Chapter 41 Master of Fables Chuang Tzu

Where is Hui Shi? Hui Shi was in Song State. In 322 BC, Hui Shi fled from Daliang in a panic, first to the state of Chu.King Huai of Chu had heard of Hui Shi's name a long time ago, treated him warmly, and planned to give him an official post.But someone said to King Huai of Chu, "Hui Shi came to Chu because of Zhang Yi's ostracism. We don't need to get involved in the conflicts of these lobbyists. It is better to send him back to his hometown in Song with generous gifts. In this case, Zhang Yi is bound to be grateful to you, and Hui Shi is also grateful to you for your help, so why not do it?" King Huai of Chu thought it made sense, so he sent Hui Shi to Song.

When a person wanders outside for a long time, it is inevitable to have the idea of ​​falling leaves and returning to their roots.Hui Shi returned to Song State, but he was full of complaints and unwillingness.He often sits under a big tree and talks loudly, even though the audience is only a few villagers from the mountains, he can still talk for two hours.Tired of speaking, he drank a couple of sips of wine, played the piano and sang, singing words that others could not understand, such as "today is the past and the past" (today's yesterday is yesterday's today; today's today, It is tomorrow's yesterday), what is "heaven and earth are humble, mountains and mountains are flat", what is "love all things, and heaven and earth are one".Drunk and tired of singing, he fell asleep on the piano.Several farmers dressed him up and carried him home together, and the days of one who didn't know whether it was yesterday, today or tomorrow were over like this.

Hui Shi probably met the most important friend in his life during this period, and he was also the most interesting person in the Warring States Period, and perhaps the most interesting person in Chinese history.This man's surname was Zhuang and his name was Zhou, and later generations generally called him Zhuangzi. Before talking about Zhuangzi, it is necessary to introduce Taoism in the Warring States Period. The so-called Taoism is the most difficult to define among the hundreds of schools of thought, because even Taoism itself uses the word "Tao" vaguely. For example: "Tao can be said, very Tao." These six words alone have caused posterity to ponder for more than two thousand years, with different opinions and no consensus.In the end, the relatively unified understanding is that the "Tao" can only be understood, but cannot be conveyed in words, and once it is passed on, the true meaning will be lost.

The person who said these six characters is said to be Lao Tzu, the ancestor of Taoism.But even Lao Tzu was a very controversial figure.Some people say that he is a figure of the Spring and Autumn Period, who was contemporary with Confucius; others say that he is a figure of the Warring States Period, more than a century after Confucius.Sima Qian's "Historical Records" only recorded all the different opinions at that time, and dared not make a very definite judgment.Later generations of Taoism also respected Lao Tzu as the founder, also known as the Taishang Laojun, that is, the great god who locked Monkey King in the alchemy furnace for ninety-nine and eighty-one days.But this is another big misunderstanding.Because although Taoism and Taoism both have the word "Tao", their teachings are completely different, or even opposite.

Simply put, Taoism claims that Tao follows nature and that life and death are natural processes, thus teaching people to take life and death lightly.However, Taoism mainly teaches people how to obtain immortality by taking elixir and retreating, which is obviously against nature. No matter who Lao Tzu is, after entering the Warring States Period, Taoism has gradually become popular.As mentioned earlier, Wu Qi was an official in the state of Chu, and he was questioned by Qu Yijiu, a Taoist disciple.From the point of view of Taoism, most of the pain and misfortune during the Warring States period were caused by Confucianists, Legalists, and military strategists. Round of bloody.Therefore, Lao Tzu declared: "When a sage comes out, there is a great hypocrisy!"

This sentence is deafening, and it is still thought-provoking today. What is a saint?A saint is the greatest deceiver.What is a great man?A great man is a punishment for a nation's inner freedom! It is conceivable that the Taoist figures of that era were all negative and avoided the world, trying their best to stay away from the hustle and bustle of the world. Around the time of King Wei Hui, there was a Taoist representative named Yang Zhu in Daliang City.A story about him may illustrate the Taoist idea of ​​avoiding the world. A bird once asked Yang Zhu a stupid question: "If you can benefit the world by plucking one of your hairs, will you agree?"

