Zhuangzi s dream of the butterfly a daoist interpretation hansgeorg mjller sinologisches seminar, universitit bonn i. Zhuangzi introduction apart from the fact that we feel certain that, unlike laozi, zhuangzi existed, we do not know much else about him. Zhuangzis butterfly dream home uncategorized zhuangzis butterfly dream zhuangzi is a famous chinese daoist who lived 369286 b. Sep 01, 20 the parable of the butterfly dream is one of the most interesting and influential passages among zhuangzi s beautiful writings. Who can tell the end of the endless changes of things. While he is dreaming he does not know it is a dream, and in his dream he may even try to interpret a dream. Introduction and notes for a complete translation of the. Zhuang zi on the dream of the butterfly the dream of the. The novelty of this attempt lies in identifying a line of reasoning in the qiwulun chapter that embodies a deep puzzle about the nature of self and in unpacking how the butterfly dream. Based on the stories of the chou dynasty taoist philosopher, zhuangzi changtzus dream giant fishbird and the frog in the well three chestnuts in the morning wooden rooster useless tree huitzus giant gourds butterflys dream. Chuang tzu and the butterfly poem by li po poem hunter. It is, however, tenuous to incorporate this insight into an overall view of zhuangzi, whether as a perspectival relativist, a mystic, or an antirationalist, just to name the more popular positions. The dream of zhuang zhou butterfly dream kang pang suzhou chinese orchestra duration. This essay offers a new interpretation of the butterfly dream in the zhuangzi, which has been the focus of vigorous inquiries and heated debates in recent years.
Zhuang zhou, the historical figure known as master zhuang zhuangzi and traditional author of the eponymous book. May 04, 2015 the narrator of the butterfly dream story is a daoist sage, and this sage, at the pivot of the dao occupies the same position as the hub within a wheel. Between chuang chou and a butterfly there must be some distinction. The book of chuang tzu henceforth referred to as zhuang zi is a collection of anecdotes, stories, and analogies of zhuang zis teachings on how to achieve the tao, or the way. Readings from chuang tzu 33 the useless tree 35 a hat salesman and a capable ruler 37 the breath of nature 38 great knowledge 40 the pivot 42 three in the morning 44 cutting up an ox 45 the man with one foot and the marsh pheasant 48. The water that flows into the depth of the distant sea returns anon to the shallows of a transparent stream. Once, zhuang zhou dreamed he was a butterfly, a butterfly flitting and fluttering about, happy with. I just need a brief 12 paragraph explanation of the.
The tension between illusion and reality in zhuangzi s dream of the butterfly. Self and the dream of the butterfly in the zhuangzi researchgate. In it zhuangzi plays with the theme of transformation, 20 illustrating that the distinction between waking and dreaming is another false dichotomy. An exploration of the differing interpretations of the butterfly dream against the backdrop of dao as pluralistic monism. Zhuangzi dreaming of a butterfly by shibata zeshin, 1888, honolulu museum of art, 879. Boldly imaginative and inventively written, the zhuangzi floats free of its historical period and society, addressing the spiritual nourishment of all people across. Named for its traditional author, master zhuang, the zhuangzi isalong with the tao te chingone of the two foundational texts. Zhuang zi on the dream of the butterfly the dream of the butterfly epistemic from phil 104 at san jose state university. Pdf in this paper, i explain the problem of the dreamer in the zhuangzi. Sharing a dream the lucid dreamscapes of jorge luis borges and.
Pdf the tension between illusion and reality in zhuangzi. This article interprets the butterfly dream from an interdisciplinary approach. The narrator of the butterfly dream story is a daoist sage, and this sage, at the pivot of the dao occupies the same position as the hub within a wheel. Hansgeorg moller, zhuangzis dream of the butterfly. Usually, zhuangzis parable of the butterfly dreamdreaming butterfly is read as an enigmatic version, from the east, of the cartesian skeptical challenges to objective reality or else the lacanian psychodrama of the pure gaze in which he, zhuangzi, is a butterfly for nobody, who stands for the real. The parable of the butterfly dream is one of the most interesting and influential passages among zhuangzis beautiful writings. Zhuang zi translations recommendations zhuangzi the.
