《南華真經章句音義》Vol. 5

This passage comes from Nanhua Zhenjing Zhangju Yinyi (Phonetic Meanings of the Zhuangzi Chapters) and primarily discusses the relationship between human nature and benevolence-righteousness (renyi).

First, let’s clarify a few terms: "Pianmu" refers to the fusion of the big toe with the second toe (similar to syndactyly in modern medicine), while "zhizhi" means an extra finger (polydactyly). The author uses these innate physical traits as metaphors for the characteristics of benevolence-righteousness in human nature—just as syndactyly and polydactyly are natural variations of the body, benevolence-righteousness is also a naturally occurring trait within human nature.

The text states that all things possess the innate nature of benevolence-righteousness, though in varying degrees. For example, Yan Hui (Confucius’ most virtuous disciple) was only slightly less cultivated in benevolence-righteousness than Confucius himself, yet he could never quite catch up. The problem now is this: those with abundant benevolence-righteousness tend to become prideful and lose their innate nature, while those with less grow envious of others and forsake their true selves. People exhaust themselves in this state of mutual comparison and chasing after judgments of right and wrong—this is far from the proper path of virtue (De).

The author believes the correct approach is for each person to abide by their own innate nature. Just as the organs of the body each fulfill their own roles (the liver governs benevolence, the lungs righteousness, the heart propriety, the kidneys wisdom, and the spleen trustworthiness), forcibly altering human nature according to external standards of benevolence-righteousness is like insisting on amputating syndactylous toes or extra fingers—not only does it violate natural law, but it also causes harm.

Finally, the text mentions that excessive pursuit of intelligence and cleverness ("multiplying the uses of sharpness") is like viewing syndactyly as a defect or extra fingers as superfluous. In truth, it is only when blue and red are paired that patterns emerge (a metaphor illustrating that all things have their own inherent logic of existence). One should instead follow the natural course of innate nature.

This passage contains ancient scholars' phonetic and semantic annotations on certain terms from the Nanhua Zhenjing (i.e., Zhuangzi). I'll explain them point by point:

Regarding the pronunciation of "fǔfú" (embroidered patterns on ancient ceremonial robes), "fǔ" is pronounced like "fǔ" and "fú" like "fú"—this annotation appears in the "Great Ancestral Teacher" chapter. The character "huáng" is pronounced "huáng," meaning dazzling brightness, also describing eyes being dazzled by strong light.

Li Zhu refers to Li Lou, whom Sima Biao's commentary identifies as a figure from the Yellow Emperor's era with extraordinary vision—able to discern the fine tips of autumn birds' newly grown feathers from a hundred paces away, even spotting a needle's point from a thousand miles. Here "shì yǐ" means the same as "shì yě."

The "five tones" (gōng, shāng, jué, zhǐ, yǔ) appear as "five notes" in another version. The "six pitch standards" refer to terms like huangzhong and dalü—with huangzhong representing the ruler's pitch. Commentary on Shi Kuang (renowned musician of the Spring and Autumn period) appears in the "Discussion on Making All Things Equal" chapter.

In "zhuó dé yīn zhuó," "zhuó" means to promote, while "huáng gǔ" refers to the vibrating reeds of a sheng (mouth organ). "Zeng Shi" denotes Zeng Shen (Confucius' disciple, styled Ziyu, famed for benevolence) and Shi Qiu (styled Ziyu, known for righteousness). "Lěi" is pronounced "lè," describing the piling up of useless words like stacking tiles or tying knots.

"Cuàn jù" refers to far-fetched heterodox theories that obscure textual meaning. "Bì kuǐ" describes exhausting effort yet making little progress. Yang Zhu (Warring States philosopher) came from Qin, while Mo Di (Mozi) served as a minister of Song.

"Fú" is pronounced "fú," meaning a wild duck's shank; "hè" is pronounced "hù gè qiè"; "hé" means to bite; "tí" is pronounced "tí." "Hāo mù" metaphorically denotes confusion—eyes dimmed by excessive worry. "Tāo" is pronounced "tǔ dāo qiè," meaning greed; "xiāo xiāo" is pronounced "xǔ jiāo qiè," describing clamorous yearning.

"Qū zhé" refers to bending the body in ritual and musical postures. "Yú" is pronounced "yú" or "yù," describing feigned expressions of righteousness. "Mò" is pronounced "mò," meaning rope. "Yòu rán jiē shēng" describes people gathering and calling to each other seeking comfort in life.

