In autumn, as the seasonal rains arrived, a hundred streams poured into the Yellow River. The current swelled so greatly that from bank to bank, and between the islets, one could not distinguish an ox from a horse. At this, the Lord of the River (He Bo) was overjoyed, believing that all the beauty in the world belonged to him alone. He traveled eastward with the current until he reached the Northern Sea. Looking eastward, he could not see the end of the water.
Then the Lord of the River changed his expression. Gazing out at the vastness, he sighed to Ruo (the Spirit of the Sea) and said, “There is a common saying: ‘One who has heard a hundred truths thinks no one equals him.’ This describes me. Moreover, I once heard people belittle the learning of Confucius and despise the righteousness of Bo Yi. At first, I did not believe it. Now that I see how difficult it is to exhaust your vastness, had I not come to your gate, I would have been in grave danger. I would have long been laughed at by the masters of the Great Way.”
The Spirit of the Sea said, “You cannot speak of the ocean to a well-frog, for it is confined by its dwelling. You cannot speak of ice to a summer insect, for it is bound by its time. You cannot speak of the Way to a narrow-minded scholar, for he is constrained by his teachings. Now that you have emerged from your banks and gazed upon the great sea, you realize your own inadequacy. Therefore, you may now be spoken to about the Great Principles.
“Of all the waters under heaven, none is greater than the sea. Ten thousand rivers flow into it, never ceasing, yet it never overflows. It drains away through the Wei Lü (the cosmic drain), never stopping, yet it never empties. It does not change with spring or autumn; it is unaffected by drought or flood. That it surpasses the flow of the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers cannot be measured or calculated. Yet I have never boasted of this. I consider that I receive my form from Heaven and Earth and my vital breath from Yin and Yang. I am between Heaven and Earth like a small stone or a tiny tree on a great mountain. Since I perceive myself as small, how could I boast? Consider the Four Seas within Heaven and Earth: are they not like an anthill in a great marsh? Consider the Middle Kingdom within the seas: is it not like a grain of rice in a great granary? There are said to be ten thousand kinds of things, and humans are but one of them. Of all the people in the Nine Provinces, where grain grows and boats and carts travel, each individual is but one. Compared to the ten thousand things, is he not like the tip of a hair on a horse’s body? What the Five Emperors passed on, what the Three Kings fought for, what the benevolent men worried about, and what the capable men labored over – all amounts to this! Bo Yi declined it to win fame; Confucius discoursed on it to show his learning. This was their boasting. Is it not like your recent boasting about your waters?”
The Lord of the River said, “Then may I consider Heaven and Earth as great, and the tip of a hair as small?”
The Spirit of the Sea said, “No. The measure of things is infinite; time never ceases; distinctions are not constant; beginning and end have no fixed cause. Therefore, the person of Great Wisdom views both the distant and the near. Thus, the small is not scanty, and the great is not excessive: for he knows that measure is infinite. He verifies past and present. Thus, the remote does not weary him, and the near does not make him impatient: for he knows that time never ceases. He examines fullness and emptiness. Thus, gain does not make him rejoice, and loss does not make him grieve: for he knows that distinctions are not constant. He understands the smooth path. Thus, life does not make him happy, and death is not a disaster: for he knows that beginning and end have no fixed cause.
“Consider what a person knows: it is less than what they do not know. The time of their life is less than the time before they were born. Using their smallest capacity to try to exhaust the realm of the greatest – this is why they become confused and cannot find contentment. From this perspective, how can one know that the tip of a hair is sufficient to define the limit of the smallest? How can one know that Heaven and Earth are sufficient to exhaust the realm of the greatest?”
The Lord of the River said, “Discussants of the world all say: ‘The finest has no form; the greatest cannot be encompassed.’ Is this truly the case?”
The Spirit of the Sea said, “Viewing the great from the perspective of the small, one cannot see it fully; viewing the small from the perspective of the great, one cannot see it clearly. The ‘finest’ is the smallest of the small; the ‘greatest’ is the vastness of the large. Thus, they differ in convenience. This is a matter of perspective. The fine and the coarse apply only to things that have form. That which has no form cannot be divided by numbers; that which cannot be encompassed cannot be exhausted by numbers. That which can be discussed in words is the coarseness of things; that which can be reached by mind is the fineness of things. But that which words cannot discuss, and the mind cannot examine or reach, is neither fine nor coarse.
