Zhuangzi's fable:
I. Pengcheng Wan Li
According to legend, in ancient times, there was a barren land in the far north, where there was an endless sea, which people called "Northern Ghost". There is a very big fish in the sea. Its name is Kun, and its body is thousands of miles away. It swam back and forth in the sea, rolling up layers of waves. Later, this giant Kun fish became a Dapeng bird. This bird is huge, its back is like a towering hill, and its wings are spread out like white clouds hanging on the horizon. It usually lives in the mountains in the north. When the horn whirlwind blows on the sea in June, it flaps its wings hard, gathers the wind and spirals up in the rotating wind. The splash aroused by its two wings, as far away as 3,000 miles, rushed to the high altitude of Wan Li, broke through the clouds, carried the blue sky and flew to the distant south with a long sound. There is also the sea, which is vast and connected with the sky. People call it "Nanming" and "Tianchi". (from Happy Travel)
Third, the purpose of the gourd.
Hui Shi told Zhuangzi, "King Hui of Liang gave me the seeds of gourd, and I planted them. When it matures, there will be five or six hundred catties of seeds in it. " But if it is used to hold water, it is not strong enough to lift it; If you cut it into a long-handled spoon, it will become too big to carry. The gourd was not very big, but I broke it because it was useless. "Zhuangzi said," You are really not good at using big things. Once, Song people were good at preparing drugs to prevent hand skin from cracking, and they made a living by rinsing silk floc for generations. When a foreigner heard about it, he wanted 100' gold' to buy its formula. Song people gathered a group of people to discuss and said,' We have been rinsing silk wool for generations and only made a few gold. Now we can sell the technology to him at once and get a hundred gold. Please allow me to give him a prescription. After foreigners got it, they took the prescription and told the king of Wu. When the state of Yue fought, the king of Wu made him a general. At this time, it was winter, and the foreign guests led the army to fight with the Vietnamese army in the water and defeated the Vietnamese army. The king of Wu gave him a piece of land and made him Lord. It can prevent the hand from freezing and cracking, and the effect is the same. However, some people use it to seal officials, while others still can't get rid of the fatigue of rinsing silk floc, so it is because it is used in different places. Now you have a big gourd that can hold 500 Jin or 600 Jin. Why not consider using it as an instrument that looks like a goblet and let it float in the rivers and lakes? And you're worried that it's big and empty? Then your heart seems to be blocked by grass. "(from" Free Travel ")
Fourth, enjoy the cool under the tree.
Hui Shi said to Zhuangzi, "I have a big tree. People call it Ailanthus altissima. Its big roots are uneven, its drawing is not straight, and its small branches are crooked, so it is impossible to measure them with compasses and square. It stood on the side of the road and the carpenter didn't even look at it. Now your words are exaggerated and useless, and everyone will dislike them. " Zhuangzi said, "Haven't you seen the wildcat weasel? They bent down and squatted on the ground waiting for passing animals; Jumping from east to west, no matter how high or low, once you encounter an organ, you will die in a net. And that yak is as big as a cloud on the horizon. It can be regarded as very big, but it can't catch mice. Now you have a big tree, but you are worried that it is useless. Why not plant it in a place where there is nothing, the vast Yuan Ye? Wandering around it, aimless; Sleep and lie down under it, and feel at ease. Under it, you can enjoy the cool. It will not be hacked to death by an axe, nor will it be hurt by anything. Where it is not needed, there will be suffering! " (from Happy Travel)
Six, chop and change
In ancient times, there was a man who liked to keep monkeys. He keeps a group of monkeys. Because he is often with monkeys, he clearly knows the temperament of monkeys and can communicate with them emotionally. One day, he saw that there were not many acorns to feed the monkeys, so he thought of a way to reduce the distribution of acorns to the monkeys. So he called the monkeys together and said, "Starting today, I will give you three liters in the morning and four liters at night." The monkeys got angry at once, stood up straight and squeaked. The monkey keeper changed his mind and said, "So four liters in the morning and three liters at night, is that all right?" The monkeys are all dancing with joy. Let's see that there is no gain or loss in the number of acorns and acorns, but they are used according to the mood of monkeys. This is the truth of taking responsibility. Therefore, the sage can reconcile right and wrong, so that it can stop at the level of nature, and then everything is in its place, and the two do not interfere with each other. This is called "two lines". Two practitioners, that is, the so-called "parallel Tao is not contradictory." Hui Shi was very inspired by the story of "chop and change". He felt that Zhuangzi's study of Tao had reached the point of perfection, and he admired it very much, so he insisted on leaving Zhuangzi after listening to it. (Selected from Homogeneous Object Theory)
