Chapter 32
Lieh Tzŭ
Argument:—Outward manifestation of inward grace—Its dangers—Self-esteem—Its errors—Inscrutability of Tao—Artificiality of Confucius—Tests of virtue—Chuang Tzŭ declines office—His death.
Argument: The outward expression of inner grace and its dangers. Self-esteem and its errors. The mystery of Tao. The artificiality of Confucius. Tests of virtue. Chuang Tzŭ declines office. His death.
When Lieh Tzŭ went to Ch'i, half way there he turned round and came back. Falling in with Poh Hun Wu Jen, the latter said, "How is it you are so soon back again?"
When Lieh Tzŭ went to Ch'i, he turned around halfway there and came back. He met Poh Hun Wu Jen, who said, "Why are you back so soon?"
Lieh Yü K'ou is a name well known in connection with Tao. But it is highly doubtful that he ever lived. The historian Ssŭ-ma Ch'ien gives no account of him. He may have been merely an allegorical character created by Chuang Tzŭ to illustrate his ideas. However, during the Han dynasty, people thought it necessary to provide his "Works". The treatise they produced is still attributed to him, though it is generally regarded as a forgery. See ch. i.
"I was afraid," replied Lieh Tzŭ.
"I was afraid," replied Lieh Tzŭ.
"Afraid of what?" asked Poh Hun Wu Jen.
"Afraid of what?" asked Poh Hun Wu Jen.
"Out of ten restaurants at which I ate," said Lieh Tzŭ, "five would take no payment."
"Of the ten restaurants where I ate," said Lieh Tzŭ, "five would not accept payment."
"And what is there to be afraid of in that?" enquired Poh Hun Wu Jen.
"And what is there to be afraid of in that?" asked Poh Hun Wu Jen.
"The truth within not being duly assimilated," replied Lieh Tzŭ, "a certain brightness is visible externally. And to conquer men's hearts by force of the external is to induce in oneself a disregard for authority and age which is the precursor of trouble.
"When you have not fully absorbed the truth within, a certain brightness shows on the outside," replied Lieh Tzŭ. "And winning people's hearts through outward force makes you disregard authority and age. This disregard is a sign of trouble to come.
"A restaurant keeper is one who lives by retailing soup. When his returns are counted up, his profit is but small, and his influence is next to nothing. But if such a man could act thus, how much more the ruler of a large State? His bodily powers worn out in the duties of his position, his mental powers exhausted by details of administration, he would entrust me with the government and stimulate me by reward. That is what I was afraid of."
"A restaurant keeper makes a living selling soup. When he adds up his earnings, his profit is small, and he has almost no influence. But if such a man could act this way, how much more could the ruler of a large state? The ruler would be physically worn out by his duties and mentally exhausted by the details of administration. He would entrust me with the government and encourage me with rewards. That is what I was afraid of."
"Your inner lights are good," replied Poh Hun Wu Jen; "but if you remain stationary at this point, the world will still gather around you."
"Your inner lights are good," Poh Hun Wu Jen replied. "But if you stay where you are, the world will still gather around you."
Against Tao.
Shortly afterwards Poh Hun Wu Jen went to visit Lieh Tzŭ, and lo! his court-yard was filled with boots.
Shortly afterward, Poh Hun Wu Jen visited Lieh Tzŭ and found his courtyard filled with boots.
Of the visitors who came to hear him. These were left outside the door, following an ancient custom mentioned in the Book of Rites. See ch. xxvii.
Poh Hun Wu Jen stood there awhile, facing the north, his cheek all wrinkled by resting it on his staff. Then, without a word, he departed.
Poh Hun Wu Jen stood there for a while, facing north. His cheek was all wrinkled from resting against his staff. Then he left without a word.
Upon this being announced to Lieh Tzŭ, he seized his shoes and ran out barefoot.
When Lieh Tzŭ heard this, he grabbed his shoes and ran out barefoot.
By the servant responsible for welcoming guests.
In his hurry.
When he reached the outer gate, he called aloud, "Master! now that you have come, will you not give me medicine?"
