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Zhuangzi was fishing in the Pu River when the King of Chu sent two high officials to him. They said, “The king wishes to entrust you with the affairs of his rea
by talloaktrees 14d ago
Zhuangzi was fishing in the Pu River when the King of Chu sent two high officials to him. They said, “The king wishes to entrust you with the affairs of his realm.”
Zhuangzi kept hold of his fishing rod and did not turn around. He said, “I have heard that in Chu there is a sacred turtle that has been dead for three thousand years. The king keeps it wrapped in cloth, enclosed in a box, and stored in the ancestral temple.
“Now, would this turtle rather have died and left its bones behind to be honored, or would it rather be alive, dragging its tail through the mud?”
The two officials replied, “It would rather be alive, dragging its tail through the mud.”
Zhuangzi said, “Then go away. I too will drag my tail through the mud.”
- abc_lisper 14d agoThis story made me very happy. Lol
- Bluestein 14d agoDeep lesson. Thanks for posting.-
- notyetmachine 13d agogreat to see another Zhuangzian, best book ever!
- i_am_a_peasant 13d agoMy favorite is chapter 22 Master Tung-kuo asked Chuang Tzu, "This thing called the Way-where does it exist?" Chuang Tzu said, "There's no place it doesn't exist." "Come," said Master Tung-kuo, "you must be more specific!" "It is in the ant." "As low a thing as that?" "It is in the panic grass." "But that's lower still!" "It is in the tiles and shards." "How can it be so low?" "It is in the piss and shit."
- karmakurtisaani 13d agoI feel like the lesson in many stories like this is to be kind of indifferent, not ask stupid questions, and to not answer stupid questions.
- weberer 13d agoI don't think that's the lesson. It sounds like the "One is all, and all is one" lesson from Fullmetal Alchemist.
- i_am_a_peasant 13d agoI kind of took it to mean that there are no irrelevant facts in the universe. And potentially everything deserves close attention.
- savolai 12d agoThough not ancient taoist, Finland has a strong shame culture so we also have lots of popular lyrics that seem to align with the theme. Another cultural pointer is Hal Sirowitz' Mother said. * Sadetanssi: Kuvasi kaltainen * you said, little boy the wheel of the world is best pedalled so softly no one even notices and beware the day you look behind when speed no longer notices the pedal pressed to the floor you said, that boy don’t let him loose he doesn’t instantly know which way he should be going if somewhere comes the sound of good behaviour breaking if somewhere they are having fun without your permission you wear your shame with pride when you look me in the face I am made in your image you’d rather be ordinary than stunted in your growth well-behaved rather than torn inside when you open the cupboard in the morning the skeletons are laughing you don’t know a single one but still they laugh at you when at night you look into the mirror and see my face I smile at you softly and turn my back I’ve made every mistake you only dream of making I am made in your image