Fu Peirong's Insights on the Zhuangzi

Author: Fu Peirong
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2007-02-01
Features: Opening the book Zhuangzi, the first chapter is Free and Easy Wandering, and the first story that catches the eye is the bizarre tale of the Kun turning into a Peng. However, Zhuangzi seems to be very interested in such plot elements, repeating the story three times in Free and Easy Wandering. To understand Zhuangzi, it seems one cannot miss this allegory. First, Zhuangzi says, "In the Northern Sea, there is a fish named Kun. The Kun is enormous, unknown for how many thousand miles. The Kun transforms into a bird named Peng. The Peng's back is vast, unknown for how many thousand miles. When it takes flight high, its wings spread like clouds in the sky. This giant bird, when the sea wind blows fiercely, migrates to the Southern Sea. The Southern Sea is a natural vast pool." Such a description is unforgettable, and "unknown for how many thousand miles" is utterly exaggerated to the point of absurdity. Zhuangzi's purpose is to bewilder our imagination, forcing us to break free from the sights and sounds of daily life, making us unable to ask with a clear mind: Does such a Kun and Peng really exist? Where are they? Can a fish really transform into a bird? Learning Zhuangzi has at least revealed the mystery of the three characters "wú bì dé" (involuntary necessity). The so-called "wú bì dé" carries no meaning of compulsion, grievance, helplessness, or coercion. Instead, it means that when all conditions are ripe, I follow the flow, which is also "acting where it is appropriate to act, and stopping where it is unavoidable to stop." Therefore, the key is: How to judge whether the conditions are ripe? Achieving this step marks the beginning of "transforming knowledge into wisdom."