When he reached the outer gate, he called out, "Master! Now that you are here, won't you give me medicine?"
"It is all over!" cried Poh Hun Wu Jen. "I told you that the world would gather around you. It is not that you can make people gather around you. You cannot prevent them from doing so. Of what use would my instruction be? Exerting influence thus unduly over others, you are by them influenced in turn. You disturb your natural constitution, and are of no further account.
"It is all over!" cried Poh Hun Wu Jen. "I told you that the world would gather around you. It is not that you can make people gather around you. You cannot stop them from doing so. What good would my teaching do? By exerting too much influence over others, you are influenced by them in turn. You disturb your natural constitution and are no longer of any account.
None of your companions Warn you of this. Their paltry talk Is but poison to a man. They are not awake, not alive to the situation. How should one of these help you?
None of your companions Warn you about this. Their petty talk Is nothing but poison to a person. They are not awake or aware of the situation. How could any of them help you?
These lines rhyme in the original.
"The shrewd grow weary, the wise grieve. Those who are without abilities have no ambitions. With full bellies they roam happily about, like drifting boats, not caring whither they are bound."
"The clever grow tired, and the wise grieve. Those with no abilities have no ambitions. With full bellies, they wander happily, like drifting boats, not caring where they are headed."
There was a man of the Chêng State, named Huan. He pursued his studies at a place called Ch'iu-shih. After three years only, he had graduated as a Confucianist; and like a river which fertilises its banks to a distance of nine li, so did his good influence reach into three families.
There was a man named Huan from the Chêng State. He studied at a place called Ch'iu-shih. After only three years, he had graduated as a Confucianist. Just as a river makes the land along its banks fertile for nine li, his good influence reached three families.
His father's, his mother's, and his wife's.
He caused his younger brother to graduate as a Mihist. But inasmuch as in the question of Confucianism versus Mihism, the father took the side of the Mihist, at the end of ten years Huan committed suicide.
He had his younger brother trained as a Mihist. But in the dispute over Confucianism versus Mihism, their father took the Mihist’s side. As a result, Huan committed suicide after ten years.
The philosophy of Mih Tzŭ, who taught universal love, etc. See chs. ii and xxxiii.
Then the father dreamed that Huan appeared to him and said, "It was I who caused your son to become a Mihist. Why give all the credit to him who is but as the fruit of an autumn pine?"
Then the father dreamed that Huan appeared to him and said, "I made your son a Mihist. Why give all the credit to him? He is only like the fruit of an autumn pine."
Various interpretations of this simile have been offered. None is satisfactory. E.g. (1) Like a dry cone. (2) Which someone else has planted and raised.
Verily God does not reward man for what he does, but for what he is.
God truly rewards a person not for what he does, but for who he is.
That is, for the natural, not the artificial.
And it was in this sense that the younger brother was caused to become a Mihist.
And it was in this sense that the younger brother was led to become a Mihist.
He was naturally inclined that way.
Whereas a man who should regard his distinctive abilities as of his own making, without reference to his parents, would be like the man of Ch'i who dug a well and then wanted to keep others away from it.
But a man who thought he had created his own distinctive abilities, without acknowledging his parents, would be like the man of Ch'i who dug a well and then wanted to keep others away from it.
Forgetting that God put the spring there in the first place.
Hence the saying that the men of to-day are all Huans.
That is why people say that everyone today is a Huan.
Wherefore it follows that men of true virtue are unconscious of its possession. How much more then the man of Tao? This is what the ancients called escaping the vengeance of God.
So people of true virtue are unaware that they possess it. How much more true is this of the man of Tao? The ancients called this escaping the vengeance of God.
Which would result from imitating his goodness.
The true Sage rests in that which gives rest, and not in that which does not give rest. The world rests in that which does not give rest, and not in that which does give rest.
The true sage rests in what brings rest, not in what does not. The world rests in what does not bring rest, not in what does.
The natural and the artificial.
Chuang Tzŭ said, "To know Tao is easy. The difficulty lies in the elimination of speech. To know Tao without speech appertains to the natural. To know Tao with speech appertains to the artificial. The men of old were natural, not artificial.
