Publication
Imprint: New York and London : Columbia University Press, 1968. Context: Prepared for the Columbia College program of translations from the Oriental classics; WM. Theodore de Bary, editor. Number LXXX of the Records of Civilization: Sources and Studies; edited under the auspices of the Department of History, Columbia University. Series: UNESCO collection of representative works. Chinese series. And Translations from the Asian classics. Edition: First edition. Responsibility: Zhuangzi, translated from the Chinese by Burton Watson with a foreword by Wm. Theodore de Bary. Physical: Text : 1 volume : vii, 397 pages ; 21 cm. Features: Includes index.
Call number
GT-D / TX / Zhuangzi
ISBN
0231031475 / 9780231031479
Original publication date
1968 (English translation ∙ B. Watson)
2007 (Nederlandse vertaling / K. Schipper)
Collections
CSS Library Notes
Description:
Table of Contents: Introduction
Free and easy wandering --
Discussion on making all things equal --
The secret of caring for life --
In the world of men --
The sign of virtue complete --
The great anerable teacher --
Fit for emperors and kings --
Webbed toes --
Horses' hoofs --
Rifling trunks --
Let it be, leave it alone --
Heaven and Earth --
The way of heaven --
The turning of heaven --
Constrained in will --
Mending the inborn nature --
Autumn floods --
Supreme happiness --
Mastering life --
The mountain tree --
Tian Zifang --
Gengsang Chu --
Xu Wugui --
Zeyang --
External things --
Imputed words --
Giving away a throne --
Robber Zhi --
Discoursing on swords --
The old fisherman --
Lie Yukou --
The world.
FY1991 /
Table of Contents: Introduction
Free and easy wandering --
Discussion on making all things equal --
The secret of caring for life --
In the world of men --
The sign of virtue complete --
The great anerable teacher --
Fit for emperors and kings --
Webbed toes --
Horses' hoofs --
Rifling trunks --
Let it be, leave it alone --
Heaven and Earth --
The way of heaven --
The turning of heaven --
Constrained in will --
Mending the inborn nature --
Autumn floods --
Supreme happiness --
Mastering life --
The mountain tree --
Tian Zifang --
Gengsang Chu --
Xu Wugui --
Zeyang --
External things --
Imputed words --
Giving away a throne --
Robber Zhi --
Discoursing on swords --
The old fisherman --
Lie Yukou --
The world.
FY1991 /
Physical description
vii, 397 p.; 21 cm
Awards
National Book Award (Finalist — Translation — 1969)
Description
Only by inhabiting Dao (the Way of Nature) and dwelling in its unity can humankind achieve true happiness and freedom, in both life and death. This is Daoist philosophy's central tenet, espoused by the person?or group of people?known as Zhuangzi (369?-286? B.C.E.) in a text by the same name. To be free, individuals must discard rigid distinctions between good and bad, right and wrong, and follow a course of action not motivated by gain or striving. When one ceases to judge events as good or bad, man-made suffering disappears and natural suffering is embraced as part of life.Zhuang
Language
Original language
Chinese
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The essential Tao : an initiation into the heart of Taoism through the authentic Tao te Ching and the inner teachings of Chuang-Tzu by Thomas F. Cleary
User reviews
LibraryThing member mewilbur
Chuang Tzu is the author of the first seven chapters, and they are brilliantly chaotic and muddy. In other words, he invented a style of writing that reflects the character of the Taoist sage as described in the Tao Te Ching. It seems as though he has turned everything on its head; however, if you
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read these passages carefully and recognize the intended humor, they'll make sense to you. The remaining chapters are believed to be by his students. They are not nearly as clever. Burton Watson's introduction is helpful in pointing the way to understanding this extraordinary book. Show Less
LibraryThing member dullchimes
I'm a budding biologist taking a pit stop in my course work to enjoy some eastern philosophy. I found the Tao Te Ching to be too detached and esoteric from the every day. The Chuang Tzu seems to be a cure. Involving anthropomorphic creatures and humorous personages belonging to cicadas and doves as
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well as humans. Its refreshing and enjoyable. The common sense employed by Chuang Cho is sharp and cuts to the bone. Show Less
LibraryThing member ritaer
Sigh, another work of philosophy that I just couldn't finish. Perhaps I am a victim of Western linear thinking, but endless anecdotes that don't make any sense just make me run out of steam. Add to that the footnotes which make it clear that much of the translation is educated guesswork and I
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wonder what the point is. Show Less
LibraryThing member mitchanderson
A lot of fun to read and looking forward to reading more. Nothing conveys a philosophy better than laying out the supposed world it speaks to than through a series of poems, stories, discourses and expositions. Initially grabbed this due to a quote in Feyerabend's Discourses and reading it in
> The Emporer of the South Sea is known as Change. The Emperor of the North Sea is called Dramatic. The Emperor of the Centre is called Chaos. Change and Dramatic met every so often in the region of Chaos. Chaos always treated them kindly and virtuously. Change and Dramatic said, "Everyone has seven orifices so they can see, hear, eat and breathe. Chaos does not have these. Let us bore some holes into him." Each day they bored a hole into Chaos…, but on the seventh day Chaos died.
So many potential goodies packed into one story told in one paragraph.
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context made it all the more interesting and enlightening, so I'll complete this short comment with the same (though many others were tempting, you just can't beat this concision):> The Emporer of the South Sea is known as Change. The Emperor of the North Sea is called Dramatic. The Emperor of the Centre is called Chaos. Change and Dramatic met every so often in the region of Chaos. Chaos always treated them kindly and virtuously. Change and Dramatic said, "Everyone has seven orifices so they can see, hear, eat and breathe. Chaos does not have these. Let us bore some holes into him." Each day they bored a hole into Chaos…, but on the seventh day Chaos died.
So many potential goodies packed into one story told in one paragraph.
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