The Book of Chuang Tzu (Penguin)

by Chuang Tzu

  Ching Tzu replied, ‘Sir, have you not heard of how the perfect man behaves? He forgets his liver and intestines and disregards his ears and eyes. With no defined goal he meanders through the rubbish. What he is good at is doing nothing. Indeed, it is called being but not expecting any reward, bringing up but not controlling. Now you display your knowledge in order to impress the foolish; you strive for fame to highlight your distance from others, polishing yourself so as to be as bright as the very sun and moon. Thus far you have harmonized with your body, having the usual nine apertures, and you have not been struck midway through life by blindness or deafness, lameness nor any deformity, so in comparison to many, you are fortunate. So why do you wander around grumbling about Heaven? Be gone, Sir!’

  Master Sun left. Master Pien came in, sat down and rested, then turned his face to Heaven and moaned. His followers said, ‘Teacher, why are you groaning?’

  Master Pien said, ‘I have just been visited by Hsiu and I told him about the Virtue of the perfect man. I fear he was disturbed and has ended up completely confused.’

  His followers said, ‘Not necessarily. Were the words of Master Sun correct? Were our teacher’s words wrong? If wrong, then nothing can make it right. But what if Master Sun’s words were wrong? And our teacher’s words were right? This means he was already confused, so nothing has changed!’

  Master Pien said, ‘Not necessarily. Once upon a time a bird landed on the outskirts of the capital city of Lu. The ruler of Lu was very pleased and prepared a special sacrifice for it to enjoy and the Nine Shao77 music was performed for its entertainment. The bird was distressed and bewildered and did not eat or drink. This is known as trying to sustain a bird with that which sustains us. If you want to feed a bird, then let him go in the midst of a forest, or float on a river and lake and devour snakes. This is what a bird wants.

  ‘Now Hsiu, he is foolish and has heard little, so when I try to tell him about the perfect man’s virtue, it is as if I was trying to take a mouse for a ride in a horse-drawn waggon, or trying to make a quail happy by providing the sounds of bells and drums. It is not surprising that he was startled!’

  CHAPTER 20

  The Huge Tree

  Chuang Tzu was walking through the heart of the mountains when he saw a huge verdant tree. A woodcutter stopped beside the tree, but did not cut it. When asked why he didn’t he said, ‘It’s no good.’ Chuang Tzu said, ‘Because this tree is not considered useful, it can follow all the years Heaven has given it.’

  The Master came out of the mountains and stayed a night at a friend’s house. This man was delighted and told his son to kill a goose and cook it. The son answered, saying, ‘One goose can cackle, the other one can’t. Tell me which one to prepare?’ The father replied, ‘Prepare the one that does not cackle.’

  On the next day Chuang Tzu’s followers asked him, ‘Yesterday there was a tree in the heart of the mountains which was able to live all the years Heaven gives because it is no use. Now, at your friend’s house, there is a goose who dies because it is no use. Teacher, what do you think of this?’

  Chuang Tzu laughed and said, ‘Personally, I’d find a position between useful and useless. This position between useful and useless might seem a good position, but I tell you it is not, for trouble will pursue you. It would certainly not be so, however, if you were to mount upon the Virtue of the Tao;

  ‘never certain, never directed,

  never praised, never condemned,

  on the one hand a dragon, on the other a snake,

  going as it seems appropriate.

  Now up, now down,

  using harmony as your guide,

  floating on the source of all life.

  ‘Let things be, but don’t allow things to treat you as just an object, then you cannot be led into difficulties! This is the path taken by Shen Nung and the Yellow Emperor. Now, however, because of the multitudinous varieties of species and the ethical codes of humanity, things certainly aren’t what they were!

  ‘There is unity only in order to divide;

  fulfilment only in order to collapse;

  a cutting edge is blunted;

  those who are elevated are overthrown;

  ambition is thwarted;

  the wise are conspired against;

  the fools are conned.

  ‘So what can be trusted? My followers, just the Tao and its Virtue!’

