The Joy of Fish | 鱼之乐

点击查看中英对照

The wise Zhuangzi and the clever Huizi were strolling on the bridge over the Hao River.

Zhuangzi said, "Look how the fish are swimming so freely and leisurely in the water. That is the joy of fish!"

Huizi replied, "You are not a fish. How can you know the fish are joyous?"

Zhuangzi said, "You are not me. How can you know that I do not know the fish are joyous?"

Huizi argued, "I am indeed not you, so I do not know what you know. But you are certainly not a fish, so it is impossible for you to know the fish's joy. That is certain."

Zhuangzi concluded, "Let us go back to your original question. You asked me, 'How can you know the fish are joyous?' This question implies you already knew that I knew it when you asked. I know the fish's joy from my vantage point here above the Hao River."

阅读记录
请先 登录 后记录阅读完成
为这篇文章评分
点击星星进行评分(1-5分)
相关文章
Yu Shou Burns His Books | 玉寿焚书

Yu Shou, confident with his books, is advised by Xu Feng ...

dialogue inspirational
Act Upon Hearing? | 闻斯行诸

Confucius gave opposite advice to two students asking the...

chinese-culture confucius
The Wheelwright's Insight | 轮扁斫轮

A wheelwright argues to Duke Huan that the true essence o...

craftsmanship dialogue
The Origin of Evil | 邪恶的起源

A professor argues that if God created everything, He mus...

critical-thinking dialogue
The Bird Startled by the Mere Twang of a Bowstring | 惊弓之鸟

The archer Geng Ying demonstrates profound observation by...

chinese-culture educational
Few True Confucians in Lu | 鲁国少儒

Zhuang Zi challenges the King of Lu's claim that his stat...

ancient-china confucianism
A Good Dog for Catching Mice? | 良狗捕鼠

A man from Qi selects a hunting dog for his neighbor, who...

chinese-culture educational
The Seat of Honor | 谁坐上座

A man ignores his neighbor's warning about a fire hazard....

beginner chinese-culture
The Blade of Grass | 一叶知爱

A teacher uses a metaphor of picking a single blade of gr...

beginner dialogue
The Bell That Reveals the Thief | 恐钟有声

A Song Dynasty magistrate cleverly used a bell coated wit...

chinese-culture educational
The Golden Hook | 桂饵金钩

A Lu man obsessed with fishing used extravagant golden ge...

chinese-culture educational
Like Father, Like Son | 有其父必有其子

A father, seeing his son being beaten by the grandfather,...

dialogue family
Don't Argue with Children | 莫与孩童争辩

A little girl challenges her teacher's scientific fact ab...

anecdote dialogue
The Mantis Stalks the Cicada | 螳螂捕蝉

A young attendant uses the allegory of a cicada, mantis, ...

chinese-culture educational
Leaving the Net Open on Three Sides | 网开三面

King Tang of Shang demonstrates benevolence by modifying ...

chinese-culture compassion
The Long Reins | 马不千里

A disciple boasts of his horses' speed but is told his lo...

chinese-culture dialogue
Three Men Make a Tiger | 三人成虎

Minister Pang Gong warns the King of Wei about the danger...

chinese-culture educational
The Mirror of Self-Knowledge | 自知之明

The ancient minister Zou Ji questions why his wife, concu...

ancient-tale life-lesson
A Slingshot Is a Slingshot | “弹”就是“弹”

Hui Zi defends his use of metaphors by demonstrating that...

dialogue educational
Zhao Fu and the Cart | 造父驾马车

A father and son's frightened horse refuses to move. Zhao...

beginner chinese-culture