Zhuangzi Speaks: The Music of Nature

by Zhizhong Cai, Donald J. Munro (Afterword), Brian Bruya (Translator)

During a period of political and social upheaval in China, the unconventional insights of the great Daoist Zhuangzi (369?-286? B.C.) pointed to a way of living naturally. Inspired by his fascination with the wisdom of this sage, the immensely popular Taiwanese cartoonist Tsai Chih Chung created a bestselling Chinese comic book. Tsai had his cartoon characters enact the key parables of Zhuangzi (pronounced jwawngdz), and he rendered Zhuangzi's most enlightening sayings into modern Chinese. Through Tsai's enthusiasm and skill, the earliest and core parts of the Zhuangzi were thus made accessible to millions of Chinese-speaking people with no other real chance of appreciating this major Daoist text. Translated into English by Brian Bruya, the comic book is now available to a Western audience. The classical Chinese text of the selections of the Zhuangzi is reproduced in the margins throughout. Evoked by the translation and the playful cartoons is the spontaneity that Zhuangzi favors as an attitude toward life: abandon presuppositions, intellectual debates, and ambitions, he suggests, and listen to the "music of nature." With the writings attributed to Laozi, the Zhuangzi contributed to an alternative philosophical ideal that matched Confucianism in its impact on Chinese culture. Over the centuries this classical Daoism influenced many aspects of Chinese life, including painting, literature, and the martial arts. It had a particularly strong effect on Chan Buddhism (Japanese Zen). For this book, Donald Munro has written an afterword that places Daoism and the Zhuangzi in historical and cultural context.

Genres: Philosophy, Comics, Nonfiction, China, Spirituality, Religion, Graphic Novels

160 pages, Paperback

First published July 13, 1992

About the author

Tsai Chih Chung is a famous cartoonist. Born in Huatan, Changhua County, Taiwan, he is best known for his graphical works on Chinese philosophy and history, most notably the philosophers Laozi, Liezi, and Zhuangzi, which he made accessible and popularised through the use of plain language and visual aid of cartoon graphics.

Reviews

[Brad VanAuken · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a wonderful book. It is such an easy read. The illustrations are great and the stories convey profound wisdom in an entertaining fashion. The humor is gentle. One will grow in wisdom without even realizing it by reading this book. What a gem.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting. Gave me a lot of food for thought. Some of the simplest things made a lot of sense.

[Mary Catelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

A graphic novel presentation of the thought of the Daoist master Zhuangzi. Including of course, the famous story about dreaming he was a butterfly, or possibly philosopher.

There's a lot more. Admiring the sparrow for not wanting to waste energy like the peng bird. The capture of a marvelous bird that then died because its captor provided it with what he deemed the finest of music, drink, and food. And the usefulness to a tree of being utterly useless. Really, it's really fond of pointing out that the useless tree is the one that doesn't get chopped down, does it over and over -- though once a disciple found himself baffled by the contrast between it and the useless goose being the one slaughtered for dinner.

Confucius gets whacked at a few times. (Once or twice, he comes off well.)

A great deal about living in harmony with the Dao and the relativity of standards, such as what constitutes a good diet -- compare a human one to a horse's or a centipede's.

[Patrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first Tsai Chih Chung book I read. I have since had to search to find more of his illustrated, translated books - I have found/read 6 of them - every one a delight. Answers such burning questions as "Are A Duck's Legs too Short?". Offers wisdom such as "Don't look at today in terms if the past or the future, don't see things in terms of worth & worthlessness, don't draw a boundary around the boundless." Why would one want to live with out such advice?

[Jerjonji · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is incredibly hard to read- not because of the content (well, maybe because of the content- I've not made it that far into it yet), but because of the font! Small and squeezed together, the handprinting combined with tiny Chinese characters makes it difficult to do much more than absorb the art work which is very absorbing. I won't be finishing this book any time soon so I can't lend it to you!

[Anders · Rating 5 out of 5]

Don't let the cartoons fool you. This is a great book, a clear presentation of the Chuang Tzu, and very accessible for western audiences.

