Zhuangzi, one of the most brilliant philosophers in Chinese history,advocated a simple life according to one's own conscience andnature without restraint. His humor, sophistication, literary genius,and philosophical insights found their perfect expression in hismasterpiece Zhuangzi, which has deeply influenced the traditionalOriental art and culture as well as the contemporary western world.

The Collection of Critical Biographies of Chinese Thinkers, underthe general editorship of the late honorary president of NanjingUniversity, Professor Kuang Yarning, is the largest-scale project ofresearch materials on Chinese thinkers undertaken since thebeginning of the twentieth century. Standing on the shoulders ofthis great man and other 200 well-known Chinese professors, thiscollection of concise Chinese-English version is not only based ona profound academic foundation, but also exhibits a brand newfeature which is the virtue of explaining the profound in a simpleway, hence leading readers to mastery of the contents; it alsoincorporates a refined principle of selection, a simple mode ofevaluation and commentary, and a moving narration of the storiesand their wisdom.

引言

一 庄子时代

二 青少年时期

三 青年时期

四 中年早期

五 中年晚期

六 晚年

七 文学庄子

八 自然庄子

九 生活庄子

余论

延伸阅读书目

译后记

庄子的时代是战争和杀戮的时代。

战国时期，为了财富、土地和雄霸天下，各国之间的战争非常频繁。为了能在战争中靠经济、军事实力战胜对手，各国进行了不同程度的改革。

魏国由于魏文侯(前445-前396在位)任用李悝变法，改革政治、奖励耕战、兴修水利、发展经济，最早成为强国。公元前356年，秦孝公任用卫鞅变法，秦国强盛起来。同年，齐国也进行政治改革，国势也强盛起来。楚国在楚悼王(前401-前381在位)时任用吴起变法，虽然没有取得很大成果，但它保持了原来就是强国的地位。燕国也在战争中渐露头角。于是，形成了七强并立的形势。

为了夺取更多的土地、人口和税收，国与国之间的兼并战争更激烈，战争规模更大了。公元前341年，魏与齐之间的马陵之战，魏国动用了“十万之军”。公元前293年，秦国大将白起大败魏军于华阳，斩首15万。战国时期，由于各国已普遍实行郡县征兵制度，作战时所有及龄农民都有可能被强迫编入军队。因而，一场大战往往动用几万、几十万人马，战争规模达到了前所未有的地步。

庄子在《人间世》篇中对战争的杀戮有所描述。他借着颜回的口告诉我们这样一个历史事实：在庄子时代，像卫国这样的诸侯国很多。这些国的国君行事独断，治理自己的国家十分轻率，视百姓的性命如芥草，轻易就让百姓去送死，在战争中死去的百姓尸横遍野。同时也通过塑造“支离疏”这一人物形象来说明当时百姓对征兵的逃避。支离疏，人长得丑陋不堪，头缩在肚脐下面，双肩高过头顶，五脏挤在背上，两腿紧靠肋旁。因残疾，官府征兵时他可以大摇大摆地在征兵场所闲逛。

战争、杀戮不仅构成了庄子生存的一个背景，也是庄子看待这个无常、残酷、暴力的世界的一个组成部分，并一定程度上促使庄子作出退出这个弱肉强食、遵从丛林法则的世界的决定。

庄子的时代，士成为最为活跃的社会阶层。

战国时代，游士之风盛行。由于游士对内可以兴邦治国，对外可以通过游说平衡各国利益关系，所以小到地方豪门贵族，大到诸侯王公，都盛行纳士。王公贵族也确实意识到，得一人才可以得天下，有用之才可以帮助他们圆强国之梦，聚天下之财，并万里之地。比如，燕国原是七雄中较弱的国家。燕昭王即位后，奋发图强，“卑身厚币以招贤者”，很多人才都跑到燕国去：苏秦“从周归燕”、邹衍“从齐归燕”、乐毅“从赵归燕”、屈景“从楚归燕”。燕国日趋强盛起来。

对游士来说，这也是一个千载难逢，可以让自己大展宏图的时代。只要对效忠的主人有用，有一技之长都可以，所以连鸡鸣狗盗之徒都被孟尝君收在门下。这些游士或为主人出谋划策；或奔走游说；或经办某项事务，若得主人赏识，原来出身卑微的，也许一夜之间就能飞黄腾达，被提拔为朝廷的执政大臣。如卫鞅，本是魏相公叔痤的家臣，人秦之后说动了秦孝公，做到了秦国一人之下万人之上的最高官职——大良造。

正因为战国时期各诸侯都在广罗人才，游士施展才华就有了很多机会。若这边不能慧眼识明珠，不被赏识，就可以远走他乡，在异地博得一官半职。所以，那个时期，今天在这个国家做官，明天就跑到另一国家高就的人，比比皆是。有的人甚至今天帮助这一国攻打另一国，明天反过来，帮助另一国攻打这一国。如，公元前333年秦惠王任用魏人公孙衍为大良造。前330年，公孙衍打败魏军于雕阴(今陕西省甘泉县南)，俘虏了魏将龙贾，迫使魏国把河西献给秦国。第二年，魏人张仪人秦，公孙衍又跑回到魏国做了将领。

