Chuang-tzu: The Seven Inner Chapters

The book of Chuang-tzu shares with the Tao te Ch'ing the distinction of being one of the two fundamental sources for the philosophy of Taoism. As it developed through classical Chinese history, Taoism is conventionally characterized as the alternative to (or, more precisely perhaps, the complement of) Confucianism.

Whereas Confucianism is essentially a public philosophy, which takes for granted, without examination, the premise that the goal of the gentleman is duty and pursuit of the greater good, Taoism, as presented in the seven Inner Chapters-- the principal portion of the book of Chuang-tzu believed to have been actually written by that sage--is a private philosophy, essentially intent upon reconciling the individual with the reality of life and of death.

The central premise of the philosophy of Chuang-tzu might reasonably be characterized, in modern American idiom, as "go with the flow." Indeed, in the translation here discussed, A. C. Graham renders the title of the first of the seven Inner Chapters as "going rambling without a destination" (p. 43). Thus, for example, Chuang-tzu rejects from the outset the sort of logic-chopping which ancient Greek philosophers engaged in from Plato onward, and which was eagerly taken up by the medieval schoolmen and handed down by them into modern Western modes of thought. The s

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even days, his swordsmen slaughter one another in competition to meet this challenger. On the appointed day, Chuang-tzu is called to present himself for combat, and asked whether he prefers to fight with the long sword or the short sword. In reply, Chuang-tzu says that "either will do. But I have three swords, which are at the service of Your Majesty. Allow me to describe them before I try them out" (pp. 245-46). The three swords, as Chuang-tzu describes them, prove to be "the sword of the Son of Heaven, the sword of the prince of a state, [and] the sword of the common man" (p. 246). The sword of the Son of Heaven, as he describes it, is formed by the entire landscape of China: it has "Yen Valley and Stone Wall Mountain as its point, Ch'i and Tai as its edge, Chin and Wey as its spine ..." When it is wielded, Thrust and there's nothing ahead, Brandish and there's nothing above, Press down on the hilt and there's nothing below, Whirl it round and there's nothing beyond. (p. 246) The sword of the prince of a state is made of different material -- "clever and brave knights for its point, clean and honest knights for its edge, worthy and capable knights for its spine ..." (p. 246). Its effects when
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Approximate Word count = 2567
Approximate Pages = 10 (250 words per page)

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