“Therefore, the conduct of the Great Person: does not harm others, but does not boast of benevolence and kindness; acts not for profit, but does not despise the gatekeepers and servants; does not fight for wealth, but does not boast of yielding; does not rely on others in affairs, but does not boast of self-reliance, nor despise the greedy and corrupt; acts differently from the vulgar, but does not boast of being unusual; acts in accordance with the crowd, but does not despise flattery. The ranks and salaries of the world are not enough to encourage him; execution and shame are not enough to disgrace him. He knows that right and wrong cannot be clearly divided, and that the fine and the great cannot have fixed limits. It is said: ‘The person of the Way is not heard of; the person of Supreme Virtue does not attain; the Great Person has no self.’ This is the extreme of reducing distinctions.”
The Lord of the River said, “Regarding the outside of things and the inside of things, where does the distinction between noble and base arise? Where does the distinction between small and great arise?”
The Spirit of the Sea said, “Viewed from the perspective of the Way, things have no nobility or baseness. Viewed from the perspective of things, each prizes itself and belittles others. Viewed from the perspective of convention, nobility and baseness do not depend on oneself. Viewed from the perspective of difference, if we call something great because of its largeness, then nothing is not great; if we call something small because of its smallness, then nothing is not small. Knowing that Heaven and Earth can be seen as a grain of rice, and that the tip of a hair can be seen as a hill, then the gradations of difference are visible.
“Viewed from the perspective of function, if we say a thing exists because of what it has, then nothing does not exist; if we say a thing does not exist because of what it lacks, then nothing exists. Knowing that East and West are opposite yet cannot exist without each other, then the function and division of things are determined.
“Viewed from the perspective of inclination, if we affirm something because of its rightness, then nothing is not right; if we deny something because of its wrongness, then nothing is not wrong. Knowing that Yao and Jie each considered themselves right and denied the other, then their inclinations and operations are visible.
“In the past, Yao and Shun abdicated and became Emperors; Zi Zhi and King Kuai of Yan abdicated and their line was extinguished. Tang and Wu fought and became Kings; Duke Bai of Chu fought and was destroyed. From this we see that the rites of contention and yielding, and the conduct of Yao and Jie, depend on the times and cannot be considered constant.
“A beam can be used to batter down a city wall but cannot stop a hole: this speaks of different utilities. A Qiji or Hualiu (famous steeds) can gallop a thousand li in a day, but catching mice is not as good as a wild cat or weasel: this speaks of different skills. An owl can pluck fleas at night and see the tip of a hair, but coming out in the daytime, it opens its eyes wide yet cannot see a hill: this speaks of different natures.
“So, is it not wrong to say: ‘Let us follow right and have no wrong; let us follow order and have no chaos’? This shows a lack of understanding of the principles of Heaven and Earth and the nature of the ten thousand things. It is like following Heaven and having no Earth, or following Yin and having no Yang. That this is impossible is clear! Yet people keep talking about it without letting go; if they are not stupid, they are deceiving!
“The emperors practiced different abdications; the Three Dynasties practiced different successions. Those who missed their time and went against custom were called usurpers; those who hit their time and followed custom were called righteous men. Be silent, Lord of the River! How could you know the gate of nobility and baseness, or the house of small and great!”
The Lord of the River said, “Then what should I do? What should I not do? Regarding my accepting and rejecting, approaching and withdrawing, what should I ultimately do?”
The Spirit of the Sea said, “Viewed from the perspective of the Way, what is noble and what is base? This is called reversal. Do not constrain your will, or you will conflict greatly with the Way. What is few and what are many? This is called alternating succession. Do not act with one-sidedness, or you will diverge from the Way. Be solemn, like a ruler of a state, with no private favors. Be leisurely, like the Spirit of the Soil at a sacrifice, with no private blessings. Be vast, like the four directions, infinite and without boundaries. Embrace all things universally; who then needs your protection? This is called having no partiality. The ten thousand things are equal; which is short and which is long?
“The Way has no beginning or end; things have birth and death. Do not rely on their completion. One moment empty, the next full, their form is never fixed. Years cannot be held back; time cannot be stopped. Waning and waxing, fullness and emptiness – when one ends, another begins. This is how to speak of the direction of the Great Principle and discuss the patterns of the ten thousand things.
“The birth of things is like a gallop, like a race. No movement is without change; no moment is without shift. What should you do? What should you not do? They will transform of themselves.”
The Lord of the River said, “Then what is the value of the Way?”
The Spirit of the Sea said, “One who knows the Way must understand its principles. One who understands its principles must understand adaptation (Quan). One who understands adaptation is not harmed by things. The person of Supreme Virtue cannot be burned by fire, drowned by water, harmed by cold or heat, or injured by birds and beasts. This does not mean they approach these things lightly. It means they discern safety and danger, remain calm in misfortune and fortune, and are cautious in advance and retreat, so that nothing can harm them.
“Therefore it is said: ‘Heaven is within; Man is without; Virtue lies in Heaven.’ Understand the actions of Heaven and Man. Rooted in Heaven, abiding in Virtue, bending and stretching, returning to the essential and speaking of the ultimate.”
