A selection of Zhuangzi's famous sayings (with translation)

Zhuangzi's thought contains simple dialectical factors, the main idea of which is "Heaven does nothing", and he thinks that everything changes. He believes that "Tao" is innate. From "Tao begins with sealing", Zhuangzi mainly thinks that nature is superior to man-made, advocates uselessness, and thinks that great uselessness is useful. Historical Records introduces Zhuangzi in a few simple sentences, saying that most of his books are fables, such as The Fisherman, The Foot Stealing, The Story of the Horse, etc. These are all used to identify Laozi's thoughts. Guo Xuexi gutang. Zhuangzi's classic quotations are selected and translated by www.com for Zhuangzi fans to learn and appreciate.

1. Great knowledge is idle, while small knowledge is intermittent; Big words are hot, small words are Zhan. Zhuangzi? Homogeneous object theory

The smartest person will always show an open-minded attitude; Small and talented people always haggle over every ounce. The words that conform to the avenue are like a prairie fire, which is both beautiful and grand and convincing. Those clever remarks are all trivial nonsense.

My life is limited, but so is my knowledge. Zhuangzi? Health advocate

Human life is limited, but knowledge is infinite. Put your limited life into infinite learning.

3. Husband (1) is not thick enough to bear a big ship. Zhuangzi? Free walk

If the water is neither deep nor thick, then it has no power to load the ship. From the relationship between the ship and the water, we can at least get the following enlightenment: to ask questions in universities and to do great things, we must lay a solid and profound foundation.

4. There is no phase, and there is no phase. Zhuangzi. Chess master

Making friends with each other is not making friends, but doing something for each other is doing nothing. Make friends out of carelessness, help others out of inaction. This is "a close friend who never leaves."

Although I can't cure my disease, I hope I won't surpass it and take its place. -Zhuangzi? Free walk

Although the chef does not make sacrifices, the emcee who presides over the sacrifices will not do it instead of the chef. This means that although man has not done his duty, the corpse hopes to act on his behalf without exceeding his authority to sacrifice to the gods. It shows Zhuangzi's thought of governing by doing nothing, from which the idiom "meddling" comes.

6. There must be room for you to enter and take back a room without thickness. Zhuangzi? Health advocate

There is a gap in translation, so it is still generous and has room for operation. It is the core of Zhuangzi's health preserving theory. At the same time, it shows that we should understand the laws of nature and act according to them. The idioms "I can't see the whole cow" and "I can handle it" both come from here.

7. Put out the fire with fire and save water with water, which is called many benefits. Zhuangzi? Human life "

Putting out fire with fire and saving water with water will not only make things right, but will increase mistakes. Explain a way of life under the guise of Confucius teaching Yan Hui. The idiom "put out fire with fire" and "save water with water" came from here.

8. Things are nothing more than that, things are nothing more than that; You can't see yourself, but you know yourself. So: he is right, and he is right. Zhuangzi? Homogeneous object theory

Everything in the world has a negative side, and there is a negative side. What you can't understand from the other side can be understood from this side. So, for this reason, it is inseparable from him. That is, two sides of things, no one can live without anyone. It reveals the law of the unity of opposites in the development of things and denies metaphysics and absolutism. This is 2400 years earlier than the German physicist Einstein founded the theory of relativity. For more famous sayings of Mencius, please pay attention to the related articles of Guoxue.com Xigutang.

9. You don't know your husband mantis? Angry that his arm is rutted, I wonder if he is incompetent, which is also the beauty of his talent. Zhuangzi? Human life "

Don't you know mantis? Waving its two broadsword arms, trying to stop the rolling wheels. It doesn't know that its strength is incompetent at all, but it thinks that its ability is very strong. The allusion to the idiom "gladiator's arm is a car" comes from this and is used to describe overreaching.

10. Hickory is self-destructive, burnt and fried, and cinnamon is eaten, so it is cut; Paint can be used, so cut it. Everyone knows what is useful, but not what is useless. Zhuangzi? Human life "

Trees growing on the mountain are cut down because of natural needs, and resin is burned because of light, so osmanthus trees are edible, so they are cut down; Paint can be used, so it is peeling. Everyone knows the useful use, but they don't know the useless use. Useful and promising will be harmful, and useless and inaction will be blessed. This paper expounds the "useless use", which is often ignored, and contains simple dialectics.

