On Intercultural Dialogue

Chapter 9 On Intercultural Dialogue The Zhuangzi often makes use of dialogues between representatives from different schools of thought in illustration of his philosophy of life. For instance, dis- cussions between Confucius and his disciples are frequently used to introduce key conceptions, such as the “fasting of the heart” (Ren Jian Shi, In the Human World, Chapter, 4.2) or “sitting in forgetfulness” (Da Zong Shi, The Great Source as Teacher, Chapter, 6.9). Similarly, philosophical debates between Zhuangzi and Hui Shi are employed to explain ideas such as the “use of the useless” (Xiao Yao You, Wandering Far and Unfettered, Chapter, 1. 6), “having and not having feelings” (De Chong Fu, Markers of Full Virtuosity, Chapter, 5.6), and “the hap- piness of fish” (Qiu Shui, Autumn Floods, Chapter, 17.13). As we have seen in this book, the three main traditions of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism have engaged in a continuing exchange of ideas in the history of Chinese philosophy. Zhuangzi’s philosophy has been of cen- tral importance in developing this spirit of dialogue. In the Wei-Jin period (220–589 CE), Buddhism gradually came to settle on Chinese soil, and na- tive Daoism was availed in its adoption process. The philosophy of Zhuangzi was especially incorporated into Chan Buddhism and this brought about very fruitful cultural results in the Sui and Tang era (sixth to ninth century CE) and afterward. Although the Neo-Confucians of the Song (960–1279) and Ming (1368–1644) Dynasties rejected Buddhism and the philosophy of Laozi, they still relied on Zhuangzi’s thought to construct their theoretical systems; in fact, the notion of a higher dimension of human life in the works of the great Song and Ming Confucians is in large part an amalgamation of the spiritual worlds of Mencius and Zhuangzi. More recently, democracy, freedom, and equality have become the symbols of the major intellectual trend of our times; nonetheless, * The Introductory Remarks of this chapter were written as an outline for Chen Guying’s contribution to the second Chinese-Indian academic forum on “Knowledge, Wisdom, and Spirituality” held in November 2009 at the Center for Advanced Research in the Humanities at Beijing University and on invitation by Du Weiming, the director of the Center. One year later, the focus of the essay shifted from Chinese-Indian dialogue to the intercultural dialogue between China and the West. On December 10, 2011, the manuscript was finished and published in the Spring 2012 edition of the Hong Kong journal Guojia Xin Shiye 國家新視野 (New International Perspectives). © koninklijke brill nv, leiden, 2018 | doi 10.1163/9789004361980_011 212 Chapter 9 the Xiao Yao You, Wandering Far and Unfettered, Chapter in the Zhuangzi had already expressed the idea of freedom and the Qi Wu Lun, Equalizing Assessments of Things, Chapter contained the idea of equality. Both of these notions have been an integral part of Chinese civilization ever since. When Yan Fu (嚴復, 1854–1921)1 tried to adapt the Western notions of freedom and democracy in China at the beginning of the twentieth century, he turned to the philosophy of Laozi and Zhuangzi in his search for indigenous parallels. In the same period, Zhang Taiyan (章太炎, 1868–1936) wrote a commentary on the Qi Wu Lun, Equalizing Assessments of Things, Chapter of the Zhuangzi in order to promote his theory of the cultural equality of groups. In the present era of globalization, Zhuangzi’s perspectivism and its decon- struction of egocentrism (from individual egocentrism and ethnocentrism to anthropocentrism) has needed and valuable meaning for entering into an intercultural dialogue between East and West. The Zhuangzi and the Focus on Life The life process is neither one-directional nor one-dimensional and is always constituted by the confluence of different elements. Personally, as a young man, I approached Zhuangzi through Nietzsche. Over a long period of time, the distinctive influences of Nietzsche’s “will to power” and his Dionysian spirit as well as Zhuangzi’s dimension of roaming at ease and his concern for the equalization of things came to converge in my heart. Nietzsche’s philosophy, with its focus on the energy of the will and Zhuangzi’s philosophy of “coming and going alone with the spirit of heaven and earth” (Tian Xia, The World under Heaven, Chapter, 33.6), although seem- ingly opposed, are both in reality dedicated to the task of praising life. In Thus Spoke Zarathustra, Nietzsche refers to life as a “fountain of joy” (II.6) and of the world as a “garden” (III.13) stretched out in front of us. Similarly, in Zhuangzi’s dream of the butterfly, he joyfully flies around at ease (Qi Wu Lun, Equalizing Assessments of Things, Chapter, 2.14) so that the world appears as a color- ful garden where humans can frolic like butterflies. According to Zhuangzi, human life comes and goes freely within the great transformations of the cos- mos, and one can go along with the changes of times and find peace wherever one is. Zhuangzi’s buoyant attitude toward life and death can be expressed in 1 Editor’s Note: Yan Fu (1854–1921) translated works by Thomas Henry Huxley (Evolution and Ethics), John Stuart Mill (On Liberty), Herbert Spencer (The Study of Sociology), Adam Smith (The Wealth of Nations), among others. His translations influenced many Chinese thinkers..

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