In the Northern Darkness there is a fish, and its name is Kun. The Kun is so vast that no one knows how many thousand li it measures. It transforms into a bird, and its name is Peng. The Peng’s back is so vast that no one knows how many thousand li it measures. When it rises in fury and flies, its wings are like clouds hanging from the sky. This bird, when the great ocean currents stir, prepares to migrate to the Southern Darkness. The Southern Darkness is the Lake of Heaven.
The Qi Xie is a record of strange marvels. The Qi Xie says: “When the Peng migrates to the Southern Darkness, it strikes the water for three thousand li, spirals upward on a whirlwind for ninety thousand li, and departs riding six months of wind.” Wild horses, dust motes – these are living things blown about by breath. The deep blue of the sky – is that its true color? Or is it simply so far away that it has no end? When the Peng looks down, it sees only this, and nothing more.
Now, if water is not deep enough, it cannot bear a great vessel. Pour a cup of water into a hollow in the floor, and a mustard seed can serve as a boat; but place a cup there and it sticks fast – the water is shallow and the vessel is large. If the wind does not accumulate in sufficient force, it cannot bear great wings. Therefore, at ninety thousand li, the wind is directly beneath the Peng, and only then does it ride upon it. With the blue sky on its back and nothing to obstruct it, only then does it chart its course southward.
A cicada and a little dove laugh at it, saying: “We leap up and fly, reaching no farther than the elm or the sandalwood tree, and sometimes we do not even get that far but fall to the ground. Why must this creature go ninety thousand li just to head south?” When one travels to the nearby countryside, one takes three meals and returns with one’s belly still full. When one travels a hundred li, one must grind grain overnight. When one travels a thousand li, one must gather provisions for three months. What could these two little creatures possibly understand!
Small knowledge does not reach great knowledge; a short lifespan does not reach a long lifespan. How do we know this is so? The morning mushroom knows nothing of the waxing and waning of the moon. The summer cicada knows nothing of spring and autumn – these are examples of short lifespans. In the south of Chu there is the Mingling turtle, for which five hundred years is but a single spring, and five hundred years a single autumn. In high antiquity there was the Great Chun tree, for which eight thousand years is a spring and eight thousand years an autumn. And yet Peng Zu is the only one famous today for his longevity – people try to match themselves to him. Is that not pitiful?
This is what Tang asked Ji. To the north of the land where nothing grows, there is a dark sea – the Lake of Heaven. There is a fish there, thousands of li in breadth, and no one knows its length. Its name is Kun. There is a bird there, named Peng, whose back is like Mount Tai, whose wings are like clouds hanging from the sky. It spirals upward on a whirlwind like a ram’s horn for ninety thousand li, piercing through the clouds, bearing the blue sky on its back, and only then does it chart its course southward, heading for the Southern Darkness.
A quail in a marsh laughs at it, saying: “Where is it going? I leap up and soar, but never more than a few dozen feet before coming down, fluttering among the mugwort and weeds – and this is the very height of flying! Where could it possibly be going?” This is the distinction between the small and the great.
Now, those whose knowledge qualifies them for a single office, whose conduct fits one village, whose virtue pleases one ruler, and whose abilities are trusted by one state – they regard themselves in much the same way as these creatures. And yet Song Rong Zi would laugh at them. Though the whole world praised him, he would not be any more diligent; though the whole world condemned him, he would not be any more discouraged. He had settled the distinction between the inner self and the outer world, and discerned the boundary between glory and disgrace – and that was all. In his dealings with the world, he was never urgent. And yet, even he had not yet established anything.
Lie Zi rode the wind and traveled, moving with a light and graceful ease, returning after fifteen days. He was never urgent in his pursuit of fortune. But although he was spared the trouble of walking, he still had something to depend on.
But if one rides upon the correctness of Heaven and Earth, commands the transformations of the six energies, and roams through the infinite – what would such a person have to depend on? Therefore it is said: The Perfect Person has no self; the Spiritual Person has no merit; the Sage has no fame.
Yao wished to yield the empire to Xu You, saying: “When the sun and moon have risen, if one still keeps a torch alight, does it not make the task of illumination difficult? When the seasonal rains have fallen, if one still irrigates by hand, is it not a waste of effort? If you, Master, were to take your stand, the empire would be well governed – and yet I continue to hold this position. I regard myself as inadequate. I beg to hand the empire over to you.” Xu You replied: “You govern the empire, and the empire is already well governed. If I were to take your place, would I be doing it for the sake of a name? A name is merely the guest of reality – would I become a guest? The wren builds its nest in the deep forest, but uses no more than a single branch. The mole drinks from the river, but takes no more than a bellyful. Go home and rest, my lord – I have no use for the empire! Even if the cook abandons his kitchen, the priest and the representative of the dead do not leap over the wine cups and sacrificial stands to take his place.”
