GOOWDAY

Einstein and zhuangzi Zhuangzi's Autumn Floods is very popular ,In this chapter,Zhuangzi particularizes the main points of his theory of relativity , Greatness with smallness of things and space, Fast with slow of time are always relative. There is saying,The concepts of modern physics surprising parallels to the ideas expressed in Taoist thought,Some questions bored me for a long time,So I decided to go back to origin and checked it out: It is possible that Albert.Einstein get inspiration from Zhuangzi's ideas when he build his special theory of relativity ? But the difficult thing is that both of them are too hard to get a easy understanding. For example,时无止 is important concept in Zhuangzi's relativity theory,It is no easy to understand and translate.James Legge's translation is "time never stops".Zhuangzi didn't talk about"time never stops".In Chinese expression,The meaning of 不已 is "don't stop",but 不止 contains another meaning "more than",means "Beyond a certain amount and scope".The "Time dilation " in Einstein's special theory of relativity,means 时间膨胀 in chinese,It looks like the meaning of 时无止. Herbert Allen Giles,The public enemy of sinologist,His traslation is "time is endless",（ChuangTzu,Mystic,Moralist,and Social Reformer in 1889）. Albert.Einstein and his girlfriend (Mileva Marić) might read Herbert Allen Giles's traslation in college time. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I have a little knowledge of modern physics,and I do believe there is Superlight speed . Sometime I just curious.

《庄子·齐物论》：“六合之外，圣人存而不论。”

whatever,my job is done.

Therefore it is not surprising that Albert Einstein and Chuangtse agree, as agree they must, on the relativity of all standards. The only difference is that Einstein takes on the more difficult and, to a Chinese, more stupid work of mathematical proof, while Chuangtse furnishes the philosophic import of this theory of relativity, which must be sooner or later developed by Western philosophers in the next decades. Lin Yutang 1942

I don't know how big your project is,Taoism has great respect for women. When I did some research on Taoist history, I was very interested in such topics. Because of Chuang-tzu, there had been a big outbreak of Queens in the middle of the Warring States period.Every big state had a very strong female politician, which had great influence on the situation at that time,Later no longer had such phenomenon again in chinese history. Although some of the history has been revised by later Confucian scholars, there is still some information can prove that one of Chuang-tzu's students, She did a great thing, probably turned today's North Korea into a world - class power country over Thirty years. Instead of using real history as evidence, just compares Taoist and Confucian Views on women ,there should be many similar papers, I am not very interested.And it is difficult to find a gender argument from Chuang-tzu,good luck.

Early phonetic notation is based on Cantonese, and now the phonetic notation is in accordance with Putonghua（Mandarin）。

The present translation technology can be close to the original translation, but word for word translation is necessary because there are too many Laozi and Chuang-tzu.

惠子相梁，庄子往见之。或谓惠子曰：“庄子来，欲代子相。”于是惠子恐，搜于国中三日三夜。庄子往见之，曰：“南方有鸟，其名为鹓鶵，子知之乎？夫鹓鶵发于南海而飞于北海，非梧桐不止，非练实不食,非醴泉不饮。于是鸱得腐鼠，鹓鶵过之，仰而视之曰：‘吓！’今子欲以子之梁国而吓我邪？” 庄子与惠子游于濠梁之上。 庄子曰：“鯈鱼出游从容，是鱼之乐也。” 惠子曰∶“子非鱼，安知鱼之乐？” 庄子曰：“子非我，安知我不知鱼之乐？” 惠子曰：“我非子，固不知子矣；子固非鱼也，子之不知鱼之乐全矣！” 庄子曰：“请循其本。子曰‘汝安知鱼乐’云者，既已知吾知之而问我。我知之濠上也。”

This story is written at the end of Autumn Floods, and its original meaning should be combined with the original text. Zhuangzi's relative Theory of space-time shows some strange ideas and knowledges,They are hard to be accepted ,or made people feel very mysterious. Some people,as Huizi did, just used their logic to prove that kind of knowledge should not be exist. Huizi is a logician and Prime Minister of Wei state, Wei state was once the strongest state at that time.

a logic story: Zhuangzi and Huizi had strolled on to the bridge over the river Hao,Huizi is a logician. Zhaungzi said, " The white minnows swim leisurely, That is the pleasure of fishes." " You are not the fishes ," said Huizi, " how do you know the pleasure of fishes ? " " You are not me," retorted Zhaungzi, " how do you know that I do not know the pleasure of fishes? " " I'm not you, of course I cannot know what you know," urged Huizi, " You are not a fish either,so you cannt know the pleasure of fishes,the reasons are complete." " Let us go back to your original question." said Zhuangzi, "When You said, ' how do you know the pleasure of fishes.’ That means you already knew I knew it then you asked me. I knew it on the bridge."

There is only one rule for Taoist logic: the natural.

Taoism logic，at the beginning, it works without too much information, the form and content can be very vague, don't need sufficient conditions, the process of calculate and argument are not very deliberate. its reasoning process don't need to explain, do not judgment the right and wrong or the true and false. The contradictions are allow at begin,but they will transform each other at last. Maybe it don't look like a logical system, But it do work in the end.Taoism logic can deal with something unknown or unclear,even some invisible stuff.It allows to use some unusual way to solve problem.That is what I know.

