- published: 10 Mar 2011
- views: 14751
Zhuangzi (simplified Chinese: 庄子; traditional Chinese: 莊子; pinyin: Zhuāng Zǐ; Wade–Giles: Chuang Tzŭ) was an influential Chinese philosopher who lived around the 4th century BCE during the Warring States Period, a period corresponding to the philosophical summit of Chinese thought — the Hundred Schools of Thought, and is credited with writing—in part or in whole—a work known by his name, the Zhuangzi. His name Zhuangzi (English "Master Zhuang", with Zi being an honorific) is sometimes spelled Zhuang Tze, Zhuang Zhou, Chuang Tsu, Chuang Tzu, Chouang-Dsi, Chuang Tse, or Chuangtze.
The only account of the life of Zhuangzi is a brief sketch in chapter 63 of Sima Qian's Records of the Grand Historian, where he is described as a minor official from the town of Meng (in modern Anhui) in the state of Song, living in the time of King Hui of Liang and King Xuan of Qi (late 4th century BCE). Sima Qian writes:
The validity of his existence has been questioned by some, including himself (See below) and Russell Kirkland, who writes:
We live around the hydro towers,Listen to them singing in the park
Wind our clock too tight, And all the radios are glowing in the dark
Mothers lie down in the day time, And dream about Hollywood
I know that they'd get there if they could
It's just a matter of time, Before we get to shine
It's not a question of when, Or who does the crime
We show our skin through picture windows,
Sit around cross legged on the floor
Our living rooms electric, TVs, light bulbs, irons, cancer to the core
Out in our back yards waiting,For women in flying saucers
Under the stars and power lines
The fans and the air conditioners, Runnin' in movie houses,