What is the connection between Zhuangzi and Taoism?
Taoist Thought
When people talk about Taoism, they will naturally associate it with Taoism, the only religion native to China, which reminds people of the Chinese legend of the white beard and white hair, Taishang Laojun, who has an immortal demeanor, reminds me of the Laoshan Taoist priests with whisks in their hands and great magical powers described by the Qing Dynasty writer Pu Songling. I also think of those real people who pray for people, predict good and bad luck, ask gods to cure diseases, and refine elixirs. Master Yuyi...
In fact, Taoism refers to a school of thought among hundreds of pre-Qin scholars, while Taoism only emerged in the late Han Dynasty. The Taoist school was founded by the pre-Qin thinker Laozi (surnamed Li Ming'er, styled Boyang, nicknamed Laodan, who lived in the late Spring and Autumn Period, his birth and death dates are unknown), and was developed by Zhuangzi (named Zhou, styled Zixiu, about 369 BC - 286 BC) where it was inherited and developed. Later, people referred to the academic sect based on the teachings of Laozi and Zhuangzi on "Tao" as Taoism.
During the Qin and Han Dynasties, there was the "Huang-Lao School". The Yellow Emperor and Laozi were both called together to explain that Taoism originated from the Yellow Emperor, but this was just a pretense. From the perspective of the foundation of Taoist thought, the founding work of Taoism can only be "Laozi", which is an earlier philosophical classic with profound thoughts and unique characteristics in my country. The book "Laozi" has only about 5,000 words. It systematically expounds Laozi's thoughts around "Tao" and "Virtue". Later, people also used to call it "Tao Te Ching" or "Laozi's Five Thousand Essays". Because Taoism admired the book "Laozi", Sima Tan of the Western Han Dynasty began to call him a "moralist" in "On the Essential Points of the Six Schools", and he was officially called a "moralist" in "Historical Records: Tai Shigong's Preface" and "Hanshu Yiwenzhi" It is a Taoist school and is listed as one of the "Nine Streams". Since the core of Taoist thought is inseparable from Taoist philosophy represented by Laozi and Zhuangzi, the main spirit of Taoist philosophy runs through Taoism; as we can see, Taoism regards Laozi as its ancestor and respects Laozi as Taishang Lao Jun, and regarded his Tao Te Ching as one of the major classics. Therefore, Taoism is generally classified as Taoism.
After Laozi, many scholars inherited and developed Laozi’s thoughts, such as Yang Zhu, Song Le, Yin Wen, Peng Meng, Shen Dao, Tian Pian, etc. Most of them studied in various places during the Warring States Period. Jixia Academy in Qi State, the academic center where schools gather together, is usually called "Jixia Taoism" or "Huang-Lao School". Zhuangzi is the most important figure in Taoism after Laozi. He is the culmination of Taoist thoughts, and his thoughts are reflected in the rare book "Zhuangzi". He explored and elaborated on many profound truths in very vivid and vivid language, further developed Laozi's philosophy of life and made Taoism more complete. His academic thoughts have had a great influence on Chinese culture for more than two thousand years. , Therefore, people also call Taoist thought "the learning of Lao and Zhuang."
In the 1930s, Hu Shi gave a high-level summary of the central thought of Taoism in his lecture notes on "The History of Medieval Chinese Thought" at Peking University, and believed that it had the following three aspects:
(1) The view of the universe of natural changes,
(2) The view of life based on the pursuit of good things,
(3) The political view of laissez-faire.
If the Taoists represented by Lao and Zhuang in the pre-Qin period were cynical and distanced themselves from politics, focusing on the pursuit of inner freedom, tranquility and returning to simplicity, then the Huang-Lao Taoists of the early Han Dynasty began to intervene in politics , continue to be inclusive, learn from others' strengths, follow nature, and seek action from inaction, thus gaining the respect of the rulers.
After the fall of Qin and the rise of Han, society was in decline. Legalism had become notorious with the demise of Qin II; Confucianism was not appreciated by the rulers for a while because of its complexity and cumbersomeness; in comparison, Next, Taoist thought is precisely because it is quiet and inactive, simple and easy to implement, gets twice the result with half the effort, and is conducive to the recuperation and recuperation of the people; in addition, most of the founders of the Han Empire, represented by Liu Bang, came from the lower classes of society, so simple and easy Taoist thought is easier to implement Gaining their favor may be the direct reason why Huang-Lao's studies flourished in the early Han Dynasty. In the early Western Han Dynasty, Prime Minister Cao Shen adopted Gai Gong's Huang-Lao techniques to govern the country, which was praised by the emperor, his ministers and the people.
When Emperor Wen arrived, he also highly advocated Huang Lao's theory and advocated "quiet and inactive" governance; because Empress Dowager Dou also "liked Huang Lao's words and did not speak (pleased) Confucianism", neither Emperor Jing nor the Crown Prince (the later Emperor Wu) could Do not "read Huangdi and Laozi and respect their skills" ("Historical Records: Family of Wife and Family"). The prosperity of what later generations call the "Government of Wen and Jing" is not unrelated to the quiet and inactive governance adopted during the periods of Emperor Wen and Emperor Jing.
After Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty "deposed hundreds of schools of thought and respected Confucianism alone," Taoist thought began to decline. Around the time of the Eastern Han Dynasty, Taoism began to differentiate. On the one hand, it developed in the direction of magical magic and mystification, forming a Chinese native religion, Taoism, that competed with Buddhism. On the other hand, it combined with the Confucian Gangchang Mingjiao to form a new form of Taoist thought. --Metaphysics of Wei and Jin Dynasties.
During the Han and Wei dynasties, society was in turmoil, and various ideas began to become active. Taoism also reappeared on the stage of history in the form of Wei and Jin metaphysics. As another branch of Taoism, Taoism has also developed rapidly. However, in terms of theoretical contribution, it is far less than metaphysics. The metaphysics of the Wei and Jin Dynasties replaced the prophecy theology of the Han Dynasty by resurrecting the thoughts of Lao and Zhuang. Its main representatives include: He Yan, Wang Bi, Ji Kang, Ruan Ji, Xiang Xiu, Guo Xiang, etc. Metaphysicians refer to "Laozi", "Zhuangzi" and "Zhouyi" as the "Three Mysteries". They annotate Confucian classics with their understanding of Laozi and Zhuangzi's thoughts, forming a comprehensive ideological pattern of Confucianism and Taoism; at the same time, they use A calm and natural attitude towards life is to save the human nature suppressed by Confucianism, and strive to get rid of the shackles of red tape advocated by Confucianism and pursue a transcendent and unrestrained life. It can be said that from its inception to the Wei and Jin Dynasties, Taoist thought has experienced countless political changes and many tests, showing a life attitude of being calm, calm and calm in the face of danger.
In the Tang and Song Dynasties, rulers gave Taoism a higher status and honor. Because Lao Tzu's surname was Li, which was the same surname as the royal family of the Tang Dynasty, the rulers claimed to be descendants of Lao Tzu in order to promote their origins. First, Emperor Gaozu of the Tang Dynasty stipulated the order of the three religions, ranking Taoism before Confucianism and Buddhism. Immediately afterwards, Emperor Gaozong of the Tang Dynasty honored Laozi as the "Emperor Xuanyuan" and ordered that those who hold tribute must be familiar with the Tao Te Ching. Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty spared no effort. He directly regarded Taoist priests as the main family members of the royal family. He also built Emperor Xuanyuan Temples across the country. He also successively honored Taoist celebrities, built Taoist temples, set up Xuan Pavilions, established disciples, and practiced Laozhuang. , and personally annotated the "Tao Te Ching" and ordered the people to keep a copy at home to promote Taoist thought and continuously improve the status of Taoist theory. As soon as Emperor Wuzong of the Tang Dynasty came to the throne, he designated Lao Tzu's birthday on February 15th as the "Adventure Day". What's more, many emperors in the Tang Dynasty were keen on taking the golden elixir refined by Taoist priests in order to live forever. In the end, they ended their lives prematurely due to poisoning by taking the golden elixir. Tang Taizong, Tang Wuzong and Tang Dynasty Emperors such as Xuanzong were like this. The rulers of the Song Dynasty also followed the practices of the previous dynasty and tried every means to unite the sect with Taoism. Song Huizong even ordered monks and nuns to wear Taoist uniforms.
Because of this, the Tang and Song Dynasties became the heyday of Taoism, especially Taoism. However, traditional Chinese culture is dominated by Confucianism. Even in the Li and Tang dynasties, which tried their best to identify their ancestors with Taoism, the rulers still implemented the policy of using Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism together. After the Song Dynasty, the rise and continuous development of Neo-Confucianism, a new form of Confucianism in the Song and Ming Dynasties, formed an ideological pattern in which Confucianism unified the world. Later, the rulers of the Qing Dynasty adopted the policy of emphasizing Buddhism and suppressing Taoism, which caused the status of Taoism in the royal family to gradually decline.
However, in the large system of traditional Chinese culture, the status and role of Taoist thought cannot be ignored. If, as some scholars believe, cultural thoughts are divided into hard and soft, explicit and implicit, then, in comparison, Confucianism’s strong, enterprising, enterprising, and worldly spirit is more prominent, while Taoism focuses on The spirit of submissiveness, inaction, retreat, and hiding. People often say that there was no "pure Confucianism" after the Qin and Han Dynasties. It can also be said that there was no "pure Taoism" after the Qin and Han Dynasties. Confucianism and Taoism both exclude and absorb each other; they both oppose each other and blend with each other. They are precisely the two indispensable and complementary aspects of Chinese traditional culture in the development process of more than two thousand years. In this sense, Confucianism and Taoism are one family.
For traditional Chinese culture, they are like the two wheels of a car and the two wings of a bird, both of which are indispensable. Even when Confucianism dominated the world, Taoist thought was not lost. It penetrated into Confucianism and Buddhism in various forms, penetrated into all aspects of real life, and invisibly affected the Chinese people's attitude towards life. This is precisely It reflects the hidden characteristics of Taoist thought.
