Zhuangzi's Useless Use and Its Practical Significance

As can be seen from his inner chapters, the first and second chapters describe his ideal life and its necessary conditions. The third and fourth articles return to real life. The third chapter focuses on physical and mental cultivation. The fourth chapter is how to survive in a harsh environment. In human history, Zhuangzi described the cruelty and tyranny of the monarch in the Warring States Period, and also invented his "uselessness" philosophy in this article, which really expressed the helplessness and helplessness of intellectuals at that time.

After reading this article, it is easier to understand the purpose of this article if it is divided into three parts.

(1) The first part includes the first three chapters-describing the darkness under the tyrant during the Warring States Period:

In the first film, they all indirectly laughed at the political situation during the Warring States period. In these three chapters, all three intellectuals were willing to change the unstable political situation at that time, but because of the tyranny and control of the rulers, they had to go with the flow.

Chapter 1 Zhuangzi took Yan Hui as an allegory story, and asked Confucius for advice because he wanted to convince Wang Wei. At that time, Wei Jun was young and headstrong, and often waged wars. Many people died in battle, with mountains of hay. Yan Hui has compassion for those who defend their country, so he wants to defend his country and reform the monarch. Confucius asked Yan Hui, what strength do you have to convince Wei Jun? Yan Hui said, "I am with heaven, with people and with the ancients. Using these three methods should be able to convince Wei Jun! " But Confucius thought that these were not enough to convince a tyrant. Finally, Confucius advised Yan Hui that remonstrance was the best way. Because the mind can help you keep calm to the extreme, even ghosts and gods can help you, so it can affect everything. In fact, what Confucius means is that you don't have to force it, just sit quietly at home, that is, everything goes with the flow and everything can be affected.

In the fable in the second chapter, the doctor of Chu sent Qi as the ambassador, and he came to see Confucius to dispel his worries. Confucius said: it is very difficult for the kings of the two countries to convey their mission, so there is a saying: tell ordinary truth, not embellish it. There is also a motto: don't change his orders, don't encourage too much for success. So the best way is to follow the nature of things to hold my heart down (to swim with things), and everything can follow nature.

In the third chapter of the fable, he is going to be the prince's teacher, so he goes to ask Chi. Yan He said, "The prince likes to kill. How can I educate him? " Apollo said, "You should be one with him. He acts like a baby, and you act like a baby just like him. He doesn't behave, and neither do you. He is dissolute, and so are you. " You should be friendly on the outside, but keep moral harmony inside. (if the shape is right, the heart is harmonious. Although close, but not in cahoots, although harmony is not obvious. I don't want to go in or out. ) "

In a word, the characteristics of these three chapters are that the monarch in the Warring States period had a bad temper and killed people without blinking an eye, even the prince who defended his country killed people without blinking an eye. During the Warring States period, tyrants were rampant, and intellectuals could not speak freely and do whatever they wanted, so intellectuals at that time lived in a helpless political atmosphere. In this case, Zhuangzi suggested that everything goes with nature, and maybe the task can be completed. For example, in the first chapter, the second chapter is about things, and the third chapter is about "keeping moral harmony in the heart" (the heart is indifferent).

(2) the second part includes chapters 4, 5 and 6-Zhuangzi describes the useless benefits:

These three chapters are allegories, and Zhuangzi only used three examples to illustrate the uselessness: the trunk of the fourth chapter can't be used as building materials, but it grows in a shrine, so it can protect itself. The fifth chapter is a giant tree. The trunk is not straight, the leaves are inedible, and the smell is dizzy for three days. It is not used at all, and no one needs it. In chapter 6, disabled people can be exempted from military service and death. Useless and inaction are not appreciated by everyone, but wars were frequent in the Warring States period and the environment was more chaotic than in the Spring and Autumn Period. Therefore, Zhuangzi's "uselessness" has the value of the times. This fable is as follows:

In the fourth chapter, it is an fable that there is a huge oak tree in the shrine. When a carpenter crossed it, he told his disciples, "The boat made of this tree will sink, the coffin will rot quickly, and it will be destroyed as a tool. As a portal, sap will flow out, and as a house pillar, it will be corroded by moths. This is a useless tree, so it will live long and tall. " The next day, he told his disciples: "This tree grows in a shrine, which is also a way to protect itself from being cut down for firewood.