But he didnt know if he was zhuang zhou who had dreamt he was a. Jun 23, 2018 the perspectivebased epistemology which zhuangzi describes in dream of the butterfly echoes elements of platos allegory of the cave. Oct 12, 2012 the moral commonly drawn from zhuangzis butterfly dream is that there is no distinction between the subjectivity of the dreamer and the awake. Home uncategorized zhuangzis butterfly dream zhuangzis butterfly dream zhuangzi is a famous chinese daoist who lived 369286 b. Zhuangzis on the uniformity of all things introduction to inner chapter 2 vital breath of universe. Giles rendered the famous dream of the butterfly episode from the zhuangzi i9 into english. Chuang tzu in dream became a butterfly, and the butterfly became chuang tzu at waking. It serves as a key to understanding what the whole of the chuangtzu is about by providing an example of a mental transformation or awakening experience with which we are all highly familiar. Readings from chuang tzu 33 the useless tree 35 a hat salesman and a capable ruler 37 the breath of nature 38 great knowledge 40 the pivot 42 three in the morning 44 cutting up an ox 45 the man with one foot and the marsh pheasant 48 the fasting of the heart 50 three friends 54.
The wellknown image of zhuangzi wondering if he was a man who dreamed of being a butterfly or a butterfly dreaming of being a man is so striking that whole dramas have been written on its theme. We will game around with some of the issues playing out in the dream of the butterfly, the most famous passage in the text. Selections from the philosophy of chuang tzu london. Zhuangzi and that bloody butterfly raymond tallis dreams up a flight of philosophical fancy. Aug 01, 20 once upon a time, i, chuang chou, dreamt i was a butterfly, fluttering hither and thither, to all intents and purposes a butterfly. Suddenly, he woke up and there he was, solid and unmistakable zhuang zhou. Descartes, but instead an ancient chinese toaist philosopher called chuang tzu for my example of the dreaming argument.
Zhuangzi once dreamt that he had turned into a butterfly, lightly floating in the air, relaxed and content, and completely oblivious to who he really was. Between zhuangzi and a butterfly there must be some. Mair, introduction and notes for a complete translation of the chuang tzu sinoplatonic papers, 48 september, 1994 such as adze, fads, and so forth, striving to enunciate only the d and the voiced sibilant that comes after it. In platos allegory, people lacking knowledge of his theory of forms are like prisoners trapped in a cave, unable to turn around, observing the shadows that pass on the cave wall in front of them.
The man, raising melons outside the green gate of the city. The butterfly dream, in my interpretation, is an analogy drawn from our own familiar inner life of what cognitive process is involved in the process of selftransformation. The writings of chuang tzu this book is taken from james legges translation the writings of chuang tzu, found in volumes thirty. But he didnt know if he was chuang chou who had dreamt he was a butterfly, or a butterfly dreaming he was chuang chou. An analytic philosopher learns from zhuangzi takashi yagisawa california state university, northridge my aim is twofold. Once zhuang zhou dreamed he was a butterfly, a butterfly flitting and fluttering around, happy with himself and doing as he pleased. Pdf the dreamer and their authenticity in the zhuangzi. This essay offers a new interpretation of the butterfly dream in the zhuangzi, which has been the focus of vigorous inquiries and heated debates in recent years the novelty of this attempt lies in identifying a line of reasoning in the qiwulun chapter that embodies a deep puzzle about the nature of self and in unpacking how the butterfly dream passage at the end of that. The butterfly dream is probably one of the most well known anecdotes in philosophical literature, and as such, it has both enjoyed.
The zhuangzi also known in wadegiles romanization romanization as chuangtzu, named after master zhuang was, along with the laozi, one of the earliest texts to contribute to the philosophy that has come to be known as daojia, or school of the way. The story of zhuangzi and the butterfly must be one of the best known anecdotes in the philosophical literature. Zhuangzi book, an ancient chinese collection of anecdotes and fables, one of the foundational texts of daoism. Blowing through the earth to create muiscsoundnoise. Graham burton watson victor mair any recommendation for a beginner who almost read the ddj. Zhuangzi and that bloody butterfly issue 76 philosophy now. The perspectivebased epistemology which zhuangzi describes in dream of the butterfly echoes elements of platos allegory of the cave. Jun, 2016 the butterfly dream is the most famous story in the zhuangzi c. You have now entered a world of philosophical pleasure and pain that is the zhuangzi, an ancient chinese text that has teased and troubled scholars for almost three millennia. Chuangtzu a wikipedia article about this author is available zhuangzi. Dschuangdsischmetterlingstraumzhuangzibutterflydream. Characters trot polished translation commentary in my translation, i am trying to experiment with the tone.