Seven, good at solving cattle
Once upon a time, there was a chef named Ding who was particularly good at slaughtering cattle. Liang knew about it, so he killed the cow and picked the meat for himself. When experts slaughter cattle and pick meat, their hands touch, their shoulders lean, their feet step on and their knees stand, all of which are pattering and spouting. I saw him stab with a knife and bang, the flesh and blood were separated. All sounds are like the rhythm of music and graceful posture, just like the dance of ancient mulberry trees; The beautiful voice seems to be the melody of the ancient music "Fairy Pool". Seeing this, Liang clapped his hands and said, "Oh, great! Great! How can technology reach such a magical realm? ! "Chef Ding put down the knife and replied," I know the law of slaughtering cattle, which is a step further than mastering the general technology of slaughtering cattle. " When I first started slaughtering cattle, all I saw was a whole cow, and I didn't know where to get the knife. Three years later, I have fully understood the structure of the cow, and what is presented to me is no longer a complete cow. I know how to cut open a cow. Now, when I kill a cow, I don't need to look at it with my eyes, but touch it with my spirit. The function of my sensory organs is gone, and the function of my spirit is active. Having said that, Chef Ding saw that Liang was puzzled and explained: "When dismembering a cow, we should insert the knife into the gap between bones and muscles according to the natural physiological structure of the cow, and pass through the holes between joints. All actions will be carried out in full accordance with the original structure of the cow. Where the knife passed, it didn't even touch the meridians and tendons, let alone those big bones. A good cook has to change a knife every year, because he has to cut meat with a knife; Those ordinary chefs have to change a knife every month, because they will cut bones with a knife when dismembering cows. "Speaking of which, Chef Ding picked up his knife, weighed it and said," My knife has been used for 19 years and killed thousands of cows. However, the blade is as sharp as if it had just been sharpened on a grindstone. You know, there are gaps between the joints of cattle, but the blade is so thin that there is almost no thickness. This blade is inserted into the gap of the bone, wide and wide, and there is still room for maneuver when dancing the knife. Nineteen years later, my knife is still so sharp. Nevertheless, I never take it lightly. Whenever I meet a place where my bones and muscles are intertwined, I slow down and cut lightly. When the cow was torn apart and scattered on the ground like dirt, I stood there with a knife and looked around, calm and satisfied, wiped the knife clean and put it away. " Hearing this, the beam said, "wonderful! Fortunately, after listening to your words, I realized the truth of keeping in good health! " (selected from "Health Master")
Nine, oak dream
Once upon a time, there was a carpenter named Shi who came to Qi with his apprentice. When I walked to Qu Yuan, I saw a big oak tree that was regarded as a shrine tree. The shade of oak trees can cover thousands of cows, and the trunk is as thick as a hundred people hugging each other. Trees grow near the mountain. They grow branches 80 feet from the top of the mountain. These branches can build dozens of big ships. Many people look around the big tree and admire it. The carpenter's disciples also stopped to watch, but the carpenter didn't even look, and went on. The disciples looked at it for a long time before they hurried to find the carpenter's stone. A disciple panted and asked the carpenter stone, "Since I took an axe to learn from you, I have never seen such good wood as that oak tree just now. People stopped to watch, but you didn't see it. Why? "