1 1. It's better to forget the rivers and lakes when the fish are on the land in spring. Zhuangzi? Chess master

After a long drought without rain, the river dried up. Many fish are trapped on the beach in the river. They cling to each other closely, and their mouths spit and nourish their bodies (delaying their lives and waiting for the heavy rain). It's better to forget each other in Jianghu. The metaphor here is that the world should forget life and death and swim in the land of avenues. The idiom "caring for each other" (also called "caring for each other") comes from this.

12. Don't be discouraged by things. Zhuangzi? Heaven and earth

Foreign objects disturb people's minds (in this way, virtue will be lost). You can get tired of playing with things.

13. My husband is confused and easy to change. Zhuangzi? thumb

A little confusion will make people go astray, and a big confusion will make people lose their nature. It shows that pure human nature is human nature, while benevolence and righteousness are not only inhuman, but also harmful in troubled times.

14. Filial sons don't flatter their relatives, loyal ministers don't flatter their ministers, and their ministers prosper. Zhuangzi? Heaven and earth

A dutiful son does not flatter his parents, and a virtuous minister does not flatter him. This is the highest state of being a filial minister and son. Sigh that secular flattery is common, sigh that the world is confused and hopeless, and call for a true dutiful son and good minister.

15. Doing nothing is more than using the world; If you do something, you will be used by the world and not enough. Zhuangzi? Paradise "

If you do nothing, you can make use of the world and feel more leisure; If you have a bright future, you will be used by the world and feel urgent. Explain the rule of inaction with nothingness, nature and inaction.

16. Siniperca chuatsi turned white and snakehead turned black in a few days. Zhuangzi? Tian Yun

Swan doesn't bathe every day, but its feathers are white; Crows don't bask in the sun every day, but their feathers are black. Everything comes from nature and cannot be forcibly changed.

17. The sadness of the husband is greater than the death of the heart, and the death of one person is second. Zhuangzi? Tian zifang

The biggest sorrow is that the mind dies and the spirit dies, and the death of the body is secondary. People should have some spirit.

18. Rotten rot is transformed into magic, and magic is transformed into rotten rot. So it says, "It speaks to the whole world." Zhuangzi? Travel to the north

People regard what they like as magic, and what they don't like as stench; However, stinky rot can turn into magic, and magic can also turn into stinky rot. So "the whole world is just a kind of qi." Opposing things can be transformed into each other. This is the origin of the idiom "turning decay into magic".

19. It goes without saying that there is great beauty in heaven and earth. There is a clear law at four o'clock without discussion, and it is reasonable to say nothing. Zhuangzi? Travel to the north

Heaven and earth have great nature and great merits, but they don't talk; The four seasons have clear laws, but they don't talk; Everything has a natural reason, I don't understand. Everything should follow the law of the development of things. For more famous sayings of Mencius, please pay attention to the related articles of Guoxue.com Xigutang.

20. Jealous people are so entangled in fish that they forget the fish; Hooves are such in rabbits, he got rabbits but forgot hooves; The speaker was so concerned that he forgot his words proudly. Zhuangzi? Foreign object

Bamboo cages are used for fishing. Some people catch fish but forget the bamboo cage. Rabbit nets are used to catch rabbits. Some people catch rabbits but forget the rabbit net. Language is used to express ideas. Some people understand ideas, but forget the language. Take fish and rabbits as metaphor and Yan Yu as hoof. It is emphasized that getting rabbits from fish is the goal, and hooves and hooves are only the means to achieve the goal, which vividly illustrates the rationality of "getting carried away". The idiom "forget the fish" comes from this.

2 1. Those who are satisfied are not tired, those who are complacent are not afraid of losing, and those who practice internally are not worried. Zhuangzi? Jean Wang

A contented person will not run around and work hard for the benefit; People who know how to enjoy themselves will not worry about losing anything; People who pay attention to inner moral cultivation are not ashamed of being an official and being light. Contentment is always happy, and if you don't go to fame, you will be detached.

