If you want to understand what Taoism is, you must first read Chapter 25 of Laozi. The word "Tao" used by Lao Tzu was reluctantly named. Its original meaning is that Tao existed before heaven and earth and is the source of all things. We cannot imagine the state of the universe before it existed. We can only say with certainty that if everything in the universe is not an ever-changing illusory dream, then it must have an origin and destination, which is "Tao". Laozi went on to point out that the characteristics of Tao are "independent and unchanging, traveling without peril", which affirms the eternity and universality of Tao, that is, Tao's transcendence and memory of all things in the world: it is completely different from Things that change are within them. A Tao like this cannot be described in ordinary terms. So, how does Zhuangzi express Tao? He said in "The Great Master": "Tao is real and verified. It has no deeds and no traces. It can be taught by heart but not by mouth. It can be understood but cannot be seen. It is its own foundation and its own root. Before there was heaven and earth, it has been since ancient times. It has existed since ancient times; it has created ghosts and gods, created God, created heaven, and created earth; it is above Tai Chi but not considered high; it is below Liuhe but not considered deep; it exists innately but not long; it is older than ancient times. Don't think you are old." This passage is very vivid, but it is still difficult to understand. Most people are accustomed to asking in a specific way: Where is the Tao? In the chapter "Zhibeiyou", there is a famous dialogue: Dongguozi asked Zhuangzi: "Where is the Tao you call it?" Zhuangzi said: "It is everywhere." Dongguozi said: "There must be a place. That's right." Zhuangzi: "Among the ants." "Why so humble?" Zhuangzi: "Among the weeds." "Why even more humble?" Dong Guozi: "Why do you go too far with your talk?" Zhuangzi said: "It's in the urine."

Dongguozi fell silent. He didn't dare to ask any more questions, because Zhuangzi's answers became more and more unbearable, completely different from what most people imagined. Most people always think that Tao is some kind of principle from above, or some kind of power that determines the movement of celestial bodies. Instead, what they hear is ants, weeds, tiles, feces and urine, ranging from animals to plants, down to minerals and waste. It seems that the Tao exists no matter how low and humble the place is. The British scientist Joseph Needham presided over the compilation of the multi-volume "History of Science and Technology in China", the second volume of which explores the origin of Chinese scientific thought. He specifically quoted Zhuangzi's dialogue about "Tao is omnipresent", and then pointed out: "This is the non-preferential attitude of scientists towards all things." As a scientific researcher, when looking at all things, we must first exclude the perspective of anthropocentrism, and we must not mix it with Individual subjective emotions and wishes can only be objectively discussed based on the state of all things themselves. What Joseph Needham said may be true, but it is not what Zhuangzi was interested in. Zhuangzi was able to maintain an objective and calm observation attitude because he understood that everything comes from Tao, returns to Tao, and forms a whole in Tao. Since we are in the same whole, why do we need to mix personal emotions and will when we look at all things? Science is about seeking truth, and the purpose of Zhuangzi's pursuit of truth is not to understand the details of each thing in depth, but to trace all things back to their roots, "viewing them from the Tao, nothing is noble or inferior", and then give birth to infinite things. Aesthetic feelings. Zhuangzi is not a scientist, but a philosopher who yearns for "ultimate reality" and an aesthete who appreciates all things through it. Tao is omnipresent, so everything shows the brilliance of Tao, but people may not experience this secret. The Tao is also in each of us, so that we have the possibility of freedom and ease. Zhuangzi said in "Equality of Things": "People in ancient times have reached the pinnacle of what they know. What kind of pinnacle have they reached? Some people think that there has never been anything at all (nothing has existed before). This is the pinnacle. At the end, there is no more. Secondly, some people think that all things exist, but there is no distinction between them. Secondly, some people think that there are differences between all things, but there is no debate about right and wrong. Aren’t we ordinary people at the level of arguing about right and wrong? Therefore, if you want to reach the highest wisdom, you should strive to: 1. transcend the debate of right and wrong; 2. transcend the distinction between all things; 3. transcend the affirmation of the existence of all things. Since everything is changing all the time, we should really think seriously: Does everything really exist? If we truly understand that "there was nothing before the beginning" and that nothing existed at all, then we will have reached the highest wisdom and can meet Zhuangzi's expectations.

But what is this talking about? It can be explained this way: the existence of all things is temporary and always changing. It does not actually exist before it appears or after it ends. Therefore, from an eternal perspective, nothing really exists. Only by understanding this can we realize that the only thing that really exists is "Tao". Without going through this kind of thinking process that denies all things, it is impossible to understand what Tao is. Only by letting the nothingness return to nothingness can reality be presented. There is one of the most fundamental questions in the history of Western philosophy, which is to ask when facing all things: "Why is there something and not nothing?" It means: the "being" of all things is really surprising; the "nothing" of all things is It is a reasonable phenomenon. In order to clarify the "existence" of all things, philosophers have continued one after another, and the final conclusion is: in order to explain such an existence, one must find its origin and destination. In Zhuangzi's view, what is being discussed here is exactly "Tao". Zhuangzi affirmed that "the great beauty of heaven and earth cannot be expressed", and the key to being able to extend from "nothing has ever existed" to "all things are beautiful" is to be able to understand the Tao. Human life is like a drop of water, which gradually evaporates from being full and rich. Therefore, the urgent question is: "How to keep a drop of water from drying up?" There is only one answer: "Throw it into the sea." What the sea symbolizes is exactly that. "road". If a person returns to the Tao, not only will everything he sees be beautiful, but he himself will also be truly preserved. Zhuangzi said in "Gengsangchu": "Whoever can understand that existence, non-being, death and life are originally one, I will be friends with him." We might as well make this promise to ourselves, hoping to "look at each other with Zhuangzi" Smile, never go against your heart.”