Carpenter Shi heard this and replied, "Forget it, don't say any more! This is a useless piece of pine. It will sink when building a ship, rot quickly when making a coffin, and be weak when making utensils. When used for doors and windows, resin will flow out like mahogany, and when used as a pillar, it will be easily eaten by insects. This is a tree that can't be used as material. It's useless, and no one else will cut it. Therefore, it has such a long life. " Hearing this, the disciples nodded in admiration. Soon, Carpenter Stone came back from Qi State and passed by this big oak tree. The oak tree gave the carpenter a stone with a dream and said to him, "Do you compare me to a tree that can be used as material? Those hawthorn trees, pear trees, grapefruit trees and so on. When fruits are picked when they are ripe, trunks and branches are often twisted because they are useful, so they suffer this kind of pain. I was almost cut down a few times because people thought I was useful. Now, people think I'm useless, so I can stop being cut. This is useless, but it is of great use to me. If I am useful, can I grow this big? How can you judge me with common sense, you parasitic human being? " Carpenter Shi woke up and told his disciples his dream. The disciples said, "Since the oak tree pursues the theory of uselessness, why should it grow next to the social temple for people to worship?" The stonemason said quickly, "This is a secret. Don't talk nonsense This oak tree wants to protect itself with the social temple, otherwise it will be cut down. The way this oak tree protects itself is different from other things, which is incomprehensible by common sense. (from Life)
Eleven, suddenly repay kindness
Legend has it that the god in charge is called Shu, the god in charge of the North Sea is called Hu, and the god in charge of the Central Committee is called Chaos. Shu and Hu have a close relationship and often go back and forth. Every time Shu and Hu come and go, they have to pass through the territory under the jurisdiction of chaos. Chaos always entertains them warmly and takes away many gifts when they leave. One day, Shu and suddenly chatted together again. They talked about chaos. Both of them were grateful and full of praise, and agreed to repay chaos well. Shu said, "What gift shall we give him?" Suddenly he said, "Chaos is good for us. I don't think any gift can express our gratitude to him. " Suddenly he looked at it and said, "What should I do?" He suddenly lowered his head in thought and suddenly said loudly, "I have an idea, I have an idea!" People have seven orifices (ears, eyes, mouth and nose), and sight, hearing, food and rest are indispensable. Chaos without seven tricks must be very uncomfortable. Let's chisel it out for him! " Hearing this idea, Shu clapped his hands again and again. So the two agreed to chisel seven strokes for chaos tomorrow. The next day, Shu and Hu took a hammer and an iron chisel to find Chaos, explained their purpose, and then chiseled on Chaos. They were panting and sweating. Drill a hole every day. In this way, they worked for seven days in a row and finally made seven holes. They were very happy, shouting Chaos, Chaos didn't say a word. They looked down and were stunned. Chaos is dead. (selected from the Emperor)
Twelve, Bole training horses
Horses have innate qualities. Its hooves can trample on frost and snow, and its fur can keep out the cold. It eats grass when it is hungry, drinks water when it is thirsty, and raises its hooves to run like flying clouds, which is the nature given to horses by nature. Palace-like mansions and wide platforms are useless to it. However, due to the appearance of Bole, the situation of horses has completely changed. Bole was once famous for being good at identifying swift horses, then engaged in horse training, and soon became a well-known master of horse training. Bole has many ways to train horses. As soon as the horse arrives in his hands, he will subdue it by branding, starving, beating and being sleepy. The purpose of "branding" is to beat the horse's natural momentum, brand the horse with a red-hot soldering iron, beat the horse black and blue, and then trim the horse's hair, shovel and cut the horse's claws, and brand it. After training, 23/ 10 horses will die; The so-called "hunger" is to train the endurance of horses. If they are hungry, don't let them eat, if they are thirsty, don't let them drink. The so-called "beating" is to adjust the running speed and skills of the horse, control it quickly and slowly, and whip it hard to make the horse March according to people's intentions. The so-called "sleepy" means that the horse was put in the stable and slept for a long time after these tortures. After Bole's training, more than half of the horse died. Zhuangzi said: "Horses are on land, eating grass and drinking water; When they are happy, they rub their necks to show their love; When they get angry, they turn their backs and kick each other. That's all the horse knows. It was not until a crossbar was put on the horse's body and an eye patch was put on the horse's head to make the horse's movements uniform that the horse learned to squint with his eyes, refused to yield, bent his neck, tried to get rid of it, and even violently resisted, spat and stole things, instead of taming it. Therefore, it is Bole's training for horses that makes them know this and lose their nature, so that they are treacherous and approach thieves! " (from horseshoe)
