with meat to eat for the rest of his life. With this absurd tale, Zhuangzi illustrates how misfortune and good fortune depend on one another: what seems like a calamity may unexpectedly bring a blessing. The third is a conversation between Nie Que, a Daoist recluse, and Xu You, a worthy man from the time of Emperor Yao. Nie Que asked, “Where are you going?” Xu You replied, “I am going to escape Yao’s summons.” The story reflects the Daoist impulse to withdraw from the world and avoid involvement in worldly politics. 曰：「奚謂邪？」曰：「夫堯，畜畜然仁，吾恐其為天下笑。後世其人與人相食與！夫民，不難聚也；愛之則親，利之則至，譽之則勸，致其所惡則散。愛利出乎仁義，捐仁義者寡，利仁義者眾。夫仁義之行，唯且无誠，且假夫禽貪者器。是以一人之斷制（利）天下，譬之猶一覕也。夫堯知賢人之利天下也，而不知其賊天下也，夫唯外乎賢者知之矣。」 **Interpretation** Someone asked, “What does this mean?” Zhuangzi replied, “Look at Emperor Yao, an ancient sage ruler. He spent all his time promoting benevolence and righteousness. I worry that his approach will only make people under Heaven laugh at him. If things continue this way, later generations may even see the terrible tragedy of people eating one another!” He went on to explain: Ordinary people are easy to gather. Show them care, and they will draw near; offer them benefits, and they will come to you; praise them, and they will strive to do their best. But make them resent you, and they will scatter. Both benevolence and material gain are pursued in the name of benevolence and righteousness. Yet few are truly willing to give themselves to these ideals; many more use them to seek private advantage. Acts of benevolence and righteousness often lack sincerity and instead become tools for the greedy. Letting someone rule all under Heaven through benevolence and righteousness is like trying to butcher the whole world with a small knife. Zhuangzi’s final point is sharp: Yao knew that worthy people could benefit the world, but did not know that they could also bring it harm. Only those who have gone beyond the very idea of the “worthy” can truly understand this. Note: This passage reflects the Daoist idea of “abandoning benevolence and discarding righteousness.” It suggests that deliberately making a show of benevolence and righteousness leads to hypocrisy, and advocates governing through Wuwei (non-action), in accord with nature. 有暖姝者，有濡需者，有卷婁者。所謂暖姝者，學一先生之言，則暖暖姝姝而私自悅也，自以為足矣，而未知未始有物也，是以謂暖姝者也。濡需者，豕蝨是也，擇䟽鬣自以為廣宮大囿，奎蹄曲隈，乳閒股腳，自以為安室利處， **Interpretation** The Zhuangzi describes three limited ways of being: The first is the “self-satisfied person.” Having learned only a little from a teacher, this person quietly congratulates themselves and thinks they have become quite accomplished. In truth, they have not yet encountered the heart of genuine learning. This is what is meant by the “self-satisfied person.” The second is the “person like a louse on a pig.” Zhuangzi uses pig lice as a metaphor for this kind of person. The lice settle among the pig’s sparse bristles and imagine they live in a vast palace garden. They roam the folds of its hooves, between its teats, or at the roots of its thighs, convinced they have found a safe and comfortable home. Here Zhuangzi uses the lice’s point of view to mock people with narrow horizons who imagine they know it all. Like lice, they take a tiny patch of the pig’s body for the whole world, entirely unaware of the wider realm beyond it. 不知屠者之一旦鼓臂布草操煙火，而己與豕俱焦也。此以域進，此以域退，此其所謂濡需者也。卷婁者，舜也。羊肉不慕蟻，蟻慕羊肉，羊肉羶也。舜有羶行，百姓悅之，故三徙成都，至鄧之墟而十有萬家。堯聞舜之賢，舉之童土之地，曰冀得其來之澤。舜舉乎童土之地，年齒長矣，聰明衰矣，而不得休歸，所謂卷婁者也。 **Interpretation** This passage tells two parables. The first story says that people who crave comfort are like pigs. They do not realize that the butcher may set fire to the thatch at any moment, until they and the pigs are left scorched together. Whatever their comings and goings, such people remain confined to their own small circle. This is what is meant by “those who seek ease” (people who settle for temporary comfort). The second story tells of Emperor Shun, a virtuous ruler of ancient times. Just as lamb attracts ants, Shun’s noble virtue drew the people to follow him. Each of the three times he moved, a capital city arose. By the time he reached the ruins of Deng, a hundred thousand households had followed him. When Emperor Yao heard of Shun’s ability and virtue, he sent him to the barren land of Tongtu, hoping he would bring it prosperity. But Shun remained there until he was old and frail, his abilities diminished, and still had no respite. This is what is meant by “those bent with toil” (people who labor without rest throughout their lives). Note: “Those who seek ease” refers to people who crave immediate comfort. “Those bent with toil” describes a life of ceaseless labor without rest. “The land of Tongtu” means barren, uncultivated land. “The ruins of Deng” refers to the ruins in Deng; the precise location is unknown. 是以神人惡眾至，眾至則不比，不比則不利也。故无所甚親，无所甚踈，抱德煬和以順天下，此謂真人。於蟻棄知，於魚得計，於羊棄意。以目視目，以耳聽耳，以心復心。若然者，其平也繩，其變也循。古之真人，以天待人，不以人入天。古之真人，得之也生，失之也死；得之也死，失之也生。藥也，其實菫也，桔梗也，雞壅也， **Interpretation** This passage from the *Zhuangzi* describes the state and way of life of the Daoist “True Person,” someone who has attained the Dao. Those who have truly attained the Dao do not welcome crowds gathering around them. When many people come together, they are likely to compare themselves with one another, and comparison can lead to disputes over gain. So the True Person neither favors anyone in particular nor deliberately keeps people at a distance. They remain peaceful and follow the natural course of things. They respond to things in different ways: with ants, they set aside clever contrivance and do not interfere; with fish, they let them live freely without forcing them; with flocks of sheep, they allow things to proceed naturally instead of trying to change them. A true cultivator uses their eyes to see what should be seen, their ears to hear what should be heard, and their heart-mind to return to its original nature. Their inner state is calm and straight as a carpenter’s line, and they meet change by following the patterns of nature. The True Persons of ancient times used the Way of Heaven to guide human affairs; they did not use human artifice to disrupt the Way of Heaven. For them, what appears to be gaining may be a new beginning, while what appears to be losing may be death—and the reverse may also be true: an apparent gain may bring death, while an apparent loss may open onto new life. Gain and loss, life and death, are relative. The passage ends by naming several medicinal plants: violet, balloon flower, and corydalis. Their ordinariness suggests that the Dao is present in everyday things, and that the Great Way is simple. 豕零也，是時為帝者也，何可勝言！句踐也，以甲楯三千棲於會稽。唯種也能知亡之所以存，唯種也不知其身之所以愁。故曰：鴟目有所適，鶴脛有所節，解之也悲。故曰：風之過河也有損焉，日之過河也有損焉。請只風與日相與守河，而河以為未始其攖也，恃源而往者也。故水之守土也審，影之守人也審，物之守物也審。故目之於明也殆，耳之於聰也殆， **Interpretation** This passage from the *Zhuangzi* uses vivid metaphors to reflect on the principles of life. The first passage says that the poria plant, a medicinal herb, can play a ruler-like role in the right season, showing that every thing has its own distinctive value. When King Goujian of Yue retreated to Mount Kuaiji with three thousand soldiers, his minister Wen Zhong knew how to turn danger into safety, yet did not understand why he himself had fallen into sorrow. Zhuangzi concludes that an owl’s eyes are suited to seeing at night, while a crane’s legs are naturally long. Forcibly changing either would only cause pain. The second passage draws on natural events as metaphors. Wind blowing over a river carries away moisture, and sunlight also causes water to evaporate. Yet if wind and sun watched over a river all day, the river would feel no loss, because fresh water from its source continually replenishes it. Just as water depends on land in order to exist, and a shadow needs a body in order to appear, all things follow the natural laws of mutual dependence. The passage concludes that eyes can be harmed by seeking too much brightness, and ears injured by striving for excessive sharpness. Zhuangzi’s reminder is that deliberate striving can backfire; following one’s natural nature is the proper way. 