Zhuang ziers, i am contemplating 3 books on zhuang zi translation. Zhuangzis butterfly dream once zhuang zhou dreamt he was a butterfly, a butterfly flitting and fluttering around, happy with himself and doing as he pleased. In ancient china, a man falls asleep beneath a willow tree and dreams he is a butterfly. Based on the stories of the chou dynasty taoist philosopher, zhuangzi changtzus dream giant fishbird and the frog in the well three chestnuts in the morning wooden rooster useless tree huitzus giant gourds butterfly s dream. The butterfly dream allegory in the zhuangzi is structured parallel to the image of. It is also, for me at any rate, one of the most annoying. Zhuangzi elucidates this mystical philosophy through humor, parable, and anecdote, using non sequitur and even nonsense to illuminate truths beyond the boundaries of ordinary logic. Oct 12, 2018 ike no taiga, zhuangzi dreaming of a butterfly, 18th century ike no taiga, zhuangzi dreaming of a butterfly, 18th century chuang tzu in dream became a butterfly, and the butterfly became chuang tzu at waking. Mair, introduction and notes for a complete translation of the chuang tzu sinoplatonic papers, 48 september, 1994 such as adze, fads, and so forth, striving to enunciate only the d and the voiced sibilant. Zhuangzis butterfly dream story can be read as a skeptical response to the cartesian cogito, ergo sum solution, for it presents i exist as fundamentally unprovable, on the grounds that the. His full name is recorded as zhuang zhou jwahng joe, and judging from statements about him in other early works, he seems to have lived during the fourth century b.
Once upon a time, i, chuang chou, dreamt i was a butterfly, fluttering hither and thither, to all intents and purposes a butterfly. Once zhuang zhou dreamed he was a butterfly, a butterfly flitting and fluttering. The butterfly dream allegory in the zhuangzi is structured parallel to the image of the wheel in chapter 11 of the daodejing. Post jobs, find pros, and collaborate commissionfree in our professional marketplace. A diachronic reading of zhuangzi s butterfly dream, book project in progress in progress mark csikszentmihalyi and tobias benedikt zurn, eds. Once he woke up, and was both amazed and doubtful to find himself to really be zhuangzi. Once chuang chou dreamt he was a butterfly, a butterfly flitting and fluttering around, happy with. Pdf translation, zhuangzi butterfly dream sarah snyder. I was conscious only of my happiness as a butterfly, unaware.
Project muse self and the dream of the butterfly in the. The following 20 files are in this category, out of 20 total. Usually, zhuangzi s parable of the butterfly dream dreaming butterfly is read as an enigmatic version, from the east, of the cartesian skeptical challenges to objective reality or else the lacanian psychodrama of the pure gaze in which he, zhuangzi, is a butterfly for nobody, who stands for the real. Suddenly he woke up and there he was, solid and unmistakable chuang chou. Once upon a time, i, chuang tzu, dreamt i was a butterfly, fluttering hither and thither, to. The butterfly dream is the most famous story in the zhuangzi c. Zhuangzis dream of the butterflya daoist interpretation hansgeorg mjller sinologisches seminar, universitit bonn i.
Zhuang zi translations recommendations zhuangzi the dao bums. Zhuangzi, from whose writings both of these stories are taken, lived in the han dynasty, about 400 years after laozi, who is traditionally regarded as the founder of daoism is regarded as one of the most important of the earliest daoists after laozi himself. It was part of a much larger work published by legge under the title the chinese classics, which rendered into. The moral commonly drawn from zhuangzis butterfly dream is that there is no distinction between the subjectivity of the dreamer and the awake. Ziq i said, blowing o n the ten thousand things in. Zhuangzi chuang tzu, 369298 bce zhuangzi, or master zhuang also known in the wadegiles romanization as chuangtzu was, after laozi, one of the earliest thinkers to contribute to the philosophy that has come to be known as daojia, or school of the way. Chuang tzu and the butterfly by li po famous poems, famous. To end this little lesson in mandarin phonology, then, we may transcribe chuang tzu phonetically as jwavng dz or jwahng dzuh. Chuang tzu was a chinese philosopher, and octavio paz and jorge luis borges two great poets from mexico and argentina have also written poems related with the dream of the butterfly. The zhuangzi is an ancient chinese text from the late warring states period 476 221 bc. Chuang tzu and the butterfly by li po famous poems. In progress dreams, death, and the transformation of things.
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