  I Liao78 from the Southern Market came to see the Marquis of Lu.79 The Marquis had a very troubled expression.

  ‘Why does the ruler look so anxious?’ said the Master of the Southern Market.

  ‘I have studied the Tao of the first kings and the methods of the first rulers,’ replied the Marquis of Lu. ‘I honour the ghosts and worthy people, try to follow them and never depart from them. But nevertheless I cannot avoid failure, so yes, I am anxious.’

  The Master from the Southern Market said, ‘Marquis, your method for avoiding troubles is pretty feeble! The elegant, fur-dressed fox and the graceful snow leopard live in the mountain forests: this is where they are at peace. At night they set off but during daylight they stay at home, being cautious. It is hunger and thirst that drives them out one by one, after careful planning, to find food beside the rivers and lakes. Nevertheless, they do not avoid the misfortune of falling into traps and nets. Who is to blame? Their own fur is to blame. Now, the country of Lu, is this not the fur of the ruler? Cast away this body, get rid of the fur, cleanse your heart, scorn the passions and go where there is no one. In Nan Yueh there is a place called Virtuously Founded. In that country the people are fools, caring little for themselves, wanting little. They know how to produce, but not how to preserve; they give away, but expect nothing back; they don’t know righteousness or what ritual requires. They are ill-mannered, careless and take no care how they proceed, and as a result they don’t walk the way of the great skill. At birth they are happy, at death they celebrate. So I say to you, O ruler, cast aside your country, break with tradition and, helped by the Tao, travel on.’

  ‘To follow the road there is both long and arduous,’ said the Marquis, ‘with some rivers and mountains to cross. I have neither a boat nor a carriage, so what should I do?’

  The Master of the Southern Market replied, ‘Ruler, don’t follow form, don’t follow convention and this will be your carriage.’

  ‘The road is dark and long and there are no people along it. Who will accompany me? I have no rations, I have nothing to eat, so how can I follow the path to perfection?’

  ‘Have simple needs, Sir, diminish your desires, Sir, then you can step out without any rations,’ said the Master of the Southern Market. ‘O ruler, you will be able to cross rivers and float upon the ocean, which, no matter how hard you stare, you will never see the end of, nor know where it goes. O Sir, those who bid you farewell will depart from the seashore while the ruler will journey out into the unknown!’

  ‘The one who has responsibility for others always faces difficulties, and those who are recognized by others as their ruler also suffer. This is why Yao never had responsibility or allowed others to own him. Therefore, ruler, I suggest you get rid of difficulties, cast aside your worries and travel alone with the Tao which leads to the Country of Great Silence. If someone ties two boats together and then uses them to cross the lake, and he is hit by an empty boat, he won’t be angry, no matter what sort of a temper he has. However, if there is a man in the other boat, he will shout at him to get out of the way! If nothing happens after his initial shout, he yells again and a third time, with a lot of abuse and swearing. To begin with he is not angry, now he is. To start with he had no one to be angry with, now there is someone. If a person can be emptied, and thus journey through this world, then who would harm him?’

  Duke Ling of Wei wanted to cast new bells. So Pei Kung She, his collector of taxes, built a scaffold outside the city gate and in three months the bells were finished, top and bottom.

  King Ching Chi saw this and asked, ‘Master, what is this
art of yours?’

  Pei said, ‘Centred on Oneness, how could I dare to try anything? I have heard it said, “After the carving and smoothing, revert to simplicity.” Being slow, I have no comprehension; being still, I wander and drift; strangely, mysteriously, I let go what goes and greet what comes; what comes cannot be ignored and what goes cannot be held. I amble after the louts and thugs, wander after the humble and meek, seeing what becomes of them. In this way I collect taxes all day long and never have an argument. Just imagine how more significant this would be for someone who grasped the great path!’

  Confucius was besieged in the area between Chen and Tsai and had no hot food for seven days. The Grand Duke Jen came out to express his concern and said, ‘Master, do you think you will die?’

  ‘Certainly,’ said Confucius.

  ‘Master, are you frightened by death?’