The Lord of the River asked, “What is Heaven? What is Man?”
The Spirit of the Sea said, “Oxen and horses have four feet: this is called Heaven. Putting a bridle on a horse’s head and piercing an ox’s nose: this is called Man. Therefore it is said: ‘Do not destroy Heaven with Man; do not destroy destiny with intention; do not sacrifice virtue for fame. Guard this carefully and do not lose it; this is called returning to your True Nature.’”
Kui (the one-legged monster) envied the Millipede; the Millipede envied the Snake; the Snake envied the Wind; the Wind envied the Eye; the Eye envied the Mind.
Kui said to the Millipede, “I hop along on one foot, and I have nothing like your complexity. Now you use ten thousand feet – how do you manage it?”
The Millipede said, “Not so. Have you not seen someone spitting? The large drops are like pearls, the small ones like mist, falling in a mixture too numerous to count. Now I simply move my Heavenly Mechanism, and I do not know how it happens.”
The Millipede said to the Snake, “I walk with many feet, yet I cannot catch up with you who have no feet. Why is this?”
The Snake said, “The Heavenly Mechanism moves; how can it be changed? What use do I have for feet!”
The Snake said to the Wind, “I move my spine and ribs to walk, so I have a form. But you howls from the Northern Sea and enter the Southern Sea, yet you seem to have no form. Why is this?”
The Wind said, “Indeed, I roar from the Northern Sea and enter the Southern Sea. However, if you point at me, you overcome me; if you kick me, you overcome me. Nevertheless, to snap great trees and fly great houses off their foundations – only I can do this.” Thus, by not winning in many small things, I achieve a Great Victory. And to achieve Great Victory – only the Sage can do this.
Confucius was traveling in Kuang. The people of Song surrounded him in several layers, yet he continued to sing and play his lute without pause.
Zilu entered and saw him, saying, “How can you be so merry, Master?”
Confucius said, “Come, let me tell you. I have long tried to avoid failure, but could not – this is Fate. I have long sought success, but could not attain it – this is the Times. Had it been the time of Yao and Shun, there would have been no failures in the world, not because of wisdom. Had it been the time of Jie and Zhou, there would have been no successes in the world, not because of lack of wisdom. It was simply the nature of the times.
“To travel on water without avoiding dragons and serpents – this is the courage of a fisherman. To travel on land without avoiding rhinos and tigers – this is the courage of a hunter. To see drawn swords before one and view death as life – this is the courage of a martyr. To know that failure is a matter of Fate, and success a matter of the Times, and to face great danger without fear – this is the courage of a Sage. You, You (Zilu), be at ease! My fate has its decree!”
Before long, the leader of the armed men entered and apologized, saying, “We thought you were Yang Hu, so we surrounded you. Now we see you are not. Please allow us to withdraw.”
Gongsun Long asked Prince Mou of Wei, “In my youth, I studied the Way of the Former Kings. When I grew up, I understood the practice of Benevolence and Righteousness. I unified similarities and differences; I separated ‘hard’ and ‘white.’ I affirmed the negated and approved the disapproved. I baffled the knowledge of a hundred schools and exhausted the debates of many mouths. I considered myself thoroughly enlightened.
“Now I have heard the words of Zhuangzi, and I am bewildered by their strangeness. I do not know whether my reasoning is inferior, or my knowledge is not equal to his. Now I cannot even open my mouth. May I ask the method?”
Prince Mou leaned on his desk, sighed deeply, looked up to heaven, and laughed, saying, “Have you not heard of the frog in the shallow well? It said to a turtle of the Eastern Sea: ‘How happy I am! I hop out and play on the railing of the well; I go in and rest on the broken bricks of the wall. When I enter the water, it supports my armpits and holds my chin; when I tread the mud, it covers my feet and hides my ankles. Looking back at the mosquito larvae, crabs, and tadpoles, none can equal me. Moreover, to monopolize the water of a single gully and straddle the joy of a shallow well – this is the ultimate happiness. Why do you not come in and look from time to time?’
“The turtle of the Eastern Sea had not yet gotten its left foot in before its right knee was already stuck. So it hesitated and retreated, and told the frog about the sea, saying: ‘A distance of a thousand li is not enough to describe its greatness; a depth of a thousand fathoms is not enough to exhaust its depth. In the time of Yu, there were nine floods in ten years, yet the water did not increase. In the time of Tang, there were seven droughts in eight years, yet the banks did not recede. Not changing with moment or duration, not advancing or retreating with much or little – this is the Great Joy of the Eastern Sea.’
