The Fisherman was a native of the state of Chu. When chaos erupted in Chu, he concealed his identity and lived in seclusion, fishing by the river. During the reign of King Qingxiang of Chu, Qu Yuan served as the Minister of the Three Noble Clans, and his reputation was renowned among the feudal lords. Later, Qu Yuan was slandered by the high official Jin Shang. Enraged, the King banished him to the riverside. Qu Yuan wandered along the marshes with disheveled hair, chanting as he walked.
The Fisherman saw him and asked, “Are you not the Minister of the Three Noble Clans? How have you come to such a pass?” Qu Yuan replied, “The whole world is muddy, but I alone am pure; everyone is drunk, but I alone am sober. That is why I have been banished.”
The Fisherman said, “The sage is not rigidly bound by external things; therefore, he can adapt to the shifting currents of the world. Since the whole world is muddy, why not ride the waves and stir the mud? Since everyone is drunk, why not eat the dregs and sip the thin wine? Why do you cling to your jade-like purity, only to bring about your own exile?”
Then he sang: “When the waters of the Canglang are clear,They can wash the tassels of my hat;When the waters of the Canglang are muddy,They can wash my feet.”
Having sung this, the Fisherman departed, hiding himself deep in the mountains, and no one ever knew where he went.
Note
A Daoist fisherman meets exiled Qu Yuan. He advises Qu to adapt to the corrupt world instead of clinging to uncompromising purity. After singing the Canglang ballad about timely seclusion, the hermit vanishes into remote mountains.
Qu Yuan:
One of China’s greatest patriotic poets and a high official of the state of Chu. Famous for his masterpieceLi Sao (The Lament), he is the ultimate symbol of tragic political idealism. In this passage, his refusal to compromise his moral purity leads to his tragic exile and eventual suicide.
The Fisherman:
A legendary Daoist hermit who serves as the philosophical foil to Qu Yuan. He represents the Daoist philosophy of flexibility, adaptability, and self-preservation. His famous song encapsulates the Daoist acceptance of the world as it is, rather than as one wishes it to be.
The Song of Canglang:
This is one of the most famous philosophical metaphors in Chinese literature. “Washing the hat tassels” represents engaging in politics when the world is just and orderly. “Washing the feet” represents retreating into humble seclusion when the world is corrupt. It beautifully illustrates the Daoist principle of adapting one’s actions to the moral state of the times.
Riding the Waves and Stirring the Mud:
The Fisherman’s advice to Qu Yuan. It suggests that in a corrupt era, a wise person should blend in and adapt to survive, rather than standing out rigidly and getting destroyed. This contrasts sharply with Qu Yuan’s tragic heroism.
Holding Jade:
A famous idiom derived from Qu Yuan’s response, meaning to possess noble moral character and unyielding integrity. It highlights the Confucian/tragic ideal of sacrificing oneself for moral purity, in direct opposition to the Fisherman’s Daoist pragmatism.
渔父者，楚人也，楚乱，乃匿名隐钓於江滨。楚顷襄王时，屈原为三闾大夫，名显於诸侯，为上官靳尚所谮，王怒，放之江滨，被行吟於泽畔。渔父见而问之，曰：“子非三闾大夫欤？何故至於斯？”原曰：“举世混浊而我清，众人皆醉而我独醒，是以见放。”渔父曰：“夫圣人不凝滞於万物，故能与世推移。举世混浊，何不扬其波，汨其泥？众人皆醉，何不铺其糟，歠其醨？何故怀瑾握瑜，自令放为？”乃歌曰：“沧浪之水清，可以濯吾缨；沧浪之水浊，可以濯吾足。”遂去深山，自闭匿，人莫知焉。
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