Chuang Tzu: Basic Writings
Zhuangzi Burton Watson
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Unlimited [Science Book] Þ Chuang Tzu: Basic Writings - by Zhuangzi Burton Watson ¶


  • Title: Chuang Tzu: Basic Writings
  • Author: Zhuangzi Burton Watson
  • ISBN: 9780231105958
  • Page: 363
  • Format: Paperback

    • The basic writings of Chuang Tzu have been savored by Chinese readers for over two thousand years And Burton Watson s lucid and beautiful translation has been loved by generations of readers.Chuang Tzu 369 286 B.C was a leading philosopher representing the Taoist strain in Chinese thought Using parable and anecdote, allegory and paradox, he set forth, in the book thThe basic writings of Chuang Tzu have been savored by Chinese readers for over two thousand years And Burton Watson s lucid and beautiful translation has been loved by generations of readers.Chuang Tzu 369 286 B.C was a leading philosopher representing the Taoist strain in Chinese thought Using parable and anecdote, allegory and paradox, he set forth, in the book that bears his name, the early ideas of what was to become the Taoist school Central to these is the belief that only by understanding Tao the Way of Nature and dwelling in its unity can man achieve true happiness and freedom, in both life and death.Chuang Tzu Basic Writings includes the seven inner chapters, which form the heart of the book, three of the outer chapters, and one of the miscellaneous chapters Watson also provides an introduction, placing the philosopher in relation to Chinese history and thought.Witty and imaginative, enriched by brilliant imagery, and making sportive use of both mythological and historical personages including even Confucius , this timeless classic is sure to appeal to anyone interested in Chinese religion and culture.
    Zhuangzi Burton Watson
    or Zh angzi c 369 BC c 286 BC.Zhuangzi, or Master Zhuang also known in the Wade Giles romanization as Chuang tzu was, after Laozi, one of the earliest thinkers to contribute to the philosophy that has come to be known as Daojia, or school of the Way According to traditional dating, he was an almost exact contemporary of the Confucian thinker Mencius, but there appears to have been little to no communication between them He is ranked among the greatest of literary and philosophical giants that China has produced His style is complex mythical, poetic, narrative, humorous, indirect, and polysemic.

    Chuang Tzu Basic Writings Chuang Tzu Basic Writings includes the seven inner chapters, which form the heart of the book, three of the outer chapters, and one of the miscellaneous chapters Watson also provides an introduction, placing the philosopher in relation to Chinese history and thought. Chuang Tzu Basic Writings Columbia University Press Chuang Tzu Basic Writings includes the seven inner chapters, which form the heart of the book, three of the outer chapters, and one of the miscellaneous chapters Watson also provides an introduction, placing the philosopher in relation to Chinese history and thought. Chuang Tzu Basic Writings by Zhuangzi Chuang Tzu Basic Writings includes the seven inner chapters, which form the heart of the book, three of the outer chapters, and one of the miscellaneous chapters. Watson also provides an introduction, placing the philosopher in relation to Chinese history and thought. Chuang Tzu the Ancient Taoist Philosopher s Texts Chuang Tzu The Taoist Philosopher s Texts Next to Lao Tzu, the legendary writer of Tao Te Ching, Chuang Tzu Zhuang Zi is the most famous of the Chinese Taoists.He lived in the th century BC. Chuang Tzu Basic Writings Edition by Burton Watson Overview Central to these is the belief that only by understanding Tao the Way of Nature and dwelling in its unity can man achieve true happiness and freedom, in both life and death Chuang Tzu Basic Writings includes the seven inner chapters, which form the heart of the book, three of the outer chapters, and one of Chuang Tzu Zhuangzi A Philosophical Analysis Chuang Tzu Skeptical Perspectivalism He develops this critique perhaps initiated by Hui Shih s relativism with his own analysis of the indexicality of all distinctions His argument relies heavily on the core terms of Chinese philosophical analysis, shih is this right and fei not this wrong. Chuang Tzu Basic Writings Thriftbooks The basic writings of Chuang Tzu have been savored by Chinese readers for over two thousand years And Burton Watson s lucid and beautiful translation has been loved by generations of readers Chuang Tzu B.C was a leading philosopher representing the Taoist strain in Chinese thought. Basic Writings Zhuangzi, Chuang tzu Basic Writings Chuang Tzu Basic Writings includes the seven inner chapters, which form the heart of the book, three of the outer chapters, and one of the miscellaneous chapters. Watson also provides an introduction, placing the philosopher in relation to Chinese history and thought Witty and imaginative, enriched by brilliant imagery,


    Commentaires:

    Tim
    This book contains the "inner chapters," not the entire Chuang Tzu, but generally considered the essential and least corrupt chapters. It's one of my favorite books, and after reading Watson's translation I'm unable to read anyone else's - it's wonderful (and there are quite a few weak versions, and weaker paraphrases). Of the Chinese classics I've read this is not only the most subtle and profound, it's sometimes absolutely hilarious. His parodies of Confucianism are a riot, his magical unreali [...]
