Liezi, named Kou, also known as Yu Kou (also known as "Yong Kou" and "Guo Kou"), is said to be a Taoist priest and Zheng Guoren in the early Warring States period, and was contemporary with Zheng Miaogong. His knowledge originated from the Yellow Emperor Laozi, and he advocated to wait and see. At the end of Han Dynasty, the eight volumes of Liezi contained in the Taoist chapter of Ban Gu's Yi Wen Zhi have long been lost. This edition of Liezi consists of eight articles, mostly folk stories, fables and myths and legends. Judging from the ideological content and language use, it may have been written by Jin people, compiled by the people of the Eastern Jin Dynasty who collected relevant ancient materials, and the preface to the Jin Dynasty.
Liezi, also known as Xu Chongjing, is an important Taoist classic. Lieyukou's work is of unknown age, generally during the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period. The book is divided into eight chapters, such as Tian Rui, Huangdi, Zhou Muwang, Zhong Ni, Tang Wen, Mo Lifeng, Yang Zhu and Fu Shuo. Each chapter consists of many fables. Among them, we are familiar with "fools move mountains", "dead people" and "sheep crossing the road died".
There are many educational works in pre-Qin fables and myths and legends in Liezi. For example, three stories of Liezi Society (Liezi Fu Shuo), Ji Chang Society (Liezi Tang Wen) and Xue Tan Academy (Liezi Tang Wen) tell us that in learning, we should not only know what it is, but also know why; Real skills come from hard study and hard practice; There is no end to knowledge and skills, and you can't be satisfied with learning only a little. For another example, Inheriting the Legacy (Liezi Huangdi) tells us that Qu Bei's amazing skill in catching cicadas stems from his diligent study and practice; There is even more bizarre plot of "a wife doesn't know her husband" (Liezi Tang Wen), which shows that a person can change his mind.
● Brief introduction of Liezi's life
Liezi, a thinker in the early Warring States period, was a native of Zheng, whose name was Yu Kou. Advocating illusory thoughts, he was called "a man with a way" before his death. There are records of his venting in ancient books, which is his natural and unrestrained side. However, Liezi in reality is often in trouble. It is recorded in Zhuangzi that Ziliezi is poor and looks hungry.
But he is poor and has backbone. When officials in Zheng Guo sent someone to deliver food to him, he resolutely resigned.
The origin of Liezi: Liezi was also named as the fish mouth or Lielongkou, and was one of the representatives of Taoism in the early Warring States period. Liezi is a native of Zheng and has lived in Zheng for 40 years. Nobody knows who he is. The author of Hanshu thinks that he lived before Zhuangzi, so there are many legends about him in Zhuangzi.
Taoism: Liezi's learning originated from Huangdi and Laozi. According to legend, he once asked Guan Yinzi to worship Hu Qiuzi as a teacher, and later studied the old merchants and Zhi Bo Gaozi successively, and got their true stories, but Youbo was unconscious. After nine years of monasticism, he can walk against the wind. It is said in Strange Tales from a Lonely Studio that Liezi often rides the wind to the Eight Wastes in early spring and returns to the "wind cave" in early autumn. When the wind comes, everything grows. When he goes, everything grows. "Lu Chunqiu" said: "Zi Liezi is expensive." He believes that "if a man's heart is a mirror, he should not welcome it, but should not hide it, so he can get something without hurting it." Liezi was poor and hungry, but refused the food given by Ziyang, the tyrannical ruler of Zheng State. His disciple Yan Hui asked him, "Are those who know the Tao rich?" Liezi said, "I only despise the Tao and pay attention to the profit!" " "He believes that we should get rid of the fetters of dignity and fame and fortune in the world, conform to the avenue, be indifferent to fame and fortune, and practice meditation.
Works and Immortality: Liezi wrote 20 old books with many fables. Liu Xiang went to his copy and saved eight articles, posthumous title said. Taoists, who adhere to the book, take a clear-cut stand, govern by doing nothing, and govern their bodies without fear, are in line with the virtue of "Six Classics Yuan". During the Tianbao period of Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty, it was named "Xu Chong Zhen Ren", and Song Xuan and Jia Liezi were named "Xu Chong Guan Miao Zhen Jun".