14. Gladiators block cars.
Jiche said, "One day, he drove out and saw a mantis in the rut. When he saw my car coming, he struggled to raise his arms in an attempt to stop my car from moving on. I looked at him with admiration and pity, admired his courage and pitied his overreaching. " Then he smiled. General Lu said in surprise, "Sir, you mean that King Lu did as I told him, and he wanted to realize the rule of Saint, just like the mantis cart was incompetent!" " Ji Che didn't answer. He said: "The greatest sage's way of governing the country is to conform to the natural activities of the people, complete enlightenment, and change customs. In this way, people can get rid of harmful thoughts and enhance their ambition to devote themselves to the Tao. It seems to be naturally formed with nature, and I don't know why. If you want the world to be on an equal footing with the virtues of nature, you must make your heart stable. " The monarch of Lu ruled the country according to the general's opinion, and the trouble became more and more day by day, even to the point of danger, so he quit. (from heaven and earth)
Sixteen, the East is effective.
According to legend, during the Spring and Autumn Period, there was a stunning beauty named Shi in the state of Yue. Once, Shi suffered from heartburn. She put her hand on her chest, frowned and walked home slowly. When people saw it, they all said that Shi's eyebrows were beautiful, too. Not far from the stone house, there is an ugly girl named Dong Shi. But she paints all day, is coy, lazy and greedy, and everyone in the village hates her. Seeing that everyone praised the beauty and envy of Shi, Dong Shi wanted to learn from Shi. Seeing walking around the street with her chest on her back, she also made a frown and painful expression, which she thought was beautiful. Who knows, everyone hates her even more when they see her artificial ugliness. (From Tian Yun)
Seventeen, holding an urn for irrigation.
Zi Gong, a disciple of Confucius, swam south to Chu and then returned to Lu. When he passed Hanyin, he saw an old man cultivating soil in a vegetable garden, dividing the land into beds, ditching it, reaching the well, and watering it with an urn. It's not difficult, but the effect is not great. Zi Gong said: "There is equipment here, which can water hundreds of beds a day, which is labor-saving and quick. Aren't you going to use it? " The old man who watered the vegetable field looked up at Zigong and said, "What's the matter?" Zi Gong said, "Cut down the wood and make a machine. The front is light and the back is heavy. Lifting water from a well is like pumping water, and it gushes out as quickly as boiling water. Its name is orange. " The old man who watered the vegetables changed his face angrily, and then smiled and said, "I heard my teacher say that people with smart equipment must do opportunistic things, and those who do opportunistic things must have opportunistic hearts." Don't say that there is opportunism in your heart, then there will be no pure quality; Without pure quality, it is impossible to maintain a strong mental state; People who can't maintain a vigorous mental state can't get the Tao. It's not that I don't know the function of machinery, but that I don't use it because of shame. "(from heaven and earth)
Twenty, Handan toddler
During the Warring States Period, there was a young man in Shouling, Yan State. He is very dissatisfied with his walking posture. He heard that the walking posture of Handan people in Zhao was particularly beautiful, so he decided to go to Handan to learn to walk.
Every morning, the young cemetery keeper stands on the busy street in Handan and watches people walk. Although Handan people walk beautifully, they also have their own ways. The boy guarding the mausoleum observed the man's walking posture for a while and followed him for a few steps; After a while, I pondered the man's walking characteristics and followed a few steps; Learn to learn and you will never learn well. He was so anxious that he simply lost his original footwork and learned to walk from scratch. From then on, every step he took was difficult and at a loss.
After studying for several months in a row, he not only failed to learn the footwork of Handan people, but also forgot his original footwork. He spent all his money and had to go back to Shouling. But he couldn't walk any further, so he had to climb back. (selected from Autumn Water)
2 1. Frog at the bottom of the well
In an abandoned well, there lived a frog. One day, the frog met a big turtle from the East China Sea by the well.