心之於殉也殆。凡能其於府也殆，殆之成也不給改。禍之長也茲萃，其反也緣功，其果也待久。而人以為己寶，不亦悲乎！故有亡國戮民无已，不知問是也。故足之於地也踐，雖踐，恃其所不蹍而後善博也；人之知也少，雖少，恃其所不知而後知天之所謂也。知大一，知大陰，知大目，知大均，知大方，知大信，知大定，至矣。大一通之， **Interpretation** When the human mind is constantly driven by desire to pursue external things, it is in danger. It is like a government office—which here represents the human body—that falls into danger when it makes excessive use of its functions. Once this danger takes hold, it is too late to correct. Calamity often gathers quickly as it grows. Turning it around takes effort, and seeing results takes a long time. Yet people treasure these desires. Is that not tragic? This is why states keep falling and ordinary people keep suffering: people do not know how to reflect on this principle. A foot rests on the ground over only a small patch, yet it is the ground beyond that patch that makes it possible to walk freely. Human knowledge is limited too. We know little, but by recognizing what we do not know, we can truly understand the meaning of the Heavenly Dao (the laws of nature). To grasp these fundamental principles, one must understand the Great One (Taiyi), comprehend the hidden laws of the Great Yin (Taiyin), discern the fundamental order of the Great Pattern, master the overall balance of the Great Equalization, understand the boundless dimensions of the Great Form, trust in the absolute truth of the Great Faith, and attain the ultimate stillness of the Great Stability. Only then has one reached the highest realm. The Great One can permeate all things. 大陰解之，大目視之，大均緣之，大方體之，大信稽之，大定持之。盡有天，循有照，冥有樞，始有彼。則其解之也似不解之者，其知之也似不知之也，不知而後知之。其問之也，不可以有崖，而不可以无崖。頡滑有實，古今不代，而不可以虧，則可不謂有大揚搉乎！闔不亦問是已，奚惑然為！以不惑解惑，復於不惑，是尚大不惑 **Interpretation** This passage from the *Zhuangzi* describes the Daoist way of understanding the world. The deepest wisdom, the “Great Yin,” can transform the myriad things. The clearest vision, the “Great Eye,” can see their essence. The most impartial perspective, the “Great Equalization,” can connect all things. The broadest heart, the “Great Scope,” can understand the myriad things. The truest faith, the “Great Trust,” can confirm the truth. The steadiest state of mind, the “Great Stability,” can grasp what is fundamental. Here it reveals the patterns by which the universe operates: all things possess their own natural nature; by following their patterns, the truth comes to light; within the murk there is a pivotal point; and the outcome is already contained in the beginning. True understanding may seem like a lack of understanding, and true knowledge may seem like not knowing. Only by setting aside fixed ideas can we truly understand. When seeking the truth, we should neither set boundaries nor wander without limit. The myriad things may be tangled and changing, yet they have substance. Past and present may shift, yet the fundamental remains. The Great Dao endures and cannot be diminished. Is this not a great truth? Why not pursue the question from here? Why remain confused? Let a mind free of confusion dispel confusion and return to its original clarity. This is the highest awakening: Great Freedom from Confusion. 。 --- 原文底本：Kanripo 漢籍リポジトリ（京都大学），CC BY-SA 4.0。 Source text: Kanripo Chinese Classics Repository (Kyoto University), CC BY-SA 4.0. HTML version: https://daozang.app/en/text/KR5c0126/juan/24/