Wen Zi
Wen Zi was written by Wen Zi. The surname is Wen, but its name and place of origin cannot be verified. Wen Zi was recorded by Taoism in Hanshu, and Ban Gu only noted: "A disciple of Laozi, contemporary with Confucius, is called Wen, which seems to have the meaning of relying on it." No name, no place of origin. Northern Wei wrote in a letter to: "The original name is Xin, the first name is Kwai Qiu, and the other name is Kwai Qiu. What happened to teacher Fan Li. I was trained by Laozi and recorded his last words as twelve. " On this basis, Du Daojian of Song Nansu came to the conclusion: "Gongsun of Jin Dynasty was born in Song Dynasty. His name is Song, and he studied under Laozi. He has long heard about Avenue. He wrote two of the ten books, and he said that it seems that this passage about Wen Zi's life is still in doubt.
In a word, Wen Zi is undoubtedly a disciple of Laozi, who was in Xia Zi at the same time as Shang Bo, but not as good as Confucius. He once asked to learn from Xia Zi and Mozi. He is an uneducated scholar. Although he studied various theories, through his own integration, he did not give birth to new meaning, which is a kind of inheritance. It is said that Wen Zi gained a high reputation for his diligence in research, and his death was attributed to Lao Zi. Wang Chong once said, "Laozi and Wen Zi are like heaven and earth." I admire him very much. Wen Zi studied Taoism in his early years and traveled to Chu. Chu Ping Wang Bai once asked him about "whispering". Later, he traveled to the State of Qi, bringing the Taoist idea of the unity of benevolence, righteousness and propriety to the State of Qi. Meng Peng, Tian Pian, Shen Dao and Yuan Huan followed suit, forming the theory of Huang Lao of Qi. Later, Wen Zi traveled to wuyue in the south and lived in Yushan, Yu Ying, Xing Wu. He had nowhere to go or died.
Sui Shu Jingji Records recorded 12 Wen Zi. The predecessors thought that this edition was a fake book between Han and Tang Dynasties, or a copy of the book Huai Nan Zi in the late Western Han Dynasty. For example, Liu Zongyuan in the Tang Dynasty thought that this book was copied from Confucianism, Mohism, Ming and Fa to explain the Tao Te Ching, so it was called "refuting the book". However, among the bamboo slips unearthed from more than 40 Han tombs in Dingxian County, Hebei Province on 1973, there are remnants of Wen Zi, including six chapters with the same words as the present edition of Wen Zi, some of which are missing or lost in Wen Zi, but the existence of Wen Zi is confirmed, which is an ancient pre-Qin book in the Western Han Dynasty. In the Tang Dynasty, Wen Zi kept pace with Lao Zi and Zhuang Zi. In the first year of Tianbao, Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty, Wen Zi was named "Xuantong Zhenjing" and Wen Zi was changed to "Xuantong Zhenjing", which was listed as one of the four Taoist classics along with Laozi, Zhuangzi and Liezi.
Mohiz's notes on Wen Zi have twelve volumes. Song Zhu's note, seven volumes, (the following eight volumes have been lost); Du Yuan Daojian's Wen Zi Yi Shuo, 12; Yu Yue's Reading Wen Zi in Qian Xizuo's Collation of Wen Zi and Lou Yu's Miscellany in Qing Dynasty. The current versions are as follows: Twelve volumes of orthodox Taoist scriptures; Twelve volumes of Xuantong Zhenjing Zanyi; Seven volumes of Collected Taoist Scriptures; Taoist collection; The "Four Series" reduced the twelve volumes of Xuan Tong Zhen Jing; Fourth, wait.
This version of Wen Zi is divided into twelve chapters and eighty-eight chapters. This 12 is: 1. Primitive Taoism; 2. Sincerity; 3. obey; 4. Symbolism; 5. Morality; 6. Virtue; 7. Policy; 8. Nature; 9. Morality; 10. Ren; 1 1. meaning; 12. Politeness.
Wen Zi mainly explained Laozi's words, expounded Laozi's thoughts, and inherited and developed Taoism's "Tao" theory. Each of its articles begins with the word "Lao Zi Yue", indicating the relationship with Lao Zi. Song Lian in the Ming Dynasty said: "Zi tried his words, while Lao Dan, the ancestor, probably had the meaning of Tao Te Ching." Wu Jinjie of Yuan Dynasty was also called: "Wen Zi was the founder of Tao Te Ching." They all explained Wen Zi's main ideas. However, some people think that the word "Lao Zi Yue" was invaded by later generations.
