Pu Yi Zi

Pu Yi Zi was a worthy man from the time of Emperor Shun. When he was only eight years old, Shun took him as his teacher.

Nie Que asked Wang Ni a series of questions; he asked four times, and Wang Ni answered “I do not know” four times. Upon hearing this, Nie Que leaped up with great joy and went to tell Pu Yi Zi about it.

Pu Yi Zi said: “So now you finally understand? The reign of Youyu (Emperor Shun) does not compare to that of Tai Shi (the Primordial Sovereign). Youyu still used benevolence Ren) as a bait to win over the people. While he indeed gained the people’s hearts, he never truly emerged from the realm of ‘non-humanity’ (artificiality).

“In contrast, Tai Shi slept slowly and peacefully, and awoke with vast openness. He allowed others to call him a horse, and he allowed them to call him a cow. His knowledge was trustworthy, and his virtue was profoundly genuine. He never once entered the realm of ‘non-humanity.’”

Later, Shun offered to yield the world to Pu Yi Zi, but Pu Yi Zi refused and departed. No one knows where he ended his days.

Note

This passage is deeply rooted in Daoist philosophy, specifically drawing from the Zhuangzi (Chapter “Ying Di Wang” and “Qi Wu Lun”). It presents a hierarchy of spiritual attainment, contrasting the “sage kings” of conventional history with the primordial, uncorrupted sages of Daoist myth.

Pu Yi Zi: A legendary child-sage. The fact that Emperor Shun studied under him at age eight highlights the Daoist belief that wisdom is innate and not dependent on age or social status. He represents the highest level of spiritual purity, recognizing the flaws in civilized governance.

Emperor Shun (Youyu Shi): Referred to here by his clan name “Youyu.” In Confucianism, he is the ideal ruler. However, in this Daoist text, he is criticized for relying on “Benevolence” Ren), which is seen as an artificial construct used to manipulate people, marking a fall from the natural state.

Nie Que & Wang Ni:

• Famous mythical figures often appearing in the Zhuangzi.
• The Anecdote: Nie Que asks four questions, and Wang Ni answers “I don’t know” four times. In Daoist thought, admitting ignorance is the highest form of wisdom because the Dao cannot be captured by language or logical categories. Nie Que’s “great joy” signifies his sudden enlightenment upon realizing that true wisdom lies beyond intellectual knowing.

Tai Shi (The Great/Primordial Sovereign): A mythical ruler representing the absolute beginning of time, before the distinction between right/wrong or human/non-human existed. He embodies the state of pure Zhen (genuineness).

“Youyu is inferior to Tai Shi”:

This is a core Daoist historical critique. It argues that history is a process of decline, not progress.

• Youyu (Shun): Represents the era of Morality and Benevolence. While “good” by human standards, it introduces duality (good vs. bad) and manipulation (“baiting” people with virtue). This creates a separation between the ruler and the ruled, entering the state of “Non-Humanity” (artificiality/loss of true nature).
• Tai Shi: Represents the era of Pure Nature. There are no labels, no morals, and no distinctions.

“Calling him a Horse or a Cow”:
This famous allusion illustrates the concept of Non-Duality and total acceptance. Tai Shi had no fixed self-image or ego. If people called him a horse, he accepted it; if a cow, he accepted it. He did not argue or defend a specific identity. This freedom from labels is the ultimate spiritual liberation.

“Sleeping Slowly, Awakening Openly”:
Describes a state of mind free from anxiety, calculation, or dreams of ambition. It is the physical manifestation of a mind aligned with the Dao.

“Non-Humanity”:
In this context, it does not mean “inhumane” in a cruel sense. Rather, it means “that which is not truly human” or “artificial.” It refers to the loss of one’s original, heavenly nature due to the imposition of social constructs, rituals, and moral judgments. Shun, despite his greatness, had already fallen into this trap; Tai Shi had not.

The Significance of Refusal
Pu Yi Zi’s refusal of the throne is the logical conclusion of his philosophy. Since he recognizes that even the “benevolent” rule of Shun is a degradation of the natural order (inferior to Tai Shi), he would never accept a position that perpetuates this artificial system.

蒲衣子者，舜时贤人也。年八岁而舜师之。啮缺问於王倪，四问而四不知。啮缺因跃而大喜，行以告蒲衣子。蒲衣子曰：“而乃今知之乎？有虞氏不及泰氏，有虞氏其犹臧仁以要人，亦得人矣，而未始出於非人。泰氏其卧徐徐，其觉于于，一以巳为马，一以巳为牛，其知情信其德甚真，而未始入于非人也。”后舜让天下於蒲衣子，蒲衣子不受而去，莫知所终。