Zhuangzi Chapter 7: Responding to (Complying with) Emperors anf Kings
Translated by Nina Correa
Nie Que (Cracked and Missing Teeth) asked Wang Ni (Master of Bewilderment) four questions, and four times he (Wang Ni) said he didn’t know. Nie Que jumped up with great delight and ran to tell Pu Yi Zi (Mr. Cattail Coat) about it.
Pu Yi Zi said:
“Is this something new to you? Clansman You Yu (Emperor Shun) wasn’t as good as Clansman Tai (a legendary ruler, possibly Fu Xi). As for Clansman You Yu, he still hid behind benevolence in order to coerce people. In that way he got what he wanted from the people, but he could never give up seeing the faults of people. As for Clansman Tai, he would lie down completely at ease and wake up refreshed. In one moment he could become a horse and in the next moment become an ox. His knowledge was sensitively honesty, his virtue was extremely genuine, and he’d never even consider the faults of others.”
Jian Wu went to see Kuang Jie Yu (Lunatic Hit by a Chariot).
Kuang Jie Yu asked:
“What did Ri Zhong Shi (Sleeps Until Midday) tell you?”
Jian Wu replied:
“He told me that a ruler should wrap himself up in what has been prescribed as righteousness to the fullest degree. People wouldn’t dare to ignore what he said and would all be transformed!”
Jie Yu said:
“That would be like browbeating them with virtue. If that’s the way someone tries to govern the world, it would be like trying to wade across the ocean, trying to carve a channel through a river or trying to make a mosquito carry a mountain on its back. If a wise person were to set out to govern anything, would they simply expect to see an outer appearance of compliance? Things may appear to be attuned, but are they really? Then one may simply look for proper behavior and stop there. Moreover, a bird can soar very high to avoid being harmed by an arrow. A gopher can dig very deep into the earth beneath a sacred hill to avoid the risk of being dug up. There was a time those two creatures didn’t need to have that kind of knowledge.”
Tian Gen (Firmly Planted in the Heavens) was traveling along the sunny side of a fertile hill. When he reached the top of a foaming waterfall, he came upon a nondescript man and asked:
“Excuse me, but may I ask you about how one can govern the world?”
The nondescript man replied:
“Go away! You’re a despicable person to have the nerve to ask me about something so unpleasant. I was just about to give myself over to the creator of things. Once I’m satisfied with that, I can become like a small bird and peek through tall grass, not be restrained by the six directions, and travel around without wondering where my neighborhood is. Wherever I happen to be at the moment would be like an open countryside. Why would you come around here asking me about setting the world in order as though I have any feelings in my heart about that?”
He (Tian Gen) repeated the question, so the nondescript man said:
“You wander light-heartedly, adopt an indifferent attitude, spontaneously go along with things and don’t hold on to your self-image. Then the world would be governed properly.”
Yang Zi Ju went to see Lao Dan (Laozi) and said:
“There’s a person around here who can come down with any sort of illness yet remain as strong as a roof beam. Whoever tries to get to him, he can easily diffuse their intensity. He never tires in his learning about Dao. Could he be compared with the enlightened kings?”
Lao Dan replied:
“From the viewpoint of a Sage, even a petty person could easily practice those methods. That kind of person could exhaust their body and still have a frustrated heart. Besides that, it’s the beautiful markings on tigers and leopards that cause them to be hunted. Because a monkey is easily trained and a yak is obedient, they’re both captured and taken advantage of. Can those be compared with the enlightened kings?”
This unsettled Yang Zi Ju, who then asked:
“Can I ask you about the way the enlightened kings ruled?”
Lao Dan replied:
“The enlightened kings ruled by being able to prevail over the entire world but having no sense of their own self-importance. They were able to change the way all living things dealt with each other, but without requiring the people to depend on them. They had no reason to boost their own self-worth, thus caused things to realize their own happiness. They stood on what happens naturally, and wandered without a sense of their own existence.”