My understanding,Einstein's letter talking about the development of Western science .The Needham question related to the standards of western scientific,It is not a question years ago. There were too much arguments on this two topics,I don't want to repeat those discussions again .So we can go back to the Zhuangzi's theory of relativity , 河伯曰：“然则吾大天地而小豪末，可乎？” 北海若曰“否。夫物，量无穷，时无止，分无常，终始无故。是故大知观于远近，故小而不寡，大而不多：知量无穷。证向今故，故遥而不闷，掇而不跂：知时无止。察乎盈虚，故得而不喜，失而不忧：知分之无常也。故生而不说，死而不祸：知终 始之不可故也。" For this paragraph, more translations are needed.

It seems that Taoists have forgotten to name their logic system.

@ wandelaar Sorry, I didn't want to made something on logical . There should be several logical systems. Formal logic is just one of them. Taoist logic tends to natural logic, I heard it from some old Chinese scientists.If the wording of natural logic makes you unhappy, you can ignore it. Some Einstein's ideas were verified after many years. He had no qualified experimental equipment at the time.

At that time, Mo-tse had made a formal logic similar to Aristotle. But it seems that Zhuangzi believes that Mohist logic is not perfect enough, and he like natural logic. Considering the conditions at that time, They did not have those instruments invented in the Renaissance. Einstein's ideas were verified after many years. He had no qualified experimental equipment at the time.

@Marblehead Your reply remind me something need to discuss at first. J. S. Switzer,a US military colonel ,After retirement, he studied for master's degree in History Department of Stanford University. He took the reading course of Arthur F.Wright(Sinologist), In 1953 ,They discussed the question of science or no science in ancient China. After that, He wrote down the main questions discussed in the class and send them to Einstein ,and got the reply from Einstein. There were too much arguments about this letter .In my opinion ,Since it is related to ancient China, Translation should be considered from the history and culture of ancient China. In traditional Chinese culture, real persons, sages and wise men（真人、圣人、贤人 ）have their own meanings. Chinese sages generally refers to Confucius, Meng Zi, Zhu Xi (孔子、孟子、朱熹）etc. Some information shows ,Einstein known the difference between the Taoism and the Confucianism, So in his opinion， Don't need be astonished that the Chinese sages (Confucius Meng Zi Zhu Xi, etc.) did not make these steps.

Thanks for that “Speeds faster than light are indeed known in modern physics, e.g.,” As I known,some taoist thought still haven't a better understanding till now. In my opinion,时无止,literal meaning,can be "time expand",not "slow down". I didn't read Einstein's paper,but somehow in some chinese articles "Time dilation" translate to "time expand(时间膨胀）" 。

about Zhuangzi When I studied Taoist thoughts,I researched some books of pre-qin and some lost articles of Zhuangzi ,Then I found that Zhuang zhou was working in the Chu 楚 state over 13 years,It's most likely from 346bc to 332bc,Zhuang zhou was working as a officer name Da Gong 大公 ,Which job is responsbility for collectting people's words and views in the states. During that time two important wars was happened,One is Chu state vs Wei 魏 state in 343bc-340bc,The other one is Chu state vs Yue 越 state in 334bc-340bc,Both of them are Taoist style war,Two wars made a lot of effects to the waring states. The war of Chu vs Wei involved with another taoist man Sun Bin whose honourable name is Sunzi of Qi.Normally this war doesn't look like a war,Because Chu state didn't send their army to fight with Wei state.But it did include all the elements of war,And it is the supreme art of the war, so call "the win without fighting",or " subdue the enemy without fighting" . The anther war of Chu vs Yue was between 334bc-331bc,With "the use of useless",Zhuang zhou helped king wei of Chu 楚威王 defeaded the king of Yue and taken away most of land from Yue state . The book of Zhuangzi recoded this two wars in an eerie way,Zhuang zhou involved both of this two wars. I just finished writing a book about the war of Chu vs Wei in chinese and in taoist style, It's crazy. What do you think about Zhuangzi?

