Chapter 19 Chapter 4 Why Live

Zhuangzi's wife died. When a friend died, his wife would of course offer condolences, so Keiko went to see him. Keiko is Hui Shi. Hui Shi was a native of the Song Dynasty, and his school of thought belonged to famous scholars.He failed to leave a work, we can only go to other people's books to read.However, as Zhuangzi's friend and opponent, he is always a loser in the book. One day, Zhuangzi and Huizi were relaxing on the bridge. There was no industrial pollution at that time, and the river water must have been very clear, and the fish could clearly be seen swimming in the water.So Zhuangzi said, look at the white stripes in the waves, swimming back and forth leisurely, this is the happiness of fishes!

Huizi said: You are not a fish, how do you know the happiness of fish? Zhuangzi said: You are not me, how do you know that I don't know the joy of fish? Keiko said: That's right!I am not you, of course I don't know you; you are not a fish, and of course I don't know fish. Zhuangzi said: No!You know I know the joy of fish.You asked me at the beginning, how do you know the happiness of fish?Then I'll tell you right now: I know it right here, on this bridge and in the water! Obviously, Zhuangzi is sophistrying.Because Huizi's so-called "Ru'an knows the joy of fish" is asking "how do you know", not "how do you know".Answering "I know from here", isn't the text wrong?

But Zhuangzi's strong words and unreasonable words show his attitude. what attitude? My life has nothing to do with you. Is that right? yes. In fact, Zhuangzi may not know that he is a sophistry, and he may not really know whether fish are happy or not.He said that "minnows (pronounced as strips) swim leisurely, which is the joy of fish", but it was because he was very happy at the time. This is called "empathy" and is an aesthetic attitude.With this attitude, everything has a spirit, is sentimental, and is interesting. Looking at it this way, Keiko is actually a spoiler.

So Zhuangzi has to force his words to argue with reason.In fact, he is also expressing his attitude: people should be happy when they are alive.Just be happy.Why happy, don't ask! To ask, and to yourself. right!I do my own way. Therefore, when Huizi came to mourn, he saw Zhuangzi sitting there in an arrogant posture, beating on earthen jars and singing. This seems too outrageous. So Huizi said: I have been with you all my life, and have given birth to you, and now unfortunately passed away.It's inhumane for you not to cry, yet you still want to sing!Isn't this too much? Zhuangzi said: It is not like this!When she just passed away, I didn't feel sad.Just think of a person's life, from nothing to existence, and from birth to death.Isn't life, old age, sickness and death like spring, summer, autumn and winter?Now, she is lying quietly between the sky and the earth, and fell asleep steadily, but I am here crying and howling. Don't I really understand the true meaning of life?

This is really seeing through death. Death is the limit.If you see through death, you also see through life. Perhaps, this is another inheritance of Yang Zhu. Yang Zhu said that although all things in the world have different ecology, they are all the same in death.Ten years of life is death, and a hundred years is also death; the benevolent saint will die, and the villain and fool will die too.They were Yao and Shun in life, but rotten bones in death; Jie and Zhou in life, but rotten bones in death.What's the difference between rotten bone and rotten bone? Well!Everyone is equal before death.

The following conclusions are also logical: Since death is inevitable, why bother.Do whatever you want.So, when you die, I can cry, laugh, and sing.It's the same when I die.Because my life has nothing to do with you, and your life only belongs to you.Let's all have a good time! But, since you are going to die after all, why live? It's something to think about. Yang Zhu's answer is: Since we have life, we can only live and live well.This is called "Let's have fun in life, let alone after death"-live every day in the present, don't care about what happens after death.

So, what does it mean to live well? In other words, people are alive, why?One life, what do you do? In this regard, the pre-Qin philosophers also had different attitudes.These attitudes have had a profound impact on the Chinese nation.It's just that some of them issued declarations and told us to listen to them; Look at Mencius first.

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