In the state of Zheng there was a sorcerer called Ji Xian (One Who Can Influence the Seasons). He knew when a person would die or be born; who would survive and who would perish; who would be punished and who would receive blessings; who would live a long life and who would die young. He could predict those things and pinpoint them to the year, month and day – as though he was truly connected with some spiritual force. When the people of Zheng saw him, they’d all run away as he approached. When Lie Zi saw him, he was fascinated, and went to tell Hu Zi (Lie Zi’s teacher) about it:
“At first I thought I could reach perfection by using your methods, Master. Then I came across someone who’s even more perfected.”
Hu Zi said:
“I’ve already shared with you the literature, but haven’t yet shared its practical applications, and yet you’re so sure you’ve grasped Dao. With a coop full of chickens but no fertile male, what kind of eggs would be produced? By trying to adapt Dao to the exaggerations of this generation, in an effort to get them to believe in it, it’s no wonder you’re so easily taken in by other people. Try to get this guy to come over here with you so I can see what he’s up to.”
The next day Lie Zi brought him to see Hu Zi. When they left, he (Ji Xian) told Lie Zi:
“Oh dear! Sir, your Master is on the verge of death. He won’t live much longer – probably not for more than ten days. I saw something so strange about him – he looked like wet ashes.”
Lie Zi went back into the house, crying so hard that his tears drenched the front of his shirt while he was telling Hu Zi what had been said.
Hu Zi said:
“While he was here I appeared to him like patterns on the earth – like a field of grass that’s unmoving with the blades bent over. He probably saw that my natural workings were out of whack. Try to bring him back to see me again.”
The next day both of them came back to see Hu Zi. When they left, he (Ji Xian) told Lie Zi:
“What good luck that your Master had a chance to meet me! He’s been completely healed, and now he’s going to live! I can see that those obstructions he was experiencing were only temporary.”
Lie Zi went back into the house and related this to Hu Zi.
Hu Zi said:
“While he was here I appeared to him like dust in the sky. I wasn’t concerned with fame or possessions, and all of my inner workings hummed like a fine machine. He probably saw that everything in me was working in fine order. Try to bring him back to see me again.”
The next day both of them came back to see Hu Zi.
When they left, he (Ji Xian) told Lie Zi:
“Sir, your Master is in disorder. I can’t make heads or tails out of his condition. When he stabilizes a little, let me come back and check on him.”
Lie Zi went back into the house and related this to Hu Zi.
Hu Zi said:
“This time I appeared to him like a large pipe in which nothing can become clogged. He probably saw that there was nothing within me to be diagnosed. A large fish can be examined in a deep pond. Still water can be examined in a deep pond. Flowing water can be examined in a deep pond. There are nine ways a deep pond can be be examined, and those are three of them. Try to bring him back to see me again.”
The next day both of them came back to see Hu Zi. Before he had a chance to get settled, the man lost his composure and ran off.
Hu Zi said:
“Go find him!”
Lie Zi ran after him, but couldn’t catch up, so he returned and told Hu Zi:
He’s already taken off, and I can’t find him anywhere.”
Hu Zi said:
“This time I appeared to him as though I hadn’t yet been associated with any known species. I made myself completely empty and compliant, without having a clue as to who I was, making myself like the wind or like a wave on the ocean. That’s why he ran away.”
After this happened Lie Zi considered himself to not yet have learned anything and decided to make a fresh start. For three years he didn’t go anywhere. He spent time cooking at his wife’s oven, and feeding the pigs in the same way he would feed people. He had no outside relationships with the affairs of others. He spent his time carving figurines and returning to a simple life. Becoming like a clod of dirt, he only used his form as a means to stand erect. He saw disorder and rectification as one and the same until the end of his days.