Confucianism and Taoism are two schools of thought, one is vigorous and promising, the other is pliable and conformist; one is enterprising and enterprising, while the other is hidden and retreating. This is the real prerequisite for them to achieve interoperability and complementarity. Therefore, many ancient Chinese literati were able to enter the world as Confucianism and emerge as Taoists, or they could blend Confucianism and Taoism into one furnace, allowing them to relax and advance freely.
From a historical perspective, during the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, with the gradual disintegration of the slavery system, our country entered an era of great turmoil and change. Some slave-owning nobles gradually lost their original economic and political privileges and became paupers or slaves. Some of them made huts out of grass, worked together with each other, and lived in seclusion. In the Analects of Confucius, they are called "Yimin" or "hermits". These people express strong dissatisfaction with the real society where the weak are preyed on by the strong and are chaotic and painful. Like Confucius, Mencius, Laozi, and Zhuangzi, they denounced "the world is unjust"! In this same era, Confucianism and Taoism followed two different paths.
Confucianism faces the real society and strives to explore a way to transform the objective world. Even if it is personal self-cultivation, it is ultimately to govern the country and bring peace to the world. Confucius believed that the difference between him and those who lived in peace and quiet was that he had "everything to do" ("The Analects of Confucius: Wei Zi"). To explain it in the words of Mencius, it is: "Confucius can be an official when he can be an official, stop when he can stop, be long when he can be long, and be fast when he can be fast." Confucius has always advocated: "If there is a way in the world, you will see it; if there is no way, you will hide it." (" "The Analects of Confucius·Tai Bo") But in fact, regardless of whether the world is "righteous" or "unrighteous", he does not seem to have any intention of retreating. In order to change this "ungodly" world, although he ran into obstacles everywhere, he remained indomitable and still had the energy in his bones: "Knowing that something is impossible and doing it". In this respect, Mencius is no less important than Confucius. In his opinion, no matter whether he succeeds or fails, no matter when he is in trouble or when he is prosperous, no one should escape from the world; he advocates using his own method to "ruly the world" and realize his "kingly" ideal; and he declares that "if you want to rule the world peacefully, In this world, who else can live without me?" ("Mencius Gongsun Chou") He has no intention of retiring.
Taoism faces the cruel reality, goes deep into the human soul, and looks for a self-salvation path in life from nature. According to "Historical Records: Biography of Lao Zhuang, Shen and Han", Laozi himself was a "hidden gentleman". It is said that he worked as a librarian in the Zhou Dynasty. Confucius once asked him about "rituals". Later he retired and wrote "Laozi" 》 book. Zhuangzi once served as the administrator of the lacquer garden of the Song Dynasty. After resigning, he said, "I will not be an official for the rest of my life to make my ambitions faster." He would rather live in seclusion in the back alleys, borrow rice to satisfy his hunger, make his own straw sandals, and live a poor life than to live in Chu. King Wei hired him with a high salary and went to the position of Prime Minister of Chu. From Laozi's thoughts of natural inaction, few selfish desires, and valuing softness and guarding females, to Zhuangzi's spiritual realm of being selfless, meritless, and carefree, all illustrate the differences between Taoism and Confucianism. In an unprecedented way, Taoism stubbornly protects the dignity of the human spirit, works hard to cultivate the desert of the human spirit, saves life from all ineradicable pain and disaster, transcends the difficulties of life and worldly desires, and enables People gain a peaceful freedom and a holy state of mind. Both Laozi and Zhuangzi are hermits, but they are different from ordinary hermits. Their retreat is not only to avoid the reality of evil that cannot be changed, nor to avoid being a villain or a helper of evil, but more importantly, to seek a spiritual freedom that transcends reality. Perhaps it is precisely because of this that Taoism fell behind Han Feizi's ranking of outstanding schools. It can be said that the real life of a large number of hermits who emerged during the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, as well as the personal experience of the hermit life by intellectuals represented by Laozi and Zhuangzi, are the social foundation for the emergence of Taoist thought. Confucius and Mencius are far away from the life experience of hermits, so their ideological processes must be different from Laozi and Zhuangzi.
Xunzi, a thinker at the end of the Warring States Period, summarized the thoughts of various schools of thought in the pre-Qin period. When he talked about Zhuangzi in "Uncovering", he pointed out: "Zhuangzi is covered by heaven and does not know people." This means that Zhuangzi only pays attention to representatives. The natural "heaven" therefore ignores "people", that is, it uses nature to cover up people. Xunzi further pointed out that understanding "Tao" like Zhuangzi can only be a kind of obedience to nature. In fact, Xunzi only saw one side of the problem. The other side of the problem is that Zhuangzi followed Laozi's idea of "Tao follows nature" and made a useful exploration of human spiritual freedom, greatly advancing people's understanding of themselves. One step forward. How can this be said to be "hidden from the sky and unaware of people"?
In real society, people often use words such as "negative" and "world-weary" to describe Taoist philosophy of life. In fact, there are some misunderstandings here. As long as we take a deeper look at Taoism's profound philosophy of life, we will not use words such as "negative" and "world-weary" carelessly.