The Master of the Old Merchant was a man of unknown origin. Lie Yukou (Liezi) studied under him and also befriended Bo Gaozi, thereby advancing greatly in his mastery of the Dao. A man named Yin Sheng heard of this and came to live with Liezi. For several months, Liezi paid no attention to him. Taking advantage of a moment of leisure, Yin Sheng repeatedly requested to be taught the master’s arts, but he was turned away ten times without receiving a single word of instruction. Resentful, Yin Sheng asked to leave. Liezi did not even acknowledge his departure.
Several months later, Yin Sheng’s mind remained unsettled, and he returned to study with Liezi once more. Liezi asked, “Why do you come and go so frequently?” Yin Sheng replied, “Previously, I asked you for instruction, but you refused to teach me, and I harbored a grudge against you. Now that this resentment has completely dissipated, I have returned.”
Liezi said, “I once thought you were a man of broad understanding; how could you be so shallow? Sit down, and I will tell you what I learned from my master. From the time I began my studies, it took three years before my mind dared not harbor thoughts of right and wrong, and my mouth dared not speak of profit and loss. Only then did the Master of the Old Merchant grant me a single glance. After five years, my mind dared to think of right and wrong, and my mouth dared to speak of profit and loss; only then did the master’s stern face soften into a slight smile. After seven years, whatever my mind thought was entirely free from the concept of right and wrong, and whatever my mouth said was completely devoid of profit and loss; only then did the master pull me up and invite me to sit on the same mat with him. Now, you have been at my door for less than the time it takes to eat a single meal, yet you expect to tread upon the void and ride the wind. How could that possibly be achieved!”
Note
Liezi’s master, the Old Merchant, taught him to transcend right-wrong and profit-loss over seven years. Impatient student Yin Sheng left resentful after getting no lessons. Liezi chides him that profound Daoist attainment demands long inner purification, not instant mastery.
Lie Yukou / Liezi (列御寇 / 列子):
A foundational Daoist philosopher. In this passage, he acts as the bridge between the ultimate, unnamable Daoist master (the Old Merchant) and the impatient, worldly student (Yin Sheng 尹生). His own seven-year journey illustrates that true Daoist mastery is a grueling process of psychological deconditioning, not a quick acquisition of magical powers.
The Master of the Old Merchant (老商氏):
An anonymous, legendary Daoist sage. Like many teachers in the Biographies of Noble Recluses, his lack of a formal name emphasizes that he is a pure embodiment of the Dao, existing outside of societal structures and historical records.
Treading the Void and Riding the Wind:
A famous Daoist concept representing ultimate spiritual freedom and mastery over the physical world. It is often associated with the legendary Daoist immortal Liezi, who was said to be able to ride the wind and travel effortlessly. Here, Liezi uses it to highlight the absurdity of expecting supernatural results without the prerequisite spiritual purification.
Transcending Dualities (Right & Wrong / Profit & Loss):
The core of Liezi’s seven-year training is the systematic dismantling of human dualistic thinking. The progression from suppressing these concepts (3 years), to engaging with them without attachment (5 years), to completely transcending them (7 years), reflects the Daoist path of ‘wuwei’ (non-action) and returning to a state of pure, undifferentiated unity with the Dao.
Daoist Pedagogy and Silence:
Liezi’s initial refusal to teach Yin Sheng, and his eventual demand that Yin Sheng let go of his resentment, reflects a profound Daoist teaching method. True transmission of the Dao cannot happen through mere intellectual instruction; it requires the student to first achieve inner emptiness, humility, and emotional equilibrium.
老商氏者，不知何许人也。列御寇师焉，兼友伯高子而进于其道。尹生闻之，从列子居，数月不省舍，因间请蕲其术者，十反而十不告。尹生怼而请辞，列子又不命。尹生退数月，意不巳，又往从之。列子曰：“汝何去来之频？”尹生曰：“曩章戴有请於子，子不我告，固有憾於子。今复脱然，是以又来。”列子曰：“曩吾以汝为达，今汝之鄙至此乎？姬将告汝所学於夫子者矣。自吾之学也，三年之后，心不敢念是非，口不敢言利害，始得老商一眄而巳。五年之后，心庚念是非，口庚言利害，老商始一解颜而笑。七年之后，从心之所念庚无是非，从口之所言庚无利害，老商始一引吾并席而坐。今汝居先生之门，曾未洽时，履虚乘风，其可得乎！”
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