Jian Wu asked Lian Shu, saying: “I heard Jie Yu speak – his words were grand but had no substance, going off in one direction and never returning. I was startled and frightened by his speech, which was like the Milky Way – without end, vastly different from ordinary things, and far removed from human concerns.” Lian Shu asked: “What did his words say?” Jian Wu replied: “He said, ‘Far away on Mount Miaogushe there dwells a Spiritual Person, whose skin is like ice and snow, whose grace is like that of a young maiden. He does not eat the five grains, but sips the wind and drinks the dew. He rides upon the clouds, commands the flying dragons, and roams beyond the four seas. When his spirit is concentrated, he causes all things to be free from blight and the harvest to ripen.’ I thought this was madness and did not believe it.” Lian Shu said: “Indeed. The blind cannot appreciate the beauty of patterns and colors, and the deaf cannot hear the sound of bells and drums. And is it only the physical body that can be blind and deaf? The mind can be so too. These words describe someone like you – someone who has not yet awakened. That person, with that virtue, will merge all things into one great unity. The world clamors for order – but why would he exhaust himself managing the empire? That person – nothing can harm him. A great flood could rise to the heavens and he would not drown. A great drought could melt metal and stone and scorch the earthen mountains, and he would not feel the heat. Even the dust and chaff of such a person could mold and shape sage-kings like Yao and Shun – so why would he concern himself with mere things!”
A man of Song purchased ceremonial caps and traveled to the land of Yue. But the people of Yue cut their hair short and tattooed their bodies, so the caps were of no use to them.
Yao governed the people of the empire and brought order to the realm. He went to visit the Four Masters on Mount Miaogushe, on the north bank of the Fen River, and forgot his empire entirely, sinking into a state of profound emptiness.
Huizi said to Zhuangzi: “The King of Wei gave me the seeds of a great gourd. I planted them, and when they grew, the fruit was large enough to hold five shi. But when I tried to fill it with water, it was not sturdy enough to hold itself up. When I cut it in half to make ladles, the halves were too wide and flat to hold anything. It was indeed enormous – but I smashed it to pieces because it was useless.” Zhuangzi said: “You, sir, are truly clumsy at using large things. There was a man of Song who was skilled at making a salve to prevent chapped hands. For generations, his family made their living by bleaching silk in water. A traveler heard of this and offered to buy the formula for a hundred pieces of gold. The man gathered his clan and discussed it, saying: ‘For generations we have bleached silk and earned no more than a few gold pieces. Now, in a single morning, we can sell our skill for a hundred gold. Let us give it to him.’ The traveler obtained the formula and used it to persuade the King of Wu. When Yue launched an attack, the King of Wu appointed him as general. In winter, he fought a naval battle against the people of Yue and inflicted a crushing defeat. The king rewarded him by granting him a fief. The ability to prevent chapped hands was the same in both cases – yet in one instance it earned a man a fief, while in the other it merely allowed one to continue bleaching silk. The difference lay in how it was used. Now you have a gourd large enough to hold five shi – why not lash it to yourself as a great buoy and float upon the rivers and lakes, instead of worrying that it is too large and flat to hold anything? It seems, sir, that your mind is still stuffed with straw!”
Huizi said to Zhuangzi: “I have a large tree. People call it the ailanthus. Its trunk is so gnarled and swollen that it cannot be measured by a plumb line, and its branches are so twisted and crooked that they cannot be fitted to a compass or square. Even if you stood it by the road, no carpenter would give it a second glance. Now your words, sir, are like this – grand but useless, and everyone will reject them alike.” Zhuangzi said: “Have you never seen a wildcat or a weasel? It crouches low, waiting for its prey, leaping east and west, not shying away from heights or depths – until it springs a trap and dies in a net. Now consider the yak – its vastness is like clouds hanging from the sky. It is great indeed, but it cannot catch a single mouse. Now you, sir, have a great tree and worry that it is useless. Why not plant it in the land of Nothing-At-All, in the wilderness of Vast Emptiness? You could wander idly beside it, reclining freely beneath it. No axe would cut it short, no thing would harm it. If something is of no use, what hardship or distress could it ever bring?”
Note
This excerpt from Zhuangzi‑Xiaoyaoyou uses Kun‑Peng and fable cases. It contrasts small‑great perspectives, explores spiritual freedom and “uselessness”, and advocates the ideal of the Perfect Person transcending worldly dependencies.