The frog boasted to the tortoise, "Look, how happy I am to live here! When you are happy, you jump on the edge of the well. Tired, just rest in the hole in the wall. Sometimes I soak myself comfortably in the water, and sometimes I walk happily in the mud. Why doesn't Mr. Wang go to the well to watch and play? "
After listening to the frog, the tortoise wants to look in the well. However, his left foot was not completely inserted and his right foot was caught by the railing. It had to take a step back and tell the frog about the sea, saying, "Have you seen the sea? The vastness of the sea, more than a thousand miles; The ocean is over 1000 feet deep. There were floods in nine of the ancient ten years, and the sea water did not increase because of it; Seven of the eight years have been dry, and the sea water has not decreased. The sea is not affected by drought and flood. How happy it is to live in the vast sea! " The frog was ashamed of what the tortoise said. (selected from Autumn Water)
At the age of 22, Zhuangzi resigned.
Zhuangzi is fishing by the Pushui River. The King of Chu heard that Zhuangzi was a talented hermit, so he wanted him to come out of the mountain and help him govern the State of Chu. So he sent two messengers to look for him with heavy dowry. The messenger searched along the river for many days and finally found him at the corner of Pushui. Zhuangzi sat by the water with a straw hat on his head and his eyes fixed on the river. The two messengers did not dare to disturb Zhuangzi, so they stepped forward gently and said to Zhuangzi, "Our king has known your name for a long time and wants to invite you to be the prime minister of Chu and help him manage state affairs, so he sent us to invite you." Zhuangzi, with a fishing rod in his hand, didn't seem to hear. The two messengers had no choice but to say it again. After waiting for a long time, Zhuangzi turned to look at the two messengers and said, "I heard that there was a chinemys reevesii in the State of Chu, which has been dead for 3,000 years. King Chu put it in a precious box and presented it to the temple. Is that so? " The two messengers nodded and said, "Yes, yes." Zhuangzi added, "So, please tell me, gentlemen, is this turtle willing to die and leave a few bones to be respected? Or would you rather drag your tail in the mud alive? " The two messengers didn't understand Zhuangzi's intention and answered without thinking, "Needless to say! As the saying goes, life is worse than death. Of course, I would rather live and drag my tail in the mud. " Zhuangzi laughed, baffling the emissary. Suddenly, Zhuangzi stopped laughing and said to the messenger, "You two go home! Tell the king of Chu that I would rather crawl in the mud like a turtle than be enshrined in a temple. " Only then did the messenger understand Zhuangzi's meaning. He advised Zhuangzi to say, "The king of Chu gave you a daughter, so you'd better go to your post." Zhuangzi said: "Daughter is more important than profit, and prime minister is a distinguished position. But haven't you ever seen a sacrificial cow? Feed it to grow up, then put on embroidered clothes and send it to the ancestral temple, and then slaughter it as a sacrifice. It can't be a lonely pig at this time. Go ahead, don't insult me, I won't be held hostage by state affairs, and I'm determined to stay out of office for life to speed up my ambition! " The two messengers had no choice but to go back. (selected from Autumn Water)
Twenty-three, deer Hou raises birds
In the Spring and Autumn Period, a seabird flew to the suburbs of Shandong. Lv Hou thought it was a lucky bird and held a grand welcoming ceremony to welcome seabirds into the ancestral temple. To show respect for seabirds, Lv Hou entertains seabirds with the richest banquet every day and plays the most beautiful Jiu Shao music in the palace for birds. However, this seabird was scared out of her wits by the music and behaved abnormally. She dared not eat a piece of meat or drink a drop of water, and died within three days. It's all because Lv Hou keeps birds in his own way! If you raise birds, you should let them live in the deep mountains and forests, wander freely in the rivers and lakes, and let nature take its course. (from "Gameloft")
Twenty-five, good at swimming and forgetting water
