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The Tao of Nature (Penguin Great Ideas) by Tzu, Chuang
Chuang Tzu examines the nature of existence in these dialogues and essays, from the battle to grasp the purpose of life to the search for knowledge. A collection of some of the most absorbing and charming philosophy ever written, "The Tao of Nature" is also about perfection, perception, the value of skills and the truth revealed by complete understanding. "Great Ideas": throughout history, some books have changed the world. They have transformed the way we see ourselves - and each other. They have inspired debate, dissent, war and revolution. They have enlightened, outraged, provoked and comforted. They have enriched lives - and destroyed them. Now Penguin brings you the works of the great thinkers, pioneers, radicals and visionaries whose ideas shook civilization and helped make us who we are.
Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 301
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About the author
Zhuangzi
163 books479 followers庄子 or 莊子 Zhūangzi (c. 369 BC - c. 286 BC).
Zhuangzi, or “Master Zhuang” (also known in the Wade-Giles romanization as Chuang-tzu) was, after Laozi, one of the earliest thinkers to contribute to the philosophy that has come to be known as Daojia, or school of the Way. According to traditional dating, he was an almost exact contemporary of the Confucian thinker Mencius, but there appears to have been little to no communication between them. He is ranked among the greatest of literary and philosophical giants that China has produced. His style is complex—mythical, poetic, narrative, humorous, indirect, and polysemic.
Zhuangzi, or “Master Zhuang” (also known in the Wade-Giles romanization as Chuang-tzu) was, after Laozi, one of the earliest thinkers to contribute to the philosophy that has come to be known as Daojia, or school of the Way. According to traditional dating, he was an almost exact contemporary of the Confucian thinker Mencius, but there appears to have been little to no communication between them. He is ranked among the greatest of literary and philosophical giants that China has produced. His style is complex—mythical, poetic, narrative, humorous, indirect, and polysemic.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
June 18, 2024
"𝘚𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵. 𝘙𝘦𝘮𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘷𝘦𝘴. 𝘙𝘦𝘫𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘣𝘰𝘥𝘺, 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘸 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘺𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵, 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘦, 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘝𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘝𝘰𝘪𝘥. 𝘓𝘰𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵, 𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘵, 𝘣𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘮 𝘢𝘴 𝘪𝘧 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘢 𝘴𝘰𝘶𝘭. 𝘈𝘭𝘭 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘳𝘰𝘰𝘵, 𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘳𝘰𝘰𝘵, 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘩𝘺. 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘪𝘯 𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴, 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘪𝘯 𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘱𝘩𝘺𝘴𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘦𝘹𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘥𝘦𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴. 𝘐𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘥𝘦𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴. 𝘈𝘴𝘬 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘦, 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘬 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘦. 𝘚𝘰 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘪𝘳𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘪𝘵𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧."
For so long I've thought of Heaven as some far off thing in the sky. Something like perfection. Something unobtainable. But really, it exists in the day, in the minutes. In the way a sun sets or a friend laughs. In a call from an old lover, long time no see, too many martinis in, memories flooding in. In watching light change in my room, blue morning, white daze. It's in all of these things that add up to a day. I must remind myself that I am a totality of the tally, of the chimes and the hums throughout 24 hours.
Whimsical at best, Zhuangzi's teachings hold the center. Of the self, of the world. Through nature. Through thought. Combing man through mother earth's offerings. And like any old man, the teachings circle round and round to no end, especially when in conversation with other great thinkers of his time.
Perhaps something I will return to when I forget that I can weave heaven into the everyday. Perhaps there is another opportunity, somewhere out there, to be whole again when I've unwound myself from my center.
For so long I've thought of Heaven as some far off thing in the sky. Something like perfection. Something unobtainable. But really, it exists in the day, in the minutes. In the way a sun sets or a friend laughs. In a call from an old lover, long time no see, too many martinis in, memories flooding in. In watching light change in my room, blue morning, white daze. It's in all of these things that add up to a day. I must remind myself that I am a totality of the tally, of the chimes and the hums throughout 24 hours.
Whimsical at best, Zhuangzi's teachings hold the center. Of the self, of the world. Through nature. Through thought. Combing man through mother earth's offerings. And like any old man, the teachings circle round and round to no end, especially when in conversation with other great thinkers of his time.
Perhaps something I will return to when I forget that I can weave heaven into the everyday. Perhaps there is another opportunity, somewhere out there, to be whole again when I've unwound myself from my center.
August 9, 2018
Real rating: 8.5/10
A work that is not touted nearly enough and often in the west the author's most famous quote (Now I do not know whether I was then a man dreaming I was a butterfly, or whether I am now a butterfly, dreaming I am a man.) is often attributed to Confucius. The work is beyond anything that Kongzi could have hoped to achieve and should be read by all who have a strong interest in Eastern Philosophy. Its discussions and presentation can often be too existential for the average but if one pushes through they will find a person breaking down the human condition in a less benevolent and realistic manner which is odd given the existential nature of the work.