“When the frog of the shallow well heard this, it was startled and bewildered, and lost its composure.
“Now, your knowledge does not even reach the boundary of right and wrong, yet you wish to observe the words of Zhuangzi. This is like asking a mosquito to carry a mountain, or a centipede to race across a river – you are certainly unequal to the task. Moreover, your knowledge does not know how to discuss the most subtle words, yet you seek temporary advantage. Are you not the frog in the shallow well?
“Zhuangzi’s spirit treads the Yellow Springs and ascends to the Great Height. He has no south and no north; he releases himself in all four directions and sinks into the unfathomable. He has no east and no west; he begins in the Dark Mystery and returns to the Great Thoroughfare. You, however, seek him with petty scrutiny and search for him with debate. This is simply looking at the sky through a tube and pointing at the earth with an awl – is this not petty? Go away!
“Have you not heard of the young man from Shouling who went to learn to walk in Handan? He did not acquire the new skill, and he forgot his old way of walking, so he simply crawled home. If you do not leave now, you will forget your old ways and lose your own profession.”
Gongsun Long’s mouth hung open and would not close; his tongue lifted and would not go down. So he fled and ran away.
Zhuangzi was fishing in the Pu River. The King of Chu sent two high officials to go ahead and announce, “We wish to trouble you with the administration of our realm!”
Zhuangzi held his fishing rod and, without turning his head, said, “I have heard that Chu has a sacred tortoise, dead for three thousand years. The King keeps it wrapped in cloth and stored in a bamboo box in the ancestral temple. Would this tortoise rather be dead and have its bones preserved for honor? Or would it rather be alive and dragging its tail in the mud?”
The two officials said, “It would rather be alive and dragging its tail in the mud.”
Zhuangzi said, “Go away! I will drag my tail in the mud.”
Huizi was the Prime Minister of Liang. Zhuangzi went to see him. Someone said to Huizi, “Zhuangzi has come; he intends to replace you as Prime Minister.”
So Huizi was afraid and searched the state for three days and three nights.
Zhuangzi went to see him and said, “There is a bird in the south; its name is the Yuan Chu (a phoenix-like bird). Do you know it? The Yuan Chu rises from the South Sea and flies to the North Sea. It will not perch except on a Wutong tree; it will not eat except on the fruit of the Lian bamboo; it will not drink except from a Sweet Spring.
“An owl, having found a rotten rat, saw the Yuan Chu passing overhead. It looked up and shouted, ‘Shoo!’ Now, do you intend to shoo me with your State of Liang?”
Zhuangzi and Huizi were wandering on the bridge over the Hao River.
Zhuangzi said, “See how the minnows come out and swim about leisurely and at ease. This is the joy of fish.”
Huizi said, “You are not a fish; how do you know the joy of fish?”
Zhuangzi said, “You are not me; how do you know that I do not know the joy of fish?”
Huizi said, “I am not you, so I certainly do not know you. But you certainly are not a fish, so your not knowing the joy of fish is complete!”
Zhuangzi said, “Let us go back to the beginning. You said, ‘How do you know the joy of fish?'(This passage is ambiguous; it may also be translated as ‘Where do you know the joy of fish?’) – this implies that you already knew I knew it, and yet you asked me. I know it by standing here on the bridge over the Hao.”
Note
Zhuangzi (Zhuang Zhou):
The author (or attributed author) of the text, a major Daoist philosopher of the Warring States period (c. 369–286 BCE). He is known for his whimsical, paradoxical style and his advocacy of living in harmony with the Dao (the Way), free from social conventions and artificial values.
He Bo (Lord of the River):
The mythological deity of the Yellow River (Huang He). In the story, he begins as a proud, self-satisfied figure who believes his river is the greatest in the world, only to be humbled when he encounters the vastness of the sea.
Bei Hai Ruo (Spirit of the Northern Sea):
The mythological deity of the Northern Sea, representing the boundless, infinite perspective of the Dao. He serves as the wise teacher who guides He Bo toward a deeper understanding of relativity and humility.
Confucius (Kong Qiu / Zhongni):
The founder of Confucianism (551–479 BCE). In Zhuangzi, he often appears as a character who is gently mocked or used as a mouthpiece for Daoist ideas. Here, he is referenced as someone whose vast learning was considered “small” by some, and he appears in an anecdote demonstrating the “courage of the sage.”
Bo Yi:
A legendary figure from the early Zhou dynasty, celebrated in Confucian tradition for his moral integrity. Bo Yi and his brother, Shu Qi, refused to serve the new Zhou dynasty and starved themselves to death on Mount Shouyang rather than eat Zhou grain. Zhuangzi uses him as an example of someone who sought fame through renunciation.