Without seeking to become famous after death;
Without seeking to become a scheming politician;
Without seeking to become an event planner;
Without seeking to become a smart ruler;
Endlessly allowing the body to be guided by the spirit within, and wandering without a purpose;
Endlessly receiving from the heavens, and not looking for results;
Allowing emptiness to be regained – and that’s all.
A perfected person’s attention is like a mirror. Without a will or a face of its own. Free flowing and unhidden.
In that way they have the ability to win over things without harming them.
The emperor of Nan Hai (the South Sea) is known as Shu (The Fixer). The emperor of Bei Hai (the North Sea) is known as Hu (Nonchalant). The emperor of what lies between the two extremes is known as Hun Dun (Chaos [the primordial blob out of which heaven and earth divided] ). The Fixer and Nonchalant often met with each other on the territory of Chaos, and Chaos was very considerate towards them. The Fixer and Nonchalant were trying to figure out a way to repay Chaos for his kindness.
“People all have seven apertures so they can see, hear, eat and breathe. He’s the only one without them, so let’s try and bore some for him.”
Each day they bore one aperture into him. On the seventh day Chaos died.
Zhuangzi Chapter 8: Webbed Toes
Translated by Nina Correa
Webbed toes and extra fingers may be present from the time of birth, but they have little effect on virtue. Warts and other growths may hang from one’s body, but they have little effect on naturalness. There are many methods set forth for enacting benevolence and righteousness, and one who promotes them claims they line up with the five organs of the physical body, but that’s in opposition to the way of Dao and virtue.
(Note: The five organs of the body [heart. liver, stomach, lungs, kidneys] were believed to line up with the five elements [fire, wood, earth, metal and water] in Chinese alchemy and medicine. Those five had to be aligned with each other in order to ensure the body worked properly, and some philosophers tried to include the ideas of benevolence and righteousness as being as important as one’s bodily organs.)
Just as webbing on the feet is a useless piece of connecting flesh, extra digits sticking out from the hands are useless as fingers. One who tries to add extra webbing or digits to the natural condition of their five organs, pretending they have the power and authority to direct the way benevolence and righteousness should flow, are simply looking for ways to make their hearing more acute and their eyesight more clear.
However, doesn’t one who adds webs to eyesight which is already clear simply mix up the five colors, add additional patterns to what has already been carved, and find fault with the greens and yellows embroidered on a blue robe? That’s what happened to Li Zhu.
Doesn’t one who tries to make their ears more sensitive to sound beyond what’s normal mix up the five sounds, listen for additional notes played by a pitch pipe, and find fault with the sounds of all the musical instruments in an orchestra playing the “Huang Zhong” and “Da Lu” (two popular musical compositions of the time)? That’s what happened to Shi Kuang.
Doesn’t one who tries to add benevolence to themselves destroy their own nature in order to attract fame and good reputation, cause the rest of the world to look like miscreants, and look to find fault with those who don’t follow their rules? That’s what happened to Zeng Shen and Shi Qiu.
Doesn’t one who adds webbing to their debates work hard to contain and tie up their words into strong forceful sentences, letting their minds swim with thoughts of the “hard” and the “white”, getting caught up in what is “the same” and what is “different”, and look to find fault with what they consider to be useless words used by those seeking immediate fame? That’s what happened to Yang and Mo (Yangzi and Mozi).
Therefore, all of those methods are simply ways to add numerous webs and unnecessary fingers, and are diversions to really getting right with the world.
Those who do get it right don’t lose their acceptance of nature and destiny. In that way connections occur not because anything has been forcefully tied together, and additions arise not because anything has been used to cause them to grow. Length occurs not because there is surplus, and shortness occurs not because of insufficiency. For example, although a duck’s legs are short, if they were lengthened that would cause anxiety. Although a crane’s legs are long, if they were shortened that would cause misery. Therefore, what’s naturally long shouldn’t be made shorter, and what’s naturally short shouldn’t be lengthened. In that way there would be no reason for grief.