Chuang Tzŭ said, "Knowing Tao is easy. The hard part is doing away with speech. Knowing Tao without speech is natural. Knowing Tao through speech is artificial. People in ancient times were natural, not artificial.
"Chu P'ing Man spent a large patrimony in learning under Chih Li I how to kill dragons.
"Chu P'ing Man spent a large inheritance to learn from Chih Li I how to kill dragons.
To attain Tao. There is no record of the people mentioned.
By the end of three years he was perfect, but there was no direction in which he could show his skill.
After three years, he had perfected his skill, but he had no way to show it.
Tao cannot be put into practice.
"The true Sage regards certainties as uncertainties; therefore he is never up in arms.
"The true Sage sees certainties as uncertain, so he is never ready to fight.
In a disturbed state of mind.
Men in general regard uncertainties as certainties; therefore they are constantly up in arms. To accustom oneself to arms causes one to fly to arms on every provocation; and to trust to arms is to perish."
People generally treat uncertain things as certain. That is why they are constantly ready to fight. Becoming accustomed to weapons leads people to use them at every provocation. And trusting in weapons leads to death."
"The intelligence of the mean man does not rise beyond bribes and letters of recommendation. His mind is be-clouded with trivialities. Yet he would penetrate the mystery of Tao and of creation, and rise to participation in the One. The result is that he is confounded by time and space; and that trammelled by objective existences, he fails to reach apprehension of that age before anything was.
"The petty man's intelligence does not rise above bribes and letters of recommendation. His mind is clouded by trivial matters. Yet he wants to understand the mystery of Tao and creation and rise to share in the One. As a result, he is bewildered by time and space. Bound by the things that exist around him, he cannot grasp the age before anything existed.
"But the perfect man,—he carries his mind back to the period before the beginning. Content to rest in the oblivion of nowhere, passing away like flowing water, he is merged in the clear depths of the infinite.
"But the perfect man takes his mind back to the time before the beginning. Content to rest in the oblivion of nowhere, he passes away like flowing water and merges into the clear depths of infinity.
"Alas! man's knowledge reaches to the hair on a hair, but not to eternal peace."
"Alas! Human knowledge reaches to the finest detail, but not to eternal peace."
A man of the Sung State, named Ts'ao Shang, acted as political agent for the prince of Sung at the court of the Ch'in State. When he went thither, he had a few carriages; but the prince of Ch'in was so pleased with him that he added one hundred more.
A man from the Sung State named Ts'ao Shang represented the prince of Sung at the court of the Ch'in State. He arrived with a few carriages. But the prince of Ch'in was so pleased with him that he gave him one hundred more.
On his return to Sung, he visited Chuang Tzŭ and said, "As for living in poverty in a dirty hovel, earning a scanty subsistence by making sandals, with shrivelled face and yellow ears,—this I could not do. Interviewing a powerful ruler, with a retinue of a hundred carriages,—that is my forte."
On his return to Sung, he visited Chuang Tzŭ and said, "I could not live in poverty in a dirty hovel, scraping by making sandals, with a shriveled face and yellow ears. What I do best is meet with a powerful ruler, accompanied by a hundred carriages."
"When the prince of Ch'in is sick," replied Chuang Tzŭ, "and he summons his physician to open a boil or cleanse an ulcer, the latter gets one carriage. The man who licks his piles gets five. The more degrading the work, the greater the number of carriages given. You, Sir, must have been attending to his piles to get so many carriages. Begone with you!"
"When the prince of Ch'in is sick," replied Chuang Tzŭ, "he calls a physician to open a boil or clean an ulcer. The physician gets one carriage. The man who licks his hemorrhoids gets five. The more degrading the work, the more carriages he gives. Sir, you must have been tending to his hemorrhoids to get so many carriages. Get out of here!"
"Not," says Lin Hsi Chung, "from the pen of Chuang Tzŭ."
Duke Ai of Lu asked Yen Ho, saying, "Were I to make Confucius a pillar of my realm, would the State be profited thereby?"
