Zhuangzi was attending a funeral. Passing by Huizi’s grave, he turned to his followers and said:
“A man of Ying had a dab of white clay on the tip of his nose, as thin as a fly’s wing. He had Craftsman Shi cut it off. Craftsman Shi swung his axe so fast that it made a wind. The man of Ying let him chop, and the clay was completely removed while his nose was not injured. The man of Ying stood without changing expression.
Duke Yuan of Song heard of this and summoned Craftsman Shi, saying: ‘Try to do it for me.’
Craftsman Shi said: ‘I once could cut it. However, the material for me has been dead a long time.’
Since Huizi died, I have had no material for me. I have no one to speak with.”
Interpretation
This passage, from Chapter 24. Xu Wugui, is one of the most moving in the Zhuangzi. It is usually titled “The Man of Ying Moves the Axe” or “Zhuangzi Mourns Huizi.”
On the surface, it tells of an astonishing feat of skill: Craftsman Shi can swing a heavy axe with such precision that he removes a speck of white clay from a man’s nose without harming the nose. The man of Ying stands perfectly still, trusting the craftsman completely.
But the real meaning is deeper.
When Duke Yuan of Song asks Craftsman Shi to repeat the performance, the craftsman refuses. He says: “My material has been dead a long time.” The “material” or “target” is the man of Ying – the partner who trusted him, stood still, and made his skill possible. Without that partner, the skill cannot be displayed.
Then Zhuangzi applies the story to himself:
Since Huizi died, I have had no material for me.
I have no one to speak with.
Huizi was Zhuangzi’s friend and philosophical rival. They argued constantly – about the joy of fish, about logic, about life and death. But it was precisely because Huizi was a worthy opponent that Zhuangzi’s thought could shine. Huizi was his counterpart, his target, the one who made dialogue possible.
The passage therefore expresses several layers of meaning:
- Great skill requires a worthy partner. Even the most brilliant craftsman cannot perform without someone who trusts him and stands still.
- True dialogue requires an equal. Zhuangzi and Huizi disagreed on almost everything, yet they needed each other. Without Huizi, Zhuangzi is intellectually alone.
- The deepest grief is the loss of a true friend and rival. The story is an elegy – not for a master, but for the one who made mastery possible.
- The idiom “运斤成风” (“swinging the axe makes wind”) means consummate skill, but it also implies the rarity of a perfect partner. Later Chinese writers often use “Ying’s man” or “Ying’s material” to refer to a deceased confidant or a worthy opponent.
In short: Zhuangzi is not boasting about skill. He is mourning the loss of the one person who could truly speak with him.
Note
Zhuangzi
A foundational Daoist philosopher of the Warring States period (c. 369–286 BCE). The book Zhuangzi is famous for its imaginative parables, skepticism about conventional values, and ideal of living in harmony with the Dao.
Huizi / Hui Shi
A logician and sophist, and Zhuangzi’s friend and rival. He is known for paradoxes such as “a white horse is not a horse” (though that specific paradox is associated with Gongsun Long, Hui Shi had many similar theses). He and Zhuangzi famously debated whether Zhuangzi could know the joy of fish. Huizi was the “质” who made Zhuangzi’s philosophical dialogues possible.
Craftsman Shi
A master craftsman, possibly legendary. His name “Shi” means “stone,” and “craftsman” is his trade. He represents supreme skill and precision.
The Man of Ying
A man from Ying, the capital of the state of Chu. He trusted Craftsman Shi completely and stood perfectly still while the axe flew past his nose. He represents the ideal partner – one who makes another’s skill possible through absolute trust.
Duke Yuan of Song
A ruler of the state of Song. He appears in several Zhuangzi stories, including the tale of the divine turtle. Here he asks Craftsman Shi to repeat his feat, but the craftsman refuses.
Ying
The capital of Chu. The phrase “man of Ying” became a byword for a trusted partner or a deceased confidant. The idiom “Ying’s material” (郢质) means a worthy opponent or partner who is no longer alive.
Song
A small state during the Warring States period. Duke Yuan of Song is its ruler.
The Target / Material / Partner
In this story, zhi means the person who stands still to be cut – the “target” or “material.” By extension, it means a partner, counterpart, or worthy opponent. Zhuangzi uses it to describe Huizi: without Huizi, he has no one to argue with, no one to sharpen his thought against.
“Swinging the Axe Makes Wind” (运斤成风)
A famous Chinese idiom. It means to display consummate skill. But in its original context, it also carries a note of sadness: such skill is useless without a perfect partner.
“No One to Speak With” (无与言之)
Zhuangzi’s final lament. It echoes the theme of zhiyin (知音, “one who knows the music”) – a true friend who understands you. The story is often read as an elegy for intellectual friendship.
The Joy of Fish Debate
The most famous Zhuangzi-Huizi dialogue. On the Hao River bridge, Zhuangzi says the fish are happy; Huizi challenges him: “You are not a fish – how do you know?” Zhuangzi replies: “You are not me – how do you know I don’t know?” This debate embodies their relationship: constant argument, mutual challenge, and deep friendship.
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