What if one suggests that benevolence and righteousness are in opposition to people’s actual feelings? How could a person who was truly benevolent feel miserable? If a person’s webbed toes were cut apart they’d cry. If a person’s extra fingers were bitten off they’d scream. In these two cases, it seems that one of them is lacking enough individual digits and the other has an excess of digits, but their misery would be the same if they were altered. In today’s world, benevolent people look out from behind tall grass and moan about the disasters happening all around them. People who aren’t benevolent don’t care much about what’s natural or fated, and fiendishly set about gathering as much wealth as they can. Is it no wonder that it’s been suggested that benevolence and righteousness are in opposition to people’s actual feelings? From the Three Dynasties on down, hasn’t the whole world been shouting and making noise about this?
If we have to depend on the curve, plumb line, compass and T-square to make everything correct, that would be like chopping away at what was natural. Depending on rope, binding, glue and sap to make everything stick together, that would be like intruding on individuality. To bow down and humbly submit to ceremonial music, to preach about and ride on the coattails of benevolence and righteousness in order to give some comfort to the hearts of everyone in the world – doing those things would mean giving up on what’s always so of itself. Everything in the world is always so of itself. When things are always so of themselves, they are bent without need of a curve, are straight without need of a plumb line, are round without need of a compass, are square without need of a T-square, dovetail into each other without need of glue or sap, and remain joined without need of binding or rope. In that way the world spontaneously guides all life, and there’s no sense of how life works itself out. It’s the same with everything that’s achieved, and there’s no sense of how it’s been achieved. In this way the past and the present aren’t different, and neither of them is lacking in anything. Then why have benevolence and righteousness been repeatedly joined together with glue, sap and rope – as though they’re flowing with Dao and De? That causes lots of confusion in the world!
If people have small doubts, they can easily change their attitude, but if people have large doubts about things, they can tend to change their whole nature because of it. How do we know this is so? Ever since Shun enlisted the ideas of benevolence and righteousness to hinder the world, there wasn’t anyone in the world who hasn’t been embroiled in the ideas of becoming benevolent and righteous. Weren’t benevolence and righteousness used to change what was natural in people?
In an attempt to explain this a little more:
From the Three Dynasties on down, there’s been no one in the world who hasn’t changed their true nature! People in low positions would sacrifice their bodies for profit. Scholars would sacrifice their bodies for fame. Officials would sacrifice their bodies for their families. Sages would sacrifice their bodies for the world. Therefore, these various types of people weren’t very different in what they set about to do. Even though they had different titles and careers, the way they harmed their natures and sacrificed their bodies were the same.
There was a slave and a young servant who were tending their sheep, and both of them lost their flocks. When the slave was asked what he was doing when this happened, he said he was studying some books he’d brought along. When the young servant was asked what he was doing when this happened, he said he was playing at a game. Even though each of them was doing something different, the loss of the sheep was the same.
Bo Yi died for his principles at the foot of Shou Yang mountain. Robber Zhi died for wealth on top of Dong Ling mountain. Although the two of them died for different reasons, the damage to their lives and injury to their natures was the same. Why must Bo Yi be considered as having done the right thing, but Robber Zhi as having done the wrong thing? Of all the people in the world who sacrifice themselves to something, those who sacrifice themselves for benevolence and righteousness are said to be of noble character, but those who sacrifice themselves for wealth and riches are said to be inferior beings. They’ve both really made the same kind of sacrifice, but one of them is considered noble and the other is considered base. In regard to damaging their lives and injuring their nature, then Robber Zhi is the same as Bo Yi. However, the noble and the base dislike each other because of their differences!