    Andrew Yuen
    I can't decide if I learnt something, or nothing at all.This book has a mystic's tone, in just the same way that Wittgenstein's TLP does. As a translation, Burton Watson makes a great companion and the foreword provides the necessary context to read the work, illuminative for those who are unfamiliar with Eastern philosophy. His many footnotes were helpful in understanding the text as well.As a philosophy, readers from the western analytic tradition might be left uncomfortable. The work is a bit [...]
    Akemi G
    GR keeps asking me if I've read this book because I've read Tao Te Ching. Well, I have read Chuang Tzu's writings in Japanese translation that comes with the original Chinese texts and footnotes. (Chinese characters represent not only the phonetics but also the meanings, and many modern Japanese translations of Chinese classics contain the original text to assist deeper understanding--even though I don't speak Chinese, I know the meanings of the characters. We've been reading such classics for g [...]
    Joseph
    I've read this a number of times and I've read other translations for me Burton Watson is the best the humor shines through and the language Watson uses in his translation is clear and precise. He also provides useful footnotes which are located on the same page as the textHere's a famous sample using the famous cleaver illustration: "However, whenever I come to a complicated place, I size up the difficulties, tell myself to watch out and be careful, keep my eyes on what I'm doing, work very s [...]
    Jess
    I almost felt like putting this on the "fantasy" shelf, so much of it was so purely fanciful. Chuang-tzu is, in the words of my prof, "a wild literary ride." Daoist in affiliation, this book is actually pretty drastically different from Lao-tzu's, and much more of the mystical side. The only reason why it's at 4 and not 5 stars is the lack of cohesiveness which plagues these +2000 year old texts. It can be a little hard to focus your attention at times when the thing is jumping all over the plac [...]
    Adam
    I found this to be a nice discussion of Taoism, worlds easier to extract meaning from than the Tao Te Ching, though not quite as clear as the Tao of Pooh. It has all the trappings of ancient philosophy: parables, dialogues, and very poor logical constructions (though, unlike in Plato, these are essentially irrelevant for Zhuangzi; the point is never expressed in logical terms, but rather by illustration in analogy and parable). The parables are somewhat repetitious, both in tone and in ideas, an [...]
    Gregg
    Ursula K. LeGuin's "Lathe of Heaven" has a few quotes by Chuang Tzu inside; namely the one about a man dreaming he's a butterfly, who when waking questions if he's now a butterfly dreaming he's a man. This book is a collection of mind-bending parables about imaginary creatures, arguments between philosophers from different times, and places that don't exist.
    Long Nguyen
    preferred tao te ching
    Santiago Gonzales
    Great Taoist stories. I read a version translated by Burton Watson. You'll want to be familiar with the Taoist approach to make it an easier read, but perhaps with Taoist approach one should read and absorb and go with the flow rather than study up with knowledge!
    Mark
    An excellent book on the Taoist philosophy.
    Neil
    Zhuangzi has been labeled a "Taoist" since the 2nd century B.C but what the hell does that mean? Sima Qian started this whole thing of calling Laozi and Zhuangzi "Taoists", like they shared the same world view and argued the same ideas. Wrong! Laozi and Zhuangzi really need to be taken as separate representations of different ways of thought, distinct not only from each other but from the wave of "Confucians" (another label courtesy of Sima Qian in the 2nd century BC) to come after Confucius him [...]