Yang Zhu said bluntly, "That's impossible. What use is a single hair of mine to the world?" "I mean if, if." Yang Zhu closed his eyes and stopped answering. After Qin Zi came out, he said to Meng Sunyang, Yang Zhu's student, "The old man is too selfish. He won't do anything that benefits the world even if he pulls out a hair." Meng Sunyang said: "You haven't understood the teacher's thinking. Let me explain it to you. Please answer me a question first--if you hurt your skin and benefit the world, what would you do?" "Will do."

"What if a hand or a leg were to be broken?" Qinzi was silent for a long time, not daring to answer. "That's it." Meng Sunyang said, "Hair is not as important as skin, and skin is not as important as hands and feet. However, skin is made of hair accumulation, hands and feet are skin accumulation, and hair is also a part of the body. Why do you despise hair?" This story, at first glance, seems to be a sophistry, but in fact, the end point is: "Everyone does not lose an inch, everyone is harmful to the world, and the world is in order." In Yang Zhu's view, selflessness and dedication are all rhetoric used by politicians to deceive the people. In fact, they want the people to serve the ruler willingly, and even die.If everyone can avoid being fooled by politicians and avoid doing things that "benefit the world", then the world will be peaceful.

According to Mr. Guo Moruo's speculation, Hui Shi was Yang Zhu's "direct sect", probably a closed disciple.There is no basis for this speculation, but it is undeniable that Huishi's theory has a deep connection with Taoism. In fact, Huishi himself has no writings handed down to the world, and his academic thoughts are mainly preserved in the book, and are relayed through the mouth of Zhuang Zhou. Zhuang Zhou once told such a story. When there is a flood in autumn, all the rivers flow into the Yellow River, and the river is surging. He Bo is very happy and travels eastward along the current, enjoying the scenery along the way.After arriving at the North Sea, he suddenly realized that although the river was mighty, it was nothing compared to the sea.He chatted with the God of the North Sea with envy, jealousy and hatred, but the God of the North Sea told him that the North Sea is actually nothing, compared with the heaven and the earth, it is just a grain of rice in the barn.

He Bo then said: "I see, the world is the largest and the hair is the smallest, right?" The God of the North Sea said: "No. The knowledge that a person can understand is far less than what he doesn't understand. The time when a person is alive is far less than the time when he is not alive. Use extremely limited knowledge to explore infinite unknown areas, How can you not be confused and get nothing! Therefore, a hair is not necessarily the smallest, and the world is not necessarily the largest. The smallest thing can be so small that it is invisible; the biggest thing can be so big that it cannot be measured.”