Furthermore, I wouldn’t say that one who subordinates their nature to benevolence and righteousness, even though they might be like Zeng Shen or Shi Qui, were generous. I wouldn’t say that one who subordinates their nature to the five flavors, even though they may be like Yu Er, had fine taste. I wouldn’t say that one who subordinates their nature to the five sounds, even though they may be like Shi Kuang, had excellent hearing. I wouldn’t say that one who subordinates themselves to the five colors, even though they may be like Li Zhu, was clear-sighted. When I refer to someone who’s generous, it’s not the same as the common understanding of benevolence and righteousness. Generosity comes from the virtue of what one is, and that’s all. When I refer to someone who has fine taste, it’s not the same as the common understanding of benevolence and righteousness. Fine taste comes from acceptance of one’s own nature and destiny, and that’s all. What I mean when I refer to someone who has excellent hearing, it’s not the same as the common understanding of being able to listen to other things, but to be able to listen to oneself and that’s all. What I mean when I refer to someone who is keen sighted, it’s not the same as the common understanding of being able to observe other things, but in being able to observe oneself and that’s all.
One who doesn’t observe themselves but only observes other things, who doesn’t reach satisfaction with themselves but only looks for satisfaction from others, who becomes satisfied with others’ satisfaction but not with their own, ends up going along with other people’s ways but not finding their own way. Going along with other people’s ways but not finding their own way, even though they may be a Robber Zhi or a Bo Yi, they end up being arrogant and demented. I’d think they’d be embarrassed to follow a virtue that would make them appear superior and wouldn’t dare to conduct themselves with benevolence and righteousness, nor want to appear inferior by going along with being arrogant and demented.
Zhuangzi Chapter 9: Horse’s Hooves
Translated by Nina Correa
Horse’s hooves can travel across frost and snow, and their hair protects them from chill and cold. They chew grass, drink water, and prance lightly across the land. That’s the true nature of a horse. Even if it had access to luxurious terraces and elegant bedrooms, it wouldn’t have any use for those things.
Then along came Bo Le who said:
“I’m good at controlling horses.”
He got their hearts pumping, whipped them, branded them, broke them in, connected them to bridles and harnesses, corralled them in stables and sheds, and two to three out of ten horses died. He denied them food and water, galloping them and racing them. He lined them up in rows and columns, where they were distressed by banners and ornaments in front of them and threatened by whips and crops from the rear. At that point, more than half of the remaining horses died.
A potter announced:
“I’m good at controlling clay. My round pieces fit snuggly in the middle of a perfect circle, and my square pieces fit snugly with an L-Square.”
A carpenter announced:
“I’m good at controlling wood. The bent pieces comply with a compass, and the straight pieces comply with a plumb line.”
Yet, would it be the nature of a tree or clay to want to be shaped to fit a perfect circle, an L-square, a compass or a plumb line?
Nevertheless, generation after generation praise those people, saying:
“Bo Le was good at controlling horses, and the potter and carpenter are good at controlling clay and wood.”
This is also true for those who think they’re good at controlling the world – they go to excess. In my opinion, those who who think they’re good at controlling the world really aren’t. Each person has their own constant nature. They weave in order to get clothing and plow the fields in order to get food. This is the virtue by which each of them live. They do what needs to be done without preference, and allow destiny to reveal to them what the heavens require.
Therefore, in an age when virtue had been attained, they flowed with the lay of the land and observed things directly. During that time mountains had no paths or tunnels, lakes had no boats or bridges, all living things lived in groups and felt a sense of connection with their communities, birds and beasts grouped together and vegetation flourished. If someone put an animal on a leash it was merely to take a stroll with them. If the branch holding a bird’s nest was drawn down it would be merely to delight in looking at it. So, in an age when virtue had been attained, all creatures comfortably lived together, every species of living thing connected with each other, and there was a distaste for making distinctions between what was noble and what was base! Fitting together with this non-knowledge, their virtue didn’t fly away. Fitting together with this non-desire would be called being simple and unadorned. Being simple and unadorned, people achieved their own nature.