At the beginning of Wen Zi's first article, Daoyuan, I explained Laozi's Tao that "all things are mixed and natural": "The rich are extremely high, unfathomable, wrapped in heaven and earth, endowed with intangible, and originally flowed to Shelly? Xu Jing, which is full, turbid and quiet, is endless and has no time. The table is not full of a grip, but can be opened, quiet and bright, soft and firm, with yin and yang and Zhang Sanguang; The height of the mountain, the depth of the deep, the journey of the beast, the flight of the bird, the journey of the forest, the flight of the phoenix and the journey of the calendar are the origins of all things in the world. Tao is born of nature, invisible, muddy and one, divided into heaven and earth, light and clear for heaven, heavy and turbid for earth, and yin and yang are born according to this, so everything can exist. Therefore, Tao is the essence of nature, and everything in nature follows Tao. " Creatures don't exist, Chenghua doesn't kill them, everything depends on them, they don't know virtue, they die against them, and they can't complain. "Tao is invisible, all-encompassing, and everywhere. Tao is also angry. " Yin and yang edify all things, and they are born in one breath. "
Tao is the original substance of all things, and virtue is a part of all things derived from Tao, which grows into concrete things, and Tao and virtue complement each other. Tao is the master of all things and nurtures all things in a way of inaction. Tao makes everything grow, and virtue makes everything multiply. Tao is the whole, and virtue is the part. Wen Zi's Tao Te Ching, Suntech and Friedrich Hirth all discussed the issues of Tao and morality. It is believed that "the sky is the text, the Tao is the reason, the first is the harmony, and when it is done, everything will be successful, the avenue will be open and honest, and the morality will be true and there will be no end to it." Heaven covers everything, repairs with morality, does not take it, and returns to the spirit; If you don't take it, you will be virtuous. It's too cold at the top, too cold at the bottom. The sky is higher, the sky is higher, the saints can obey the law, and the world will be settled. The earth carries everything and grows with everything, so bones belong to it; Taking it with you is virtue, and virtue is not lost. "
Tao is also the law of nature. "Tao is the way of things", which is the only way for Yin and Yang to cultivate and change everything. Therefore, he thinks: "When the Tao is established, everything is born. Therefore, one principle applies to the four seas, and one principle applies to heaven and earth ... The sum of all things is thought, and the roots of Pepsi come out. " "Heaven and earth are connected, and everything is always one. You can know everything, but you can't know everything. " Therefore, "everything changes and becomes one."
"Wen Zi" also played a certain role in Laozi's thought of inaction, arguing that inaction is not absolutely negative, but eliminating subjective prejudice and acting according to the law, pointing out that "inaction does not mean that you can't draw, push, force, move, stagnate or disperse, but that your private ambition is not correct, your lust is not empty, and it is justified. That is, to conform to the laws of nature.
After establishing the concept of "Tao", we found the deepest mystery between heaven and earth, thinking that Tao is not only the origin of things, but also the cause of personnel and people. There are many ways to preserve one's health for the ninth birthday. He pointed out: "My wife can't finish her life because of her original life. A husband is just a person who doesn't live for life, that is, he lives forever. " It is believed that pursuing material interests and indulging in debauchery will not end life. Only those who do not pursue these things and are indifferent to fame and fortune can live forever. He also said, "The so-called saints take their place from time to time and enjoy their inheritance in this world. The husband is sad and enjoys the evil of virtue, but the hater is tired of his heart. Those who become angry from embarrassment go too far, so there is no action in his life. Its death is materialized, quietness is yin, and movement is yang. " A person who thinks that a saint is a Taoist is not greedy for money, lives and works in peace and contentment according to his own times, and has no resentment and hatred that disturb Taoist practice. So his life and death conform to the laws of nature, just like everything changes.
Wen Zi believes that people who have attained the Tao can reach the state of being right and wrong, and can transcend all the relative things in life, thus gaining a transcendental freedom. "After the Way of Wen Zi" said: "A real person knows the greatness and smallness of the world. You are in charge of the body and the humble people. You don't want things to go smoothly, you don't want chaos, you are anonymous, you are anonymous, you see nothing, you do nothing, you know nothing. Huai Tiandao, Bao Tianxin, Shu Xi Yin and Yang, spit out the old and accept the new, close to Yin, open Yang, combine rigidity with softness, yin and yang are congenial, concentric with the sky, with the same way, unhappy, bitter, angry and mysterious. " It has also been said: "There is no fixed right or wrong in the world. Everything in the world is born of good, not evil. Those who seek truth for themselves, those who seek harmony with themselves, those who seek to eliminate evil, those who are close to their hearts, those who live in the public, and those who live in the public all choose not to go, and they don't know what is right or wrong. " ..... So, the walkers, such as axles, are not shipped to themselves, but to? Die to a thousand miles, go to the infinite origin; Therefore, the sage's human nature is reversed, he doesn't want to change, but he does nothing. "This is to achieve a state of inaction, get rid of all the worries of honor and disgrace, live in nature, and get the supreme way.
