Zi Zhou Zhi Fu

Zi Zhou Zhi Fu was a man from the time of Emperor Yao. When Yao offered to yield the throne to Xu You, Xu You declined. Yao then offered it to Zi Zhou Zhi Fu.

Zi Zhou Zhi Fu replied: “It would be acceptable for me to be the Son of Heaven. However, I happen to be suffering from a deep, hidden illness. I am currently attending to its cure and have no leisure to govern the world.”

Later, when Emperor Shun also offered the throne to him, he gave the same reply: “I happen to be suffering from a deep, hidden illness. I am currently attending to its cure and have no leisure to govern the world.”

Note

This brief passage, found in both the Zhuangzi and Gao Shi Zhuan, uses a unique metaphor to express the Daoist prioritization of self-cultivation over political power.

Zi Zhou Zhi Fu

A legendary hermit whose name is somewhat obscure (sometimes interpreted as “Father of the Branch of Zi Zhou”). He represents the sage who recognizes that governing the world is a trivial matter compared to the urgent task of healing one’s own spiritual or existential condition.

Emperor Yao & Emperor Shun

The Sage Kings who persistently seek worthy successors. Their repeated offers highlight the high regard in which these hermits were held, yet their inability to convince Zi Zhou Zhi Fu underscores the incompatibility between imperial duty and true Daoist freedom.

Xu You

Mentioned as the predecessor who refused the throne first, setting the stage for the offer to reach Zi Zhou Zhi Fu.

“Deep, Hidden Illness”

By claiming he is too busy curing this “illness,” Zi Zhou Zhi Fu implies that self-preservation and spiritual integrity are far more important than ruling an empire. To govern the world would distract him from the essential work of healing his soul. It suggests that the desire to rule is itself a symptom of being unwell, while the hermit’s retreat is the cure.

The Value of Life vs. Power

This story encapsulates the Daoist debate found in the Zhuangzi chapter “Letting Be” (Rang Wang): Is it better to possess the world or to preserve one’s own life/nature? Zi Zhou Zhi Fu chooses the latter, asserting that even if one is capable of ruling (“It would be acceptable…”), one should not do so if it compromises one’s spiritual well-being.

子州支父者，尧时人也。尧以天下让许由。许由不受，又让於子州支父。子州支父曰：“以我为天子犹之可也。虽然，我适有幽忧之病，方且治之，未暇治天下也。”舜又让之，亦对之曰：“予适有幽忧之病，方且治之，未暇治天下也。”