Wai Wai CHIU. The Debate over Xing in the Outer Chapters of the Zhuangzi
2022, Dao: A Journal of Comparative Philosophy 21, 549–567
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, Contributed by: I Xuan ChongAbstract:
Contemporary discussions of xing are often inspired by the Confucian tradition, but recent studies have brought the Zhuangzi 莊子 to the table as a viable alternative. In this essay, I present three different accounts of xing 性 in the Outer Chapters: (1) the primitivists who emphasize body vitality and simple life, (2) the Huang-Lao 黃老 school that emphasizes the balance among different things and the overall cosmological order, and (3) skill stories that look at individual skill masters rather than people in general or the role of the human species in the cosmos, entertain only the descriptive dimension of xing, and cast doubt on the normative status of xing. These three accounts can be read as responding to each other, and each shares certain themes with the Inner Chapters in different ways. Together, they demonstrate the complexity of the Zhuangzi’s view on xing and complicate attempts of cross-textual comparison.Comment : Best read together with Kim-chong Chong's "Zhuangzi and the Issue of Human Nature". Prior knowledge of the Zhuangzi is helpful.Wang, Robin. Dao Becomes Female2017, In Garry, A., Khader, S.J. and Stone, A (eds.) New York: Routledge, pp. 35–38-
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Added by: Chris Blake-Turner
Abstract: Daoism, a Dao based and inspired teaching and practice, has been considered to be the philosophy of yielding in Chinese intellectual history. One important aspect of yielding is being rou 柔—soft, gentle, supple—which the Daodejing couples with the feminine. Not surprisingly, then, the female and femininity have enormous significance for Laozi and Daoism. To highlight this unique philosophical aspect of Daoism, this chapter will place femininity/the feminine/the female center stage to investigate Daoist thought and its possible contribution to feminist thought in a contemporary global setting. In this chapter I promote a somewhat female consciousness of Dao, or a Daoist female consciousness, which may expand, support, or alter feminist assumptions about femininity/the feminine/the female. The overarching focal point of this understanding lies in a depiction of the female and femininity as a cosmic force, a way of knowing, and a strategy for leading a flourishing life. The main points are that Dao does not govern actually existing gender relations—or, at least, that the social and political reality of gender relations is not modeled on Dao, because the patriarchy is not Dao. Highlighting the female or feminine aspect of Dao, or Dao as becoming female, is a feminist intervention, using resources from within classical Daoist thought in order to re-imagine or reconfigure gender for our time.Comment : A useful way of introducing some feminist thought into a course on classical Chinese philosophy. It would fit well either in a unit on Daoism or in a unit on feminism. It would be tough to use this in a feminist course to introduce some Daoist thought; the chapter is tricky without some familiarity with the DaodejingWong, David. Zhuangzi and the Obsession with Being Right2005, History of Philosophy Quarterly 22(2), pp. 91-107.-
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Added by: Lea CantorAbstract:
Since Zhuangzi laments the human obsesssion with being right, he would be highly amused at the scholarly obsession with being right on the meaning of his text, especially on the matter of whether he ultimately believed in a right versus wrong. The fact is that he invites our obsession by raising the question and then refusing to answer it. In chapter two, we are invited to take a stance above the debating Confucians and Mohists. What one shis 是 the other feis 非 (what is 'right' for one is 'not right' for the other); what one feis the other shis. Argument is powerless to declare a victor. Zhuangzi asks, "Are there really shi and fei, or really no shi and fei?".
Comment : This remains one of the best and most accessible articles on the philosophy of the classical Daoist text Zhuangzi. It offers one of the clearest accounts in anglophone literature of the text's sceptical stance, highlighting the ethical and political stakes of disputes (including among Confucian and Mohist philosophers) to which the Zhuangzi refers in different parts of the text. The article does not presuppose any knowledge of classical Chinese, of the Zhuangzi, or of Chinese philosophy. The article makes a strong case for reading the Zhuangzi as displaying a sophisticated sceptical stance, the character of which will be of interest to anyone interested in scepticism quite generally (both ancient and modern). The article might be easily integrated into a general course on scepticism, the history of philosophy, classical Chinese philosophy, and/or Daoist philosophy.Zhuangzi, trans. Brook Ziporyn. Zhuangzi: The Complete Writings, translated and with introduction and notes by Brook Ziporyn2020, Hackett Publishing-
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, Contributed by: I Xuan ChongPublisher’s Note:
Brook Ziporyn's carefully crafted, richly annotated translation of the complete writings of Zhuangzi—including a lucid Introduction, a Glossary of Essential Terms, and a Bibliography—provides readers with an engaging and provocative deep dive into this magical work.Comment : This is a distinctly philosophical translation of the entire Zhuangzi. It is recommendeded, but should be read alongside A.C. Graham's and Watson's translations. This is essential reading on Daoism.Zhuangzi, trans. A.C. Graham. Chuang Tzu: The Inner Chapters, translated, with Commentary, by A. C. Graham2001, Hackett Publishing-
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, Contributed by: I Xuan ChongPublisher’s Note:
A reliable translation and commentary of the core chapters of the Zhuangzi by a leading scholar.Comment : This is an essential partial translation of the Zhuangzi. Its commentary is very helpful. It is essential reading on Daoism.Zhuangzi, trans. Burton Watson. The Complete Works of Chuang Tzu1968, Columbia University Press-
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, Contributed by: I Xuan ChongPublisher’s Note:
This is one of the standard and often-cited translations of the full text of the ZhuangziComment : This is one of the best and most literal complete translations of the Zhuangzi. It is essential reading on Daoism.Zhuangzi, trans. Brook Ziporyn. Zhuangzi: The Essential Writings: With Selections from Traditional Commentaries.2009, Hackett Publishing-
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, Contributed by: I Xuan ChongPublisher’s Note:
Ideal for students and scholars alike, this edition of the Zhuangzi (Chuang Tzu) includes the complete Inner Chapters, extensive selections from the Outer and Miscellaneous Chapters, and judicious selections from two thousand years of traditional Chinese commentaries, which provide the reader access to the text as well as to its reception and interpretation. A glossary, brief biographies of the commentators, a bibliography, and an index are also included.Comment : This is an essential (partial) philosophical translation of the Zhuangzi. It also comprises useful translations of excerpts from key commentaries on the text, as well as an informative glossary of key philosophical terms.Zhuangzi, trans. Richard John Lynn. Zhuangzi: A New Translation of the Sayings of Master Zhuang as Interpreted by Guo Xiang.2022, Columbia University Press-
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, Contributed by: I Xuan ChongPublisher’s Note:
The Zhuangzi (Sayings of Master Zhuang) is one of the foundational texts of the Chinese philosophical tradition and the cornerstone of Daoist thought. The earliest and most influential commentary on the Zhuangzi is that of Guo Xiang (265–312), who also edited the text into the thirty-three-chapter version known ever since. Guo’s commentary enriches readings of the Zhuangzi, offering keen insights into the meaning and significance of its pithy but often ambiguous aphorisms, narratives, and parables.Richard John Lynn’s new translation of the Zhuangzi is the first to follow Guo’s commentary in its interpretive choices. Unlike any previous translation into any language, its guiding principle is how Guo read the text; Lynn renders the Zhuangzi in terms of Guo’s understanding. This approach allows for the full integration of the text of the Zhuangzi with Guo’s commentary. The book also features a translation of Guo’s complete interlinear commentary and is annotated throughout.Comment : This translation of the Zhuangzi based on its earliest commentary by Guo Xiang is essential reading on Daoism.- 1
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