Then along came the Sage, tripping and stumbling to become benevolent, rising on tiptoes to become righteous, and the whole world started to become uncertain. The only music allowed had to be calm and still in order to flood the heart with peace, rituals were used as a means to cull out what was considered bad in people, and the whole world started to become divided. If a log isn’t chopped up, what could be used to make sacrificial bowls? If chunks of pure jade aren’t broken up, what could be used to make medals and emblems of power? If Dao and De aren’t abandoned, who would need to adopt benevolence and righteousness? If one’s natural disposition isn’t discredited, who would have use for those types of rituals and music? If the five colors aren’t unnaturally blended, what could be used to create official patterns? If the five sounds aren’t considered unharmonious, what need would there be to follow the six mandated tones? To destroy something’s natural shape in order to create tools and utensils is the crime of the craftsman. To make over Dao and De to fit the confines of benevolence and righteousness is the fault of the Sage.
As for horses, if they roam freely across the land they eat grass and drink water. When they’re happy they entwine their necks and nuzzle each other. When they’re angry they rear back and raise their hooves. Horses have instincts about these things. If they’re weighed down with saddles and harnesses and forced into rows with blinders on, then a horse’s instinct would be to look scornfully at the restraints meant to keep it under control, and pretend to be obedient while secretly planning how to bite through the bridle. Therefore, horses know that they’ve been abducted, and Bo Le was the one to blame.
In the time of He Xu the people stayed at home without being concerned about what they were doing, and went out without being concerned about where they were going. They were happy to have food in their mouths and went about patting their full bellies. The people were able to simply do that. Then along came the Sages, bowing down and humbling themselves to ceremonial music as though they were out to rectify the shape of those in the world, twisting and distorting the concept of benevolence and righteousness as though they were out to comfort the hearts of those in the world, and it was only then that the people began to feel that what they thought of as good was actually crippled and distorted. All sorts of disputes broke out about what was really beneficial, and they couldn’t stop. That was the fault of the Sages.
Zhuangzi Chapter 10: Prying Open Boxes
Translated by Nina Correa
In order to prevent thieves from prying open security boxes, rifling through sacks and breaking into safes, the boxes must be bound with rope and cord or securely locked with clasps and bolts. Those sound like pretty smart things to do. Even so, a big strong thief might come along and hoist the safe on his shoulders, lift up the boxes, sling the bag over his shoulder and rush away with them, fearing only that the rope, cord, clasps and bolts wouldn’t be secure enough. It seems that what everyone thinks is a smart thing to do actually only makes it easier for a big thief to accumulate more stuff.
Okay, let’s discuss this. What’s commonly thought of as being smart doesn’t take into account the idea of a really big thief! If someone had real wisdom, wouldn’t they be on guard against the biggest thief of all? How can we know that’s so?
In the old days, in the state of Qi, people in neighboring villages could watch over each other and listen to the sounds made by their chickens and dogs. The area in which they spread their hunting nets and traps, and plowed their fields was over 2000 li square (equal to about 600 square miles). Within their four boundaries they erected communal ancestral shrines and set up district offices for the rural areas. They followed the ideas of the sages!
However, Lord Tian Cheng in one day was able to kill the Duke of Qi and take over his country. As for the theft, was it only the country he stole? He also stole their wise and sagely laws. Therefore, Lord Tian Cheng might have been called a robber and thief, but he ended up resting there as comfortably as Yao and Shun. Small states didn’t dare to oppose him, large states didn’t dare to seek retribution, and for twelve generations his family ruled the state of Qi. They used the wise and sagely laws to guard the safety of robbers and thieves!
Let’s talk a little more about this. What’s commonly thought of as being smart doesn’t take into account the idea of a really big thief! If someone had real wisdom, wouldn’t they be on guard against the biggest thief of all? How can we know that’s so?
In the old days, Long Feng was beheaded, Bi Gan had his heart cut out, Chang Hong was disemboweled, and Zi Xu’s corpse was left to putrefy. Even though those four were worthy gentlemen, they couldn’t avoid having their bodies slaughtered.
When Zhi’s (Robber Zhi) followers asked him:
“Do thieves also have Dao?”
