One Dream Thousands of Years

Last time we shared some high-level introduction of Zhuangzi. Here is a famous philosophical debate between Zhuang Zi and his friend Hui Shi, the debate on the joy of fish. It is in a way similar to the Socratic dialogues in Classical Greece. Zhuang Zi and Hui Shi were walking on the bridge over a river. Zhuang Zi said, "Look, the minnows are darting about free and easy! This is the happiness of the fish." Hui Shi replied, "You are not a fish. How do you know that the fish are happy?" Zhuang Zi challenged back, "You not being I, how can you know that I do not know that the fish are happy?" Hui Shi argued, "If I, not being you, cannot know what you know, it follows that you, not being a fish, cannot know the happiness of the fish." Zhuang Zi said, "Let's go back to the beginning of our conversation. You asked me how I knew the fish are happy. This very question that you asked shows that you already knew that I knew it. I knew it from my...

We have not updated our blog for quite a while. I have had a crazy start to this year both at work and home. Sorry about the long wait! Without further ado, let's jump right into today's topic. We'd like to introduce you to a truly magnificent ancient Chinese philosopher, my all-time favorite, Zhuang Zi (aka Chuang Tzu or Chuangtse, 庄子). He lived in roughly the same time as Confucius during the Spring and Autumn Period (771 - 476 BC). Zhuang Zi was a brilliant prose writer of the time. Unlike the dry moralizing of any early Chinese thinkers including Confucius, Dr. Lin Yutang described Zhuang Zi was "a humorist with a wild and rather luxuriant fantasy, [a fair] for [superb] exaggeration and for the big. One should therefore read him as one would a humorist writer knowing that he is frivolous when he is profound and profound when he is frivolous."  The mystic creatures he imagined in his work became so well known and widely used in the Chinese language through...

The Chinese people call their best friend "Zhi Yin (知音)“. ”Zhi (知)", when used as a verb, means know/understand. "Yin (音)" is a noun meaning music/sound/voice. The literal interpretation of your "Zhi Yin" or best friend is hence somebody who gets your music. It probably seems a little odd but it will become intuitive after we tell you the story. Bo Ya and Zi Qi The story happened in around 300 B.C. Bo Ya (伯牙), a very famous composer and musician at the time, enjoyed playing his "qin (琴)*" in the nature. One cool summer day, Bo Ya performed at his favorite spot in the valley with a stream of the creek winding around. After a cup of wine, he started with the first movement, so deep and profound. "Ode to the mountains!", Zi Qi (子期), a nearby woodcutter heard the music and uttered, ”for its majestic rise!" Delighted, Bo Ya moved on to the second movement which began very softly with a barcarolle-like melody, so peaceful and e...