This story obviously tells the same truth as Huishi's "the greatest without exterior is called the Great One; the smallest without interior is called the Small One". So, what kind of person is Zhuang Zhou? Zhuang Zhou's ancestors are said to be the royal family of the Chu State. They were expelled because of the Wu Qi Rebellion and exiled to Mengcheng (now Shangqiu, Henan Province) in the Song State, where they settled down. By Zhuang Zhou's generation, the family fortune had long since declined.Zhuang Zhou himself only worked as a small official in charge of the lacquer garden. In addition, his family planted a few acres of Susukida. When the world was good, he could barely support his family. According to Zhuang Zhou's self-report, there was a severe drought one year, and there was no rice for cooking at home, so he went to the house of Hejianhou to borrow food.Marquis Hejian said readily, "Okay, I will lend you three hundred gold as soon as I have collected all the rent and taxes on the land." After hearing this, Zhuang Zhou said: "On the way I came here, I heard a cry for help. I looked carefully and found that there was a carp struggling in a rut. I asked how I could help it. It's ok. I said that's no problem, and I'll go to the south to lobby the King of Yue, asking him to divert the water from the Xijiang River to Henan to save you, okay? Hearing this, Anyu's expression changed drastically, and he said that I only need one liter of water. But if you say this, you might as well go to the fish market to find me early!" This is a typical Zhuangzi fable. Although Zhuang Zhou was poor, he disdained to associate with the rich and powerful.Once, King Wei of Chu heard of his name, and sent two ministers to Song State to look for him, intending to invite him to be an official in Chu State.At that time, Zhuang Zhou was fishing by the river, and without looking back, he said, "I heard that there is a tortoise in Chu State, which was three thousand years old when it was caught. The people of Chu State killed it and kept it in a bamboo box. , covered with silk, and enshrined in the temple. May I ask you two, do you think this tortoise is willing to be enshrined, or is it willing to wag its tail and crawl around in the mud?" Both ministers said: "Of course they are willing to crawl in the mud." "That's it." Zhuang Zhou said, "You two, please go back, I want to wag my tail and crawl happily in the mud!" Perhaps this story can illustrate Zhuang Zhou's attitude towards life.This attitude is completely different from Hui Shi's eagerness for quick success, but it does not prevent them from becoming friends.Zhuang Zhou has quick thinking and humorous language; Hui Shi is knowledgeable and persuasive. They often play together, discuss various profound philosophical issues, and collide with many sparks of thought.A famous debate in Chinese history occurred during their play. Things happened on Haoliang. Hao is the name of a river. Now it is difficult to find out exactly where the river is, but this is not important.A beam is a bridge.At that time, Zhuang and Hui were standing on the bridge watching the schools of fish coming and going. Zhuang Zhou sighed, "It's such a joy for the fish to swim back and forth leisurely!" Hui Shi immediately said, "You are not a fish, how do you know that fish are happy?" He thought that he could catch Zhuang Zhou by surprise. Unexpectedly, Zhuang Zhou's reaction was quicker, and he asked back: "You are not me, how do you know that I don't know that fish are happy?" Huishi laughed and said, "I'm not you, so I don't know if you know the fish is happy. In the same way, you are not a fish, and you don't know whether the fish is happy or not." Zhuang Zhou said: "Let's go back to the beginning of the question! When you asked me 'You are not a fish, how do you know that fish are happy', you already knew that I knew that fish were happy, so you asked me that on purpose, yes No? Let me tell you, I just stood on this Haoliang to know." There were only a few sentences in this debate, but it was so exciting that people couldn't help laughing, and deeply felt the happiness that wisdom brings to people.As far as this debate is concerned, it's hard to say who wins and who loses.Zhuang Zhou seemed to have a better skill, but he feinted at the end, which seemed to be a mess. In fact, this is also Zhuang Zhou's attitude towards debate.He enjoys debating, but never pesters.Why must there be a winner or loser?Debate itself does not produce truth, more often it produces fallacy. "Arguing is invincible." He said lightly. The two sides in the debate insisted on their own words and refused to give in to each other. At the end of the debate, there was no other way out except to draw their swords and confront each other. Once he asked Huishi: "If an archer shoots anything without first identifying the target, it will be regarded as a shot. If he is known as a good archer, then everyone in the world can be Houyi, right?" Hui Shi said, "Yes." Zhuang Zhou asked again: "If there is no universally accepted standard, and everyone regards his own opinion as correct, then everyone in the world can think of himself as Yao, Shun, Yu, and Tang, right?" Hui Shi said, "Yes." "So, among the popular schools of thought, including you, who is right? You each have your own theories, and if you don't agree with me and I don't agree with you, you will argue endlessly. When will it end?" Hui Shi was speechless. Zhuang Zhou's meaning is very simple. If there is no common basis for understanding, the debate will have no meaning. Perhaps, in Zhuang Zhou's world, black and white, right and wrong, each