Great lecture!! As a fellow philosopher specialised in Classical Chinese philosophy, it is wonderful to hear a different interpretation of Zhuangzi!! For me, the biggest difference between Confucius and Zhuangzi is how social and political order are supposed to be achieved. For Confucius, social and political order is created by human from bottom up by, as the professor pointed out in this lecture, each of us cultivate ourselves in everyday lives to become 君子 or the exemplary persons. However, for Zhuangzi, the creation of this artificial social and political order harms the natural orders we are endowed with by heaven and earth or the interplays of Yin and Yang! For Zhuangzi, the Dao is a given and we should organise the social and political orders according to this natural order or rhythm. Of course this contrast is over simplified!
I so appreciate the dimensionalities elucidated by Prof. Puett in drawing attention to the nuances (an possibilities) with Confucius when one recognizes, considers and then gives voice to the Yin and Yang in consideration Zhuangzi and Confucius. In my own life, I 'sort-of'-have always recognized that (cosmically-speaking) that life should have 'a balance'. In view of this new information, and through the excellent presentation of the precepts highlighted in Prof. Puett's lecture, I now have a deeper understanding of these precepts, and I really liked the little 'challenge' that Prof. Mike has put forth...a couple of those being: 1) be aware of these little things in your daily life; 2) reconsider how you react to these in view of Confucius...and 3) see what happens. I really enjoyed this lecture and shall integrate these as suggested by Prof. Puett. And, although I may never truly achieve the ultimate state of 'Yin and Yang', in toto, I believe that a valuable part of that quest in terms of my life experience is actually 'part of the fun' and part of my ongoing maturation/learning process (wisdom??? LOL). Thanks Prof. Puett HarvardX!
It is great that you are interested in Zhuangzi! Please check my videos on Zhuangzi's philosophy if you like to know more about Zhuangzi: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-U-h-Yz7SMtU.html
I am Chinese, learned the 1st chapter of Zhuangzi (逍遥游 Free and Easy Wandering ) in high school. I was so dumb and arrogant that thought those all bullshit at that time. Now I just graduated from Uni, and I am so sorry for what I have done before. and I have to back to read the word of Zhuangzi again, but because of lacking knowledge of the ancient Chinese (coz I did not learn much in high school) I have to read lots of translations instead of the original text to understand what Zhuangzi says. Zhuangzi did not tell the ruler or people how to build a better society, he teaches us the simplest way to be happy for an individual. if all individuals are happy, the ruler can achieve that goal without doing anything. that is the way. I am now trying to find a job. it is tough and sometimes frustrating. Without Zhuangzi's word, I can't even hold in this situation.his word is working for me. I'm so glad that I meet Zhuangzi again.
Very enlightening and informative.Tnx for making it easy understandable.My daughter from 13 understands the content.Its loud,clear and short.You rock pro!!!!
Prof. Michael Puett's speech is very interesting.He is major in chinese philosophy such as Taoism and Confucianism.Zhuangzi and confucius are both great philosopher.The thought of Zhuangzi emphazise the sufficient liberation of our inner cultivation,and Confucius shows social function of our moral personality.The addressing of Prof. Michael is successful and contributive for human Being.
Laozi (老子, 604 -531 BC) told you how to live harmoniously with the universe and the environment. Confucius (Kongzi孔子, 551-479 BC) teached you how to obtain glory and become a leader to oppress and exploit general people. Zhuang Zhou (庄周, 369-286 BC) was a successor of Laozi. Zhuang Zhou wrote Zhuangzi (庄子). Zhuangzi also involves in literature and art and its text is very elegant. Zhuang Zhou criticized and satirized Confucius in every aspect. To mix Confucius and Zhuangzi together just likes that a cattle’s head is installed on a horse body.
In China, people have been discussing laozi and zhuangzi for thousands of years， and they are different. there is a view that laozi is a conspirator and zhuangzi is a liberalism.
8:12 *Not seeing ourselves as part of a larger world.* And in the case of _HAAAND!!!_ It's not that "part of us will be flying around as a bird". It's that we are an inseparable part of the whole mystery and our ego is just as momentary and passing as the dead skin that falls from our bodies as we shower.
The little things that annoy me are those people coughing in the audience even though the lecture was being recorded and so they didn’t even need to be there yet insisted anyway ruining everyone else’s experience. Thanks guys.
Good lecture. Thanks! Weak point, just a detail, is probably slow pacing. Professor is probably traveling the slow road. "Slowly, but surely", "working each day", "cultivate yourself for the furute..." that's not Zhuangzi. Not working. Right now. That's better :)
For those among us ignoramuses who don't know who the fuck he is - Zhuang Zhou Philosopher Zhuang Zhou, often known as Zhuangzi, was an influential Chinese philosopher who lived around the 4th century BC during the Warring States period, a period corresponding to the summit of Chinese philosophy, the Hundred Schools of Thought. Wikipedia Born: 370 BC, Mengcheng County, Bozhou, China Died: 287 BC School: Taoism Influenced by: Laozi, Confucius, Mozi, Hui Shi, Yang Zhu Quotes Flow with whatever is happening and let your mind be free. Stay centered by accepting whatever you are doing. This is the ultimate. Happiness is the absence of the striving for happiness. I do not know whether I was then a man dreaming I was a butterfly, or whether I am now a butterfly dreaming I am a man.
+James Mackenzie Of course, it's not my own idea but we find both in Zhuangzi and Laozi that Dao is the creator of the universe. Being the creator, Dao is beyond time and space, beyond any limitation, unlimited, infinite, ... therefore, Dao transcends the universe.
+James Mackenzie The first line of DaoDeJing says 道可道非常道 The Dao that can be said is not the eternal Dao. It means Dao is beyond words and human reason understanding. Therefore, Dao cannot be understood by the intellect but rather by a mystical experience. In philosophy and religion, it is called apophatic approach (negative approach). However, Daoism is not a purely apophatic as Dao is still given some attributes both in Laozi and Zhuangzi as well as in other Daoists texts which constitutes the Daoist canon.
Jean-Yves Woestyn yes. And what part of that dont you understand? Thats my point. I would further explicate that the dao is rather like trying to define a black hole. You cant see a black hole but only notice the phenomena around it