[Kitap Yakıcı · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an engaging and delightful book that uses the non-threatening medium of sequential narrative to present Zhuangzi's philosophy of the Dao. An excellent place to start for the non-specialist who wants to get a feel for Daoist philosophy, even better than Benjamin Hoff's much lauded Tao of Pooh

Zhuangzhi is free in the negative sense of being free from the constraints of a single perspective, the kind that enables the Mohist to understand only through Mohist categories and the Confucian through Confucian categories. He is free in the positive sense in that his mind can roam over most or all perspectives. This is one of the things that makes it possible for him to respond like a mirror to an objective situation in a way that completely reflects the objective situation rather than his own prejudices.

—from the Afterword by Prof. Donald J. Munro, p. 140

[Nathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This illustrated comic take of zhuanzhi was pivotal to my interest in eastern philosophy and shook my world view when I first read it coming out of high school. In the west we tend to classify and label to make things shorthand and simpler. Until you are confronted with it, it's easy to never question the system and be skeptical or question it. I have bought maybe 9 copies of this book to give away to people so far. It scratches a philosophical itch without all the pretension that usually comes along with philosophical texts (and I say this as someone with a philosophy minor). The comic form makes it accessible to even younger folk, although older people will enjoy as well. I 100% recommend

[Mizuki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chuang Tsu was a great story teller as much as he was a great philosopher, he was also an important figure of the ancient philosophical school of Daoism.

But don't let the word 'philosophy' scares you. Chuang Tsu Speaks: The Music of Nature reads like a fables as Chuang Tsu reveled his thoughts through different tales, the book is easy to understand and the artwork is adorable. Through the stories, you can tell Chuang Tsu was a person with a great sense of humor and always with an amazing story to tell.

[Kathryn]

*I DECIDED TO READ THE ZEN BOOK FIRST*

One of Tyler's books. It's been far too long since I read any of my dearly beloved books on religion, philosophy and spirituality. So, I'm going to make an effort to get back into it. I'm starting with this (and, yeah, the cute little pictures help! But it really IS a good, soulful exploration of Taoism.)

[Rachel Cotterill · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a collection of cartoons featuring philosophical tales and fables from the Chinese sage Zhuangzi. If I had to put a label on it, I'd say it was basically Daoist. Loads of food for thought, presented in an entertaining manner with cute illustrations.

[Candice · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is absolutely magical. It's a book that centers you at the same time it's making you laugh. You'll cringe at yourself wanting to always be taking action, never letting things just be. I read it every few years with absolute delight.

[Michael Anderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cartoon version of an ancient (~300 BC) Daoist text. Lots of anecdotes, fables, and stories, humorous and moralistic, well drawn and paced. But it gets to be too much, too same same, unless you take it in small doses. It may be your cup of tea.

[David Markwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This illustrated collection of the Zhuangzi is excellent. With wonderful illustrations and the Chinese text along the side this is well worth your money. If you haven't encountered the Zhuangzi this is a great way to start.

[Deborah Clemons · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great introduction to Daoism and the wisdom of Zhuangzi in comic book form. Witty, smart, timeless and true.

[Martin Crim]

I'm obviously never going to finish this, despite the illustrations being fun, so I guess that says something about the appeal of Zhuangzi (Chuang Tzu). Read the "Tao Te Ching" by Lao Tzu instead.

[C.C. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have been reading this on and off repeatedly since childhood and some things I still struggle to understand ha ha ha.

[Charlie Potter · Rating 5 out of 5]

brilliant

[Justin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written, easy to read and relatively understandable (which is unusual for Eastern teachings at least to me). Could be a little less repetitive. Some of the parables didn't age well

[The Sebbe · Rating 3 out of 5]

5.5/10 -slutorden

[Pamela Merritt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This delightful book illustrates the way the Tao works, using a major Taoist text, the Zhuangzi, to discuss some of the most elemental principles of this philosophy.

The appealing cartoons make the Tao come to life in a way that is very accessible and enjoyable to consult again and again.