  ‘Certainly.’

  ‘I would like to tell you the Tao of never dying,’ said Jen. ‘There is a bird that dwells in the Eastern Ocean called Helpless. This bird is helpless for it flips and flops, flips and flops, as if it had no strength, flying only with the assistance of the other birds and jostling to return to the nest. None of them likes to be in front or behind, preferring to pick away at what others leave. Thus, when the bird flies, it is never alone, and no others outside the flock, such as humans, can do it any harm, so it avoids disasters.

  ‘The straight tree is the first to be chopped down; the well of sweet water is the first to run dry. Sir, your intention is to display your knowledge in order to astonish the ignorant, and by developing your self, to cast a light upon the crudeness of others. You shine, you positively glow, as if you carried with you the sun and moon. All this is why you cannot avoid disasters.

  ‘I have heard the great fulfilment man say, “The boastful have done nothing worthwhile, those who do something worthwhile will see it fade, fame soon disappears.” There are few who can forget success and fame and just return to being ordinary citizens again! The Tao moves all, but the perfect man does not stand in its light, his Virtue moves all, but he does not seek fame. He is empty and plain, and seems crazy. Anonymous, abdicating power, he has no interest in work or fame. So he doesn’t criticize others and they don’t criticize him. The perfect man is never heard, so why, Sir, do you so want to be?’

  Confucius said, ‘Splendid!’ then said farewell to his friends, left his followers and retired into a great marsh, put on animal skins and rough cloth and lived off acorns and chestnuts. He went out amongst the animals and they were not afraid, amongst the birds and they did not fly away. If the birds and animals were not alarmed, then neither should people be either!

  Confucius asked Master Sang Hu, ‘I have been exiled from Lu twice, a tree was toppled on top of me in Sung, all records of me have been wiped out in Wei, I was impoverished in Shang and besieged in Chen and Tsai. I have had to endure so many troubles. My friends and acquaintances have wandered off and my followers have begun deserting me. But why is this happening?’

  Master Sang Hu said, ‘Have you not heard of the man of Chia who ran away? Lin Hui threw aside his jade emblem80 worth a thousand pieces of gold, tied his son to his back and hurried away. People asked, “Was it because the boy was worth more? Surely a child isn’t that valuable. Was it because of all the effort required to carry the jade? But surely a child is even more trouble. So why throw away the jade emblem worth a thousand pieces of gold and rush off with the young child on your back?” Lin Hui told them, “It was greed that brought me and the jade emblem together, but it was Heaven that linked my son and me together.”

  ‘When the ties between people are based upon profit, then when troubles come, people part easily. When people are brought together by Heaven, then when troubles come, they hold together. To hold together or to separate, these are two very different things. The relationship with a nobleman can be as bland as water, that with a mean-spirited person sickly sweet as wine. However, the blandness of the nobleman can develop into affection, but the sweetness of the mean-spirited person develops into revulsion. That which unites for no apparent reason, will fall apart for no apparent reason.’

  Confucius said, ‘I have heard your advice with true respect!’ And so, with an ambling gait and a leisurely air, he went home, gave up his studies and gave away his books. His followers no longer came to bow to him, but their regard for him grew greater.

  One day Sang Hu also said to him, ‘When Shun was close to death he commanded Yu, “Take care of what I say! Concerning the body, just let it go with the flow. Concerning feelings, let them follow their course. If you go with the flow, you avoid separation. If you follow the course of feelings, you avoid exhaustion. No separation, no exhaustion, so no need to adorn the exterior of the body. When you no longer need to do this, you are free of concern with material things.”’

  Chuang Tzu, dressed in a worn, patched gown made of coarse cloth and with shoes held together with string, went to visit the King of Wei. The King of Wei said, ‘Why are you in such a state, Master?’