When Yan Yuan went out to study, he crossed a river called Shangshen, and the boatman was as skilled as a man of God. Yan Yuan asked him, "Can you learn to sail?" The boatman replied, "Yes. People who can swim can learn it after many exercises. If you can dive, although you have never seen a boat, you can drive it together. " Yan Yuan asked why, but the boatman didn't tell him. Yan Yuan went back to Confucius, told him what he had learned, and asked his husband how to understand the boatman's words. Confucius said: "People who can swim can learn it after many exercises because they are familiar with water and forget its existence." As for the diver, although he has never seen a boat, he can drive together, because he regards the abyss as a hill and the capsizing of the boat as a car retreating from the highlands. Ten thousand scenes of turning over or retreating are presented to him, which will not disturb his heart and make him calm and natural no matter what he does. Everyone knows that you are smart when you bet on earthenware; Bet with a silver hook that you are afraid; If you bet on gold, your heart will be confused. The ingenuity used is the same, but because of the tension of cherishing things, I pay special attention to foreign things. Anyone who pays attention to foreign things is clumsy at heart. "(from Sheng Da)
Twenty-six, Kiko cockfighting
Once upon a time, there was a man named Jiyun Shengzi, who was particularly good at domesticating cockfighting. When Zhou Xuanwang found out, he was invited to teach cockfighting. Ten days later, Zhou Xuanwang went to inspect and asked Ji Yun's son, "Have you tamed cockfighting?" Ji Yun Province replied, "Not yet. Your majesty, you see, this chicken is vain and arrogant, and it is impossible to rely on strength. " Hearing this, Zhou Xuanwang went back. 10 days later, Zhou Xuanwang asked again, "Is it time for training?" Ji Yun's son replied, "Still no good. This chicken glows when it sees other chickens and puts on a fighting posture, which is not good. " Ten days later, Zhou Xuanwang couldn't stand it any longer, so he asked again. He asked Ji Yun's son, "I've been waiting so long. Is it time to be tamed? " Ji Yun pointed to the chicken and replied, "Your Majesty, you see, it's almost ready now. The other chickens shouted for a fight and didn't seem to hear them. The other chickens are arrogant, as if they didn't see it. " Zhou Xuanwang said, "You tamed the chicken like this, just like a wooden chicken. How can you fight with other chickens? I cann't believe you said that's more like it. I don't understand why? " Ji Yun said: "On the surface, he looks like a wooden chicken, but his spirit is very focused, and he has reached the state of complete morality. If he fights with other chickens, the other chickens will be scared when they see it. At this level, it is domestication. " Zhou Xuanwang listened to, or nodded. When fighting cocks, as expected, Ji Yun's son said, whose chickens are better than those trained by Ji Yun's son. (From Sheng Da)
Twenty-nine, wood and dumb goose
One day, Zhuangzi led his disciples out for a walk. Everyone was bathed in the warm wind in early spring, talking and laughing while walking, and it was very lively. Soon, everyone came to a hill not far away. There are many trees growing on the mountain, and many workers are logging. Zhuangzi and his disciples watched and saw a big tree beside them, with lush foliage. The lumberjack came to look under the tree, turned away and cut down another tree. Zhuangzi thought it was very strange, so he chased the lumberjack and asked him, "Why do you just look at that tree instead of cutting it down?" The woodcutter replied, "Although the tree is thick, it is useless, so I won't cut it down!" " After listening to the woodcutter, Zhuangzi said to himself, "So that's it! This tree can keep its age and will not die because of immaturity! "Out of the door, it's getting late, Zhuangzi led his disciples to live in an old friend's house at the foot of the mountain. Long time no see, my old friend is very happy. He hurriedly asked his son to kill the goose and cook for Zhuangzi. My son promised to go out and will come back soon. The son asked, "geese can crow, but people can't." Which one should I kill? " The friend replied, "shoot the one who can't be called out!" ""The next day, disciples asked Zhuangzi, "Yesterday, the trees in the mountains were useless, but last night, the geese in the master's house died first because they were useless. Does Mr. Wang choose to be useful or useless when dealing with people? Zhuangzi said with a smile, "I don't choose to be useful or useless. I am between useful and useless." The disciples all laughed. (Excerpted from Mountain Tree)
Thirty-one, forest back to abandon the wall