22. When winter comes and summer goes, frost and snow fall, I know the luxuriance of pine and cypress. Zhuangzi? Jean Wang

The cold season is coming, and frost and snow are coming. At this time, the luxuriance of pine and cypress can be better displayed. "Pine and cypress" means that a gentleman is noble in character.

23. a hammer of one foot will take half of it every day, and it will never end. Zhuangzi? World "

A foot-long whip and stick can never be cut in half every day. Matter can be divided infinitely.

24. If there is a machine, there is organic matter, and if there is organic matter, there is an organic heart. If the machine is in the chest, then pure white is not prepared, and if pure white is not prepared, then god is uncertain; God is uncertain, and Tao does not contain it. Zhuangzi Tiandi

Translation: with machinery, there will be smart things; With cleverness, there will be cleverness; The clever heart in the chest will destroy the quality of pure white. Without pure white quality, people will be uneasy, and those who are uneasy will be abandoned by Tao. Utilitarianism and ingenuity are really bad things that do harm to people.

25. As a public servant, say "chop and change." All the snipers are angry. He said, "However, it is always hot and cold." Everyone is very happy. Zhuangzi. Homogeneous object theory

An old man who keeps monkeys gave them acorns and said to them, "I'll give you three liters in the morning and four liters at night, okay?" The monkeys are very angry. The old man said, "then four liters in the morning and three liters at night!" " "The monkeys are very happy. Zhuangzi described it as "not worthy of the name". Those who fail to reach the Tao cannot forget right and wrong. The idiom "chop and change" comes from this, meaning capricious.

26. I wonder if Zhou's dream is a dream or a dream is Zhou He? Zhuangzi? Homogeneous object theory

I wonder if Zhuang Zhou became a butterfly in my dream, or if the butterfly became Zhuang Zhou in my dream? Zhuangzi said that dreams and sleep are no different, they are both materialized phenomena of Tao. Therefore, in order to unify the theory of the same thing, we must first get rid of the concept of ego and confuse it with everything.

27. It means that for the sake of poor wages, fire is spreading and I don't know what to do. Zhuangzi? Health advocate

The grease is burned out, but the fire can't spread. This sentence uses salary metaphor and fire metaphor for spirit. When the salary is exhausted, it means that although the body is dead, the spirit will last forever. Later, it was said that "passing on from generation to generation" was a metaphor for the master and apprentice who passed on the scholarship.

28. Although the calf is short, it will be worrying if it continues; Although the crane's shin is long, it is sad to break. Zhuangzi's thumb.

Although the legs of wild ducks are short, they will hurt when they are connected to one section; Although the crane's leg is long, it would be sad to cut it off for him. Explain that strong thinking will inevitably lead to misfortune and pain. The idiom "the crane is long and the crane is short" and "the crane continues to be long and short" all come from here. For more famous sayings of Mencius, please pay attention to the related articles of Guoxue.com Xigutang.

29. A gentleman's friendship is indifferent, but a villain's friendship is sincere. Zhuangzi mountain forest

A friendship between gentlemen is as light as water, but a friendship between villains seems as sweet as wine. True friends don't talk about benefits.

30. Life between heaven and earth, if fleeting, is only sudden. Zhuangzi North Tour

Life between heaven and earth is like seeing a white horse flying by through a gap, but it is only a moment. This is where the idiom "blink of an eye" comes from. Life is fast, don't waste it.

3 1. I inquired in the market, and the situation is getting worse and worse. Zhuangzi North Tour

A famous city official asked the butcher how to check the fat of big pigs. (The butcher said) The more you step on your calf, the more you understand. Avenue is everywhere. The more you push from the humble place, the more you can see the true situation of Tao. "Deterioration" has been misinterpreted as "deterioration" since the Song Dynasty. Zhang's Miscellaneous Notes on Lonely Tong, published in Jiayin Weekly, was also misused and ridiculed by Lu Xun. Now it is often said that the situation is getting worse.

32. Little knowledge is not as good as great knowledge, and small years are not as good as big years. Free walk

Translation: those who have little knowledge don't understand, those who have a short life don't understand, and those who have a long life don't understand.

