1. "Fable": Argumentation by analogy, which is characterized by "discussing it from outside". "On the basis of foreign words" means that "one's father is not his son's media" and "one's father is praised, but he is not his father" comes from Zhuang Zhou's Zhuangzi in the Warring States Period.

According to human nature, it is more convincing for someone to be praised by others than by his father, because it is easy for a father to praise his son.

it is characterized by using familiar examples to demonstrate its own ideas. As far as its rules are concerned, that is, "if you are with yourself, you should be, and if you are not with yourself, you should be against it;" It is the same as doing it for yourself, and it is different from doing it for yourself. " Zhuangzi written by Zhuang Zhou in the Warring States Period.

vernacular translation: when using fables, of course, you agree with your own views, oppose and deny your own different views, and you must advocate and evaluate your own rights and wrongs.

2. "Reduplication": Argumentation by citing, which is characterized by "talking by the opinions of the elders or ancestors with insight and virtue". Zhuangzi written by Zhuang Zhou in the Warring States Period.

Vernacular translation: As far as its rules are concerned, even those who are old but have no talent, morality and ways to be a man cannot use their remarks as arguments.

as far as its function is concerned, it means "emphasizing words is true" as stated in Tianxia, a Zhuangzi written by Zhuang Zhou in the Warring States Period.

Vernacular translation: The argumentation form of this famous saying is similar to that of Indian logic. However, in formal logic, the mistake of "relying on people" or "appealing to authority" is made, so this "truth" is not the concept of "truth" in formal logic.

It should be noted that there are roughly the following types of "tautology" in Zhuangzi:

(1) making up a person's speech as a reason for argument;

(2) using a real person to make up an event as a reason for argument;

(3) using real people and events as the reasons for argument; Wait a minute. It can be seen that there is a certain degree of difference between it and the quotations of pre-Qin philosophers.

3. "Yi Yan": with the fact argument, characterized by "fact statement". Everything has its inherent nature and function, and "Yi Yan" comes from Zhuang Zhou's Zhuangzi in the Warring States Period.

vernacular translation: that is, without deliberate thinking, without any prejudice, that is, unintentional words.

its rule is: in argumentation, things must be described truly, and what they say must be consistent with the nature of things. In other words, "words" can't be subjective remarks or valuable judgments, as long as they are in line with the things themselves.

From this point of view, Zhuangzi written by Zhuang Zhou in the Warring States Period requires no personal prejudice such as value preference, which is a factual statement.

In Zhuangzi's view, the laws of nature need not be spoken; If you really want to speak, you can only conform to the laws of nature, that is, this kind of speech only describes the laws of nature. As far as its function is concerned, it should be emphasized that facts speak louder than words.

Extended information:

There are three main ways to discuss a text, the proportion of which is: the whole text is "nonsense"; Nine tenths of the text is "fable"; Seven tenths of the text is "tautology".

in terms of the relationship between logical categories, in a text, the extended relationships among "nonsense", "fable" and "tautology" are as follows: if "fable" is really included in "nonsense", "tautology" is really included in "nonsense", "fable" and "tautology".

In that case, the way of discourse in a text must be "nonsense", and the sum of the extensions of "fable" and "tautology" must be less than the way of discourse in a text.

From this, we can deduce that all modes of argument must be "Yi Yan", among which "Fable" and "Repetition" are the main modes, and there should be other modes.

China Social Science Network-A Study of Zhuangzi's Theory of Fable, Reduplication and Parody.