Following the Yang (Ze Yang) In my opinion,Ze Yang of 《Zhuang Zi》 (《Chuang Tzu》) is a chapter daily record of events and thoughts by Zhuang Zhou，I translated it in my way,added some history and backaround . I read the translation by Nina Correa and the translation by Burton Watson for reference. In 354 BC, King Hui of Wei started a large-scale attack on Zhao. By 353 BC, The capital of Zhao, Handan, was under siege.later the Wei army badly destroyed the wall of Handan city, Zhao nearly disappear.Its call the suffering of Handan in history. The State of Qi intervened in time. The famous strategist of Qi, Sun Bin proposed to attack the Wei capital while the Wei army was tied up besieging Zhao. The strategy was a success; the Wei army hastily moved south to protect its capital, was caught on the road and decisively defeated at the Battle of Guiling .This strategy become very famous,its name is "besiege Wei,save Zhao." Since that ,Zhao was under control by Wei,and also a friend of Qi. 前348年　　魏殷臣、赵公孙裒伐燕，还取夏屋，城曲逆。 前347年　　壬寅，孙何侵楚，入三户郛。楚伐徐州。 (《竹书纪年》) According the offical history book of Wei state ( 《Bamboo Annals》) ,Six years later,In 348 BC,General Yin Cheng of Wei and General Gong Sun Suai of Zhao leaded the armies from two states, attacked Yan state,Took the lands of Xiawu and Quni from Yan .That means Wei and Zhao fighting together again. In the spring of 347 BC ,General Sun He of Wei invaded the three-family-town of Chu state.in this year,Chu attacked Xu Zhou of Qi. The three-family-town locate in the Danyang (丹阳），Which is the old capital of Chu state,It is a sacred land of Chu ,Especially for the Zhuang's families of Chu .A son of the King Zhuang of Chu 楚庄王，Which was one of five hegemons during the Spring and Autumn Period,He take "Zhuang" as his surname,His name is Zhuang Wu or Prince Wu(王子午）, He become the first ancestor of Zhuang's families of Chu,His tomb is locate at the three-family-town. After general Sun He of Wei invaded the three-family-town of Chu state.Zhuang Zhou (庄周） and his brother Zhuang Qiao（庄蹻）travels to the Chu state form Song state. 则阳游于楚，夷节言之于王，王未之见。夷节归。彭阳见王果曰：“夫子何不谭我于王？”王果曰：“我不若公阅休。”彭阳曰：“公阅休奚为者邪？”曰：“冬则戳鳖于江，夏则休乎山樊。有过而问者，曰：‘此予宅也。’" "夫夷节已不能，而况我乎！吾又不若夷节。夫夷节之为人也，无德而有知，不自许，以之神其交固,颠冥乎富贵之地。非相助以德，相助消也。夫冻者假衣于春，暍者反冬乎冷风。夫楚王之为人也，形尊而严。其于罪也，无赦如虎。非夫佞人正德，其孰能桡焉。” "故圣人其穷也，使家人忘其贫；其达也，使王公忘爵禄而化卑；其于物也，与之为娱矣；其于人也，乐物之通而保己焉。故或不言而饮人以和，与人并立而使人化，父子之宜。彼其乎归居，而一闲其所施。其于人心者，若是其远也。故曰‘待公阅休’。” Note: Ze Yang (则阳) means following the Yang,Peng Yang (彭阳) means expanding the Yang,Ze Yang and Peng Yang are brother . Yi Jie 夷节 means diplomat.Many noble families of Chu escape the state since 380 BC,Because most of them involved to assassinating Wu Qi (吴起),They are still guilty before Wei army invaded Danyang in 347 BC. Ze Yang traveled to the state of Chu, Yi Jie talked to the king about it, But the King didn't agree to meet them, Yi Jie went back.Peng Yang then went to see Wang Guo and said: "Sir, Why do you not introduce me to the king?" Wang Guo replied: "I am not so good to do that as Gong Yue Xiu." Peng Yang said:"What sort of man is he?" And the reply was: "'In winter he spears turtles in the river, and in summer he rests in shady places on the mountain. When people passing by ask him what he's doing, he says: 'This is my house!'" " Yi Jie already tried to help you but couldn't do it, I couldn't do any better! I'm not even a match for Yi Jie.Yi Jie is the guy Who have knowledge without the virtue,He ususally don't make the promise ,But he always make a firm friendship by his amazing ability,He can deeply crazy in the land of richs and honours.But he helped you without the virtue in this case,that means instead his help will cause a trouble.The one who's freezing in the winter will imagine being covered by the spring's warmth, But the one who's suffering from sunstroke will thinks about the cool winds of winter.Now the king of Chu,He looks very honourable and stern , He deals with the guilty people, like a tiger without forgiveness .No one but a gross flatterer or a man with right virtue can bend him to change his mind." "So the sage, When he living in hardship, he can make his family forget their poverty; When he living in affluence, he can make kings and dukes forget their titles and stipends ,and make them become humble . His approach to things, is to go along with them and be merry; his approach to people, is enjoy to the communication with them and still hold on his own. So sometime he may be don't say any word, but the other still can drink the harmony ; Standing with others, he can cause them to change, let them feel comfortable like father and son,That kind of feeling to go back home, On the moment easy to do anything . His understanding of people's heart,Its so far away than this .So I say you should wait for Gong Yue Xiu ." 圣人达绸缪，周尽一体矣，而不知其然，性也。复命摇作而以天为师，人则从而命之也。忧乎知，而所行恒无几时，其有止也，若之何！生而美者，人与之鉴，不告则不知其美于人也。若知之，若不知之，若闻之，若不闻之，其可喜也终无已，人之好之亦无已，性也。圣人之爱人也，人与之名，不告则不知其爱人也。若知之，若不知之，若闻之，若不闻之，其爱人也终无已，人之安之亦无已，性也。 Note: Zhuang Zhou went back to the old homeland,and failed to get a meeting with the King of Chu at the beginning,Later he knew his teacher already predicted that and made the arrangement.Zhuang Zhou very appreciate for what his teacher's done. The sage made a perfect arrangement,so carefully include all situations, yet he does not know why,it is a matter of the inborn nature .He return to still as a hermit and following the nature as his teacher to act accordingly,People just take his advise like taking a order.Worrying from the situation already know,so action can't constant for a long time,It will stop in other situations,How about this?When a women is born with good looks, the others compare with her, but if them don't tell her, She will never know that she is better looking than others. Whether she know it or don't know it, whether she was told of it or was not told of it, however, her delightful good looks remain unchanged to the end, and others can go on endlessly admiring her , it is a matter of inborn nature. The sage loves people, and people fame him, but if they do not tell him, then he will never know that he loves people. Whether he knows it or doesn't know it, whether he is told of it or is not told of it, however, his love for people remains unchanged to the end, and others feel safety in it will never end, it is a matter of inborn nature. 旧国旧都，望之畅然。虽使丘陵草木之缗入之者十九，犹之畅然，况见见闻闻者也，以十仞之台县众间者也。 The old capital of the old state ,I feel good just to look at it from afar. Even when hills and mounds, brush and forest, make nine out of ten of the city have gone to lie under them, I feel even better,How much more so,Those seeing and hearing,stand out like eighty-foot tower among the crowd. 