Additional Notes:

Zhuangzi (continued)

1. Brief review:

Perspectivalism (pp. 40-41) —> Dissolution of Boundaries (p. 44) —> Oneness in the Dao (p. 38), in which opposites are reconciled

Confucian vs Daoist version (from a Daoist perspective): 

hierarchical ascendence towards greater virtue vs holistic inclusivism

2. Further themes in Zhuangzi

A. Most of the Zhuangzi consists of stories of Daoists 

Stories: Embodiments of the Dao rather than logical arguments.

B. Stories: Cook Ding (pp. 45-6), Woodworker Qing (129), Crippled Shu and Madman of Chu: Discussion of usefulness of the useless (61-2)

C: The Way (Dao) as a body practice; body-mind (yin-yang) balance; central government and bureaucrats versus craftspeople, farmers, marginalized figures, rhythms of nature

3. Additional Considerations:

Text and Author

Laozi: return to an agrarian utopia

Zhuangzi: live in the world but not be of it

In these early Daoist texts, there is not much mention of interpersonal relations

Much more Daoists communing with nature