Chapter 5 also takes a huge tree as an example, which is big enough to cover 1000 cars. But you can't be a pillar of a house or a coffin. Leaves can make people's mouth fester, and its smell keeps people awake for three days. This is a completely useless tree, so it grows so high. Similarly, in ancient times, cows with white foreheads, pigs with upturned noses and people with sores and moles could not be used. The ancients thought that these were ominous things and there was no need to sacrifice to the river god. But the ancients didn't know these so-called ominous things, and the man of God thought they were auspicious things.

The sixth chapter takes an odd-looking man as an example. He is self-reliant, sewing clothes, washing clothes and sifting chaff for a living. Sometimes he can get government help, but he can be exempted from military service and hard labor, so as to enjoy life and protect himself.

From the fables in these three chapters, Zhuangzi naturally introduced readers into his philosophy of "uselessness".

(3) Part III: It includes Chapter VII-modifying the story about the madness of Chu in The Analects of Confucius, and stating his useless philosophy in Chapter VIII.

The seventh chapter is similar to "Chu Kuang Yu" in the Analects of Confucius, but Zhuangzi uses his philosophy to describe it. In this chapter, Chu Kuang sang: "At this time, only punishment is exempted. The blessing is as light as a feather, so you must know it. The disaster is heavy and I don't know how to avoid it. " It is really helpless to talk about the crisis consciousness of contemporary people. And sang: the world is in disaster! Don't jump into your trap. The roads on the earth are full of thorns. Turn around and you won't hurt your feet. Zhuangzi warned intellectuals to protect themselves step by step.

In the eighth chapter, Zhuangzi gave several examples to illustrate that all useful things are cut off or cut off, and human beings use all useful places to benefit themselves. The world knows what is useful, but no one knows what is useless.

"Useless use" is a word invented by Zhuangzi who inherited Laozi's thought of inaction. Laozi's inaction is to protect nature and not harm everything, but the situation in the Warring States period was more chaotic than in Laozi's Spring and Autumn Period, with frequent wars and as many people died as hay on the mountain. Mencius also said: "Happy years are hard for life, and hard years are hard to avoid death." Zhuangzi's uselessness can avoid being used, and uselessness can avoid being killed and protect itself. Similar to Lao Tzu's inaction, it's amazing.

(4) Conclusion

1. Everything in the world, whether animals, plants or microorganisms, takes survival as the first goal. Microorganisms, such as viruses that cause plagues, mutate to produce new viruses because humans have invented many antibiotics to kill these microorganisms. Zhuangzi was in the Warring States period and was controlled by many tyrants, so it was an extraordinary period. Generally speaking, extreme measure is needed to solve the problem in an emergency. So Zhuangzi invented what he called "uselessness".

2. In Zhuangzi's book, there is a similar language: "Those who harm others are useless, and those who harm others are miserable!" Useless, not worthless. Although it is useless to human beings, its value lies in its "harmlessness", which is much more noble than "harmfulness". This is useless. The spirit of Laozi and Zhuangzi's philosophy lies in inaction and uselessness.

3. In this helpless Warring States period, Zhuangzi put forward the philosophy of "uselessness". At that time, Mencius traveled around the world, preaching Confucian benevolence and righteousness. Although the philosophies of Confucianism and Taoism are different, Zhuang and Meng can't be reused, and all roads lead to the same goal, which is equally useless. But both of them became great philosophers in China. Today, 2300 years later, many people still read their thoughts. Things are unpredictable, and the monarchs of all countries at that time never thought of it.

4. Zhuangzi inherited Laozi's thought of "doing nothing without doing anything" and created a new term "uselessness". Doing nothing, useless, harmless to people and things, and not destroying the natural environment. Doing nothing is designed for the monarch, without building, mining, large buildings and research and development. In this way, there will be no ever-changing new products in this world to destroy this originally quiet environment. Useless is a personal goal, on the one hand, it will not be used by tyrants to do harm, on the other hand, it can protect itself. In the Warring States period, under the rule of a tyrant, there was no place for you. Not only could you not be used by a tyrant, but in ancient times, you were always a servant who was eyeing up. You can live in this world without being killed, and you can only be satisfied with a quiet life.

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