"Auricularia auricula in the morning doesn't know fate, and cockroaches don't know spring and autumn." Fungi born in the morning, insects born in summer and dead in autumn are difficult to experience and know more because of their short life span.

33. For a person who has no self, the God-man is useless and the sage is nameless. Free walk

Translation: until people lost the opposition and difference between things and me, there was no more "I", and God listened to nature and completely abandoned the concept of "achievement"; The sage is considerate and completely abandons the bondage of "name". Great people are not burdened by ego, achievement and fame.

34. Everyone knows what is useful, but they don't know what is useless. Human life

People all know the useful use, but they don't know the greater use of the useless. )

35. What is Tao? There is heaven and human nature. Those who do nothing and respect, heaven also; It is human nature to be tired of doing one thing. Master, heaven also; Minister, humanity also. Heaven is far from human nature and must not be ignored. Zaiqi

(Translation: What is Tao? There is heaven and human nature. Doing nothing is expensive; It is human nature to be tired of doing something. In the dominant position, it is the sky; What is subordinate is human nature. Heaven is far from human nature, and we can't ignore it. )

36. Although the world is big, its transformation is also unified; Although there are many things, cure one; Although there are many people, their master also. Jun was born in virtue, so the mysterious and ancient monarch is in the world, ruling by doing nothing, and heaven is only virtue. Heaven and earth

Although heaven and earth are vast, their movements are consistent according to their own nature; Although there are many things, their self-satisfaction is the same; Although there are many people, their master is only a monarch. The monarch is based on morality, doing nothing and following the heaven. Therefore, the ancient king ruled the world, governing by doing nothing and conforming to the nature of heaven. )

37. Therefore, the husband is cold and lonely, doing nothing, the world is peaceful, and so is the moral quality. deliberate

Therefore, indifference, loneliness, nothingness and inaction are the origin of heaven and earth and the highest realm of moral cultivation.

38. Sorrow is the evil of virtue; Those who become angry from embarrassment go too far; Likes and dislikes are lost in the heart. deliberate

Sorrow and joy will make virtue flow into evil; Don't forget emotions, take Tao as wrong; If you fall into likes and dislikes, you will lose your morality)

39. Everyone values profit, honest people value their names, sages value their ambitions, and sages value their essence. deliberate

Most people value profit, honest people value reputation, sages and gentlemen value ambition, and sages value spirit. For more famous sayings of Mencius, please pay attention to the related articles of Guoxue.com Xigutang. )

40. Confucius said: "... when Yao Shun was in power, there were endless people in the world and they didn't know it; When you rebel, there is no one in the world, and you don't know what you will lose; The times are right. "autumn waters

In the Yao and Shun era, there were no poor people in the world, not because they were wise; In the era of rebellion, there are no enlightened people in the world, not because they have no wisdom, but because of luck. )

4 1. Lou said: "When you die, there is no monarch on the top and no minister on the bottom; There are no so-called four seasons. Since heaven and earth are in the Spring and Autumn Period, although Wang Le is in the south, you can't cross it. " The greatest happiness

The skeleton said: "There is no king above the dead, no minister below, and no job all the year round." They can freely coexist with heaven and earth, and even if the south is king, they cannot surpass it. " )

42. Hirako said, "... now you decorate your knowledge with fright, cultivate your morality clearly and clearly, expose the sun and the moon, and leave." ..... "Sheng Da"

Now, you modify your wisdom to awaken ignorance and cultivate yourself to show the meanness of others. The bright and dazzling appearance is like walking with the sun and the moon. )

43. A moral scholar can't do it, and he is exhausted; Clothes are not easy to wear, so is poverty, and I am not exhausted. This so-called no pain. mountain forest

(Translation: People with lofty ideals are not allowed to Xiu De, tired; Ragged clothes and worn shoes are poverty, not fatigue. This is the so-called failure to meet good times. )

44. Andy said, "Remember, disciple, if you embark on a journey of self-cultivation, be safe and not love!" Mountain forest

Yang Zhu said, "Remember, disciples, if you are virtuous and can get rid of self-righteous thoughts, how can you not be loved?" )

45. The Yellow Emperor said, "... Tao cannot be caused, and virtue cannot be achieved. Benevolence can be done, righteousness can be lost, and ceremony is false. " Understand the north tour

(Translation: Tao is unattainable, and morality is unattainable. Benevolence can be done, righteousness can be spurned, and courtesy can be bullied. )

46. It goes without saying that there is great beauty in heaven and earth. There is a clear method without discussing at four o'clock, and it makes sense to say nothing. Sage, the original beauty of heaven and earth, the principle of everything.