Yao and Shun:
Jie and Zhou:
The last, tyrannical rulers of the Xia and Shang dynasties, respectively. They serve as archetypes of bad governance, contrasting with Yao and Shun.
Tang and Wu:
The founding kings of the Shang and Zhou dynasties, who came to power through military rebellion against the tyrants Jie and Zhou. They represent the legitimacy of “righteous warfare” in certain contexts.
The Five Emperors:
A group of legendary sage-rulers in ancient Chinese mythology, including Yao and Shun. Their succession represented the ideal of peaceful abdication.
The Three Kings:
Typically refers to Yu the Great (founder of the Xia), Tang (founder of the Shang), and Wu (founder of the Zhou), representing the founders of the first three dynasties.
Zi Zhi and King Kuai of Yan:
Historical figures from the Yan state during the Warring States period. King Kuai abdicated his throne to his minister Zi Zhi, which led to chaos and near-destruction of the state – a cautionary tale about ill-timed abdication.
Duke Bai of Chu (Bai Gong Sheng):
Bai Gong Sheng, a noble of the Chu state who rebelled and was destroyed, illustrating the failure of ill-timed contention.
Kui:
A mythical one-legged monster or creature from Chinese folklore, used here to illustrate the uniqueness of each being’s natural endowment.
Zilu (Zhong You):
Zilu, Zi Lu, one of Confucius’ most loyal and outspoken disciples, known for his bravery and straightforwardness. He appears in the anecdote where Confucius is surrounded at Kuang.
Yang Hu (Yang Huo):
Also is known for his resemblance to Confucius. In the story, the people of Kuang mistook Confucius for Yang Hu, whom they held a grudge against.
Gongsun Long:
A famous philosopher of the “School of Names” (Logicians) during the Warring States period, known for paradoxes such as “A white horse is not a horse.” He represents the limits of logical disputation and linguistic analysis.
Prince Mou of Wei (Wei Mou):
A nobleman and philosopher who critiques Gongsun Long’s narrow-mindedness, using the metaphor of the well-frog to show how limited perspectives cannot grasp the profundity of Zhuangzi’s thought.
King of Chu:
Huizi (Hui Shi):
A philosopher of the School of Names and a close friend (and intellectual rival) of Zhuangzi. He served as the prime minister of Liang (Wei). Their debates, such as the famous “Joy of Fish” discussion, are central to the text.
Confucius Surrounded at Kuang:
A famous incident where Confucius and his disciples were mistakenly surrounded by the people of Kuang (in present-day Henan province), who believed he was the hated Yang Hu. Despite the danger, Confucius remained calm, playing music and singing, demonstrating the “courage of the sage” who accepts fate and timing.
Zhuangzi Fishing at the Pu River:
When the King of Chu sent two officials to offer Zhuangzi the position of prime minister, Zhuangzi refused by asking whether a sacred tortoise would prefer to be dead and honored in a temple or alive and dragging its tail in the mud. This anecdote illustrates Zhuangzi’s preference for a simple, free life over political power and prestige.
Huizi as Prime Minister of Liang:
When Zhuangzi visited his friend Huizi, who was serving as prime minister of the Liang (Wei) state, Huizi feared Zhuangzi had come to replace him. Zhuangzi mocked this fear with the parable of the phoenix-like bird (Yuan Chu) and the owl guarding a rotten rat, suggesting that political power is as undesirable as a rotten carcass to someone of higher aspirations.
The Abdication of Yao and Shun vs. Zi Zhi and King Kuai:
The text contrasts the successful, celebrated abdications of the sage-kings Yao and Shun with the disastrous abdication of King Kuai of Yan to his minister Zi Zhi, illustrating that the morality of an action depends on its timing and context, not on fixed rules.
Daoism (Taoism):
One of the major philosophical and religious traditions of China, founded by Laozi and developed by Zhuangzi. It emphasizes living in harmony with the Dao (the Way), naturalness, spontaneity, and freedom from artificial social constraints.
Confucianism:
The dominant ethical and political philosophy of traditional China, founded by Confucius, emphasizing benevolence, righteousness, ritual propriety, and social hierarchy. Zhuangzi often critiques Confucian values as artificial and limiting.
The School of Names (Logicians):
A philosophical school during the Warring States period focused on logic, language, and paradox. Gongsun Long and Huizi were its leading figures. Zhuangzi viewed their logical disputation as a limited and ultimately futile exercise.
Yin and Yang:
The complementary forces in Chinese cosmology representing dualities such as dark/light, passive/active, and feminine/masculine. The text mentions that all things receive their vital breath (qi) from the interaction of Yin and Yang.