冉相氏得其环中以随成，与物无终无始，无几无时。日与物化者，一不化者也。阖尝舍之！夫师天而不得师天，与物皆殉。其以为事也，若之何！夫圣人未始有天，未始有人，未始有始，未始有物，与世偕行而不替，所行之备而不洫，其合之也，若之何！汤得其司御门尹登恒,为之傅之。从师而不囿，得其随成，为之司其名之名。嬴法得其两见。仲尼之尽虑，为之傅之。容成氏曰：“除日无岁，无内无外。” Note:The crown prince of Chu,his name is Xiong Shang (熊商),later he become the powerest king of Chu (楚威王),his teacher is Duo Jiao 铎椒，Duo Jiao is a polymath,a educationist,and a historiographer.so the crown prince consider him as Confucius (孔子).this year happen a lot of stories,they all need to be careful. Mr. Ran Xiang got the middle of its circle then got his the naturly completion , Joining with things, without the end, without the beginning, no minutes, no hours.Changing with the things everyday, It is the one thing never changes , so why should he abandon this? Those tries to following the nature as a teacher but never learn something from the nature,and dying along with the things in the end,going that way as the matter,how about that!The sage has never begun to think of nature, has never begun to think of human, has never begun to think of a beginning, has never begun to think of things. He moves on with the real world and never instead of , his movement is so complete without any blemish. then the thing happen to meet his will, how about this? The emperor Tang got his groom,a guardsman name Deng Heng, and had him be his tutor. He followed him and treated him as a teacher, but was not confined by him, so he got his naturely completion, Tang decleared the great teaching of Deng Heng , he's behavior made both of them become a legend.For the exhausted thinking of Confucius,He is following it and learning from it. Mr.Rong Cheng said:"Without the days there is not a year,Without the inside there is not outside." 魏莹与田侯牟约，田侯牟背之，魏莹怒，将使人刺之。犀首公孙衍闻而耻之，曰：“君为万乘之君也，而以匹夫从仇。衍请受甲二十万，为君攻之，虏其人民，系其牛马，使其君内热发于背，然后拨其国。忌也出走，然后抶其背，折其脊。”季子闻而耻之，曰：“筑十仞之城，城者既十仞矣，则又坏之，此胥靡之所苦也。今兵不起七年矣，此王之基也。衍，乱人也，不可听也。”华子闻而丑之，曰：“善言伐齐者，乱人也；善言勿伐者，亦乱人也；谓‘伐之与不伐乱人也’者，又乱人也。”君曰：“然则若何？”曰：“君求其道而已矣。” 惠之闻之，而见戴晋人。戴晋人曰：“有所谓蜗者，君知之乎？”曰：“然。”“有国于蜗之左角者，曰触氏；有国于蜗之右角者，曰蛮氏。时相与争地而战，伏尸数万，逐北旬有五日而后反。”君曰：“噫！其虚言与？”曰：“臣请为君实之。君以意在四方上下有穷乎？”君曰：“无穷。”曰：“知游心于无穷，而反在通达之国，若存若亡乎？”君曰：“然。”曰：“通达之中有魏，于魏中有梁，于梁中有王，王与蛮氏有辩乎？”君曰：“无辩。”客出而君惝然若有亡也。客出，惠子见。君曰：“客，大人也，圣人不足以当之。”惠子曰：“夫吹管也，犹有嗃也；吹剑首者，映而已矣。尧、舜，人之所誉也。道尧舜于戴晋人之前，譬犹一吷也。” Note: Marquis Tian succeeded to the throne in 356 BC,But he didn't ruled the state of Qi by himself nearly nine years untill 347 BC.He love to drink over a long night with beautyful women,Some corrupt officials control the goverment of Qi,So the situation of the Qi state is not so good .Wei made a treaty with Qi to attack Chu , Qi violted it. So Wei try to attack Qi for revenge,But there is a big problem,Zhao is a friend of Qi,if Wei attack Qi,It need to fight with Zhao and Qi. Wei Ying (the king of Wei) made a treaty with Marquis Tian of Qi , but Marquis Tian violated it. Wei Ying angried, So He wanted to send the killer to assassinate Marquis Tian. General Gong Sun Yan heard of it and shamed about it,He said:"My king,You are the ruler of ten thousand chariots,but you just treat your revenge like a commoner! Gong Sun Yan ask to be given command of two hundred thousand armored troops,I will attack Qi for you,make prisoners of his people, and lead away his horses and cattles.I will make Marquis Tian burn with anger and the fire break out on his back,then I will keep on storm his state.When Tian Ji also try to run away,I will whip his back and break his spine!" Ji Zi heard of it and shamed about it,He said: "Biulding an eighty-foot wall, the wall is just nearly eighty-foot high,then break it down again,That is realy a pain to those people who once suffered for it.It is already been seven years not raising the army till now,This is the foundation of your leadedship.Gong Sun Yan is a troublemaker,his advice must not be heeded!" Hua Zi heard of it and shamed about it,He said: "The person good at saying 'attack Qi' is a troublemaker,And the person good at saying 'Don't attack Qi' is also a troublemakers,And the person says that 'those who says attack or do not attack are all troublemakers,he is a troublemaker too!" King of Wei ask:"then what should I do?" Hua Zi reply:"My king,you need to seek the answer from Dao, that's all." Hui Zi, hearing this, introduced Dai Jin Ren to the King of Wei. Dai Jin Ren said: "Your Majesty,there is a creature called the snail , Do you know it?" The king reply,"Yes." The visitor said:"On top of snail's left antenna is a state called Strike, and on top of snail's right antenna is a state called Brutal . At times they usually fight for the territory , strewing the field with corpses by the tens thousand, the victor need half a month to return home." The king said: "Eh,What kind of empty talk is this?" The visitor said:"Your Majesty,please allow me to show you the truth in it. Do you believe that there is a limit to the four directions, to up and down?" The king said: "No limits." The visitor said:"Understanding that the mind can wander where there are no limits,and go back to the states which traffic is well developed,It is not certain whether it even exist or not?" The king said: "Yes." The visitor said:"And among these states,the Wei is one of them, and within the state of Wei is the city of Liang, and within the city of Liang is Your Majesty. Is there any difference between you and the ruler of Brutal?" The king said:"No difference." After the visitor left, the king looks disappointed seem he lost something . At that moment Hui Zi came to see him. The king said:"That visitor was truly a great man. A sage wouldn't be capable of matching him." Hui Zi said:"Blow into a bamboo flute and it'll produce a loud sound. If blow into the end of a sword's hilt, it will be a feeble wheeze.Emperor Yao and Shun were set up on a pedestal by the people, but expounding on Yao and Shun in the presence of Dai Jin Ren,it would sound like a little wheeze!" 孔子之楚，舍于蚁丘之浆。其邻有夫妻臣妾登极者，子路曰：“是何为者邪？”仲尼曰：“是圣人仆也。是自埋于民，自藏于畔。其声销，其志无穷，其口虽言，其心未尝言。方且与世违，而心不屑与之俱。是陆沉者也，是其市南宜僚邪？”子路请往召之。孔子曰：“已矣！彼知丘之着于己也，知丘之适楚也，以丘为必使楚王之召己也。彼且以丘为佞人也。夫若然者，其于佞人也，羞闻其言，而况亲见其身乎！而何以为存！”子路往视之，其室虚矣。 Note: When the king Zhao of Chu (楚昭王) was a boy,Duke Bai Gong Sheng (白公胜) want to be the king of Chu,So he try to kill Zi Xi (子西)，who is The prime minister of Chu.Southtown Yi Liao (市南宜僚) is a brave warrior of Chu ,A man can fight with five hurdred soldiers .Duke Bai Gong Sheng didn't made the agreement with Southtown Yi Liao ,he put a sword on the neck of Southtown Yi Liao ,but Southtown Yi Liao played ball without any panic,Duke Bai Gong Sheng can do nothing about that ,He couldn't handle two of them in the sametime ,so his coup can not happen.This is call：" Southtown Yi Liao play ball,The trouble between two family was gone."