Recommended to anyone who loves Camus or Sartre.
A work that is not touted nearly enough and often in the west the author's most famous quote (Now I do not know whether I was then a man dreaming I was a butterfly, or whether I am now a butterfly, dreaming I am a man.) is often attributed to Confucius. The work is beyond anything that Kongzi could have hoped to achieve and should be read by all who have a strong interest in Eastern Philosophy. Its discussions and presentation can often be too existential for the average but if one pushes through they will find a person breaking down the human condition in a less benevolent and realistic manner which is odd given the existential nature of the work.
Recommended to anyone who loves Camus or Sartre.
June 25, 2025
A shorter version of Tales of the Way. These pithy, hard hitting tales bring the Way with a vengeance. They are like Jonathan Swift’s ‘A Modest Proposal’; they are like a swift kick in the pants of accepted practices, a takedown of the egotistical and the arrogant, the doers and the do-gooders. What is the proper way of living? Not by acquiring goods, not by living large, traveling the world, gathering followers … it is the quiet contemplation of things, abiding with the world, a message out of the New Testament rather than the Old, a call for reflection, a stop to needless rule-making, a realization of mutuality of interests. When people get all fancy and sophisticated, they loose something. Here is the story of Po Lo and the Horses:
Po Lo and the Horses:
“Horses have hooves so that their feet can grip on frost and snow, and hair so that they can withstand the wind and cold. They eat grass and drink water, they buck and gallop, for this is the innate nature of horses. … When Po Lo came to town, he said, “I know how to train horses.” He branded them, cut their hair and their hooves, put halters on their heads, bridled them, hobbled them, and shut them up in stables. … He gallops them, races them, parades them, runs them together. He keeps before them the fear of the bit and ropes, behind them the fear of the whip and crop. Now more than half of the horses are dead. … It is true, nevertheless, that generation after generation has said, ‘Po Lo is good at training horses.’”
And here is a bit that sounds like contemporary America:
“The good and honest people are ignored, while spineless flatterers are advanced. The quiet and calm of actionless action is cast aside and pleasure taken in argument. It is for this nonsense which has caused such confusion for everything under Heaven.”
Not Christian enough yet? How about this?
“Those who ignore the status of authority, casting it aside like so much mud, they know that their own self is of greater significance than any title. The value of your self lies within and is not affected by what happens externally.”
Excellent.
And towering above all of the small lessons is the story of The Sword of Heaven:
Po Lo and the Horses:
“Horses have hooves so that their feet can grip on frost and snow, and hair so that they can withstand the wind and cold. They eat grass and drink water, they buck and gallop, for this is the innate nature of horses. … When Po Lo came to town, he said, “I know how to train horses.” He branded them, cut their hair and their hooves, put halters on their heads, bridled them, hobbled them, and shut them up in stables. … He gallops them, races them, parades them, runs them together. He keeps before them the fear of the bit and ropes, behind them the fear of the whip and crop. Now more than half of the horses are dead. … It is true, nevertheless, that generation after generation has said, ‘Po Lo is good at training horses.’”
And here is a bit that sounds like contemporary America:
“The good and honest people are ignored, while spineless flatterers are advanced. The quiet and calm of actionless action is cast aside and pleasure taken in argument. It is for this nonsense which has caused such confusion for everything under Heaven.”
Not Christian enough yet? How about this?
“Those who ignore the status of authority, casting it aside like so much mud, they know that their own self is of greater significance than any title. The value of your self lies within and is not affected by what happens externally.”
Excellent.
And towering above all of the small lessons is the story of The Sword of Heaven:
Read
January 13, 2025What would you do if your butt cheeks turned into wheels?
February 10, 2018
What a lovely meditation read. It's not thought provoking, it's otherwise, it's comforting. It tells that nothing can go wrong, let alone that you get harmed (this part is within my nature, but not all people are like that, people are too anxious, and ambitious). Nothing can go wrong because everything ought to be as is: Nothing is expected/desired to happen, except perhaps, the quiet light passage of Time.
This is not Folklore, nor Philosophy nor Poetry. This is Wisdom. Wisdom is what is so simple yet so difficult, and that's because of our own so-curious-yet-never-satisfied-nor-settled nature and not of that of Wisdom ("but wait why?" is a question that wise men hate, yet they like curious children). Wisdom is like fine tuning your instruments, one who doesn't have the ears yet for it will not know how to fine-tune yet he will get overwhelmed from the melodies of the instrument. Wisdom is not the melody, nor the instrument or its tuning, nor the ears for it, Wisdom is that when your playing doesn't wake up people, it's when you and the wind are the same. Why Wisdom is difficult? Because trying to grasp it ruins the aspect of it. To be wise, you just need to chill and calm, dude.
