religions ArticleArticle Article BirdsBirds and and Beasts BeastsBirds in in the and the Zhuangzi, BeastsZhuangzi, in theFables Fables Zhuangzi, Interpreted Interpreted Fables Interpreted byby Guo Guo Xiang Xiang byand and Guo Cheng Cheng Xiang Xuanying Xuanying and Cheng Xuanying RichardRichard John John Lynn Lynn Richard John Lynn DepartmentDepartment of Eastof East Asian Asian Studies, Studies, University University of Toronto,of Toronto, Toronto, Toronto, ON ON M5S, M5S, Canada; Canada; Department of East Asian Studies, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S, Canada; [email protected] [email protected]@utoronto.ca Received:Received: 29 May29 May 2019; 2019; Accepted: Accepted:Received: 18 July18 29July 2019; May 2019; Published: 2019; Published: Accepted: 22 July22 18July 2019 July 2019 2019; Published: 22 July 2019 Abstract:Abstract: Birds Birds and and beasts beastsAbstract: often often appear appearBirds in and thein the beastsZhuangzi, Zhuangzi, often in appear fablesin fables inand theand parables Zhuangzi,parables meant meant in fablesto beto beread and read parables meant to be read analogicallyanalogically as instructionsas instructionsanalogically for for human human asthought instructionsthought and and behavior. for behavior. human Whereas thoughtWhereas the and the analogical behavior. analogical significance Whereas significance the analogical significance of of someof some fables fables is obvious,is obvious, somein othersin fablesothers it is isit obvious, obscis obscureure inand othersand in needin it need is obscureof explication,of explication, and in need and and ofeven explication, even the the readily readily and even the readily accessible accessibleaccessible can can be bemade made tocan toyield be yield made more more to yieldclarity clarity more thanks claritythanks to thanks tocommentaries. commentaries. to commentaries. This This paper This paper paper explores explores explores contributions made by contributionscontributions made made by bythe the commentariesthe commentaries commentaries of Guoof of Guo GuoXiang Xiang Xiang (252–312) (252–312) (252–312) and and Cheng and Cheng Cheng Xuanying Xuanying Xuanying (ca. (ca. 620–670) (ca. 620–670) 620–670) to the understanding to tothe the understanding understanding of ofsuchof such such fables. fables. fables. Guo Guo Guo Xiang Xiang Xiang and and andWang Wang Wang Bi Bi王弼 Bi 王弼 (226–249) (226–249)(226–249) are areare the thethe two two two most most most important figures in the importantimportant figures figures in inthe the xuanxuexuanxue xuanxue 玄學 玄學 “arcane“arcane “arcane learning” learning” learning” or or “Neo-Daoism” or“Neo-Daoism” “Neo-Daoism” movement movement movement of earlyof ofearly medievalearly China (third to sixth medievalmedieval China China (third (third to sixthtocentury sixth century century C.E.), C.E.), which C.E.), wh combinedwhichich combined combined elements elements elements of Confucianism of Confucianismof Confucianism with with the with thought the the of Daoist foundational thoughtthought of Daoistof Daoist foundational foundationaltexts, te especiallyxts, texts, especially especially the Daode the the Daode jing Daode (Classic jing jing (Classic of(Classic the of Dao theof andthe Dao Dao Virtue) and and Virtue) and Virtue) the and Zhuangziand (Sayings of Master thethe Zhuangzi Zhuangzi (Sayings (Sayings of MasterofZhuang). Master Zhuang). Zhuang). Focus Focus of Focus the of movement theof the movement movement was the was promotion was the the promotion promotion of the conceptof theof the concept and concept practice of the sage-ruler as a andand practice practice of theof the sage-ruler sage-rulercatalyst as asa forcatalyst a thecatalyst regeneration for for th eth regeneratione regeneration of self and of society, selfof self and leading and society, society, to theleading leading foundation to theto the of a worldly utopia. Guo’s foundationfoundation of ofa worldlya worldly isutopia. theutopia. earliest Guo’s Guo’s intactis theis philosophicalthe earliest earliest intact intact commentary philosophical philosophical to thecommentary commentary Zhuangzi andto tothe one the of the most widely read ZhuangziZhuangzi and and one one of theof the mostduring most widely premodernwidely read read duri times. during ngpremodern Cheng premodern Xuanying times. times. composed Cheng Cheng Xuanying the Xuanying only subcommentarycomposed composed to Guo’s commentary. thethe only only subcommentary subcommentary toIts Guo’sto more Guo’s commentary. explicit commentary. style Its is mostItsmore more helpfulexplicit explicit in style deciphering style is most is most helpful Guo’s helpful in too decipheringin often deciphering cryptic and elliptical statements. Guo’sGuo’s too too often