Zhuang Zhou’s famous sayings

1. When one is good at virtue, he forgets his appearance.

From "Zhuangzi·De Chong Fu" by Zhuang Zhou during the Warring States Period. Virtue will last forever, but body will be lost. Morality is fundamental, but body is secondary. Ignoring morality is the real mistake. When judging a person, we cannot only look at his appearance and ignore his moral cultivation. We should use a person's moral character as the standard to measure him, not his external flaws.

2. The Tao is hidden in Xiaocheng, and the words are hidden in glory.

From "Zhuangzi·Equality of Things" written by Zhuang Zhou during the Warring States Period. Tao and speech are complementary concepts. Any Tao exists objectively. Tao is often obscured by small achievements, and speech is often hidden by flashy words. If the "Tao" is obscured by small successes, and if the "words" are concealed by vanity, then people will stay away from integrity and morality, and ultimately stay away from success.

3. If it is clear, the dirt will not stop, but if it stops, it will be unclear.

From "Zhuangzi·De Chong Fu" by Zhuang Zhou during the Warring States Period. In a materialistic society, everything is full of opportunities, but also temptations and traps. Therefore, only by keeping your heart pure and indifferent can you not be driven by greed and live freely between heaven and earth, contentedly and happily.

4. Traveling in and out of Liuhe, traveling around the nine states, going alone and coming alone, this is called uniqueness.

From "Zhuangzi Zaiyou". There is such a person who can travel around the world at will, enjoy the nine states, and travel alone without any restraint. Such a person can transcend all things.

5. People should not focus on flowing water, but on still water. Only stopping can stop all others.

From "Zhuangzi·De Chong Fu". It is impossible for a person to have his or her own figure reflected on running water; it can only be reflected on calm water. Only things that stop can make other things stop.

6. Using a horse to describe a horse is not a horse, as is using a non-horse to describe a horse that is not a horse.

From "Zhuangzi·Equality of Things". It is better to use a white horse to explain that a white horse is not a horse than to use an object that is not a horse to explain that a white horse is not a horse.

7. It is easy to disappear, but difficult to go without. It is easy to fake for a human being, but hard to fake for an angel.

From "Zhuangzi·Human World". It's easy not to walk, but it's very difficult to walk like one and leave any trace. It is easy for people to be driven by Wei Zhuang, but it is difficult to pretend to be driven by nature.

8. There is nothing in the world that is larger than the end of Qiuhao, while Mount Tai is small; there is nothing that lives longer than Shang Zi, while Peng Zu is young.

From "Zhuangzi·Equality of Things". There is nothing bigger in the world than the tip of an autumn hair, and Mount Tai is the smallest. There is nothing in the world that has a longer life span than a child who dies young, and Peng Zu’s life span is the shortest.