That's why the Owl is the wisest of all.
So, what disrupts your balance of yin and yang? Well, whenever you're sharp/rushing/impulsive then there's something wrong with your judgement at that moment. Thus, Yin and Yang is a feedback on your way of looking at the world, thus it's your main way of looking at the world, one that teaches you again again not to get your hands dirty, a prespective of not having an ethical system because you see Beyond Good and Evil (a book by Nietzsche btw, and a video game by Ubisoft too). All is as is, and you, you should be passive, if you have no fear, and objective, if you have no earthly desires. 'Virtue overflows into fame and desire for fame overflows into excess. Plans arise from a crisis and knowledge comes through argument.'
But, who said that Neutrality is a virtue? Not getting your hands dirty, is the same as letting others dirty the whole world in front of you and you're watching quietly. You can never deny, that you do have hands. That's what I dislike, about Passive Wisdom.
But then: 'There is a saying that Heaven is internal, humanity external and Virtue comes from the Heavenly. Know Heaven and humanity's actions, root yourself in Heaven and follow Virtue. Then you can bend, stretch, rush forward or hold back, because you will always return to the core and it will be said you have achieved the supreme.'
-----
'The perfect man is a pure spirit', replied Wang Ni.
'He does not feel the heat of the burning deserts nor the cold of the vast waters. He is not frightened by the lightning which can split open mountains, or by the storms that can whip up the seas. Such a person rides the clouds and mounts upon the sun and moon, and wanders across and beyond the four seas. Neither death nor life concern him, nor is he interested in what is good or bad!'
-----
'But what do you mean when you say his Virtue is without shape?'
'Perfect balance is found in still waters. Such water should be an example to us all. Inner harmony is protected and nothing external affects it. Virtue is the result of true balance. Virtue has no shape or form yet nothing can be without it,' said Confucius.
-----
'The cosmos gives me the burden of a physical form, makes life a struggle, gives me rest in old age and peace in death. What makes life good, therefore, also makes death good.'
-----
'Words are used to express concepts, but once you have grasped the concepts, the words are forgotten. I would like to find someone who has forgotten the words so I could debate with such a person!'
-----
Lao Tzu replying to Confucius and mocking him like other places in the book (btw Confucius reminds me here of Socrates/Plato -especially The Republic-, whom I dislike): 'So Sir, walk with Virtue and travel with the Tao, and you will reach the perfect end. Why bother with all this benevolence and righteousness, prancing along as if you were beating a drum and lookig for a lost child? Sir, you will just confuse people's true nature!'
-----
'If the Tao could be passed on, there is no one who would not pass it on to their heirs. However, it obviously cannot be and the reason is as follows:
If there is no true center within to receive it,
it cannot remain;
if there is no true direction outside to guide it,
it cannot be received.
If the true center is not brought out
it cannot receive on the outside.
The sage cannot draw it forth.
If what comes in from the outside is not welcomed by the true center,
then the sage cannot let it go.'
-----
Master Lieh Tzu asked gatekeeper Yin, 'Only the perfect man can walk under water and not drown, can walk on fire without burning, and can pass over the multitude of forms of life without fear. I would like to ask, how does the perfect one do this?'
Gatekeeper Yin replied, 'It is because he preserves his original breath and this has nothing to do with knowledge, work, persistence or bravery. Sit down, and I will tell you all about it. Everything has a face, forms, sounds and color: these are just appearances. How is it possible that this thing and that thing are separated from each other? Indeed, why should any of them be viewed as truly the first of all beings? They are just forms and colors, and nothing more. However, everything arises from what is formless and descends into that which is changeless.'
-----
No Beginning said, 'Not to know is profound and to know is shallow. To be without knowledge is to be inward, to know is to be outward.'
-----
'Being centered, you will be calm.
Being enlightened, you will be empty.
Being empty, you will be in actionless action,
But with actionless action nothing remains undone.'
-----
The book ends with this paragraph:
All forms of life are gathered around us, yet none of them is our destination. In the past people thought this was the way of the Tao. Chuang Tzu heard of these ideas and was pleased. He taught them using strange and mysterious expressions, wild and extraordinary phrases, and terms which had no precise meaning. He taught what he believed, yet was never partisan, nor did he view things from just one perspective. He saw the whole world as lost in foolishness and thus incapable of understanding anything sensible.