The Concept of “Tian” (Heaven/Nature):
In Daoist thought, Tian refers to the natural order of the universe, as opposed to human-made conventions. The text draws a distinction between what is “Tian” (natural, like a horse’s four legs) and what is “Ren” (human/artificial, like putting a bridle on a horse).
The Nine Provinces:
An ancient poetic name for China, representing the known civilized world. The text uses it to illustrate the smallness of human habitation within the vast cosmos.
The Wei Lü (Tail-Drain):
A mythical cosmic drain at the eastern edge of the world through which all the waters of the sea were believed to flow out, yet the sea never empties. It symbolizes the infinite, self-regulating nature of the cosmos.
“Gazing at the Ocean and Sighing” (Wang Yang Xing Tan):
Originating from He Bo’s reaction upon seeing the vast sea. It means to feel one’s own inadequacy in the face of something much greater, or to lament one’s limitations.
“A Laughingstock to the Masters of the Great Way” (Yi Xiao Da Fang):
From He Bo’s fear of being laughed at by those who truly understand the Dao. It means to be ridiculed by experts or people of true knowledge.
“You Cannot Speak of the Ocean to a Well-Frog” (Jing Wa Bu Ke Yu Hai):
Meaning that people with narrow experiences or perspectives cannot understand broader truths. Equivalent to “a frog in a well.”
“You Cannot Speak of Ice to a Summer Insect” (Xia Chong Bu Ke Yu Bing):
Meaning that people are limited by their circumstances and time; you cannot discuss things beyond their experience.
“The Frog in the Shallow Well” (Kan Jing Zhi Wa):
A parable about a frog living happily in a shallow well who cannot comprehend the vastness of the Eastern Sea. It is a metaphor for narrow-mindedness and limited perspective.
“Learning to Walk in Handan” (Handan Xue Bu):
A young man from Shouling went to Handan (the capital of Zhao) to learn the elegant walking style of its people, but failed and forgot how to walk normally, ending up crawling home. It means to blindly imitate others and lose one’s own identity.
“Dragging One’s Tail in the Mud” (Ye Wei Tu Zhong):
From Zhuangzi’s refusal of the Chu prime ministership. It symbolizes the choice of a humble but free life over a prestigious but constrained one.
“The Phoenix and the Rotten Rat” (Yuan Chu Chi Shu):
From the story of Zhuangzi and Huizi. The phoenix-like Yuan Chu bird only perches on wutong trees and drinks from sweet springs, while an owl guarding a rotten rat shrieks at it. It symbolizes the contempt a noble person feels for petty concerns and the paranoia of those who cling to power.
“The Joy of Fish on the Hao River Bridge” (Hao Liang Zhi Bian / An Zhi Yu Le):
The famous debate between Zhuangzi and Huizi about whether one can know the happiness of fish. It raises profound questions about empathy, knowledge, and the limits of language and logic.
“Tai Cang Yi Su” (A Grain of Rice in a Great Granary):
From the text’s comparison of China within the world to a single grain in a vast granary. It means something extremely small or insignificant in comparison to something vast.
“Looking at the Sky Through a Tube” (Yi Guan Kui Tian):
From Wei Mou’s critique of Gongsun Long. It means to have an extremely narrow view of something vast.
“Using an Awl to Point at the Earth” (Yi Zhui Zhi Di):
Also from Wei Mou’s critique, meaning an utterly inadequate method of measuring or understanding something immense.