When the fake China people fled, a man named Lin Hui abandoned Baoyu worth thousands of dollars, but hurried away with his baby on his back. Lin Hui was asked, "Are you doing this for money? But babies are very worthless; Are you afraid of burdensome? Running away with a baby is more troublesome than taking Baoyu. What is the reason for abandoning Baoyu, who is worth tens of millions, but running away with his baby on his back? " Lin replied: "Baoyu's piece is connected with me because of its value;" This baby is naturally connected with me. " People who are United by money and self-interest will abandon each other for fear of injury when they encounter poverty or disaster; People who are naturally United by flesh and blood will help each other in times of poverty or disaster. Abandoning each other and helping each other is really a far cry. (Excerpted from Mountain Tree)
Thirty-two, forget the danger at the sight of profit
Zhuangzi was walking in Diaoling and Chestnut Garden when he suddenly saw a strange bird flying from the south, with wings seven feet wide and eyes one inch long. The bird flew in front of Zhuangzi and its wings touched his forehead. The bird landed on a chestnut tree in front of Zhuangzi, as if it didn't see Zhuangzi. Zhuangzi was surprised and said to himself, "What kind of bird is this? The wings are big but they can't fly far, but the eyes are not small but the eyes are dull! " So, Zhuangzi lifted his clothes, slingshot in hand, quickly stepped forward, looking for opportunities to eject. At this time, Zhuangzi saw a cicada hiding behind the dense leaves to enjoy the cool, forgetting its own safety; On one side of cicada, a mantis is preparing to prey on cicada; Just as the mantis was about to rush up, the strange bird hiding on the side grabbed it. See here, Zhuangzi was shocked. He thought, "these animals are devouring each other because they are greedy for petty profits!" I want to eject the strange bird now. Isn't it just like these animals This is to forget the righteousness! No, I must leave at once. " Thought of here, Zhuangzi threw away his slingshot and turned to go. Just a few steps later, the keeper of chestnut garden caught up from behind. The owner thought that Zhuangzi was stealing chestnuts, so he chased and scolded and rushed to ask questions. When Zhuangzi came home, he didn't speak for three days. The disciples don't know what happened. One of them, Qi Lin, asked him, "Sir, why are you unhappy these days?" Zhuangzi replied, "I forget myself. Because a bird hit my head, I wanted to eject it, but I didn't consider the danger behind me. The result was insulted by the park administrator, so I felt very unhappy. " (Excerpted from Mountain Tree)
Thirty-three, two concubines are opposite
Yang Zhu went to Song State and stayed in a hotel. He saw that the owner of this hotel had two concubines, one beautiful and the other ugly. The ugly ones are favored by shopkeepers, and the beautiful ones are despised. Yang Zhu didn't understand, so he asked why. The owner of the hotel replied, "that beautiful one thinks she is beautiful, but I don't think she is beautiful;" That ugly self thinks she is ugly, but I don't think she is ugly. Yang Zhu told his disciples: "Remember: if you do good deeds and have the heart to accumulate good deeds, there will be no good deeds. Being able to do good and abandon one's fame and fortune can be welcomed by people everywhere. Beauty is naturally beauty, boasting, but it is not beautiful. Ugly people think they are ugly, but their virtue is beautiful. " (Excerpted from Mountain Tree)
Thirty-seven, black sheep
Once, Huangdi Xuanyuan met Dawei in Juzishan (now Henan Province) and went to Xiangcheng (now Xiangcheng County, Henan Province). Suddenly, he lost his way and happened to meet a boy who was riding his horse. Xuanyuan asked, "Do you know where Mount Utz is?"
The boy replied, "Yes." He asked again, "Do you know where Dakun lives?" The boy replied, "Yes."
The Yellow Emperor was very happy and said, "My child, you are really something. Not only do you know Juzi, but you also know David's residence. I ask you again, do you know how to govern the world? " The boy said, "It's no big deal to govern the world. I traveled around the world alone a few years ago, when I was still ill. An elder warned me,' When visiting Xiangcheng, you should pay attention to the sunrise and rest at sunset.' Now that I'm much better, I'm going to travel further. The so-called governance of the world, so much. What else can I say? "The child didn't say anything here, but he has a glib tongue. Seeing that the child was very clever, the Yellow Emperor insisted on asking him how to govern the world. Helpless, the child replied, "Isn't the so-called man who governs the world different from the man who releases his horse?" Just to get rid of the bad horses that endanger the herd. "The Yellow Emperor was very satisfied with the shepherd boy's answer. He called the shepherd boy "Shi Tian", bowed respectfully to the shepherd boy and left. (selected from Xu Wugui)