This is not Folklore, nor Philosophy nor Poetry. This is Wisdom. Wisdom is what is so simple yet so difficult, and that's because of our own so-curious-yet-never-satisfied-nor-settled nature and not of that of Wisdom ("but wait why?" is a question that wise men hate, yet they like curious children). Wisdom is like fine tuning your instruments, one who doesn't have the ears yet for it will not know how to fine-tune yet he will get overwhelmed from the melodies of the instrument. Wisdom is not the melody, nor the instrument or its tuning, nor the ears for it, Wisdom is that when your playing doesn't wake up people, it's when you and the wind are the same. Why Wisdom is difficult? Because trying to grasp it ruins the aspect of it. To be wise, you just need to chill and calm, dude.
That's why the Owl is the wisest of all.
So, what disrupts your balance of yin and yang? Well, whenever you're sharp/rushing/impulsive then there's something wrong with your judgement at that moment. Thus, Yin and Yang is a feedback on your way of looking at the world, thus it's your main way of looking at the world, one that teaches you again again not to get your hands dirty, a prespective of not having an ethical system because you see Beyond Good and Evil (a book by Nietzsche btw, and a video game by Ubisoft too). All is as is, and you, you should be passive, if you have no fear, and objective, if you have no earthly desires. 'Virtue overflows into fame and desire for fame overflows into excess. Plans arise from a crisis and knowledge comes through argument.'
But, who said that Neutrality is a virtue? Not getting your hands dirty, is the same as letting others dirty the whole world in front of you and you're watching quietly. You can never deny, that you do have hands. That's what I dislike, about Passive Wisdom.
But then: 'There is a saying that Heaven is internal, humanity external and Virtue comes from the Heavenly. Know Heaven and humanity's actions, root yourself in Heaven and follow Virtue. Then you can bend, stretch, rush forward or hold back, because you will always return to the core and it will be said you have achieved the supreme.'
-----
'The perfect man is a pure spirit', replied Wang Ni.
'He does not feel the heat of the burning deserts nor the cold of the vast waters. He is not frightened by the lightning which can split open mountains, or by the storms that can whip up the seas. Such a person rides the clouds and mounts upon the sun and moon, and wanders across and beyond the four seas. Neither death nor life concern him, nor is he interested in what is good or bad!'
-----
'But what do you mean when you say his Virtue is without shape?'
'Perfect balance is found in still waters. Such water should be an example to us all. Inner harmony is protected and nothing external affects it. Virtue is the result of true balance. Virtue has no shape or form yet nothing can be without it,' said Confucius.
-----
'The cosmos gives me the burden of a physical form, makes life a struggle, gives me rest in old age and peace in death. What makes life good, therefore, also makes death good.'
-----
'Words are used to express concepts, but once you have grasped the concepts, the words are forgotten. I would like to find someone who has forgotten the words so I could debate with such a person!'
-----
Lao Tzu replying to Confucius and mocking him like other places in the book (btw Confucius reminds me here of Socrates/Plato -especially The Republic-, whom I dislike): 'So Sir, walk with Virtue and travel with the Tao, and you will reach the perfect end. Why bother with all this benevolence and righteousness, prancing along as if you were beating a drum and lookig for a lost child? Sir, you will just confuse people's true nature!'
-----
'If the Tao could be passed on, there is no one who would not pass it on to their heirs. However, it obviously cannot be and the reason is as follows:
If there is no true center within to receive it,
it cannot remain;
if there is no true direction outside to guide it,
it cannot be received.
If the true center is not brought out
it cannot receive on the outside.
The sage cannot draw it forth.
If what comes in from the outside is not welcomed by the true center,
then the sage cannot let it go.'
-----
Master Lieh Tzu asked gatekeeper Yin, 'Only the perfect man can walk under water and not drown, can walk on fire without burning, and can pass over the multitude of forms of life without fear. I would like to ask, how does the perfect one do this?'
Gatekeeper Yin replied, 'It is because he preserves his original breath and this has nothing to do with knowledge, work, persistence or bravery. Sit down, and I will tell you all about it. Everything has a face, forms, sounds and color: these are just appearances. How is it possible that this thing and that thing are separated from each other? Indeed, why should any of them be viewed as truly the first of all beings? They are just forms and colors, and nothing more. However, everything arises from what is formless and descends into that which is changeless.'
-----
No Beginning said, 'Not to know is profound and to know is shallow. To be without knowledge is to be inward, to know is to be outward.'
-----
'Being centered, you will be calm.
Being enlightened, you will be empty.
Being empty, you will be in actionless action,
But with actionless action nothing remains undone.'