Duke Ai of Lu asked Yen Ho, "If I made Confucius a pillar of my realm, would the state benefit?"
"It would be most perilous!" replied Yen Ho. "Confucius is a man of outward show and of specious words. He mistakes the branch for the root.
"That would be very dangerous!" replied Yen Ho. "Confucius is a man of outward show and deceptive words. He mistakes the branch for the root.
Extras for the essentials.
He seeks to impress the people by an overbearing demeanour, the hollowness of which he does not perceive. If he suits you, and you entrust him with the welfare of the State, it will only be by mistake that he will succeed.
He tries to impress people by acting overbearing, without realizing how hollow his manner is. If he appeals to you and you entrust him with the welfare of the state, he will succeed only by accident.
This passage has several interpretations.
"To cause the people to leave the true and study the false does not so much affect the people of to-day as those of coming generations. Wherefore it is better not to have Confucius.
"Leading people away from the truth to study falsehood affects future generations more than people today. So it is better not to have Confucius.
"The difficulty of governing lies in the inability to practise self-effacement. Man does not govern as God does.
"The difficulty of governing is that people cannot put themselves aside. People do not govern as God does.
Without regard for oneself.
"Merchants and traders are altogether out of the pale.
"Merchants and traders are completely outside the accepted community.
About Tao.
Or if chance ever brings them within it, their rights are never freely admitted.
Or if they happen to get into it, their rights are never freely recognized.
"External punishments are inflicted by metal and wood. Internal punishments are inflicted by anxiety and remorse. Fools who incur external punishment are treated with metal or wood. Those who incur internal punishment are devoured by the conflict of emotions. It is only the pure and perfect man who can succeed in avoiding both."
"External punishment is inflicted with metal and wood. Internal punishment comes from anxiety and remorse. Fools who incur external punishment are punished with metal or wood. Those who incur internal punishment are consumed by conflicting emotions. Only a pure and perfect person can avoid both."
Confucius said, "The heart of man is more dangerous than mountains and rivers, more difficult to understand than Heaven itself. Heaven has its periods of spring, summer, autumn, winter, daytime and night. Man has an impenetrable exterior, and his motives are inscrutable. Thus some men appear to be retiring when they are really forward. Others have abilities, yet appear to be worthless. Others are compliant, yet gain their ends. Others take a firm stand, yet yield the point. Others go slow, yet advance quickly.
Confucius said, "The human heart is more dangerous than mountains and rivers, and harder to understand than Heaven itself. Heaven has its seasons, its days and its nights. People have an outward appearance that reveals nothing, and their motives are impossible to know. Thus some people seem shy when they are really bold. Others are capable but seem worthless. Others go along with people but get their own way. Others take a firm stand but give in. Others move slowly but advance quickly.
"Those who fly to duty towards their neighbour as though thirsting after it, drop it as though something hot. Thus the loyalty of the superior man is tested by employing him at a distance, his respectfulness by employing him near at hand. His ability, by troublesome missions. His knowledge, by unexpected questions. His trustworthiness, by specification of time limits. His integrity by entrusting him with money. His fidelity, by dangerous tasks. His decorum, by filling him with wine. His morality, by placing him in disreputable surroundings. Under the application of these nine tests, the inferior man stands revealed.
"Those who rush to do their duty to others as if they thirsted for it drop it as if it were hot. A superior man's loyalty is tested by sending him to work far away, and his respect by employing him close at hand. His ability is tested by difficult assignments. His knowledge is tested by unexpected questions. His trustworthiness is tested by setting deadlines. His integrity is tested by entrusting him with money. His faithfulness is tested by dangerous tasks. His manners are tested by filling him with wine. His morals are tested by placing him in disreputable surroundings. These nine tests reveal the inferior man.
"Chêng K'ao Fu, on receiving his first appointment, bowed his head. On receiving his second appointment, he hunched his back. On receiving his third appointment, he fell upon his face, walking away at the side of the path.
"Chêng K'ao Fu bowed his head when he received his first appointment. At his second appointment, he hunched his back. At his third appointment, he fell on his face and walked away along the side of the path.
