Those who attain the way forget the self

The wisdom of life is found in Chinese classics. Today, we discuss Taoist philosophy. How does Taoism view wealth, honor and prestige in life? Zhuangzi once said, “Those who attain the way forget the self.”

Let’s read the “Letting Be Kings” chapter in “Zhuangzi.” Letting be, as the title suggests, is about abdicating the throne willingly. One can renounce all wealth, honor and even sacrifice their life without hesitation, as Zhuangzi’s “wandering in the way” allows such great courage.

Zhuangzi told a story about King Shun, who wanted to pass the throne to a hermit named Shanjuan. The hermit firmly declined and said: “Between heaven and earth, I wear animal skin coats in winter and hemp clothes in summer. I joyfully cultivate the land in spring and store harvests in autumn. I work at sunrise and rest at sunset, freely between heaven and earth, my mind content, needing nothing. A life without constraints is good. The happiness in my heart is something I can only experience. Why would I need to rule the world?” He didn’t accept the world and retreated deep into the mountains.

We often ponder which is more important — living free or living with wealth, honor and prestige. According to Taoism, living free is undoubtedly important. In Zhuangzi’s view, being unattached to external things, free from the entanglements and dominion of the outside world, is the highest state of living.

Another story is about Zengzi, who lived in the State of Wei. He wore a tattered robe lined with rough hemp. His robe was in shambles, his face is swollen from hard work, and his hands and feet were calloused from all his labor. He rarely made fire to cook a hot meal and he hadn’t bought any new clothes in 10 years. He tried to straighten his hat, but the strap broke. He adjusted his robe, but his elbows were exposed. He tried to put on his shoes with a little more force, but the heels cracked.His clothes were too worn and his shoes were too old. However, these things really didn’t matter in his heart.

When Zengzi sang “Ode to Shang” from “The Classic of Poetry” while dragging his worn-out shoes, his voice was so resounding, filling the world as if it emanated from a hard stone. This kind of spirit and aura, the interaction between a person and the universe, was truly awe-inspiring.

A person with such a spirited demeanor cannot be seen as a subject that a king can easily control, nor can he be summoned at will by lords. Therefore, “Cultivate the will and forget the self, cultivate the self and forget profit, attain the way and forget the self.”

In Taoist philosophy, those who attain the way can forget their physical selves, especially worldly fame and profit. External things are fleeting. Those who focus on cleansing their spirits are not moved by anything in the external world, as their hearts remain untouched.

(The author is a cultural scholar.)

(Translated by Shenzhen Daily)