-----
The book ends with this paragraph:
All forms of life are gathered around us, yet none of them is our destination. In the past people thought this was the way of the Tao. Chuang Tzu heard of these ideas and was pleased. He taught them using strange and mysterious expressions, wild and extraordinary phrases, and terms which had no precise meaning. He taught what he believed, yet was never partisan, nor did he view things from just one perspective. He saw the whole world as lost in foolishness and thus incapable of understanding anything sensible.
March 31, 2014
This is a beautiful little book, small enough to fit in your bag, or a jacket pocket and a great one to take with you for those times you have a few extra minutes. There is so much wisdom packed into each sentence and each story, you do not need to read large chunks of it to feel energized. The Tao has always fascinated me, and these pieces of Chuang Tzu's writing are little gems. While Lao Tse seems to have distilled the knowledge down to water droplets, Chuang Tzu keeps the nuance of a meandering forest path in his writings.
December 12, 2019
His way of writing is quite blunt and clever, featuring both Lao Tzu and Confucius in a handfull of stories. The book deals with the concepts of life, death, heaven and letting life flow spontaneously through what Chuang Tzu calls 'actionless-action' (or Wu-Wei) aswell as some arguments against the confucian ideals of titles, honor and reputation.
Its definitely an easy read for being written around the fourth century bc and is just as (if not better) good as a starting point for gettin into taoism as Tao Te Ching.
Its definitely an easy read for being written around the fourth century bc and is just as (if not better) good as a starting point for gettin into taoism as Tao Te Ching.
May 4, 2018
The work offers a whimsical collection of anecdotes and dialogues between various sages, including the author Chuang Tzu on the ways of the Tao and pursuing it with Virtue in the spirit of righteousness and benevolence. The book focuses on fundamental concepts of Daoism such as wu wei, action through non-action and seeks to expand on the ways of the Tao through a series of lyrical descriptions and comparisons on the path of living a true life in accordance with it
The book can offer a nice introduction into the philosophy of Daoism from an ''applied'' perspective, though having a good grasp of some if its fundamental tenets makes the reading easier to understand and internalize, albeit the pursuit of balance, wisdom and understanding that is sought for in the many stories of the book is something everyone can relate to. However, there are certain parts that might leave the reader befudled or puzzled as to what was actually meant or intended.
Some humorous highlights include the rebellious streak of Chuang Tzu as authorities seek to use his wisdom for their own practical implements such as administration and positions of governance, that Chuang Tzu unceremoniously rejects and the constant and very funny jabs at Confucius and his apparent complete ignorance of the Tao.
The book can offer a nice introduction into the philosophy of Daoism from an ''applied'' perspective, though having a good grasp of some if its fundamental tenets makes the reading easier to understand and internalize, albeit the pursuit of balance, wisdom and understanding that is sought for in the many stories of the book is something everyone can relate to. However, there are certain parts that might leave the reader befudled or puzzled as to what was actually meant or intended.
Some humorous highlights include the rebellious streak of Chuang Tzu as authorities seek to use his wisdom for their own practical implements such as administration and positions of governance, that Chuang Tzu unceremoniously rejects and the constant and very funny jabs at Confucius and his apparent complete ignorance of the Tao.
March 11, 2018
Still don't get it.
August 8, 2022
This is the grand daddy of solipsistic texts. The book focuses on Taoism in nature and how to live a proper Taoist life. This striving towards "the way" entails pursuing a kind of nothingness that reminds me of Buddhist non-attachment. Having studied Zen in graduate school, it is clear to me that Taoist texts like these had a clear influence on the evolution an development of Zen Buddhism in China and Japan.
April 16, 2024
Finished long ago after it became my subway read but forgot to update here. A stone cold classic.
December 13, 2018
I picked up this book at the Kelly & Walsh bookstore in Hong Kong, during a recent work trip that brought me to the middle of Asia. I didn't really think much about what I was getting, as I hadn't plan on reading that particular book and in fact it was my first time hearing about Zhuangzi. I'm not at all well-versed in Eastern philosophy or anything, but household names such as Confucius and Lao Tzu are a lot more common to this ear, and funnily enough, they are also mentioned throughout the book – though to what purpose, I'm still not sure.
There's something very comforting about the way this book was presented/written, and the tone in which we learn these lessons about life are so conversational that it feels like we're having a discussion with an elder with years and years of experience, more than anything else. It doesn't feel like textbook, which tends to be the case (in my humble opinion) in books of its kind.
I find myself compelled to the contents of the book, and I suppose, the teachings of Tao (is this what one should call it?).
This in itself is not an easy thing to explain ( a major point in the book, by the way), but I've been thinking a lot lately about the feeling of attachment we have toward so many different things in our lives, whether it is people, stuff, or places. This ties in with how I feel like I tend to be very reactive toward things that happen around me, and how that consequently puts me in a position where I am very affected by the experience of others as well as their actions.