当时，齐国的孟尝君、赵国的平原君、魏国的信陵君、楚国的春申君、秦国的文信侯吕不韦，所养的士多达三千人。齐国的稷下学宫广纳贤士，最多时达一千多人。孟子、荀子都去过那里。当然，其中也有“冒牌”的。“滥竽充数”这则故事讲述的就是齐宣王时代，齐宣王招聚天下音乐人才，每次吹奏必三百人在列，其中有个南郭处士向齐宣王推荐自己很有音乐才华，齐宣王仅听一面之辞，也没经过考核，就高高兴兴地把他纳入乐团，并为之提供丰盛的食品。那个处士实则不会吹竽，却混在吹竽的队伍里充数。宣王死，滑王立，好一一听之，处士选择了逃跑。P9-13

中国是世界文明的发源地之一，有五千多年的文明史。在中国古代思想史上，涌现出了许许多多杰出的思想家，为中华民族乃至整个人类留下了丰富的思想遗产。这些思想成果独树一帜，在漫长的历史中又不断地被阐释、被发展，很多思想对于今天的中国乃至世界而言，仍然历久弥新，极具生命力。比如，儒家学派创始人孔子“仁”的理念、“和”的思想，不仅在当代中国，在其他亚洲国家也一直备受推崇。

古代中国朝代更迭，每一个朝代都有灿烂夺目的思想文化。百家争鸣的先秦诸子、博大宏深的汉唐经学、简易幽远的魏晋玄学、尽心知性的宋明理学是思想学术的奇葩；佛教的色空禅悦、道教的神仙修养是宗教信仰的沃土；其他如经世济民的政治、经济理想，巧夺天工的科技、工艺之道，风雅传神、丹青不老的文学艺术……都蕴涵着丰富的思想。这些思想的创造者中有教师、学者、诗人、政治家、科学家、僧人……他们在中国古代的哲学、政治、军事、经济、法律、工艺、科技、文学、艺术、宗教等各个文明领域内贡献巨大。古代中国人尊敬那些充满智慧、追求道德的人，称呼他们为圣人、贤人、哲人、智者、大师等，他们的言论、著作或被后人总结出来的经验构成了中国古代思想的重要内容，在丰富多彩中贯穿着天人合一、知行合一、刚健中和等精神传统，表现出综合创新的特色。

南京大学出版社坚持20余年，出版了由南京大学已故名誉校长匡亚明教授主编的《中国思想家评传丛书》，这套丛书共200部，是中国20世纪以来最为宏大的中国传统思想文化研究工程，选出了中国历史上270余位杰出人物，为他们写传记，评论他们的思想成就，是严肃精深的学术著作。在此基础上推出的这套简明读本，则厚积薄发，精选出国外读者相对较为熟悉的伟大人物，力求用简洁生动的语言，通过讲述有趣的人物故事，传达他们的思想智慧，展示中华民族绚烂多姿的文化。读者在和这些中国古代有代表性的思想家的心灵对话中，一定能领略中华民族思想文化生生不息的精髓。

最后，我们衷心感谢国家汉办／孔子学院总部对本项目提供了巨大的支持，感谢所有参与此套丛书撰写和翻译工作的中外专家学者为此套丛书所做的辛勤而卓有成效的工作。

Zhuangzi's imagination, wisdom, and literary skill have earned him an undisputed place among the great Chinese philosophers of the pre-Qin period.Furthermore, the interpretation of Daoism that he presents in his masterpiece Zhuangzi has exerted tremendous influence on Chinese culture in the centuries since his death. As such, a careful study of Zhuangzi's life and philosophy is essential for any student of China and Chinese culture. This concise edition of the original biography of Zhuangzi, from the Collection of Critical Biographies of Chinese Thinkers, provides students of Chinese culture with an excellent gateway into the world of Zhuangzi. It incorporates what little is known about his actual life with the stories and teachings found in his writings,drawing connections to modem philosophers and the contemporary world in a way that brings Zhuangzi to life for readers today. The author's rich prose and vivid imagery mimics Zhuangzi's expansive style of writing, adding an additional layer of depth to the work that makes it a truly enjoyable read.

However, as the English translator for this version, I came across numerous passages that I realized would seem foreign and perhaps a little silly in the eyes of those unfamiliar with Zhuangzi's unique manner of expression.In translating, I have attempted to stray as little as possible from the intent of the author, both to aid students of Chinese in their comprehension of the original text, as well as to do some measure of justice to the author's distinctive style. As a result, readers of the English text may notice occasional disjointed ideas, inapt adjectives, or other sources of confusion. To those who would scoff at the bizarre metaphors, fantastic imagery, and distinctly "Chinese" writing style, I would advise, as Zhuangzi might himself, humility and an open-minded attitude; both are qualities which will serve diligent students well as they broaden their understanding of Chinese culture.

I would like to acknowledge the authoritative translation of Zhuangzi, entitled The Complete Works of Chuang-Tzu by Burton Watson, which I used as a reference throughout the translation process and in which can be found all the direct quotes from Zhuangzi's work cited in this book. I thank my wife,Jessica Mitchell, for her untiring patience and the invaluable editorial work that she provided throughout the translation process. I also acknowledge the helpful revisions by Professors Wang Zhengwen and Cheng Aimin of Nanjing University.

I hope that this English translation will be an adequate guide to the reader's appreciation of Zhuangzi's life and philosophy. With Zhuangzi, I sincerely pray that we all may "broaden our minds," "live without restraint," and "act according to our natures."

Thomas Wen-Yen Mitchell

March 2010