Daoism and the Fables of Zhuangzi and Han Fei Zi

Abstract

Abstract: The number of fables in Zhuangzi and Han Fei Zi far exceeds that of other pre-Qin classics. Both Zhuangzi and Hanfeizi are enthusiastic users of fables, largely because they both inherited and developed the Daoist philosophy of Laozi. On the one hand, the habit of using fables reflected a communication philosophycentered on the recipient of the discourse. Zhuangzi and Hanfeizi tended to empty themselves when speaking and adapt to the other party, aligning to the Daoist principle of living in harmony, which is well-suited to the communicative means of fables. On the other hand, fables can present principles in an intuitive and vivid way. The “Dao” that Zhuangzi and Hanfeizi seek to express is constantly changing, elusive and difficult to define conceptually. This Daoist aspect of the Dao requires the narrative approach of fables for expression. The differences in the path of interpreting the Dao, with Zhuangzi emphasizing virtue and Hanfeizi emphasizing reason, also contribute to the stylistic differences in their use of fables. The decline of using fables for argumentation in the Han Dynasty compared to the Warring States period is related to the promotion of Confucian classics and the gradual marginalization of Daoism.

Key words: Zhuangzi, HanfeiziZi, fable, Daoism, Dao

Zhang Yao, Fang Yong. Daoism and the Fables of Zhuangzi and Han Fei Zi[J]. Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art, 2024, 44(1): 46-57.

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