often cryptic cryptic and However,and elliptical elliptical itstatements. also statements. tends Ho to shuntHowever,wever, Guo’s it alsoit also statecraft tends tends to readingshuntto shunt Guo’s of Guo’s the statecraft Zhuangzi statecraft more in the direction of readingreading of theof the Zhuangzi Zhuangzi moreexplicating more in thein the direction philosophicaldirection of explicatingof explicating and religious philosophical philosophical dimensions and and religious of religious the text. dimensions dimensions Whereas Guo’s observations about of theof the text. text. Whereas Whereas Guo’s Guo’ssagehood, observations observations self-fulfillment, about about sage sagehood, andhood, self-fulfillment, the self-fulfillment, good life largely and and the focus the good good on life the life largely sage-ruler largely and his relation to his focusfocus on onthe the sage-ruler sage-ruler and andpeople, his his relation relation Cheng’s to histo approachhis peop people, Cheng’sle, tends Cheng’s more approach approach to explore tends tends issuesmore more to of exploreto personal explore issues self-realization issues and individual of personalof personal self-realization self-realization enlightenment,and and individual individual and,enlightenment, enlightenment, as such, is far and, moreand, as such,as “religious” such, is far is farmore than more Guo’s.“religious” “religious” However, than than when it comes to accounts Guo’s.Guo’s. However, However, when when it comes itof comes birds to accounts andto accounts beasts, of parodiesbiofrds birds and and and beasts, beasts, satires, parodies parodies which and address and satires, satires, the which limitations, which address address failures, delusions and faulty thethe limitations, limitations, failures, failures, delusions assumptions,delusions and and faulty narrow-mindedness, faulty assumptions, assumptions, narrow-mindedness, and narrow-mindedness, other human foibles, and and other both other Guohuman human and Cheng see them all rooted foibles,foibles, both both Guo Guo and and Cheng Chengin see self-conscious see them them all allrooted rooted thought in self-consciousin and self-conscious knowledge, thought thought and and thus and knowledge, deadly knowledge, impediments and and thus thus to enlightenment. Other deadlydeadly impediments impediments to enlightenment.to passagesenlightenment. about Other beastsOther passages andpassages birds about useabout animalbeasts beasts and fables and birds asbirds exemplars use use animal animal of fables truth fables concerningas as endowed personal exemplarsexemplars of truthof truth concerning concerningnature endowed andendowed the personal natural personal propensity na turenature and and to the stay the natural withinnatural propensity the propensity bounds to of stayto individual stay within within natural capacity. Since the thethe bounds bounds of individualof individual naturalcommentaries natural capacity. capacity. ofSinc Guo Since thee and the commentaries Chengcommentaries add important of Guoof Guo and and dimensions Cheng Cheng add add toimportant these important accounts, this study explores dimensionsdimensions to theseto these accounts, accounts,these this asthis study well. study explores explores these these as well.as well. Keywords:Keywords: Zhuangzi; Zhuangzi; Guo GuoKeywords: Xiang; Xiang; Cheng ChengZhuangzi; Xuanying; Xuanying; Guo Dao; Xiang; Dao; Da Daoism; Chengoism; fable; Xuanying; fable; parable; parable; Dao; spontaneity; spontaneity; Daoism; fable;birds birds parable; spontaneity; birds andand beasts; beasts; commentaries commentaries and beasts; commentaries The Zhuangzi (Sayings of Master Zhuang),1 an extraordinary text in many ways, has throughout the TheThe Zhuangzi Zhuangzi (Sayings (Sayingsages of Masterof attracted Master Zhuang), Zhuang), attention1 an1 as anextraordinary a repositoryextraordinary of text fables text in manyin and many parables. ways, ways, has Itshas throughout fables throughout include not only animals—both thethe ages ages attracted attracted attention attention realas aas (fish,repository a repository turtles, of snakes) fablof fables andes and and parables. imaginary parables. Its (Kun Itsfables fables fish include andinclude Peng not not only bird)—but only animals— animals— also plants (trees that talk) and bothboth real real (fish, (fish, turtles, turtles, snakes) snakes)inanimate and and imaginary objects imaginary and (Kun phenomena (Kun fish fish and and (such Peng Peng as bird)—but the bird)—but wind), also and also plants forces plants of(trees nature(trees that (Earlthat of the Yellow River and talk)talk) and and inanimate inanimate objects objects and and phenomena phenomena (such (such as asthe the wind), wind), and and forces forces