(市南宜僚弄丸，而两家之难解。）After Confucius arrived in Chu,the situation was changed,The balance was broken by Confucius.Later Bai Gong Sheng killed the prime minister Zi Xi and his coup was a suceess. Kong Zi arrived in Chu, he stopped over at an inn of Ant-Hill-town. A neighboring family, including the husband, wife, servants and concubines, had gathered on the roof of their house. Zi Lu asked:"Why are all those people standing so precariously up there?" Zhong Ni said:"They are the servants of a sage ,Who was burying himself among the people,hiding himself among the fields.His sound like negative,but his determination never been exhausted.His mouth maybe spoken something , but his heart didn't say anything.He just violated the secular principles,and his heart disdained for going along with them,he is a plunger in land. Could he be Southtown Yi Liao ?" Zi Lu asked permission to call him over. Kong Zi said:"Let it be! He knows that I am out to make a name for myself, and he knows my coming to Chu,He assume that I will certainly let the king of Chu to give me a position,He just take me for a sycophant. If so,A man like him ashamed even to hear the words of a sycophant, much less appear in person before him! What makes you think he is still at home anyway?" Zi Lu went next door to have a look,His house was already empty. 长梧封人问子牢曰：“君为政焉勿卤莽，治民焉勿灭裂。昔予为禾，耕而卤莽之，则其实亦卤莽而报予；芸而灭裂之，其实亦灭裂而报予。予来年变齐，深其耕而熟耰 之，其禾蘩以滋，予终年厌飧。”庄子闻之曰：“今人之治其形，理其心，多有似封人之所谓：遁其天，离其性，灭其情，亡其神，以众为。故卤莽其性者，欲恶之孽为性，萑苇蒹霞始萌，以扶吾形，寻擢吾性。并溃漏发，不择所出，漂疽疥痈，内热溲膏是也。” The border guard of Changwu (长梧 or 苍梧） said to Zi Lao, "In running the government you shouldn't be crude, in ordering the people you shouldn't be slapdash!In the past I used to grow grain, I plowed in a slipshod way and got a slipshod crop in return.The following year I changed my methods, plowing deeper than before and raking with great care , the grain grew thick and luxuriant, then I didn't need to care about the food for the whole year!" Zhuang Zi heard of it and he said, "People of today, when they deals with their bodies and their minds, most likely do it in the same way as the border guard described. They away the nature, against their inborn nature, ignore their feeling, and forgot their spirit, just for following the crowd . So they slipshod with their inborn natures,breeding their own likes and dislikes as their natures ,just like the overgrowing of weeds and rushes. When those first sprout up, they will be a comfort to the body, but they are looking for stifling the inborn nature. later the toxin begin to break out side by side,not only one part of the body but all over. Festering ulcers and boils, internal fevers and pus-filled urine, these are the results!" 柏榘学于老聃，曰：“请之天下游。”老聃曰：“已矣！天下犹是也。”又请之，老聃曰：“汝将何始？”曰：“始于齐。”至齐，见辜人焉，推而强之，解朝服而幕之，号天而哭之，曰：“子乎！子乎！天下有大灾，子独先离之。曰‘莫为盗，莫为杀人’。荣辱立然后睹所病，货财聚然后睹所争。今立人之所病，聚人之所争，穷困人之身，使无休时。欲无至此得乎？古之君人者，以得为在民，以失为在己；以正为在民，以枉为在己。故一形有失其形者，退而自责。今则不然，匿为物而愚不识，大为难而罪不敢，重为任而罚不胜，远其涂而诛不至。民知力竭，则以伪继之。日出多伪，士民安取不伪。夫力不足则伪，知不足则欺，财不足则盗。盗窃之行，于谁责而可乎？” Bai Ju was studying with Lao Dan.He said: "Please allow me to go out and travel in the world." Lao Tan said: "Stop it! The world is same as here." When Bai Ju repeated his request, Lao Tan said: "Where will you go first?" Reply:"I will begin with Qi." When he arrived in Qi, he saw the body of a criminal who had been executed. he push and drag until the body laid out in proper position, he took off his formal robes and covered the body, wailing to the heaven and crying out:"Hey you!Hey you! The world gonna have a big disaster,you just leave alone at first.We've been told not to steal and not to kill others. But when glory and disgrace have once been defined, We will see suffering;when goods and wealth have once been gathered together, We will see wrangling. Now the defined already brings suffering , The gathering already cause wrangling,When the body of the poor never expect a rest, they don't want to end up like this,Could they?" "Those who ruled people in ancient times gave credit to people for the achievements and took responsibility themselves for losses; gave credit to people when things went right and took responsibility themselves when things went wrong. Therefore, even one person experienced a loss they would step back and check themselves out." "It is diffence now,They hide the thing to fool the people who cann't know the truth, raise the difficulties to put the blame on the cowards. create impossibly tasks then punish those who can't fulfill their mandates. make the journey longer then chastise people who can not reach in time.When the knowledge and strength of the people are exhausted, they will begin to piece them out with artifice.Everyday so much artifice are increases, how can people keep from resorting to artifice? A lack of strength invites artifice, a lack of knowledge invites deceit, a lack of goods invites theft. But to those thefts and robberies ,Who are really deserves the blame ?" 庄子之齐，见饿人而哀之，饿者从而求食。庄子曰：“吾已不食七日矣!”饿者吁曰：“吾见过我者多矣，莫我哀也，哀我者惟夫子。向使夫子不不食，其能哀我乎？” Note:This story from another book. Zhuang Zi arrivaled in Qi,When he met a hungry man he show his sympathy to him, The hungry man followed him and beg for food.Zhuang Zi said:"It was been seven days I didn't eat any food!"The hungry man said with a sigh:"I saw so much people passing by me,None of them show their sympathy to me,the man can show his sympathy to me is only you.Sir,if you are not didin't eat ,Can you still show your sympathy to me in that way ?" 虞姬者，名娟之，齐威王之姬也。威王即位，九年不治，委政大臣，诸侯并侵之。其佞臣周破胡专权擅势，嫉贤妒能，即墨大夫贤，而日毁之，阿大夫不肖，反日誉之。虞姬谓王曰：“破胡，谗谀之臣也，不可不退。齐有北郭先生者，贤明有道，可置左右。”破胡闻之，乃恶虞姬曰：“其幼弱在于闾巷之时，尝与北郭先生通。”王疑之，乃闭虞姬于九层之台，而使有司即穷验问，破胡赂执事者，使竟其罪，执事者诬其辞而上之，王视其辞，不合于意，乃召虞姬而自问焉，虞姬对曰：“妾娟之幸得蒙先人之遗体，生于天壤之闲，去蓬庐之下，侍明王之燕，泥附王着，荐床蔽席，供执埽除，掌奉汤沐，至今十余年矣。惓惓之心，冀幸补一言，而为邪臣所挤，湮于百重之下，不意大王乃复见而与之语。妾闻玉石坠泥不为污，柳下覆寒，女不为乱。积之于素雅，故不见疑也。经瓜田不蹑履，过李园不正冠，妾不避，此罪一也。既陷难中，有司受赂，听用邪人，卒见覆冒，不能自明。妾闻寡妇哭城，城为之崩。亡士叹市，市为之罢。诚信发内，感动城市。妾之冤明于白日，虽独号于九层之内，而众人莫为豪厘，此妾之罪二也。既有污名，而加此二罪，义固不可以生。所以生者，为莫白妾之污名也。且自古有之，伯奇放野，申生被患。孝顺至明，反以为残。妾既当死，不复重陈，然愿戒大王，群臣为邪，破胡最甚。王不执政，国殆危矣。于是王大寤，出虞姬，显之于朝市，封即墨大夫以万户，烹阿大夫与周破胡。 