First of all, from

Zhuangzi's Autumn Waters in Zhuangzi.

Second, the original text

Zhuangzi said: "It is a pleasure for small fish to wander around." Keiko said, "You are not a fish. How can you know that fish are happy?" ? Zhuangzi said, "You are not me. How do you know that I don't know that fish are happy?" " ? "

(Zhuangzi said: "How leisurely the silver carp swims in the river is the happiness of the fish." Keiko said, "You are not a fish. How do you know that fish is happy? " Zhuangzi said, "If you are not me, how do you know that I don't know that fish are happy?" )

Third, interpretation

Zhuangzi saw the fish swimming under Haoshui Bridge and thought they were very happy. So Hui Shi questioned that Zhuangzi was not a fish, so he didn't know if the fish were happy or not.

From the cognitive law, people and fish are two different creatures, and it is impossible for people to feel the joys and sorrows of fish. So this sentence tells people that no matter how you treat people or things, don't speculate with your own subjective ideology. What you think is not necessarily the truth of the matter. In other words, don't do to others what you don't want them to do to you.

Extended data

The meaning of "don't do to others what you don't want others to do to you"

"Don't do to others what you don't want others to do to you" and "If you were not a fish, would you know the happiness of a fish?" The Analects of Confucius-Chapter II of Yan Yuan has a similar meaning. The famous words of Confucius, an ancient thinker and educator in China. The original text is as follows:

Zi Gong asked, "Who can walk for life without saying a word?" Confucius said, "I forgive you! Don't do to others what you don't want. "

(Zi Gong asked: "Is there a word that can be pursued for a lifetime?" Confucius said, "It's probably the word" forgiveness "! Don't impose things you don't like on others. " ? )

This sentence reveals the important principles of dealing with interpersonal relationships. Confucius said that people should treat others with their own behavior as a reference. The communication between people should really adhere to this principle, which is the embodiment of respecting others and treating others equally.