"Xù" is pronounced "xī yǒu qiè"; "lián lián," according to Sima Biao, means continuously practicing benevolence and righteousness. "Xìng" is pronounced "yú," with subsequent readings deducible from context. The "three dynasties" refer to Xia, Shang, and Zhou. "Xùn" is pronounced "cí jùn qiè," meaning to manage affairs, though some interpret it as sacrificing oneself to follow others.

"Zàng" is pronounced "láng"—Cui Zhuan states loving books is called "zàng"; the Fangyan records that in northern Qi and Yan regions, son-in-law was called "zàng" and daughter-in-law "huò" (per Zhang Yi's explanation).

These annotations primarily address rare character pronunciations, historical figures, and explanations of ancient objects and institutions—essentially linguistic notes made by ancient scholars studying Zhuangzi. Figures like Yang Zhu, Mo Di, and Zeng Shen mentioned here were important Warring States philosophers whose doctrines Zhuangzi frequently referenced in his discussions.

This passage contains annotations from the Nanhua Zhenjing (the Zhuangzi), primarily explaining the meanings and pronunciations of ancient terms. Let me elaborate point by point:

Regarding the explanation "婢之子谓之藏，妇奴之子谓之获" (children born to maidservants were called 'zang,' while those born to female slaves were called 'huo') - the character "穀" also carries the meaning of "good."

The character "牧" refers to herding livestock, such as tending sheep. "挟" is pronounced like "协." "筴" is pronounced "chu-ge qie" (an ancient phonetic notation method). Li Yi (a commentator) explains this refers to bamboo slips - the ancient writing tablets measuring two chi four cun in length.

"博塞" is pronounced "xi-dai qie," referring to board games similar to chess. The Book of Han records a man named Wuqiu Shouwang who excelled at the game "Ge Wu," which imperial decree called "Bo Sai." Cheng Xuanying (another commentator) explains: in the five-path board game, playing with dice was called "Bo," while playing without dice was called "Sai."

Regarding records about Boyi: Boyi died for his principles at Shouyang Mountain (located in Hedong Pupan County). About the robber Zhi: he died pursuing profit at Dongling (Book of Han identifies the robber Zhi as a notorious Qin dynasty bandit; Dongling refers to Mount Tai and also means "tomb," with present-day Dongpingling belonging to Jinan Prefecture).

"俞儿" is pronounced "yu" - a legendary figure from the Yellow Emperor's era renowned for discerning flavors. Cui Zhuan (a commentator) quotes Shizi: Yu'er used cinnamon in flavoring, specially preparing meals for rulers.

Annotations on the "Horse's Hooves" chapter: Shiming explains "horse" (马) as "martial" (武) because it's an animal that moves below. "蹄" is pronounced "ti," referring to a horse's hoof. "齕" is pronounced "hen-mo qie," meaning to bite. "翹" is pronounced "qi-rao qie," meaning to raise.

Bole's surname was Sun and given name Yang - he was skilled in managing horses. Shi's Classic of Stars identifies Bole as a constellation governing heavenly horses. Sun Yang's equestrian skills earned him this namesake.

Methods for taming horses included: branding with hot irons ("burning"), trimming hair ("shearing"), trimming hooves ("carving"), and restraining with headgear ("bridling"). The Jiangnan ancient manuscript writes this as "络." "羁" is pronounced "gu-yi qie," referring to a horse's bit. "馽" is pronounced "ding-yi qie," meaning hobbling the front legs. "编" is pronounced "bi-ran qie," indicating a manger. "皂" is pronounced "cai-lao qie," meaning manger or stable. Cui Zhuan explains this as horse-keeping areas. "栈" is pronounced "shi-ban qie," originally written as "檀" - wooden frames resembling beds called "zhan" served as moisture barriers or fences.

The final lines describe horse control methods: using a yoke ("衡扼") to restrain ("整之"), bits and reins ("马衔缰绳") to regulate gait ("齐之"), and bits ("橛") for control.

This passage primarily provides phonetic annotations and definitions for obscure terms found in the Nanhua Zhenjing (i.e., Zhuangzi), representing a traditional form of textual commentary. Let me explain these terms systematically:

Regarding horse equipment:

"Qièxián" refers to the horse's bit, while "shù" denotes decorative elements. "Biān" indicates a leather whip, whereas "cè" refers to a whip without leather covering. "Zhuā" (pronounced "zhú guā qiè") serves as another term for horsewhip.

