Zhuangzi chapter 1 - Some questions

Chapter 1 - Free and easy wandering

The following questions are based on the translation of Zhuangzi by Burton Watson.

What is the meaning of the story of Peng flying south?

• In particular, the following:

• Northern darkness and southern darkness,

• Transformation of the fish Kun to the bird Peng,

• "When the sea begins to move...",

• Lake of Heaven.

• The cicada and the little dove,

• The analogy of the need to have deep water to raise up a big boat,

• The need to prepare more food for long trip,

• Little understanding and big understanding,

• Short lived and long lived,

• The pitiful attempt of people trying to ape Peng-tsu.

• The story of Peng is repeated three times in Chapter 1.  The first time, the author is telling the story to the readers directly.  The second time, the story is recorded in the book "Universal Harmony".  The third time, the story is discussed among the questions of Tang to Chi.  What might be the reasons for the story to be repeated three times?

• What do you think of the statement "the Perfect Man has no self; the Holy Man has no merit; the Sage has no fame."?

• What might be the meaning of the following:

• The story of Yao wanting to cede the empire to Hsu Yu,

• The story of the Holy man living on faraway Ku-she Mountain,

• The story of the man of Sung who sold ceremonial hats,

• The discussion between Hui Tzu and Chuang Tsu about usefulness of things?