Zhi responded:
“What could possibly proceed without having Dao? Being able to quickly determine where valuables are hidden in a room – that’s wisdom. By entering first – that’s bravery. By leaving last – that’s righteousness. Knowing when the task should be aborted – that’s intelligence. Dividing up the booty – that’s benevolence.”
One who didn’t have those five attributes could never become a great thief in this world. Looking at it that way, if a person was good at something but couldn’t achieve the way of a Sage, he wouldn’t be able to establish himself. If Zhi couldn’t achieve the way of a Sage, he wouldn’t have been any good at what he did. Since there are so few good people in the world, and so many bad people, it stands to reason that the Sage’s beneficial contributions to the world are few and their harmful contributions are numerous.
There are some sayings:
“When the lips are worn away, the teeth get cold.
“When the wine of the state of Lu was diluted, Han Dan was surrounded.”
(Note: At a great feast in the state of Chu the Lord of Lu provided cheap wine while the Lord of Zhao provided good wine. A mischievous steward switched them, and the ruler of Chu was so offended at the poor wine that he attacked Zhao and sacked their capital city, Han Dan.)
With the birth of Sages, great thieves arise. If the idea of anyone being a Sage was disregarded and ignored, the idea of great thieves would also be released and abandoned, and the world could then begin to govern itself. Rivers are run dry and valleys are forced to be empty. Hills are leveled and pits are filled up. Once the Sages have been done away with, great thieves won’t arise, and the world will even everything out. If Sages aren’t done away with, great thieves will be rampant. The more importance that’s placed on the need for Sages to govern the world, the more benefits people like Robber Zhi will try to steal.
Use dry and liquid measures to determine pecks and bushels, then pecks and bushels would be cunningly stolen. Use scales to determine hundredweights and tons, then hundredweights and tons would be cunningly stolen. Use contracts to determine payments and allotments, then payments and allotments would be cunningly stolen. Use force to try to rectify what’s determined to be benevolent and righteous, then benevolence and righteousness would be cunningly stolen. How can we know that’s so?
By these examples:
One who cunningly steals a buckle is sentenced to death.
One who cunningly steals a country is made a Duke or Prince.
Since it’s within the realm of the Dukes and Princes that benevolence and righteousness are preserved, then aren’t they cunningly stealing benevolence, righteousness, wisdom and intelligence? Therefore, one after the other the great thieves try to claim they’re Dukes and Princes, cunningly stealing benevolence and righteousness right along side the pecks, bushels, hundredweights, tons, payments and allotments for their own benefit. Even though they’ve already been rewarded with carriages and crowns, that’s not enough to get them to quit. Even if they’re threatened with hatchets and axes, they still don’t have the ability to resist acquiring more. Those are important benefits to people like Robber Zhi, and they just can’t resist them. This can only be blamed on the Sages.
There’s an old saying:
“A fish can’t remove itself from a pond. A country’s sharp weapons can’t be used to teach people how to act.”
The Sages are like the sharp weapons of the world, but they can’t add any clarity to the world. Therefore, get rid of wisdom, abandon knowledge, and only then will the great thieves stop robbing. Smash the jade, crush the pearls, and petty thieves won’t arise. Burn the account books, tear up the ledgers, and people will simply assess what they have at the moment. Break apart the measuring devices, snap apart the weighing devices, and the people will no longer haggle. Abolish any remnants of what are considered to be wise laws in this world, and people can then start to discuss their own ideas with each other. Don’t make restrictions on what kind of music can be played, allow all the strings of musical instruments to blend naturally on their own, put a cork in Gu Kuang’s ear, and the people of the world will begin to cherish their own preferences in music. Get rid of fancy ornaments, spin the color wheel, glue shut Li Zhu’s eyes, and the people of the world will begin to cherish their own clear-sightedness. Crumble to smithereens the curve and plumb line and throw away the compass and T-square, smack the back of Chui’s fingers with a ruler, and the people of the world would appreciate their own artistry.