Pottery-related terms:

"Táo" signifies the kiln for firing ceramics, and "zhí" (pronounced "shí dāo qiè") describes the specific clay suitable for pottery-making. When shaping clay, it must conform to "zhōng guī" (the standard of compass-drawn circles).

Descriptions of human states:

"Tiānfàng" appears in some versions as "mù," meaning to nurture. "Tiántián" depicts a simple and steady demeanor, while "diāndiān" conveys a state of focused concentration.

Road and construction terms:

"Xī" indicates small paths, whereas "suì" refers to main thoroughfares. "Zhōu liáng" describes the scene of interconnected boats and bridges, portraying areas with developed transportation.

Behavioral descriptions:

"Biésǎ" illustrates laborious effort, "dìqǐ" denotes an arrogant attitude, and "chánmàn" suggests unrestrained indulgence. "Zhāipì" represents restrained and collected postures.

Vessel ornamentation:

"Xīzūn" (pronounced "xī zūn") refers to wine vessels carved with ox or phoenix motifs. "Guīzhāng" describes two types of jade artifacts—the upper-round, lower-square gui and the half-gui shaped zhang.

Detailed horse equipment:

"Yuètí" indicates crescent-shaped forehead ornaments on horses. "Héng'è" refers to the crossbar before the carriage shaft, while "jièní" depicts a sidelong glance. "Guǐxián" describes a horse spitting out its bit, and "qièpèi" refers to breaking free from the reins.

These annotations assist readers in understanding the specific meanings of specialized terms in Zhuangzi concerning horses, pottery, and artifacts, revealing intricate details of ancient material culture. The commentary includes both phonetic notations (using the traditional fǎnqiè method) and semantic explanations, while also citing differing interpretations from scholars like Sima Biao and Wang Su.

This passage comes from Chapter 10 of the "Outer Chapters: Breaking Open Boxes" section in the Zhuangzi (also known as Nanhua Zhenjing), primarily discussing the concept of "abolishing sageliness and discarding wisdom." The text first explains some ancient artifacts and actions:

"Breaking open boxes from the side" refers to thievery, while "abolishing sageliness and discarding wisdom" advocates rejecting worldly cleverness and intellect. The passage lists various farming tools: the lei (plow), nou (hoe), etc., and explains ancient administrative units: twenty-five households formed a lü, two thousand five hundred households made a xiang, and twelve thousand five hundred households constituted a zhou.

It particularly mentions the historical event of Tian Chengzi (the Qi state minister Tian Chang) assassinating his ruler to seize power, illustrating how even such villains superficially imitate the sagely way of governance. The author presents a sharp observation: good people cannot establish themselves without the Dao of sages, yet neither can the notorious robber Zhi run rampant without it. This shows how the Dao of sages can ironically be exploited by evil-doers.

With the striking statement "Until sages perish, great robbers will never cease," the text points out that as long as institutions venerating sages exist, great robbers will continue to emerge. The author argues that the ritual systems established by sages have instead become the root of chaos in the world. It's like tying boxes tightly to prevent theft—this ultimately just prepares ready-made loot for great thieves.

This passage recounts several historical anecdotes that illustrate how virtuous officials often met tragic ends for speaking out honestly, as well as cases where minor incidents triggered wars between states.

The loyal minister Guan Longfeng of the Shang dynasty was beheaded for remonstrating with the tyrant Jie of Xia. Bi Gan (the uncle of King Zhou of Shang), as a minister, persisted in risking his life to advise the king. Enraged, King Zhou said, "I’ve heard that a sage’s heart has seven openings," and then cut open Bi Gan’s chest to examine it.

Chang Hong, a worthy minister of King Ling of Zhou (originally a high official under King Jing of Zhou), was killed by the Zhou people in the sixth month of the third year of Duke Ai of Lu. Some records claim that Liu Kang slandered Chang Hong before the Zhou king, accusing him of secretly urging the state of Jin to attack Zhou. King Ling of Zhou then exiled Chang Hong to Shu, where he was executed. Another account says he was dismembered and disemboweled (the character "肔" means to slit open the intestines). The corpse of Wu Zixu was thrown into a river to rot (as detailed in the "Great and Venerable Teacher" chapter).