When I read this book, I am able to understand a little better the values of "letting go." To become almost like the wind, if you will. Everything that occurs in life happen beyond one's control, and therefore such habit would provide you the time and space not only to perceive things more clearly, but also to remain objective in order to make better decisions and perhaps, to be a better person. It's entirely possible that you'd find what I am saying right now as completely, utterly gibberish, but I do hope it gives you a little nudge to give this book a go yourself.
We live in a world constantly bombarded by noise, righteousness and narcissism, one person trying to outdo the other by declaring they are somehow better than everyone else. Now, human tendencies to be narcissistic is perhaps unavoidable, but it doesn't mean it cannot be helped. "The Tao of Nature" says that one's overpowering loudness is more likely to be shallow than the others' silence, and that the answers to peaceful and meaningful life exists within.
Such are the lessons you'd likely pick up from reading these inspiring pages, and do let me know if you give it a read yourself. Tell me what you think of it.
There's something very comforting about the way this book was presented/written, and the tone in which we learn these lessons about life are so conversational that it feels like we're having a discussion with an elder with years and years of experience, more than anything else. It doesn't feel like textbook, which tends to be the case (in my humble opinion) in books of its kind.
I find myself compelled to the contents of the book, and I suppose, the teachings of Tao (is this what one should call it?).
This in itself is not an easy thing to explain ( a major point in the book, by the way), but I've been thinking a lot lately about the feeling of attachment we have toward so many different things in our lives, whether it is people, stuff, or places. This ties in with how I feel like I tend to be very reactive toward things that happen around me, and how that consequently puts me in a position where I am very affected by the experience of others as well as their actions.
When I read this book, I am able to understand a little better the values of "letting go." To become almost like the wind, if you will. Everything that occurs in life happen beyond one's control, and therefore such habit would provide you the time and space not only to perceive things more clearly, but also to remain objective in order to make better decisions and perhaps, to be a better person. It's entirely possible that you'd find what I am saying right now as completely, utterly gibberish, but I do hope it gives you a little nudge to give this book a go yourself.
We live in a world constantly bombarded by noise, righteousness and narcissism, one person trying to outdo the other by declaring they are somehow better than everyone else. Now, human tendencies to be narcissistic is perhaps unavoidable, but it doesn't mean it cannot be helped. "The Tao of Nature" says that one's overpowering loudness is more likely to be shallow than the others' silence, and that the answers to peaceful and meaningful life exists within.
Such are the lessons you'd likely pick up from reading these inspiring pages, and do let me know if you give it a read yourself. Tell me what you think of it.
February 10, 2017
I have started this book by knowing very little about Tao. It helped me to understand concepts of taoism; action of non-action "Wu Wei",perfect accord with the world, naturalness "Tzu Jan", the virtue of tao" Te "and the oneness through short stories and anecdotes. Each charter is short and introduces or elaborates a concept of tao. As the book constantly reminds us what can be said is not tao, it can't be taught only forms which are false and changing can be transmitted through words. True understanding is only learned through experience and subtly knowledge of ideas. Still of you wish to learn a bit avout tao, this book is a good start.
August 17, 2017
Interesting, kind of naively arrogant wonderings by Chuang Tzu.
His attacks on other philosophers are hilarious - in particular the way he ribs on Confucius and acts him out as a fool. The dreamlike metaphors and anecdotes are of course, vivid. You can see the wind rush across great ancient Chinese plains and colourful kingdoms full of bizarre characters in need of a little advice. Mostly it accounts to, 'chill out - you might not even be here. Here - smoke this'.
What is the 'Perfect Man'? If Chuang Tzu's Tao is anything to go by, I have a vague idea... and in turn Chuang Tzu would reply that I'll never figure it out at all.
Worth a read.
His attacks on other philosophers are hilarious - in particular the way he ribs on Confucius and acts him out as a fool. The dreamlike metaphors and anecdotes are of course, vivid. You can see the wind rush across great ancient Chinese plains and colourful kingdoms full of bizarre characters in need of a little advice. Mostly it accounts to, 'chill out - you might not even be here. Here - smoke this'.
What is the 'Perfect Man'? If Chuang Tzu's Tao is anything to go by, I have a vague idea... and in turn Chuang Tzu would reply that I'll never figure it out at all.
Worth a read.
May 29, 2017
As someone who just recently approached Buddhism and Yoga, this book was bearer of interesting thoughts. Exploring spirituality from different point of views, especially from Eastern Countries, opens the mind. However, I find it quite difficult to follow at times, maybe because it is meant to be read wholly. This is indeed just a collection of passages from The Book of Chuang Tzu. Maybe I will give its source a try, but reading this book I found myself disagreeing with a few things and I don't think I would take in a lot more from the original book.