"Tao" is also the only way for rulers, "said the sage." "The husband's way is to do nothing, to cultivate oneself as the inside, to govern the country as the outside, to learn successfully, to be neighbors with the sky, and to do nothing." If a ruler wants to govern well, he must cultivate his own Tao. He also said: "Therefore, saints do not take things lightly, do not want to be chaotic, do nothing, believe without words, gain without worries, and do nothing." They stand on their own ground, but the people don't value the people and do no harm to them. The world belongs to them, and they are afraid of evil and dare not argue with them. " We advocate that the laws of nature should not be destroyed by personnel or greed, that politics should govern the country by virtue, that fraud should not be used, and that the burden on the people should not be increased, so as to win the support of the people and win political victory. Wen Zi also pays attention to the ruling method of "winning the hearts of the people", saying: "Those who can use manpower can win the hearts of the people, and those who can win the hearts of the people are complacent and complacent."
In other words, the Tao is weak with virtue, tolerant with weakness, and flexible with rigidity. Others said, "Use what you love, and you will gain your strength. Cultivate what everyone likes and win everyone's heart. So, you know its end when you see its beginning. " "Those who have the power of all are invincible, and those who use the power of all are not strong enough." "Ji Li's actions are invincible, and all wise actions are nothing. Thousands of people don't eat, and ten thousand people don't work. " That is to say, only by ruling with the strength of all people can we be in an invincible position and succeed, and to win the strength of all people, we must conform to the people's hearts, that is, "use what all people love" and "cultivate what all people like" He believes: "Therefore, those who are virtuous belong to the world, those who are benevolent belong to the sea, those who are righteous belong to the country, and those who are polite belong to the countryside. Without these four things, the people will not return, and if they do not return to war, they will be in danger. " His political view, that is, adding the content of benevolence, righteousness and propriety, is slightly different from Laozi's theory. In this thought, it also expresses the political skill of governing the people by employing people advocated by Taoism. In order to rule, it is necessary to show kindness and emptiness, be willing to live in isolation, and take inaction as a means to achieve its subjective purpose. In addition, it also reflected the pioneers' concern for people and their lives and their thoughts of belittling divine power, which was relatively advanced at that time.
In addition, Wen Zi also affirmed the objectivity of the contradiction, holding that the two sides of the contradiction are interdependent and inclusive, and pointed out that "there is yin in the yang, and there is yang in the yin" and that the opposing sides can be transformed, pointing out that "Yang Qi is full of yin, and Yin Qi is full of yang". "If the sky is against, the benefits will be lost, the things will flourish, the day will move, the full moon will be lost, the joy will end, and the sadness will be sad." It is full of the brilliance of dialectical thinking.
Wen Zi was banned in the early Qin Dynasty after it was published. After Qin annexed six countries and established centralized rule of feudal monarchy, in order to consolidate his political power, Qin Shihuang adopted the suggestion of Prime Minister Li Si and implemented the policy of cultural restraint. In 2 13 BC, it was ordered to confiscate and burn poems, books, hundreds of languages and history books outside Qin dynasty. Wen Zi was also banned. After the establishment of the rule of the Han Dynasty, in 124 BC, Liu Che, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, wrote a letter "opening up the way to provide books" because he saw that "there were not enough books", and the books banned by Qin gradually appeared again. Wen Zi was also circulated at this time. It is recorded as "Taoism" in the History and Literature of Han Art. In the Tang Dynasty, Taoism was respected, and Wen Zi was also valued, and was constantly annotated by people, and was renamed Xuantong Zhenjing by Emperor Taizong, showing its status. However, after the Sui and Tang Dynasties, as Taoism lost its dominant position in the struggle with Buddhism, Wen Zi was gradually lost, and the research on it was quite deserted.
Wen Zi expounded Wen Zi's philosophical thought, developed Taoism, absorbed some thoughts of other schools in the same period, further improved Laozi's theory, and occupied a place in the history of ancient philosophy in China.