There are great virtues in heaven and earth without words, clear laws without discussion without time, and everything has the reason of generation without understanding. Sages explore the virtues of heaven and earth, and understand the principles of the creation of all things. )

47. If you look like a skeleton, if your heart is dying, and you really know it, don't catch it.

My body is like a skeleton, and my heart is like a ember. Really pure knowledge, not rigidly adhere to the old concept. )

48. I wonder? People call me Zhu Yu. Zhihu? Worried about my health. If you are unkind, you will harm others; Ren, then worry about me. If you are unjust, you will hurt others; Righteousness, then worry about yourself. Gengsangchu

(Translation: I don't know? People say I'm stupid. Do you know that?/You know what? It hurts my body. If you can't be kind, you will hurt others; To be kind, it hurts yourself; If you do not uphold justice, you will hurt others; Doing righteousness harms oneself. For more famous sayings of Mencius, please pay attention to the related articles of Guoxue.com Xigutang. )

49. Those who are embarrassed are so entangled in fish that they forget about it. Hooves are such in rabbits, he got rabbits but forgot hooves; The speaker was so concerned that he forgot his words proudly. I have an Andrew who forgot his words. Talk to him! Foreign things

Bamboo cages are used for fishing. When you catch fish, you forget the bamboo cage. Rabbit nets are used to catch rabbits. If you catch rabbits, you forget the rabbit nets. Language is used to express ideology. If you master ideology, you will forget language. Where can I find someone who has forgotten the language to chat with? )

50. Those who are famous are also rolling; Know is also a competitor. Two kinds of weapons, not so good. Human life

(translation: names are the cause of conflict; Wisdom is a means of fighting each other. Both are murder weapons, which can't be used up. )

Introduction to Zhuangzi

Zhuangzi (369 BC-286 BC). During the Warring States Period, the name of Zhejiazhuang was Zhou. Han nationality, Song (now Shangqiu, Henan Province, northeast of Mengcheng County, Anhui Province). I am a painter in Mongolia. Zhuangzi was a great thinker, philosopher and writer in the pre-Qin period. He was originally from Chu, a descendant of Wang, and later moved to Song due to the war. He is the main founder of Taoism. Together with Laozi, the ancestor of Taoism, they are called "Laozi and Zhuangzi", and their philosophical thoughts are respected as "Laozi and Zhuangzi's philosophy" by the ideological and academic circles, but their literary talent is better than Laozi's. Many versions of Zhuangzi's representative works, such as Wandering Away and The Theory of Everything, have been interpreted by later generations. Zhuangzi advocated "harmony between man and nature" and "governing by doing nothing".

Zhuangzi is the representative of Taoist school, the inheritor and developer of Laozi's philosophy, and the founder of Zhuangzi school in pre-Qin. His theory covered all aspects of social life at that time, but the fundamental spirit was converted to Laozi's philosophy. Later generations called him and Laozi "Laozi", and their philosophy was "Laozi's philosophy". Zhuangzi once worked as a painter, living in poverty, but despising wealth, power, fame and fortune, trying to maintain his independent personality and pursue carefree spiritual freedom in troubled times. Feudal emperors paid special attention to Zhuangzi's important contribution in the history of China literature and thought. In the 25th year of Tang Kaiyuan, posthumous title, Zhuangzi, was named "South China Real Person", which was later called "South China Real Person". He is regarded as the founder of Taoism and the incarnation of Taiyi's salvation. Zhuangzi wrote more than 100,000 words in his life, entitled "Zhuangzi". Zhuangzi is also known as the Southern Classic of China. His articles are full of romanticism and have a great influence on later literature. This document is a treasure in China's ancient books.