June 17, 2024
Forget about life, forget about worrying about right or wrong. Plunge into the unknown and the endless and find your place there!
Another meditative read for Sunday morning. Alternatively witty, comforting and inane, but ultimately quite wise.
The Tao that is clear is not the Tao.
Another meditative read for Sunday morning. Alternatively witty, comforting and inane, but ultimately quite wise.
The Tao that is clear is not the Tao.
July 14, 2014
An awesome read. Eloquent, thought-provoking, and pretty accessible. It might have been a little helpful to know a little more about the Tao before starting but I felt like I could even get a good grip on it just by reading this book.
December 26, 2017
Interesting platitudes scattered throughout redundant, muddled tales and riddles too self-fulfilling and passive to leave much of an impact.
Imagine going up to an ancient master for life advice and being told you're living life wrong because the stars and moon are not in perfect harmony.
Imagine going up to an ancient master for life advice and being told you're living life wrong because the stars and moon are not in perfect harmony.
June 28, 2017
Though confusing at first because of the sentence structure, it's still poetic and an excellent light read~
August 5, 2016
best and the smallest book i have ever read ............ just amazing. putting life in these simple and few words is impossible for anyone else.
October 4, 2016
First book I've read on eastern philosophy. Very intriguing
October 2, 2016
A calming book, good to read in bits and bobs when you have a quiet moment. I love the little stories, the way they're written and presented is so different from the norm. Quite refreshing.
Read
May 30, 2017DNF
November 15, 2017
These were pretty accessible, but I can't help feeling I didn't get the sarcasm.
February 6, 2025
Un libro que recoge las experiencias y creencias sobre el tao de Chuang Tzu en la época de Lu Tzu y Confusio en China. Nos entrega la idea sin explicarla, ya que nadie puede definir el Tao, de en que consiste el seguir el Tao. Yo me quedo de esta lectura que las enseñanzas principales son que uno tiene que fluir o seguir por el camino de menos resistencia. Lo que menos acongoje nuestra experiencias y emociones. La idea es no sentir emociones que nos pesen tanto debido a que nos fuimos por un camino que no es el nuestro y encontrar nuestro verdadero ser. También me deja con la idea de que todos somos todo y nada parte nunca y que ir de a algo a algo es infinitamente complicado. Básicamente la idea de que no hay un lugar de partida, ni de división ni de termino, y que nuestras preocupaciones solo están en nuestro interior. No son algo real.
Sinceramente estoy en desacuerdo con muchas de las cosas que dicen acá. Como por ejemplo que ayudar al resto es prácticamente futil y que es una tarea de los humanos y no del "cielo". Que los puestos politicos solo gobernaran la tierra y jamás lo divino porque tienen demasiadas pesadumbres como para llegar al nirvana. Y que al final la clave está en nunca sentir emociones ya que eso implica que tomamos un camino de mayor resistencia. Para mi, el objetivo de la vida está en sentir emociones y así darle valor a esta. De la misma manera, quiero que otros la vivan, por lo que me centro en intentar ayudar al resto. Personalmente he intentado y creo haber conseguido relativa paz y estabilidad interna y es aburrido, los días pasan sin recuerdos.
Sumandose a mi discrepancia con esta filosofía, encuentro que no es el mejor libro para educarse en estos temas. Si no me equivoco, es más una recolección de dichos e ideas de Chuang Tzu que un libro de estudio, por lo que todo está desordenado y nada tiene congruencia real, solo son dichos filosoficos que se asemejan a frases motivacionales. Además, Chuang Tzu tiene una tendencia de hablar en tercera persona y referirse a si mismo como sabio y ninguneando a Confusio tratandolo de equivocado e ignorante mientras que el siempre tiene la razón. Lo cual me parece un poco raro, siendo que el también comenta que el Tao no se alcanza teniendo la razón.
Sinceramente, este libro parece más como los escritos de una persona que entró en demensia y que el resto lo percibió como un genio más que un texto filosofico.
De todas formas, me llevo la idea de realizar actos que vayan acorde a como nos sentimos más comodos, y que nos ayuden a alcanzar la paz interna, solo que no dejaré de sentir fuertes las emociones.
Sinceramente estoy en desacuerdo con muchas de las cosas que dicen acá. Como por ejemplo que ayudar al resto es prácticamente futil y que es una tarea de los humanos y no del "cielo". Que los puestos politicos solo gobernaran la tierra y jamás lo divino porque tienen demasiadas pesadumbres como para llegar al nirvana. Y que al final la clave está en nunca sentir emociones ya que eso implica que tomamos un camino de mayor resistencia. Para mi, el objetivo de la vida está en sentir emociones y así darle valor a esta. De la misma manera, quiero que otros la vivan, por lo que me centro en intentar ayudar al resto. Personalmente he intentado y creo haber conseguido relativa paz y estabilidad interna y es aburrido, los días pasan sin recuerdos.
