Zhuangzi Selections

Excerpts from Philip J. Ivanhoe and Bryan W. Van Norden, eds., Readings in Classical Chinese Philosophy, 3rd ed. (Indianapolis, IN: Hackett, 2023).

The butterfly dream (from chap. 2)

One night, Zhuangzi dreamed of being a butterfly—a happy butterfly, showing off and doing as he pleased, unaware of being Zhuangzi. Suddenly he awoke, drowsily, Zhuangzi again. And he could not tell whether it was Zhuangzi who had dreamed the butterfly or the butterfly dreaming Zhuangzi. But there must be some difference between them! This is called “the transformation of things.”

Debate on fish’s joy (from chap. 17)

Zhuangzi and Huizi were wandering on a bridge over the Hao River. Zhuangzi said, “Look at those mottled fish out wandering at ease. That’s what fish like!”

Huizi said, “You are not a fish. How do you know what fish like?”

Zhuangzi said, “You are not me. How do you know I don’t know what fish like?”

Huizi said, “I’m not you, so I certainly don’t know what you know. And since you’re not a fish, you don’t know what fish like. There, perfect!”

Zhuangzi said, “Let’s go back to the beginning. When you asked how* I knew what fish like, you had to know I knew already in order to ask. I know it by the Hao River—that’s how.”

* The word translated as “how” can also mean “where.” [Translator’s note]