The passage then recounts two instances where disputes over wine led to war:

1. King Xuan of Chu grew furious when Duke Gong of Lu presented him with weak wine. Duke Gong retorted that, as a descendant of the Duke of Zhou, offering wine at all was already improper, and to criticize its quality was excessive. This provoked a joint attack on Lu by Chu and Qi.

2. King Hui of Liang wanted to attack Zhao but feared intervention from Chu. Seizing the opportunity when King Xuan of Chu, still angry over the weak wine from Lu, redirected his wrath toward Zhao, Liang besieged Handan (Zhao’s capital). An alternate version claims that during a feast hosted by Chu for the feudal lords, the official in charge of wine, resentful that Zhao had not provided any, deliberately substituted the strong wine meant for Zhao with the weak wine of Lu. This led the Chu king to mistakenly believe Zhao had intentionally offered inferior wine, prompting the siege of Handan.

The passage concludes by observing that so-called "sage wisdom" (圣智) can instead invite disaster, hence the need to "abolish sageliness and discard wisdom" (绝圣弃智). If treasures are not valued, thieves will not arise. Only when the old perishes can the new emerge—thus, it is said that "when the sage dies" (圣人已死), one can truly align with nature ("乘天" refers to following the Dao of Heaven).

This passage primarily explains the pronunciation and meanings of terms from the Nanhua Zhenjing (the Zhuangzi), containing numerous ancient measurements, vessel names, and specialized terminology. Here is a modern interpretation of its core content:

Regarding the discussion on "great thieves not ceasing": If one clings to empty reputation without pursuing substance—like sages rigidly adhering to old rules without seeking innovation—then major thieves will never disappear. The text mentions that while systems like the dou and hu (ancient measuring vessels) were established for measurement, even the best institutions become useless if managed by unsuitable people.

Several ancient implements are explained:

• Quan (counterweight) and heng (balance beam) were weighing tools
• Fu (bronze fish or wooden tallies split in two) and xi (jade seals) served as tokens of authority
• Fuyue (pronounced "yuè") were axe-type weapons
• Yu (36-piped instrument) and sheng (19-piped instrument) were wind instruments, while se (27-stringed) was a zither

Notable ancient figures mentioned include:

• Gongchui was a master craftsman during Emperor Yao's reign
• The twelve sovereigns from Rongchengshi to Shennongshi were all legendary rulers
• Fuxishi was credited with inventing the se zither

Hunting tools explained:

• Bi (rabbit nets with handles, shaped like the Bi constellation)
• Yi (arrows with attached cords)
• Nu (crossbows)
• Various fishing implements: gou (fishhooks), er (bait), wanggu (fishing nets), zeng (square nets), gou (bamboo fish traps)

These explanations primarily serve the Zhuangzi's philosophical discourse on "the debate between names and realities" and "abolishing sageliness and discarding wisdom," using concrete objects to illustrate how excessive reliance on tools and regulations may produce opposite effects.

This passage provides annotations and phonetic explanations from the Nanhua Zhenjing Zhangju Yinyi (Phonetic Meanings of Zhuangzi's Chapters and Sentences) concerning specialized vocabulary. It elucidates ancient hunting implements, names of insects, and terms describing human temperament.

Regarding hunting tools: The ancients used long spears made of bamboo or wood shaped like deer antlers (lujiao qiang) for hunting. "Luo" refers to nets for catching birds, "ju" denotes rabbit traps, while "fu" describes a revolving cart-shaped trapping device (overturning vehicle).

Terms describing human disposition: "Jian du" indicates slowly permeating poison, also signifying profound harm; "xie hua" conveys something difficult to handle, denoting specious speech or cunning deceit; "jie gou" refers to using sophistry to conceal moral filth, akin to self-deprecating humor.

Descriptions of chaotic states: "Mei mei" originally described lush vegetation, here metaphorically portraying social upheaval as rampant weed growth; "shang bei xia shuo zhong hui" depicts the deterioration of Heaven, Earth and Humanity—with obscurity above (eclipses), erosion below, and ruin in between.

Insect terminology: "Chuan ruan" denotes legless crawling creatures (ground-dwelling insects), while "xiao qiao" refers to small flying insects (fluttering species). The text concludes with "zhong" representing the pristine, unviolated purity of original nature; "yi yi" describes sycophantic flattery; and "tian dan" portrays the composed demeanor when instructing others.

Note: Parenthetical explanations are translator's supplements to aid modern readers in understanding these now-uncommon ancient technical terms and specialized expressions.