Note: This story from 《the legend of the women》 （《列女传》）, Marquis Tian's name is Tian Yin Qi,later he become the King Wei of Qi (齐威王） . Concubine Yu,her name is Juan Zhi,she is a concubine of the King Wei of Qi .The King Wei of Qi succeeded to the throne,He didn't ruled the state by himself nearly nine years,the goverment running by the officials,The other states near Qi all invaded Qi.There is a corrupt official name Zhou Po Hu, with his autocratic reputation he jealous of the talent and envy the good .he daily slander the official of Jimo who is a good man,daily praise the official of A-Cheng who is corrupt. Concubine Yu talked to the King:"Zhou Po Hu is a sycophant,he must be fired.There is a talent name Mr.Northern Town in Qi,he is the good man worthy to hire. "Zhou Po Hu heard of it,so he slandered Concubine Yu,"When she was younger in the street,She had a fornication with Mr.Northern Town." The King suspected her,so he confined Concubine Yu into a room locate in a nine floors tower,and he ordered a prison official to investigate her.Zhou Po Hu briberied the prison official,made the rumour on her become real.That official falsely accused her and handed up her testimony to the King,The King read her testimony,found something unreasonable,So the King summoned Concubine Yu for a plea. Concubine Yu said:"Concubine Juan Zhi fortunately have a chance to succeed the body from ancestor,I was born in a leisurely place away the heaven's land,left from the under of thatched cottages,and serves in the palace of a wise King. wiping out the mud on the aisle of palace,making the bed and changing the mat,and cleaning with the servants,in charge of hot water for you,It's already over ten years till now.I'm so care about you,so I thought I can add a word,then I was pushed away by sycophant,My heart was falling to the below of a hunder tiers ,unexpecting the summon from you and talk to me again." "I heard that the judy fall to the mud but it won't be contaminated;Liu Xia Hui use his body to cover a lady who's freezing,It isn't considered as riot;This because they accumulate the elegant,So they couldn't be suspected.Didn't tread the shoe after pass a melon patch,didn't correct the pileum after go through a plum garden,I didn't care about the taboo,This is my first fault." "When I was aready in trouble, the prison official taken the bribe and he taken order from the sycophant,so my words soon be covered then I can't explain by myself.I heard that a widow cried out beside the wall,the wall falled down for her.A knight sighed in the market for the national subjugation,The market leaded a strike for him.The honest word come out form the heart can movethe city,My falsely accused so clear like the sun in the clean day,though I cry so loud alone in the room of nine floors tower,Nobody would help to check it out ,this is my second fault. " "So my reputation was contaminated,and added this two fault,I souldn't be alive in moral principle.The reason that I still alive is not for clearing my falsely accused,It allway happened form the ancient times,there are a lot of example ;If I should die,I don't want to talk about them again.But I still hope that you can pay a tension to those corrupt officials,Especially Zhou Po Hu.You do not rule the state by youself right now,The state of Qi will be very danger then." So the King released concubine Yu with a such disillusionment,Renowed her in the public. rewarded the official of Jimo ,cooked those currupt officials in front of people. 威王八年，楚大发兵加齐。齐王使淳于髡之赵请救兵，赍金百斤，车马十驷。淳于髡仰天大笑，冠缨索绝。王曰：“先生少之乎？”髡曰：“何敢！”王曰：“笑岂有说乎？”髡曰：“今者臣从东方来，见道旁有禳田者，操一豚蹄，酒一盂，祝曰：‘瓯窭满篝，污邪满车，五谷蕃熟，穰穰满家。’臣见其所持者狭而所欲者奢，故笑之。”于是齐威王乃益赍黄金千溢，白璧十双，车马百驷。髡辞而行，至赵。赵王与之精兵十万，革车千乘。楚闻之，夜引兵而去。 Note: This story from 《Shi Ji》（史记）。 Eight years after the King Wei of Qi succeed to the throne,Chu state sent a lot of armies to attack Qi state.The king of Qi let Cun Yu Kun go to Zhao to asking for hlep,let him bring with fifty kilogram gold and ten carriages. Cun Yu Kun laughed out loudly toward the sky,the rope of hat was broken. The King said,"Sir,do you think it is less?" Kun said,"I don't dare." The King said,"Why did you laughed out so loud?" Kun said,"Today I came from east,I saw a man prayed in the side of load with a pig's trotter and a bowl of wine. he wished:'The sorghum in the high land full of the cages,the grain in low field full of car,the crops will be bumper harvest,full fill the house.'I found that he asked for more but his offer was a little,That's why I laughed it." So the King raised the gold to five hundred kilogram,Ten pair of white judys,a hundred carriages.Kun left to Zhao bring with the gift.the King of Zhao borrowed hundred thousand brave soldiers to Qi,and a thousand chariots.Chu army heard of it,retreated immediately at night. 蘧伯玉行年六十而六十化，未尝不始于是之，而卒诎之以非也。未知今之所谓是之非五十九非也。万物有乎生而莫见其根，有乎出而莫见其门。人皆尊其知之所知，而莫知恃其知之所不知而后知，可不谓大疑乎！已乎！已乎！且无所逃。此所谓然与然乎！ Qu Po Yu has been going along for sixty years and has changed sixty times. Every time he begin to do something because of thinking he is right,but in the end he stop it because of thinking he was wrong,He still don't know that right in today isn't the wrong in other fifty-nine times. All living things are born but we cann't know the root. All living things appear we cann't know the door .People all respect that their knowledge enables them to understand ,but they do not know respect that depend on the ability to understand something they don't have any knowledge about it at first, Can't this be called the big doubt?stop it,stop it, There's no way to escape it,that is so call,"right,and right?" 仲尼问于太史大弢、伯常骞、狶韦曰：“夫卫灵公饮酒湛乐，不听国家之政；田猎毕弋，不应诸侯之际：其所以为灵公者何邪？”大弢曰：“是因是也。”伯常骞曰：“夫灵公有妻三人，同滥而浴。史鳅奉御而进所，搏币而扶翼。其慢若彼之甚也，见贤人若此其肃也，是其所以为灵公也。” 狶韦曰：“夫灵公也，死，卜葬于故墓，不吉；卜葬于沙丘而吉。掘之数仞，得石椁焉，洗而视之，有铭焉，曰：‘不冯其子，灵公夺而里之。’夫灵公之为灵也久矣！之二人何足以识之。” Note: 灵 ling means magical.Zhong Ni(Confucius) and three historians Da Tao,Bo Chang Jian and Shi Wei,They are live in different time.So the Zhong Ni probably means Duo Jiao,The teacher of the crown prince. Zhong Ni asked the great historians Da Tao,Bo Chang Jian and Shi Wei.He asked:"Duke Ling of Wei love drinking and seeking pleasure,didn't care about the business of state,he went hunting and gaming with nets to catch birds, ignoring the treaty with the other Marquises.What is the reason that he got the title Duke Ling ?" Da Tao said,"These are the reasons." Bo Chang Jian said:"Duke Ling had three wives ,They bathed togther in the same tub. But when Shi Qiu came to visit him in the palace , He rewarded Shi Qiu a lot of money,and assisted him by the arm. His slight is too much,his attitude toward the good man is so serious,That is why he was called Duke Ling." Shi Wei said:" Duke Ling,when he died, a divination was made and it said unpropitious for him to bury in the family grave. Another divination showed that if he was buried at Sand-hill it would be very propitious. After digging down for several feet, a stone coffin was found. When it was cleaned up and examined, Some words was found engraved on it: 'Do not depend upon his heirs , Duke Ling will seize this plot and be buried here.' Duke Ling show his ling quite a long time ,Those two guys-How do they knowledgeable enough to know this?"