There’s an old saying:
“Great talent seems clumsy.”
Wipe out all traces left by Zeng and Shi, gag the mouths of Yang and Mo, push away and discard benevolence and righteousness, and the virtues of the world would mysteriously mesh. When each person embraces their own clear-sightedness, then the world wouldn’t seem so scattered. When each person embraces their own preferences in music, then the world wouldn’t be boring. When each person embraces their own knowledge, then the world wouldn’t be confused. When each person embraces their own virtue, then the world wouldn’t feel isolated. Those people: Zeng, Shi, Yang, Mo, Music Master Kuang, Master Carpenter Chui and Li Zhu all tried to establish virtue outside of themselves, and thus threw the whole world into a chaotic mess. The world has no use for such mandates.
Don’t you know about the era in which only Masters attained virtue? Long ago, there was Rong Cheng (Embodiment of Success), Da Ting (Great Palace), Bo Huang (Self-appointed Official), Zhong Yang (Official Mediator), Li Lu (Disease Resistant), Li Xu (Raiser of Beautiful Horses), Xuan Yuan (Chariot Inventor), He Xu (Fire Walker), Zun Lu (Potion Distiller), Zhu Rong (Sacrificial Preacher), Fu Xi (fabled inventor and creator of the written language) and Shen Nong (a legendary pre-dynastic emperor who is said to have invented agriculture).
During that time, the people tied knots in ropes to keep records, enjoyed the flavor of their food, found beauty in the clothes they wore, found pleasure in their local customs and felt secure in their homes. They visited back and forth with those in neighboring communities and listened to the sounds made by their chickens and dogs. People eventually got old and died, but didn’t pay attention to each other’s comings and goings. It seems that people in those times had already found a good method for governing themselves.
Nowadays, in order to reach satisfaction, people feel they have to stretch out their necks and stand on tiptoe saying:
“There’s a virtuous Sage nearby.”
They pack up provisions and head off to find him. They disregard the intimate ties they’ve made with their families and quit their jobs. Their footprints extend beyond the borders of their own countries, and the tracks made by their carts go even further, extending for hundreds of miles. All this excess is done in a search of what’s considered to be superior knowledge. If what’s considered to be superior is actually knowledge, but not of Dao, then the whole world is thrown into great confusion. How can we know that’s so?
As knowledge increases about how best to use bows, crossbows, hunting nets and stringed arrows, then birds will fly around chaotically. As knowledge increases about how best to use hooks, bait, fishing nets and basket traps, then fish will swim about chaotically. As knowledge increases about how best to use small hunting knives, wooden traps, nets, pitfalls and cages, then animals will become chaotic in the wilderness. As more variations about how best to use knowledge, pretension, deception, prohibitions, vague discussions about
philosophy, and contentious disputes about similarities and differences increases, then individuals will argue in confusion. Therefore, everything in the world would be repeatedly thrown into chaotic confusion, and the blame rests with a preference for knowledge. So, it seems like everyone in the world knows how to ask about what they don’t know, but no one knows how to ask about what they already know. They know how to be opposed to what they consider to be bad, but they don’t know how to be opposed to what they’ve already considered to be good. That’s why there’s so much confusion. So, by trying to contradict the brightness of the sun and moon above, inflame the essence of the mountains and rivers below, subjugate the natural gifts of the four seasons in the middle (on this earth), bring plants and insects into compliance, force all living things to conform, nothing will escape losing its naturalness. That’s going too far! Utter chaos in the world is the result of a fondness for knowledge. From the Three Dynasties on down it’s been this way. People easily discard and abandon all sorts of other people, yet they delightfully accept the praise they receive for being so talented at what they’ve done. The explanation they give is that they’re indifferent to fame and take no actions to achieve it, but in reality they only get delighted by looking for meaning in the instructions they’ve been given. All those instructions have already put the world into complete disorder!