  Chuang Tzu replied, ‘This is poverty but not distress. If a scholar has the Tao and the Virtue but is unable to use them, that is distress. If his clothes are worn and shoes held together with string, that is poverty but not distress. This is known as not being around at the right time. Your Majesty, have you never seen monkeys climbing? When they are amongst plane trees, the oaks and camphor trees, they cling to branches and leaves with such ease that not even the archers Yi or Peng Meng could spot them. However, when they are amongst the prickly mulberry, thorny date trees and other spiky bushes, they move cautiously, looking from side to side, shaking with fear. This is not because their sinews and bones have gone stiff or unable to bend, but because the monkeys are not in their own environment and so cannot use their skills. Now that I find myself living with a benighted leader and with rebellious ministers above me, how can I avoid distress? Observe how Pi Kan’s heart was cut out81 – that illustrates my point!’

  Confucius was confronted by troubles between Chen and Tsai and he had no hot food for seven days. He grasped a rotting tree in his left hand, while his right hand beat out a rhythm on a rotting branch and he sang the poem of the Lord of Piao. He had an instrument but no beat, he had sound but no blend of melody. The tree gave sound and the singer gave voice to a sadness that touched people’s hearts.

  Yen Hui, standing erect, arms folded, cast his eyes towards him. Confucius, anxious that Hui might overdo the respect and honour due to him, or that his love would make him vulnerable, said, ‘Hui, it is easy not to care about what comes from Heaven. It is hard not to care about what comes from people. Nothing begins which will not end, Heaven and humanity are one. So who, now, is actually singing?’

  ‘How can one avoid the inflections of Heaven with ease?’ said Hui.

  ‘Hunger, thirst, cold and heat and being unable to progress beyond barriers,’ said Confucius, ‘these are the effects of Heaven and Earth, aspects of ever-changing cycles. They are known as travelling together with others. The minister of a ruler dare not disobey. If he is true to his ruler, then how much more true should we be to respond to the decrees of Heaven!’

  ‘What do you mean when you say it is difficult not to respond to the works of humanity?’

  Confucius replied, ‘Someone landing a new position goes out in all four directions at the same time. Honours and wealth become his without ceasing, but these do not come from who you are, they are just the external attributes of that particular job. The nobleman is no thief, an honest man is not a robber. Why should I be like that? It is said that there is no bird wiser than the swallow. If its eyes cannot find a good place, it will not give it another thought. If the food it is carrying falls from its mouth, it leaves it and goes on. It is cautious around humans, but it nests amongst them, finding protection by being close to the altars of the Earth and the Grain.’

  ‘What do you mean, nothing begins that does not end?’

  ‘The change and transformation of
all forms of life goes on,’ said Confucius, ‘but we do not know who sustains this change. How, therefore, can we know beginnings? How can we know ends? There is nothing else to do but wait.’

  ‘What do you mean when you say Heaven and humanity are one?’

  ‘You have Heaven, therefore humanity is. You have Heaven, which is because it is Heaven. Humanity cannot create Heaven, because of humanity’s own innate nature. The sage calmly passes on with his body, and that is the end.’

  Chuang Tzu was wandering through the park at Tiao Ling, when he saw a strange jackdaw come flying from the south. Its wing-span measured seven feet and its eyes were large, about an inch across. It brushed against Chuang Tzu’s forehead as it passed and then came to rest in a copse of chestnut trees. Chuang Tzu said, ‘What sort of bird is this, with wings so vast but going nowhere, eyes so large but it can’t see properly?’ Hitching up his robe, he hurried after it with his crossbow in order to take a pot shot at it. On the way he saw a cicada which was basking in a beautiful shady spot, without a thought for its bodily safety. Suddenly, a praying mantis stretched forth its feelers and prepared to spring upon the cicada, so engrossed in the hunt that it forgot its own safety. The strange jackdaw swept down and seized them both, likewise forgetting its own safety in the excitement of the prize. Chuang Tzu sighed with compassion and said, ‘Ah! So it is that one thing brings disaster upon another, and then upon itself!’ He cast aside his crossbow and was on his way out, when the forester chased after him, shouting at him for being a poacher.

  Chuang Tzu went home and was depressed for three months. Lin Chou, who was with him, asked him, ‘Master, why are you so miserable?’