other, and even reality and illusion are not so distinct. One day he slept in the shade of a tree and had a dream. He dreamed that he had turned into a butterfly, flapping his wings briskly, flying around among the flowers, which was very pleasant.After waking up, he was in a trance for a moment, forgetting whether he was Zhuang Zhou or a butterfly.Or did Zhuang Zhou dream that he became a butterfly, or did the butterfly dream that he became Zhuang Zhou? Based on this inference, is it possible that a hundred years of life is just a dream?Between reality and illusion, which one is more real, and which one is the so-called objective existence? Zhuang Zhou's dream is both romantic and rich in philosophy, and has become the subject of chanting by literati and poets in the past dynasties.The most famous of them is a sentence written by Li Shangyin, a poet of the Tang Dynasty: "Zhuang Shengxiao dreamed of butterflies, and Wangdi Chunxin entrusted cuckoos." In his works, modern writer Jia Pingwa also named the hero "Zhuang Zhidie" - thus It is inevitable that the critics will have many associations. Zhuang Zhou's romance is like the wings of a butterfly, light and freehand, without the slightest sense of heaviness.He once wrote: "The spring is dry, and the fish are on the land, and they are wet together, and they are wet with each other. It is better to forget each other in the rivers and lakes." The pond was dry, and the two fish lay there waiting to die, spitting foam on each other's cheeks to keep the other alive.However, instead of doing this, it would be better to be at ease in the rivers and lakes, no one remembering anyone. People may think that being in love with each other is a kind of romance.But for Zhuang Zhou, romance is definitely not based on pain, and there is no market for him in the drama of suffering.On this point, he has something in common with the German philosopher Nietzsche. "Goodness is light, and all gods walk with slender feet." Nietzsche wrote this in Zhuang Zhou's tone. Let those heavy things go, life is a feast without worries. Zhuang Zhou's wife died.Huishi came to express his condolences, and saw Zhuang Zhou sitting on the ground, beating on a basin and singing.Hui Shi was startled and annoyed, and reprimanded: "You are a husband and wife. She has worked hard all her life to give birth to your child and take care of the house. Now that she has passed away, you don't need to cry. Isn't it too much to still be here knocking on the basin and singing?" Yet?" "Where?" Zhuang Zhou replied, "When she just passed away, I was so sad that I couldn't eat. But after thinking about it, I found that I was just an ordinary person who didn't understand the principles of death and life, and didn't understand the way of heaven and earth, so I figured it out all at once. , naturally I don’t feel sad anymore.” Hui Shi held back his anger and said, "What is the principle of life and death?" Zhuang Zhou said: "The change of human life and death is like the change of seasons. Although a person is dead, he still sleeps peacefully between heaven and earth. This is the way of life and death." In modern terms, life and death are nothing but the aggregation and separation of matter. Matter itself does not perish. Hui Shi obviously understood, but he was still puzzled: "That's the reason, but why is it so embarrassing?" Zhuang Zhou said: "Life and death are destined, just like day and night, and no one can get rid of it. Therefore, life is not enough to be happy, and death is not enough to be sad. Knowing this truth, I will not be sad." Since human beings cannot get rid of death, they might as well take death lightly, which is what Zhuang Zhou meant.As for feelings, he does not deny them. What he denies are feelings that "injure one's body with likes and dislikes", that is, he denies hurting people's body and mind because of liking or disliking. There is also such a story. Once, Zhuang Zhou rode a skinny horse to the state of Chu. On the way, he saw mourners everywhere, a scene of desolation after the war.When it was dark, Zhuang Zhou found a big tree to rest, and suddenly a skeleton appeared from the grass.Zhuang Zhou was not afraid either. He stepped forward and tapped the skull with his horsewhip, and asked, "Are you sick to such an extent, or were you hacked to death when your country was ruined? Is it because of the cold and hunger? Or is it the end of life?" After speaking, he put the skeleton under his head and fell asleep not long after. In the middle of the night, the skeleton appeared in Zhuang Zhou's dream and said, "Old man, from the tone of your voice, you seem to be a learned man. The things you said are all about the pain of a person when he is alive. There are no such troubles. Do you want to hear the joy of death?" Zhuang Zhou said, "Of course I do." The skeleton said: "After death, there is no king or minister, no four seasons of labor, leisurely play, and the spring and autumn of heaven and earth. Even the joy of being king in the south cannot compare with it." Zhuang Zhou didn't believe it, and asked, "If I ask the Creator God to regenerate you, return your flesh and blood, return your parents, wife, brothers and friends, would you be willing?" After hearing this, the skeleton said quickly: "Don't be joking, how can I give up the joy of being king in the south and bear the tiredness of the world!" Hui Shi couldn't understand the skeleton, or Zhuang Zhou's state of mind. In 319 BC, when the envoy of King Hui of Wei came to Song State, Hui Shi immediately put on his court clothes and crown, and followed the envoy back to Daliang, where his dreams haunted him.