A scholar of Daoism, Chen provides a detailed analysis and unique interpretation of Zhuangzi's inner, outer, and miscellaneous chapters. He does not focus on the philology, as many scholars do, but on a philosophical reading highlighting the main topics of self-cultivation, aesthetics, and epistemology. His perspectives range from the historical background of the Warring States Period to his own personal political experience, and being also a scholar of Nietzsche, he draws parallels between some of their perspectives. Annotation ©2016 Ringgold, Inc., Portland, OR (protoview.com)
The Philosophy of Life offers a detailed analysis and a unique philosophical, personal and political interpretation of the Zhuangzi. Chen takes Nietzsches perspectivism as an inspiration to explore Zhuangzis philosophy of life in terms of self-cultivation, aesthetics and epistemology.
Series Editors Foreword ix
FIRST PART ZHUANGZI NEIPIAN QUANSHI
Annotations to the Inner
Chapters of Zhuangzi
Preface 3
I XiaoyaoyouFree and Easy Wandering: Opening the Heart and the
Reconsideration of Values 5
II QiwulunThe Equality of Things: Making the Spirit Equal and Getting
Rid of Self-Centered Patterns 16
III YangshengzhuWhat Matters in Nurturing Life: Expounding the Life of
the Spirit 36
IV RenjianshiWorldly Business among Men: The Tragic Mentality of the
Intellectuals and Their Isolated Knowledge 40
V DechongfuThe Signs of the Fullness of Power: The Aesthetic Mind of the
Ideal Person and the Cosmic Spirit 50
VI Da ZongshiThe Teacher Who is the Ultimate Ancestor: The State of
Heaven and Man Form a Unity and the Concept of Life and Death are the
Same 56
VII YingdiwangResponds to Emperors and Kings: Anarchism 70
SECOND PART WAI WU
Explanation of the Outer
Chapters
Introduction 81
I PianmuWebbed Toes: Giving Free Reign to Emotions and Following Ones
Natural Disposition 84
II MadiHorses Hooves: Looking For a World of Complete Virtue 88
III QuqieCutting Open Satchels: If You Steal a Country, You Are a Lord
91
IV ZaiyouLetting Be and Exercising Forbearance: Setting Ones Mind at
Ease and Following Ones Nature 95
V TiandiHeaven and Earth: Purposelessness Found the Dark Pearl 101
VI TiandaoThe Way of Heaven: The Meaning Outside the Words 110
VII TianyunThe Rotations of Heaven: Ceremonies and Moral Standards Adapt
to the Times 115
VIII KeyiIngrained Ideas: The Spirit Spreads into the Four Directions
121
IX ShanxingCultivating Ones Inner Nature: The Simultaneous Nourishment
of Knowledge and Serenity 124
X QiushuiAutumn Floods: A Dialogue Between Rivers and the Sea 127
XI ZhilePerfect Enjoyment: Marquis of Lu is Nourishing a Bird 141
XII DashengFull Understanding of Life: The Mental State of Arts 148
XIII ShanmuThe Tree on the Mountain: Observing Time and Pursuing Harmony
159
XIV Tian ZifangPerfect Beauty and Perfect Happiness 166
XV Zhi Bei YouThe Dao Does Not Leave the Things 173
Third PART ZHUANGZI ZAPIAN
Profound Explanation of the Miscellaneous
Chapters
Preface 185
I Geng SangchuThe Innate Nature is the Substance of Life 187
II Xu WuguiA Person Banished to Exile Remembers His Parents 189
III ZeyangThe Ten Thousand Things Differ In Principle, but the Dao Shows
No Partiality Among Them 193
IV Wai WuOuter Things: Get the Idea and Forget the Words 199
V YuyanMetaphorical Language: The Implications of the Three Words 203
VI Rang WangAbdicating the Throne: The Truth of the Dao Lies in the
Regulation of the Person 206
VII Dao ZhiRobber Zhi: For the Sake of Gain They All Brought Confusion
to the Truth within Them and Did Violence to Their True Form and Innate
Nature 209
VIII Shuo JianDiscoursing on Swords: The Feudal Lords Return to Their
Former Obedience and How to Pacify the Neighbors on All Sides 211
IX Yu FuThe Old Fisherman: By Truth I Mean Purity and Sincerity in Their
Highest Degrees 212
X Lie YukouLooking On What is Deemed Necessary as Unnecessary 215
XI TianxiaThe World: Inwardly a Sage and Outwardly a King 217
Index 219
Chen Guying, Master (1963), National Taiwan University. Chen is a professor at Beijing University (Beida) since 2011 for Chinese Philosophy. He has published translations, articles and monogrpahs on Daoism, especially the Laozi and Zhuangzi, as well as on Nietzsche and the Book of changes (Yijing), Main works are The tragic philosopher Nietzsche, New arguments on Laozi and Zhuangzi, Yizhuan and the thoughts of Daoism, Daoism construction of Zhouyi Studies.
Dominique Hertzer, Ph.D. (1993, LMU Munich) and PhD (2005, University of Witten Herdecke). She lectures at LMU Munich and the Univeristy of Göttingen on Daoism and Chinese Medicine. She is also working as an TCM therapist. She has published articles, translations, and monographs on the Mawangdui Yijing, Daoism and Chinese Medicine, including the work The Medical Notion of the Psyche as an Expression of Philosophical Thought: China and the Occident.