    Joshua Buhs
    I don't really have any idea of what I just read.(Which is why I'm not giving it a star rating--that wouldn't be fair.)Chuang-Tzu is the lesser known Taoist writer--possibly as much of a legend as his more famous--and possible peer--Lao Tzu. This is a collection of his writings, not the entire surviving corpus.Burton Watson, the translator, provides an excellent overview of the early history of Taoism and the place of these writings in it. Still, it was hard for me to make sense of. This is a bo [...]
    Erik Moron
    Reading In the World of a Man from this book really made me wonder on what life truly means to me. Zhuangzi's way of portraying to the reader what life would be like if they were as free spirited as he was, made me really wonder. Zhuangzis uses this book to show different ways of Daoism and truly believes in his ethics. "When you haven’t yet settled what’s within you yourself, what leisure have you to concern yourself with the conduct of tyrant?" This is an example that really hit me. It is [...]
    Althea
    "Nel non-agire, secondo me, risiede la vera gloria. Ma tutti considerano il non-agire come la più grande delle sofferenze. Così è stato detto: - La gioia suprema è senza gioia; la gloria suprema è senza gloria."Questa è una delle tante frasi del Zhuang-zi che si potrebbero prendere come spunto per scrivere una lunga, molto lunga recensione ma così facendo, secondo il mio modesto parere, si andrebbe contro le idee dell'opera stessa.Attraverso varie scene di vita e conversazioni tra illustr [...]
    William Cheek
    It doesn't matter what your worldview is - Chuang Tzu is good food for the mind.The basic allure is in the concept of casting offeverything. Our deepest thoughts and considerations are almost always blocked by certain premises that we are unable to see through. Chuang Tzu escapes these barriers, in a thrilling and powerful way. At its basic level, The Way according to Chuang Tzu is not anchored in anything. Physical circumstance, metaphysical reality - these do not, well, MATTER. The Way is a ph [...]
    Hieu Cao
    I don't understand several first chapters; however, the text gradually makes sense by itself. Chuang Tzu attempts to show us a perspective completely different from conventional thinkings but perfectly harmonious. A must-read!---03/12/2011, SatThis is my second reading. I will make some statements about my insights gained from this book:- All 'words' are relative but points to one absolute truth of nothingness.- There must be something in order to have nothingness.- Life as well as the whole wor [...]
    Nicky Wheeler-Nicholson
    This is one of those books that I always have with me. I am not a Chinese scholar but I've studied and practiced Tai Chi and traveled in China immediately after the cultural revolution in the early 1980's. That gave me a chance to see a culture and a way of life that I suspect hardly exists anymore. Chuang Tzu's Taoist writings are one of the basic tenets of Chinese philosophy and anyone interested in China, martial arts or philosophy should read this book. Like any ancient book shrouded in myst [...]
    Tony duncan
    After reading the Tao Te Ching, I discovered Chuang Tzu and it blew me away. This was an actual historical person that is documented and these are his writings.The main thing is that his points are made in a style that is completely n harmony with the philosophy. Some of the passages are very funny, and the emotional connection fo the humor makes the point being made affect you. It is the connection to the idea, and the making it a part of oneself, rather than the intellectual understanding that [...]
    Delly
    So far this was the most entertaining philosophy book I have had to read for my class, and the most relatable to my life. There are practices in Taoism I am too selfish to attain. However, there was one aspect that I totally related to: Woodworker Ch'ing on pages 126-127 would only carve from a tree if he saw the bell stand within. I used to be a costumer for a historic site, and I tried to only buy fabric if I could imagine it in garment form - and the fabrics I bought without this "vision" lan [...]
    Kennedy Okafor
    After reading this book i realized that Zhuang Zhou is trying to tell us so much about ourselves but first i have to say that this book is confusing and it would make you think really deep. In my opinion Zhuang is trying to emphasis that figuring out who you are is more important than anything and also having the right ethics as well to back it up. Also doing good and getting a reward for it is actually not doing any good at all because you are trying to get praised for doing good but the good t [...]