Zhuangzi (Chuang Tzu, c. 369–286 BCE):
A foundational Daoist philosopher of the Warring States period. His writings are celebrated for their wit, paradox, and radical questioning of conventional values.
Laozi (Lao Tzu):
The legendary author of the Dao De Jing (Tao Te Ching, Daodejing) and the traditional founder of Daoism. Though not directly featured in this chapter, his philosophy permeates the text.
One of the legendary sage-kings of ancient China, celebrated as a model of selfless and virtuous rulership.
Emperor Shun:
Emperor Shun was another legendary sage-king, known as Yao’s successor.
Xu You:
Song Rong Zi (Song Xing, 宋荣子, 宋钘):
A philosopher of the Warring States period known for his equanimity – he was unmoved by either public praise or public blame.
A Daoist philosopher said to have mastered the art of riding the wind. He represents a high but still incomplete stage of spiritual freedom, since he still “depends on” the wind.
Huizi (Hui Shi, c. 370–310 BCE):
A logician and close friend of Zhuangzi, known for his paradoxes. He frequently appears in the Zhuangzi as a foil – a brilliant but conventionally minded thinker.
Jie Yu (the Madman of Chu, 接舆):
An eccentric hermit whose wild, extravagant speech startled conventional thinkers.
Peng Zu:
A legendary figure famous for his extraordinary longevity, said to have lived over 800 years.
Daoist “Wu Wei” (Non-Action):
The central philosophical ideal of this chapter – achieving harmony not through forceful effort but by aligning with the natural flow of the Dao.
The “Three Mysteries”:
The three foundational texts of Daoist metaphysics -Zhuangzi,Laozi, and Zhouyi (Book of Changes).
The Five Grains (Wu Gu):
Rice, millet, wheat, barley, and soybeans – the staple foods of ancient Chinese civilization. Spiritual beings who “do not eat the five grains” symbolize transcendence of ordinary human needs.
The Six Energies (Liu Qi):
The six atmospheric forces – yin, yang, wind, rain, darkness, and light – representing the full spectrum of natural transformation.
Ceremonial Caps (章甫, Zhang Fu):
Formal headwear worn by scholars and officials in ancient China. Their uselessness in Yue (where people cut their hair and tattooed their bodies) illustrates the cultural relativity of “value.”
The Concept of “Usefulness vs. Uselessness”:
A recurring Daoist theme – what society deems “useless” may in fact be the greatest source of freedom and safety.
The Kun-Peng Transformation:
The opening image of a colossal fish transforming into a colossal bird is one of the most iconic metaphors in Chinese literature, symbolizing radical transformation and the vastness of the Daoist perspective.
The Cicada and the Dove:
A parable contrasting limited, petty perspectives with grand, cosmic ones – “small knowledge” versus “great knowledge.”
Yao Yielding the Empire to Xu You:
A foundational story of political renunciation, illustrating the Daoist preference for natural simplicity over the burdens of governance.
The Spiritual Person on Mount Miaogushe:
A vision of transcendent beings who exist beyond the reach of natural disasters and political turmoil – embodying the ultimate Daoist ideal of spiritual freedom.
The Great Gourd:
Huizi’s complaint about the uselessness of a giant gourd, and Zhuangzi’s creative reframing of it as a floating vessel, illustrates the Daoist principle that “uselessness” can be reimagined as a different kind of freedom.
The Ailanthus Tree:
The chapter’s closing parable – a gnarled, “useless” tree that survives precisely because no one wants to cut it down – is a powerful metaphor for the survival value of apparent uselessness.