Instead of in the middle, as any loudmouthed braggart would have done.
Who would not try to be like him?
Who wouldn't try to be like him?
"Yet ordinary men, on their first appointment, become self-important. On their second, they give themselves airs in their chariots. On their third, they call their own fathers by their personal names.
"Yet ordinary men become self-important when they receive their first appointment. With their second, they act grand in their chariots. With their third, they call their own fathers by their first names.
As we would say, "by their Christian names." The term "fathers" includes uncles.
Which of them can be compared with Hsü Yu of old?
Which of them can compare with Hsü Yu of long ago?
"There is nothing more fatal than intentional virtue, when the mind looks outwards.
"Nothing is more deadly than deliberately practicing virtue when the mind looks outward.
Spontaneity is at the heart of true virtue.
For by thus looking outwards, the power of introspection is destroyed.
For looking outward in this way destroys the ability to look within.
"There are five sources of injury to virtue.
"There are five ways virtue can be harmed.
Eyes, nose, mouth, ears, and thought.
Of these, that which aims at virtue is the chief. What is it to aim at virtue? Why a man who aims at virtue practises what he approves and condemns what he does not practise.
Of these, aiming for virtue is the most important. What does it mean to aim for virtue? A person who aims for virtue practices what he approves of and condemns what he does not practice.
Compounds for sins he feels inclined to By damning those he has no mind to.
He makes up for the sins he wants to commit By condemning the ones he has no desire to commit.
"There are eight causes of failure, three certain elements of success. There are six sources of strength and weakness.
"There are eight causes of failure and three certain elements of success. There are six sources of strength and weakness.
"Beauty, a long beard, size, height, robustness, grace, courage, daring,—these eight, in which men surpass their fellows, are therefore passports to failure.
"Beauty, a long beard, size, height, strength, grace, courage, and daring. These eight qualities make men stand out from others, but they also lead to failure.
"Modesty, compliance, humility,—these three are sure roads to success.
"Modesty, compliance, and humility are three sure paths to success.
"Wisdom manifests itself in the external.
"Wisdom shows itself outwardly.
As a result, the inner self suffers.
Courage makes itself many enemies. Charity and duty towards one's neighbour incur many reproaches.
Courage makes many enemies. Charity and duty toward others draw much criticism.
Three sources of weakness.
"To him who can penetrate the mystery of life, all things are revealed. He who can estimate wisdom at its true value, is wise. He who comprehends the Greater Destiny, becomes himself part of it.
"Anyone who can understand the mystery of life sees all things revealed. Anyone who can judge the true value of wisdom is wise. Anyone who understands the Greater Destiny becomes part of it.
That is, at nothing.
About the universe's grand design, both seen and unseen.
He who comprehends the Lesser Destiny, resigns himself to the inevitable."
Anyone who understands the Lesser Destiny accepts what cannot be avoided."
Referring to life as people usually see it. Three sources of strength.
A man who had been to see the prince of Sung and had been presented with ten chariots, was putting on airs in the presence of Chuang Tzŭ.
A man had visited the prince of Sung and received ten chariots as a gift. He was showing off in front of Chuang Tzŭ.
"At Ho-Shang," said the latter, "there was a poor man who supported his family by plaiting rushes. One day his son dived into the river and got a pearl worth a thousand ounces of silver. The father bade him fetch a stone and smash it to pieces, explaining that he could only have got such a pearl very deep down from under the nose of the dragon, which must have been asleep. And he said he was afraid that when the dragon waked, the boy would have a poor chance.
“At Ho-Shang,” the other man said, “a poor man supported his family by weaving rushes. One day, his son dived into the river and found a pearl worth a thousand ounces of silver. His father told him to get a stone and smash the pearl. He explained that the boy could only have found such a pearl deep underwater, beneath the nose of a dragon that must have been asleep. He said he feared that when the dragon woke, the boy would stand little chance.
If he was found with it.
