Zhuangzi · Laozi · Han Feizi

Author: Pang Daoyue
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-08-01
Features: Engaging and interesting background stories, guiding the classic original text, easy-to-understand authoritative translation, traveling through historical times, profound philosophical thoughts of sages, opening the door to wisdom, walking alongside the classics, being friends with the sages, and companionship with wisdom. This is a classic and enjoyable series of books. A famous saying, a story, or a principle in the book is extracted from ancient Chinese classics. They are like nutritious delicacies that have nourished our ancestors, helping them grow healthily and become the backbone of the Chinese nation. This book first tells a story or introduces relevant background information to pique readers' interest, then presents the original text with necessary annotations, followed by a colloquial translation that preserves the original flavor while removing reading barriers. Finally, it provides comments and appreciations of the original text to cultivate appreciation for classical Chinese. This book includes Zhuangzi, Laozi, and Han Feizi.
Zhuangzi (c. 350–286 BC) was named Zhou and styled Ziyou. He was from Mengcheng, Song State (now northeastern Qiu City, Henan Province) during the Warring States period and was one of the key figures of the Taoist school. The Zhuangzi consists of 33 chapters, with the inner chapters (7) believed to be written by Zhuangzi himself, while the outer and miscellaneous chapters were composed by his disciples and later scholars. The fundamental principle of Zhuangzi is advocating nature and opposing artificiality, with his ideal being a return to the primitive society of ancient times. The literary value of Zhuangzi is the highest among the works of the Hundred Schools of Thought. This is because Zhuangzi excels in allegories, creating fictional characters and plots to express its ideas through "fantastic tales and unbounded words." This gives Zhuangzi rich imagination, unique creativity, and a free and unrestrained style.
Laozi (also known as Lao Dan) was named Er and styled Boyang, believed to be from Ku County, Chu State (now eastern Luyi County, Henan Province) during the late Spring and Autumn period. The Laozi, also called the Dao De Jing or , is one of the main classics of Taoism and is traditionally attributed to Laozi. The Laozi explains the evolution of the universe and all things using the concept of "the Dao," proposing that all things have dual opposites. His teachings had a profound influence on later generations, and his philosophy was later combined with Zhuangzi's to form the "Lao-Zhuang school."
Han Feizi This is a true historical story. Han Feizi, born into a noble family of the State of Han, and Li Si, who later became the Prime Minister of the State of Qin, were both students of the famous Confucian master Xun Kuang. Han Feizi had a congenital disability—stammering—which led him to dedicate himself to writing, expressing his ideas vividly and inspiringly. Han Feizi is his masterpiece. When copies of his work reached Qin, King Ying Zheng read them and exclaimed, "If I could meet him and engage in conversation, I would die without regret!" Han Feizi is a comprehensive work of the Legalist school of thought during the pre-Qin period and also a representative of pre-Qin prose. It consists of over 10,000 characters and 55 chapters. In his writings, Han Feizi proposed a feudal autocratic ruling system centered around "law," advocating for a centralized autocracy. The principle "The affairs are in the four corners, but the key is in the center; the sage holds the key, and all come to offer their allegiance" had a profound impact on the feudal social system of China for thousands of years. Han Feizi's writings are profound in reasoning, meticulous in thought, rich in content, and powerful in language, often hitting the mark with just a few words. His stories, legends, and allegories are deeply meaningful and entertaining, and are still frequently quoted today.