Lie Yukou was a native of the state of Zheng. He lived in seclusion and refused to take official office. During the reign of Duke Mu of Zheng, Ziyang served as the prime minister and governed strictly through penal laws. Consequently, Lie Yukou hid himself away in an impoverished alley, his face bearing the pallor of starvation. Someone remarked to Ziyang, “Lie Yukou is a man of the Dao. That he lives in poverty within your state suggests that you do not esteem men of virtue.” Hearing this, Ziyang was enlightened and dispatched an official to deliver dozens of chariot-loads of grain to him.
Lie Yukou went out to meet the envoy, bowed twice, and firmly declined the gift. Returning inside to see his wife, she looked at him, struck her chest, and lamented, “I have heard that the wives and children of men who possess the Dao all enjoy ease and pleasure. Now you bear the mark of hunger. The prime minister graciously sent you food, yet you refuse it. Is this not our fate?”
Lie Yukou smiled and said, “The prime minister does not know me of his own accord. He sends me grain because of what others have said; in the future, he will also punish me because of what others say. This is why I refuse his gift.”
A year later, the people of Zheng indeed killed Ziyang, and all his faction perished with him. Lie Yukou alone remained safe and unharmed. He never took office for the rest of his life, but authored eight chapters expounding the philosophy of Daoism, which became known as the Liezi.
Note
Daoist sage Lie Yukou declined grain from minister Ziyang, foreseeing peril from political favor gained via others’ words. Later Ziyang was killed in a revolt, leaving Liezi unharmed. He lived in seclusion and authored the classic Daoist work Liezi.
Lie Yukou / Liezi (列御寇 / 列子):
A legendary Daoist philosopher and the purported author of the Liezi. In this passage, he perfectly embodies the Daoist political philosophy of self-preservation and foresight. His refusal of Ziyang’s gift is not out of mere pride, but a profound understanding of the volatile nature of political power.
Ziyang (子阳):
A historical prime minister of Zheng known for his tyrannical rule and strict enforcement of penal laws. His eventual assassination by the people of Zheng serves as the historical validation of Liezi’s prediction. Ziyang represents the ultimate danger of political entanglement in a chaotic era.
Political Foresight and Self-Preservation:
Liezi’s reasoning (“He sends me grain because of what others have said…”) highlights a core Daoist survival strategy. In a society governed by arbitrary laws and public opinion, accepting political patronage means surrendering one’s autonomy and inviting future disaster. True wisdom lies in foreseeing the inevitable downfall of corrupt regimes and remaining entirely detached from them.
The Wife’s Lament vs. The Sage’s Vision:
The wife’s reaction represents the conventional, worldly view of poverty and social status. She sees the grain as a blessing and Liezi’s refusal as a tragic fate. Liezi’s smile and explanation contrast sharply with her distress, illustrating the Daoist sage’s ability to see beyond immediate material relief to the underlying, fatal political currents.
The Liezi:
One of the three foundational texts of Daoism (alongside the Dao De Jing and the Zhuangzi). Though modern scholars believe it was compiled later (possibly during the Wei-Jin period), it is traditionally attributed to Lie Yukou and is famous for its profound parables, including the concepts of riding the wind and the philosophical discussions on inward observation.
列御寇者，郑人也，隐居不仕。郑穆公时，子阳为相，专任刑法，列御寇乃绝迹穷巷，面有饥色。或告子阳曰：“列御寇盖有道之士也，居君之国而穷，君无乃为不好士乎？”子阳闻而悟，使官载粟数十乘而与之。御寇出见使者，再拜而辞之。入见其妻，妻望之而拊心曰：“妾闻为有道之妻子皆得佚乐，今有饥色，君过而遗先生食，先生不受，岂非命也哉！”御冠笑曰：“君非自知我也。以人之言而遗我粟，至其罪我也，又且以人之言。此吾所以不受也。”居一年，郑人杀子阳，其党皆死，御寇安然独全。终身不仕，著书八篇，言道家之意，号曰《列子》。
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