"Now the State of Sung is deeper than a deep river, and the prince of Sung is fiercer than a dragon. To get these chariots, you must have caught him asleep. And when he wakes, you will be ground to powder."
"The State of Sung is deeper than a deep river, and the prince of Sung is fiercer than a dragon. You must have caught him asleep to get these chariots. And when he wakes up, you will be ground to powder."
Some prince having invited Chuang Tzŭ to enter his service, Chuang Tzŭ said in reply to the envoy, "Sir, have you ever noticed a sacrificial ox? It is bedecked with ribbons and fares sumptuously. But when it comes to be slaughtered for the temple, would it not gladly exchange places with some neglected calf?"
A prince invited Chuang Tzŭ to serve him. Chuang Tzŭ replied to the envoy, "Sir, have you ever noticed a sacrificial ox? It is decorated with ribbons and fed lavishly. But when the time comes to slaughter it for the temple, wouldn't it gladly trade places with a neglected calf?"
Quoted with variants by the historian Ssŭ-ma Ch'ien in his biography of Chuang Tzŭ. See Introduction.
When Chuang Tzŭ was about to die, his disciples expressed a wish to give him a splendid funeral. But Chuang Tzŭ said, "With Heaven and Earth for my coffin and shell; with the sun, moon, and stars as my burial regalia; and with all creation to escort me to the grave,—are not my funeral paraphernalia ready to hand?"
When Chuang Tzŭ was about to die, his disciples wanted to give him a splendid funeral. But Chuang Tzŭ said, "Heaven and Earth will be my coffin and outer shell. The sun, moon, and stars will be my burial ornaments, and all creation will escort me to the grave. Is everything I need for my funeral not already at hand?"
And had he not high honour?— The hillside for his pall; To lie in state while angels wait With stars for tapers tall; And the dark rock pines like nodding plumes Above his bier to wave, And God's own hand in that lonely land To lay him in the grave. The Burial of Moses (Mrs. Alexander).
Was he not greatly honored? The hillside was his burial cloth. He lay in state as angels watched, And stars stood like tall candles. Dark pines on the rocks swayed above his bier Like nodding plumes. And in that lonely land, God's own hand Laid him in the grave. The Burial of Moses (Mrs. Alexander).
"We fear," argued the disciples, "lest the carrion kite should eat the body of our Master"; to which Chuang Tzŭ replied, "Above ground I shall be food for kites; below I shall be food for mole-crickets and ants. Why rob one to feed the other?
"We are afraid," the disciples argued, "that a carrion kite will eat our Master's body." Chuang Tzŭ replied, "Above ground, I will be food for kites. Below ground, I will be food for mole-crickets and ants. Why rob one to feed the other?
Diogenes gave a similar reply on a similar occasion. When the old cynic asked to be left unburied, his friends objected that dogs and birds would eat him.
"Place my staff near me," said Diogenes, "that I may drive them away."
"How will you manage that?" asked his friends. "You will not be conscious."
"What then will it matter to me to be torn by beasts," cried Diogenes, "if I am not conscious of it?"
"If you adopt, as absolute, a standard of evenness which is so only relatively, your results will not be absolutely even. If you adopt, as absolute, a criterion of right which is so only relatively, your results will not be absolutely right. Those who trust to their senses become slaves to objective existences. Those alone who are guided by their intuitions find the true standard. So far are the senses less reliable than the intuitions. Yet fools trust to their senses to know what is good for mankind, with alas! but external results."
"If you treat a merely relative standard of evenness as absolute, your results will not be absolutely even. If you treat a merely relative standard of right as absolute, your results will not be absolutely right. Those who trust their senses become slaves to things outside themselves. Only those guided by intuition find the true standard. The senses are far less reliable than intuition. Yet fools trust their senses to know what is good for humanity, and, alas, achieve only outward results."
The genuine text of the Spring and Autumn ends with the appearance of the ch'i lin (or kilin) and the death of Confucius. Likewise, Chuang Tzŭ's disciples agree that the genuine text of Chuang Tzŭ fittingly ends at their great Master's deathbed.
The final chapter is only a summary of the whole work, compiled by its early editors.