内篇·逍遥游第一
北冥有鱼，其名为鲲。鲲之大，不知其几千里也。化而为鸟，其名为鹏。鹏之背，不知其几千里也。怒而飞，其翼若垂天之云。是鸟也，海运则将徙于南冥。南冥者，天池也。
《齐谐》者，志怪者也。《谐》之言曰：“鹏之徙于南冥也，水击三千里，抟扶摇而上者九万里，去以六月息者也。”野马也，尘埃也，生物之以息相吹也。天之苍苍，其正色邪？其远而无所至极邪？其视下也，亦若是则已矣。
且夫水之积也不厚，则其负大舟也无力。覆杯水于坳堂之上，则芥为之舟。置杯焉则胶，水浅而舟大也。风之积也不厚，则其负大翼也无力。故九万里则风斯在下矣，而后乃今培风；背负青天而莫之夭阏者，而后乃今将图南。
蜩与学鸠笑之曰：“我决起而飞，抢榆枋而止，时则不至，而控于地而已矣，奚以之九万里而南为？”适莽苍者，三餐而反，腹犹果然；适百里者，宿舂粮；适千里者，三月聚粮。之二虫又何知！
小知不及大知，小年不及大年。奚以知其然也？朝菌不知晦朔，蟪蛄不知春秋，此小年也。楚之南有冥灵者，以五百岁为春，五百岁为秋；上古有大椿者，以八千岁为春，八千岁为秋。而彭祖乃今以久特闻，众人匹之，不亦悲乎！
汤之问棘也是已。穷发之北，有冥海者，天池也。有鱼焉，其广数千里，未有知其修者，其名为鲲。有鸟焉，其名为鹏，背若泰山，翼若垂天之云，抟扶摇羊角而上者九万里，绝云气，负青天，然后图南，且适南冥也。
斥鴳笑之曰：“彼且奚适也？我腾跃而上，不过数仞而下，翱翔蓬蒿之间，此亦飞之至也，而彼且奚适也？”此小大之辩也。
故夫知效一官，行比一乡，德合一君，而征一国者，其自视也，亦若此矣。而宋荣子犹然笑之。且举世誉之而不加劝，举世非之而不加沮，定乎内外之分，辩乎荣辱之境，斯已矣。彼其于世，未数数然也。虽然，犹有未树也。
夫列子御风而行，泠然善也，旬有五日而后反。彼于致福者，未数数然也。此虽免乎行，犹有所待者也。
若夫乘天地之正，而御六气之辩，以游无穷者，彼且恶乎待哉！故曰：至人无己，神人无功，圣人无名。
尧让天下于许由，曰：“日月出矣，而爝火不息，其于光也，不亦难乎！时雨降矣，而犹浸灌，其于泽也，不亦劳乎！夫子立而天下治，而我犹尸之，吾自视缺然。请致天下。”许由曰：“子治天下，天下既已治也，而我犹代子，吾将为名乎？名者，实之宾也，吾将为宾乎？鹪鹩巢于深林，不过一枝；偃鼠饮河，不过满腹。归休乎君，予无所用天下为！庖人虽不治庖，尸祝不越樽俎而代之矣。”
肩吾问于连叔曰：“吾闻言于接舆，大而无当，往而不反。吾惊怖其言犹河汉而无极也，大有径庭，不近人情焉。”连叔曰：“其言谓何哉？”“曰‘藐姑射之山，有神人居焉。肌肤若冰雪，绰约若处子；不食五谷，吸风饮露；乘云气，御飞龙，而游乎四海之外；其神凝，使物不疵疠而年谷熟。’吾以是狂而不信也。”连叔曰：“然，瞽者无以与乎文章之观，聋者无以与乎钟鼓之声。岂唯形骸有聋盲哉？夫知亦有之。是其言也，犹时女也。之人也，之德也，将旁礴万物以为一，世蕲乎乱，孰弊弊焉以天下为事！之人也，物莫之伤，大浸稽天而不溺，大旱金石流、土山焦而不热。是其尘垢粃糠，将犹陶铸尧舜者也，孰肯以物为事！”
宋人资章甫而适诸越，越人断发文身，无所用之。
尧治天下之民，平海内之政。往见四子藐姑射之山，汾水之阳，窅然丧其天下焉。
惠子谓庄子曰：“魏王贻我大瓠之种，我树之成而实五石。以盛水浆，其坚不能自举也。剖之以为瓢，则瓠落无所容。非不呺然大也，吾为其无用而掊之。”庄子曰：“夫子固拙于用大矣。宋人有善为不龟手之药者，世世以洴澼絖为事。客闻之，请买其方百金。聚族而谋之曰：‘我世世为洴澼絖，不过数金。今一朝而鬻技百金，请与之。’客得之，以说吴王。越有难，吴王使之将。冬，与越人水战，大败越人，裂地而封之。能不龟手一也，或以封，或不免于洴澼絖，则所用之异也。今子有五石之瓠，何不虑以为大樽而浮乎江湖，而忧其瓠落无所容？则夫子犹有蓬之心也夫！”
惠子谓庄子曰：“吾有大树，人谓之樗。其大本臃肿而不中绳墨，其小枝卷曲而不中规矩。立之涂，匠者不顾。今子之言，大而无用，众所同去也。”庄子曰：“子独不见狸狌乎？卑身而伏，以候敖者；东西跳梁，不避高下；中于机辟，死于罔罟。今夫斄牛，其大若垂天之云。此能为大矣，而不能执鼠。今子有大树，患其无用，何不树之于无何有之乡，广莫之野，彷徨乎无为其侧，逍遥乎寝卧其下。不夭斤斧，物无害者，无所可用，安所困苦哉！”
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