. I made a simple introduce to the situation of early warring states,Do you guys ask for clarification ? 403bc,At the beginning of warring states,The Three Jins( Wei Han Zhao 魏 韩 赵）usually fighting together,They took away many land from (Qin Chu Song Qi 秦 楚 宋 齐）,Wei state is the leader of three Jins.Yue state was in alliance with three Jins,This traditional relationship was kept to 334bc,The first target of the alliance is Chu state. Wei states took many lands away from Qin and Chu, and became more powerful. 354bc-352bc,Wei was in allince with Han,They fighted with four states (Zhao Qin Chu Qi) in the same time,and still made the suceess.after that,Zhao was under controlled by Wei. 346bc,Wei was in allince with Han ,attacked Chu,the shangcai (上蔡) city and another city of Chu were took away by Wei.at the same time,according to lost article of Chuang Tzu, Chu was also under attacked by Yue.Chu was in very bad situation ,and couldn't fight back. 344bc,Wei state became the strongest state,King of Wei crowned himself as King of Xia kingdom（夏王），which mean the son of heaven.Wei state was in allince with Yue state, Yue state is second largest state at that time. 343bc-340bc, Chu state didin't send any army to attack Wei state,but Wei state became weak after a series of attack by other states, 334bc,Chu state fighted with Qi state. 333bc,Chu state was under attack by Yue state. 331bc,Chu state almost swallowed down Yue state. .