外篇·秋水第十七
秋水时至，百川灌河。泾流之大，两涘渚崖之间，不辩牛马。于是焉河伯欣然自喜，以天下之美为尽在己。顺流而东行，至于北海，东面而视，不见水端。于是焉河伯始旋其面目，望洋向若而叹曰：“野语有之曰：‘闻道百，以为莫己若者。’我之谓也。且夫我尝闻少仲尼之闻而轻伯夷之义者，始吾弗信。今我睹子之难穷也，吾非至于子之门则殆矣，吾长见笑于大方之家。”北海若曰：“井蛙不可以语于海者，拘于虚也；夏虫不可以语于冰者，笃于时也；曲士不可以语于道者，束于教也。今尔出于崖涘，观于大海，乃知尔丑，尔将可与语大理矣。天下之水，莫大于海：万川归之，不知何时止而不盈；尾闾泄之，不知何时已而不虚；春秋不变，水旱不知。此其过江河之流，不可为量数。而吾未尝以此自多者，自以比形于天地，而受气于阴阳，吾在于天地之间，犹小石小木之在大山也。方存乎见少，又奚以自多！计四海之在天地之间也，不似礨空之在大泽乎？计中国之在海内不似稊米之在太仓乎？号物之数谓之万，人处一焉；人卒九州，谷食之所生，舟车之所通，人处一焉。此其比万物也，不似毫末之在于马体乎？五帝之所连，三王之所争，仁人之所忧，任士之所劳，尽此矣！伯夷辞之以为名，仲尼语之以为博。此其自多也，不似尔向之自多于水乎？”
河伯曰：“然则吾大天地而小毫末，可乎？”北海若曰：“否。夫物量无穷，时无止，分无常，终始无故。是故大知观于远近，故小而不寡，大而不多：知量无穷。证向今故，故遥而不闷，掇而不跂：知时无止。察乎盈虚，故得而不喜，失而不忧：知分之无常也。明乎坦涂，故生而不说，死而不祸：知终始之不可故也。计人之所知，不若其所不知；其生之时，不若未生之时；以其至小，求穷其至大之域，是故迷乱而不能自得也。由此观之，又何以知毫末之足以定至细之倪，又何以知天地之足以穷至大之域！”
河伯曰：“世之议者皆曰：‘至精无形，至大不可围。’是信情乎？”北海若曰：“夫自细视大者不尽，自大视细者不明。夫精，小之微也；垺，大之殷也：故异便。此势之有也。夫精粗者，期于有形者也；无形者，数之所不能分也；不可围者，数之所不能穷也。可以言论者，物之粗也；可以意致者，物之精也；言之所不能论，意之所不能察致者，不期精粗焉。是故大人之行：不出乎害人，不多仁恩；动不为利，不贱门隶；货财弗争，不多辞让；事焉不借人，不多食乎力，不贱贪污；行殊乎俗，不多辟异；为在从众，不贱佞谄；世之爵禄不足以为劝，戮耻不足以为辱；知是非之不可为分，细大之不可为倪。闻曰：‘道人不闻，至德不得，大人无己。’约分之至也。”
河伯曰：“若物之外，若物之内，恶至而倪贵贱？恶至而倪小大？”北海若曰：“以道观之，物无贵贱；以物观之，自贵而相贱；以俗观之，贵贱不在己。以差观之，因其所大而大之，则万物莫不大；因其所小而小之，则万物莫不小。知天地之为稊米也，知毫末之为丘山也，则差数睹矣。以功观之，因其所有而有之，则万物莫不有；因其所无而无之，则万物莫不无。知东西之相反而不可以相无，则功分定矣。以趣观之，因其所然而然之，则万物莫不然；因其所非而非之，则万物莫不非。知尧、桀之自然而相非，则趣操睹矣。昔者尧、舜让而帝，之、哙让而绝；汤、武争而王，白公争而灭。由此观之，争让之礼，尧、桀之行，贵贱有时，未可以为常也。梁丽可以冲城而不可以窒穴，言殊器也；骐骥骅骝一日而驰千里，捕鼠不如狸狌，言殊技也；鸱鸺夜撮蚤，察毫末，昼出瞋目而不见丘山，言殊性也。故曰：盖师是而无非，师治而无乱乎？是未明天地之理，万物之情也。是犹师天而无地，师阴而无阳，其不可行明矣！然且语而不舍，非愚则诬也！帝王殊禅，三代殊继。差其时，逆其俗者，谓之篡夫；当其时，顺其俗者，谓之义之徒。默默乎河伯，女恶知贵贱之门，小大之家！”
河伯曰：“然则我何为乎？何不为乎？吾辞受趣舍，吾终奈何？”北海若曰：“以道观之，何贵何贱，是谓反衍；无拘而志，与道大蹇。何少何多，是谓谢施；无一而行，与道参差。严乎若国之有君，其无私德；繇繇乎若祭之有社，其无私福；泛泛乎其若四方之无穷，其无所畛域。兼怀万物，其孰承翼？是谓无方。万物一齐，孰短孰长？道无终始，物有死生，不恃其成。一虚一满，不位乎其形。年不可举，时不可止。消息盈虚，终则有始。是所以语大义之方，论万物之理也。物之生也，若骤若驰。无动而不变，无时而不移。何为乎，何不为乎？夫固将自化。”