Sumandose a mi discrepancia con esta filosofía, encuentro que no es el mejor libro para educarse en estos temas. Si no me equivoco, es más una recolección de dichos e ideas de Chuang Tzu que un libro de estudio, por lo que todo está desordenado y nada tiene congruencia real, solo son dichos filosoficos que se asemejan a frases motivacionales. Además, Chuang Tzu tiene una tendencia de hablar en tercera persona y referirse a si mismo como sabio y ninguneando a Confusio tratandolo de equivocado e ignorante mientras que el siempre tiene la razón. Lo cual me parece un poco raro, siendo que el también comenta que el Tao no se alcanza teniendo la razón.
Sinceramente, este libro parece más como los escritos de una persona que entró en demensia y que el resto lo percibió como un genio más que un texto filosofico.
De todas formas, me llevo la idea de realizar actos que vayan acorde a como nos sentimos más comodos, y que nos ayuden a alcanzar la paz interna, solo que no dejaré de sentir fuertes las emociones.
May 22, 2021
A neat little book. Similar to Laozi’s Tao Te Ching, but more allegorical and anecdote based with lots of parables and stories. Almost reads like a Chinese Taoist bible but without the sectarianism and dogmatism of monotheism.
Helped to remind me to be still, not chase things, allow them to come to me and be at peace.
Taoism really is a beautiful philosophy and laozi and chuang tzu’s teachings of stillness, non-action and meditation are a form of true peace that helps my anxiety a lot.
It’s nice to learn more about Chinese philosophy and get away from a Eurocentric blindness to alternative ways of thinking.
Helped to remind me to be still, not chase things, allow them to come to me and be at peace.
Taoism really is a beautiful philosophy and laozi and chuang tzu’s teachings of stillness, non-action and meditation are a form of true peace that helps my anxiety a lot.
It’s nice to learn more about Chinese philosophy and get away from a Eurocentric blindness to alternative ways of thinking.
November 8, 2023
The tone is something like this:
The bush grows not as tall as the tree. The tree says to the bush, 'imagine the grass, it grows wide as it can and doesn't fret about its height.'
The grass gets eaten by the sheep, who looks at the tree with wonder. The tree looks back.
I like philosophical outcomes and gorgeous prose, but most of these pages contain neither. Just muddled thoughts and inconsistent similes that do not glue together. The original Tao is a much better read than this latter day pretender.
Oh, and it reads with more arrogance than past-his-prime Neitzsche, which is incredible really.
The bush grows not as tall as the tree. The tree says to the bush, 'imagine the grass, it grows wide as it can and doesn't fret about its height.'
The grass gets eaten by the sheep, who looks at the tree with wonder. The tree looks back.
I like philosophical outcomes and gorgeous prose, but most of these pages contain neither. Just muddled thoughts and inconsistent similes that do not glue together. The original Tao is a much better read than this latter day pretender.
Oh, and it reads with more arrogance than past-his-prime Neitzsche, which is incredible really.
May 25, 2024
Gammaldags filosofi på det bästa sättet, en bok från nästan 400 år före kristus som tacklar vardagens livsfilosofi och den oftast oförstådda konceptet om tao. Det går inte att förstå tao, därför kan man inte heller försöka göra det, de som försöker förklara det kommer antagligen att flumma mer än förklara. Denna bok kollar på klassiska saker i verkligheten som i helheten är grundläggande filosofisk tanke, såsom om solen eller jorden rör på sig, vad det menar att vara en god man, och hur man bör leva. Du kommer inte att förstå allt, men idéen, dess historia och implikation är tillräckligt för att försöka. Tao och konfucianism, grundläggande filosofi från öst. 4/5, närmare 3.
May 28, 2022
2.5 stars. Useful in small doses, but after a bit the Wise Sayings or Deep Axioms or whatsthisthing get so vague and generic as to be virtually applicable to everything, to both ways, and so virtually meaningless.
Lots of little anecdotes of men trying to explain the magical Tao by telling you that anyone who explains the Tao is bound to fail. So profound. Very deep. Enough to sell you this book with a pretty cover can already.
Lots of little anecdotes of men trying to explain the magical Tao by telling you that anyone who explains the Tao is bound to fail. So profound. Very deep. Enough to sell you this book with a pretty cover can already.
October 12, 2021
Not the easiest book to read, but it's filled with massive gems on "the way", the "actionless action" and the path of non-resistance.
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