Hi,all.So sorry,my english isn't good enough to reply soon. Lao Dan 老聃 is real in the history,Confucius met him and learned from him.It is easy to get proofs form 《Chuang Tzu》/《 Liu's Commentaries of History 》（Lu Shi Chun Qiu）/《the book of rites》.Lao Dan 老聃 whose honourable name is Lao Tzu. There is lots of contents of DaoDeJing were mentioned in the 《Chuang Tzu》,and some sentences same as DaoDeJing are found in 《Chuang Tzu》,they are clearly Lao Dan's said . Some thoughts of Chuang Tzu are different from Lao Tzu/Lie tzu.

to ChiDragon, There is another versions,you might be interest in. 聖人以必不必，故無兵；眾人以不必必之，故多兵。慎於兵，故行有求,兵，恃之則亡。 Sage consider necessary as unnecessary,so there is not war;Most of people consider unnecessary as necessary ,so there are more wars.Be cautious of the war, then the action will have prerequisites,the war,depends on it will lead to die out. to Dawei, Yes,ZZ knowledge of Laozi is big topic,What made you think he could not know of Laozi?

Hi Mark,You are welcome. Hi,ChiDragon Marblehead. About the war,I like Zhuangzi's said: Sage consider necessary as unnecessary,so there is not war;Most of people consider unnecessary as necessary ,so there are more wars.follows the idea of war, so most of actions will ask for war,Depends on the war will lead to die out. （Zhuangzi Lie Yu-kou） 聖人以必不必，故無兵；眾人以不必必之，故多兵。順於兵，故行有求,兵，恃之則亡。 。

. 以道佐人主 不以兵强于天下 其事好还 师之所居 楚棘生之 善者果而已矣 不以取强焉 果而勿娇 果而勿矜 果而勿伐 果而不得已 居是 谓果而不强 物壮则老 谓之不道 不道蚤已 --- Taodejing The Cold War in the end,It finished without pride,without hero,without fighting last,But it had to,It is taoist style. Sun bin 孙膑 whose honourable name is Sunzi of Qi state 齐孙子,He is taoist.His book Sun Bin Military Method 孙膑兵法 include lot of taoist thoughts，There are taoist thoghts show in the battle he planed.At the Battle of Maling 马陵之战,after Killed large number enemy at very little cost,Sun bin and his friend general Tian ji 田忌 were treated as not the heros but the traitors. Marblehead,Wrong answer.hehe.. .