河伯曰：“然则何贵于道邪？”北海若曰：“知道者必达于理，达于理者必明于权，明于权者不以物害己。至德者，火弗能热，水弗能溺，寒暑弗能害，禽兽弗能贼。非谓其薄之也，言察乎安危，宁于祸福，谨于去就，莫之能害也。故曰：‘天在内，人在外，德在乎天。’知天人之行，本乎天，位乎得，蹢躅而屈伸，反要而语极。”曰：“何谓天？何谓人？”北海若曰：“牛马四足，是谓天；落马首，穿牛鼻，是谓人。故曰：‘无以人灭天，无以故灭命，无以得殉名。谨守而勿失，是谓反其真。’”
夔怜蚿，蚿怜蛇，蛇怜风，风怜目，目怜心。夔谓蚿曰：“吾以一足趻踔而行，予无如矣。今子之使万足，独奈何？”蚿曰：“不然。子不见夫唾者乎？喷则大者如珠，小者如雾，杂而下者不可胜数也。今予动吾天机，而不知其所以然。”蚿谓蛇曰：“吾以众足行，而不及子之无足，何也？”蛇曰：“夫天机之所动，何可易邪？吾安用足哉！”蛇谓风曰：“予动吾脊胁而行，则有似也。今子蓬蓬然起于北海，蓬蓬然入于南海，而似无有，何也？”风曰：“然，予蓬蓬然起于北海而入于南海也，然而指我则胜我，鰌我亦胜我。虽然，夫折大木，蜚大屋者，唯我能也。”故以众小不胜为大胜也。为大胜者，唯圣人能之。
孔子游于匡，宋人围之数匝，而弦歌不惙。子路入见，曰：“何夫子之娱也？”孔子曰：“来，吾语女。我讳穷久矣，而不免，命也；求通久矣，而不得，时也。当尧、舜而天下无穷人，非知得也；当桀、纣而天下无通人，非知失也：时势适然。夫水行不避蛟龙者，渔父之勇也；陆行不避兕虎者，猎夫之勇也；白刃交于前，视死若生者，烈士之勇也；知穷之有命，知通之有时，临大难而不惧者，圣人之勇也。由，处矣！吾命有所制矣！”无几何，将甲者进，辞曰：“以为阳虎也，故围之；今非也，请辞而退。”
公孙龙问于魏牟曰：“龙少学先王之道，长而明仁义之行；合同异，离坚白；然不然，可不可；困百家之知，穷众口之辩：吾自以为至达已。今吾闻庄子之言，汒然异之。不知论之不及与？知之弗若与？今吾无所开吾喙，敢问其方。”公子牟隐机大息，仰天而笑曰：“子独不闻夫埳井之蛙乎？谓东海之鳖曰：‘吾乐与！出跳梁乎井干之上，入休乎缺甃之崖。赴水则接腋持颐，蹶泥则没足灭跗。还虷蟹与科斗，莫吾能若也。且夫擅一壑之水，而跨跱埳井之乐，此亦至矣。夫子奚不时来入观乎？’东海之鳖左足未入，而右膝已絷矣。于是逡巡而却，告之海曰：‘夫千里之远，不足以举其大；千仞之高，不足以极其深。禹之时，十年九潦，而水弗为加益；汤之时，八年七旱，而崖不为加损。夫不为顷久推移，不以多少进退者，此亦东海之大乐也。’于是埳井之蛙闻之，适适然惊，规规然自失也。且夫知不知是非之竟，而犹欲观于庄子之言，是犹使蚊负山，商蚷驰河也，必不胜任矣。且夫知不知论极妙之言，而自适一时之利者，是非埳井之蛙与？且彼方跐黄泉而登大皇，无南无北，奭然四解，沦于不测；无东无西，始于玄冥，反于大通。子乃规规然而求之以察，索之以辩，是直用管窥天，用锥指地也，不亦小乎？子往矣！且子独不闻夫寿陵馀子之学于邯郸与？未得国能，又失其故行矣，直匍匐而归耳。今子不去，将忘子之故，失子之业。”公孙龙口呿而不合，舌举而不下，乃逸而走。
庄子钓于濮水。楚王使大夫二人往先焉，曰：“愿以境内累矣！”庄子持竿不顾，曰：“吾闻楚有神龟，死已三千岁矣。王巾笥而藏之庙堂之上。此龟者，宁其死为留骨而贵乎？宁其生而曳尾于涂中乎？”二大夫曰：“宁生而曳尾涂中。”庄子曰：“往矣！吾将曳尾于涂中。”
惠子相梁，庄子往见之。或谓惠子曰：“庄子来，欲代子相。”于是惠子恐，搜于国中三日三夜。庄子往见之，曰：“南方有鸟，其名为鹓鶵，子知之乎？夫鹓鶵发于南海而飞于北海，非梧桐不止，非练实不食，非醴泉不饮。于是鸱得腐鼠，鹓鶵过之，仰而视之曰：‘吓！’今子欲以子之梁国而吓我邪？”
庄子与惠子游于濠梁之上。庄子曰：“儵鱼出游从容，是鱼之乐也。”惠子曰∶“子非鱼，安知鱼之乐？”庄子曰：“子非我，安知我不知鱼之乐？”惠子曰“我非子，固不知子矣；子固非鱼也，子之不知鱼之乐，全矣！”庄子曰：“请循其本。子曰‘汝安知鱼乐’云者，既已知吾知之而问我。我知之濠上也。”
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