    Felonious
    Over the years I have read many books about Tao, and I'm more than a little embarrassed to admit that this is the first book I have read by Chuang Tzu. Chuang Tzu was one of the earliest and most prolific writers on Tao/Taoism. Several of the stories in this book I have heard/read versions of in other books. Some of my favorites are “The Useless Tree”, “3 In The Morning”, and “Training a Cock to Fight”. Even though these stories along with several others were already known to me it w [...]
    bryce
    the good word4th century BCE comedian, poet, story teller, and trickster a book i continually aspire to understand and hold myself to,With a satchel of quirky stories he single handedly undermined the institution of rational thought in ancient China (who knows if that's true it just has a ring to it)Burton Watson is an excellent translator, a famous scholar ive read four other translations only his manages to begin to capture all the multitudes (though others are better for teasing out the philo [...]
    Opzonbee
    As a Chinese,the time(Spring and Autumn Periods)Chuang Tsu,Sun Tsu,Lao Tsu,etc lived is always fascinating to me,it's one of few periods in the long history that actually make me proud.Of course,Chuang Tsz is a must read for me,though I find it difficult and I haven't finished it in the years,the ideas Chuang Zhou brought in his works inspired me so much that I mentioned him here and there from time to time.What he said more than 2000 years ago always remind me that out of the suffering and mean [...]
    Myles
    in a nutshell, this book offers a fairly loose translation of the Chuang Tzu, and offers a bit of philosophical difference from the works of Confucius. The book is sometimes a bit difficult to grasp, until you remember what the prologue suggests doing, and then the tales of pages begin, once again, to come together as they were intended to do. Personally, I think that Confucius had a better way than the Chuang Tzu. Then again maybe it's just the frame of mind that I read it from?all in all- wort [...]
    Dan Domanski
    There is a three-star rating for saying "I liked it." There is a one-star rating for saying "I did not like it." There is a two-star rating which is a not yet three-star rating. There is a two-star rating which is a more than one-star rating. If a book has received a two-star rating, the reviewer did not like it, otherwise the book would receive a three-star rating. If a book has received a two-star rating, the reviewer did not did not like it, otherwise the book would receive a one-star rating. [...]
    Eva
    Very trippy. I opened to the first page and was immediately confronted with a story about a bird who became a pig who became a flower. But once you get into it and understand it intuitively, its stories and principles about the "Dao" or the flow of nature, will just begin to make sense to you. That said, sometimes, you'll still want to put your head down and cry from baffled confusion, but overall, it's a good read that leaves you with a greater sense of connection to the world and nature and Da [...]
    Azzam To'meh
    A really impressive read to be honest, in which great wisdom can be found. The amount of parallels with the Islamic traditions, especially Sufi ones, which does raise the question of the interplay between the two traditions, more explicitly analyzed by Toshihiko Izutsu. The literary stylistics also share a great parallel with much of Islamic religious texts, hence, it didn't feel that strange reading the text.
    Geoff Balme
    As translated ancient Asian texts go, this is a nice little work. This was published in 1964 and while compared to the 2300 year history of the works this is nothing, I'm sure there are more modern interpretations that might be of some use to casual readers. The introduction is excellent and the footnotes are very helpful in attempting to understand (where possible, it's not always!) the probable meaning of some of the allegorical stories.
    Richard F. Schiller
    "Is the man dreaming of the butterfly, or is the butterfly dreaming of the man?"With questions like this, Chaung Tzu proves himself to be every bit of Lao Tzu's disciple. Interesting to note that Chuang Tzu essentially had bits of solipsism in his work thousands of years before Westerners like T.S. Eliot incorporated it into works like "The Wasteland". Daoism is still my favourite philosophy.
    Arthur Cravan
    Perhaps more a 3.5, but I'd feel weird. & of course, texts such as this deserve deep & multiple readings. Some parts I found very repetitive - at first I thought it was because I was dying & couldn't understand. But it happened consistently & in a recognisable pattern, so I think it is indeed repetitive. But what do I know? I am a young trout swimming upstream in the blood of my parents & my parents' parents. For now, time is my teacher.
    • Unlimited [Science Book] Þ Chuang Tzu: Basic Writings - by Zhuangzi Burton Watson ¶
      363 Zhuangzi Burton Watson
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      Posted by:Zhuangzi Burton Watson
      Published :2018-08-09T04:50:59+00:00