Wandering on the way : early Taoist tales and parables of Chuang Tzu by Zhuangzi

Author:Zhuangzi [Zhuangzi]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: https://archive.org/details/wanderingonwayea0000zhua
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

“Do not be polite, Master T’ien,” said Duke Wei. “I would like to hear what you have to say.”

K’aichih said, “I have heard my master say, ‘He who is good at nurturing life is like a shepherd. If he sees one of his sheep lagging behind, he whips it forward.’ ”

“What did he mean?” asked Duke Wei.

K’aichih said, “In Lu there was a man named Solitary Leopard who dwelled among the cliffs and drank only water. He did not vie with other people for profit. When he turned seventy, his complexion was still like that of an infant. Unfortunately, he encountered a hungry tiger who killed and ate him. There was also a certain Chang Yi who would rush about to call on all the high-ranking families in their houses with hanging door curtains. When he turned forty, he developed enteric fever and died. Leopard nourished his inner being and the tiger ate his outer person. Yi nourished his outer person and sickness attacked his inner being. Both of them failed to whip their laggards forward.”

Confucius said,

“Do not withdraw and hide yourself away; Do not go forth and flaunt yourself.

Stand stock still in the center.

If a person can meet these three conditions, His fame will certainly be absolute.”

As for the dangers of the road, where one person in ten is likely to be murdered, fathers will warn their sons and brothers will warn their brothers that they should venture forth only with a large group of armed retainers. Isn’t this sensible? But there are dangers that men are exposed to on their sleeping-mats and while they are eating and drinking, yet no one knows enough to warn them. That is a mistake!

5

The invoker of the ancestors in his black square-cut robes approaches the pigpen and advises the porkers, saying, “Why are you afraid of dying? I will feed you with grain for three months, then I will practice austerities for ten days, fast for three days, spread white rushes on the ground, and place your shoulders and rumps on the carved sacrificial stand. You’ll go along with that, won’t you?” If he were planning for the porkers, he would say, “It would be better to feed you with chaff and dregs and leave you in your pigpen.” Planning for himself, he would prefer to drag out his life with the carriage and cap due to his office and, when he dies, to be borne on an ornamented hearse among feathered wreaths. If he were planning for the porkers he would reject these, but planning for himself he would choose them. Why are his preferences so different from those of the porkers?

6

Duke Huan was hunting in the marshes with Kuan Chung as his charioteer when he saw a ghost. Grabbing hold of Kuan Chung’s hand, he asked, “Did you see something, Father Chung?”

“Your servant saw nothing,” was the reply.

After the duke returned he babbled incoherently and became ill, so that he did not go out for several days. There was a

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