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- “The Butterfly Philosopher” – Impressive imaginative writing style & idealistic life philosophy

- HOWEVER, Chuang Tzu’s insight could not be forgotten.

Dongpo Su, Xun Lu, Yiduo Wen and Moruo Guo highly praised Chuang Tzu.

- Many people still look forward to be mentally free, like Chuang Tzu.

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- Some argued that social inaction is a symbol of irresponsibility.

- Human usually struggles to live without external “material”. (eg. A non-profit organization, though not aims to make profit, have to raise enough capital to run the business)

- IDEALISTIC
- The matter is not if there is an undoubted need for “external materials” or not; is about how to treat “external materials”.

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"In the northern sea, there is a fish and its name is Kun. Kun is so huge that I do not know how to measure its length. It transforms to a bird whose name is Peng. I do not know how to measure the width of the back of Peng. Whenever  Peng rises up and flies off, his wings are like clouds all over the sky. Peng sets off for the southern sea when the sea wind  blows.  The southern sea is a big natural lake. " (北冥有鱼，其名为鲲。鲲之大，不知其几千里也。化而为鸟，其名为鹏。鹏之背，不知其几千里也。怒而飞,其翼若垂天之云。是鸟也，海运则将徙于南冥。南冥者，天池也。)

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- Mainly presented in Wandering Beyond(逍遥游) and Discussion on Smoothing Things Out(齐物论)

1. Human should get rid of the chain of reality: wealth, fame, s ocial status, ethical convention etc.)

2. Human should regress to the nature and follow the instinct since human and the nature are essentially the SAME (天人合一). This was also why human should break the chain of reality.

- To an extreme, few people could reach the height of Chuang Tzu’s thoughts; few people could live the way he lived. (Diogenes was an exception though.)

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- Chuang Tzu thought-provoking and

imaginative

- He used abundant allegories and metaphors

- His writing style UNIQUE from other philosophical writings: elaborated literary writing

Makes his ideas interesting and accessible for audience

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The Implicit Meaning of The Butterfly Philosopher

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The Implicit Meaning of The Butterfly Philosopher

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- The language Chuang Tzu employed transcended the normality and reality of life.

- His life philosophy was idealistic.

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The Explicit Meaning of The Butterfly Philosopher

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The Explicit Meaning of The Butterfly Philosopher

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- Chuang Tzu once dreamed of being a butterfly.

- “Once upon a time, I dreamt I was a butterfly, fluttering hither and thither, to all intents and purposes a butterfly. I was conscious only of my happiness as a butterfly, unaware that I was myself. Soon I awaked, and there I was, veritably myself again. Now 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.”

- 昔者庄周梦为蝴蝶，栩栩然蝴蝶也，自喻适志与，不知周也。俄然觉，则蘧然周也。不知周之梦为蝴蝶与，蝴蝶之梦为周与？周与蝴蝶，则必有分矣。此之谓物化。

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What made Chuang Tzu stand out as an important
philosopher in Chinese society?

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What made Chuang Tzu stand out as an important
philosopher in Chinese society?

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"THE BUTTERFLY PHILOSOPHER"

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- Chuang Tzu’s Taoism idea was descended from Lao Tzu. Though the big idea was similar (Tao/The Way/Let It Be), the two philosophers have different aims: the first aimed at the good of the state (to achieve something great) while the latter aimed at his own good (to achieve nothing).

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- 399-295 b.c.

- the Spring and Autumn Period and Warring States Period (春秋战国时期)

- Unlike the western world, philosophy prospered. Wars did not inhibit but accelerate the development of philosophy.