The Way of Nature
A delightfully illustrated selection of the great Daoist writings of Zhuangzi by bestselling cartoonist C. C. Tsai

C. C. Tsai is one of Asia’s most popular cartoonists, and his editions of the Chinese classics have sold more than 40 million copies in over twenty languages. This volume presents Tsai’s delightful graphic adaptation of the profound and humorous Daoist writings of Zhuangzi, some of the most popular and influential in the history of Asian philosophy and culture.

The Way of Nature brings together all of Tsai’s beguiling cartoon illustrations of the Zhuangzi, which takes its name from its author. The result is a uniquely accessible and entertaining adaptation of a pillar of classical Daoism, which has deeply influenced Chinese poetry, landscape painting, martial arts, and Chan (Zen) Buddhism.

Irreverent and inspiring, The Way of Nature presents the memorable characters, fables, and thought experiments of Zhuangzi like no other edition, challenging readers to dig beneath conventional assumptions about self, society, and nature, and pointing to a more natural way of life. Through practical insights and far-reaching arguments, Zhuangzi shows why returning to the spontaneity of nature is the only sane response to a world of conflict.

A marvelous introduction to a timeless classic, this book also features an illuminating foreword by Edward Slingerland. In addition, Zhuangzi’s original Chinese text is artfully presented in narrow sidebars on each page, enriching the book for readers and students of Chinese without distracting from the self-contained English-language cartoons. The text is skillfully translated by Brian Bruya, who also provides an introduction.

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The Way of Nature
A delightfully illustrated selection of the great Daoist writings of Zhuangzi by bestselling cartoonist C. C. Tsai

C. C. Tsai is one of Asia’s most popular cartoonists, and his editions of the Chinese classics have sold more than 40 million copies in over twenty languages. This volume presents Tsai’s delightful graphic adaptation of the profound and humorous Daoist writings of Zhuangzi, some of the most popular and influential in the history of Asian philosophy and culture.

The Way of Nature brings together all of Tsai’s beguiling cartoon illustrations of the Zhuangzi, which takes its name from its author. The result is a uniquely accessible and entertaining adaptation of a pillar of classical Daoism, which has deeply influenced Chinese poetry, landscape painting, martial arts, and Chan (Zen) Buddhism.

Irreverent and inspiring, The Way of Nature presents the memorable characters, fables, and thought experiments of Zhuangzi like no other edition, challenging readers to dig beneath conventional assumptions about self, society, and nature, and pointing to a more natural way of life. Through practical insights and far-reaching arguments, Zhuangzi shows why returning to the spontaneity of nature is the only sane response to a world of conflict.

A marvelous introduction to a timeless classic, this book also features an illuminating foreword by Edward Slingerland. In addition, Zhuangzi’s original Chinese text is artfully presented in narrow sidebars on each page, enriching the book for readers and students of Chinese without distracting from the self-contained English-language cartoons. The text is skillfully translated by Brian Bruya, who also provides an introduction.

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Overview

A delightfully illustrated selection of the great Daoist writings of Zhuangzi by bestselling cartoonist C. C. Tsai

C. C. Tsai is one of Asia’s most popular cartoonists, and his editions of the Chinese classics have sold more than 40 million copies in over twenty languages. This volume presents Tsai’s delightful graphic adaptation of the profound and humorous Daoist writings of Zhuangzi, some of the most popular and influential in the history of Asian philosophy and culture.

The Way of Nature brings together all of Tsai’s beguiling cartoon illustrations of the Zhuangzi, which takes its name from its author. The result is a uniquely accessible and entertaining adaptation of a pillar of classical Daoism, which has deeply influenced Chinese poetry, landscape painting, martial arts, and Chan (Zen) Buddhism.

Irreverent and inspiring, The Way of Nature presents the memorable characters, fables, and thought experiments of Zhuangzi like no other edition, challenging readers to dig beneath conventional assumptions about self, society, and nature, and pointing to a more natural way of life. Through practical insights and far-reaching arguments, Zhuangzi shows why returning to the spontaneity of nature is the only sane response to a world of conflict.

A marvelous introduction to a timeless classic, this book also features an illuminating foreword by Edward Slingerland. In addition, Zhuangzi’s original Chinese text is artfully presented in narrow sidebars on each page, enriching the book for readers and students of Chinese without distracting from the self-contained English-language cartoons. The text is skillfully translated by Brian Bruya, who also provides an introduction.


Product Details

ISBN-13: 9780691179742
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Publication date: 07/02/2019
Series: The Illustrated Library of Chinese Classics , #6
Pages: 256
Product dimensions: 8.40(w) x 9.20(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

C. C. Tsai is one of Asia’s most beloved illustrators. His bestselling editions of the Chinese classics have introduced generations of readers to the wisdom of such luminaries as Confucius, Sunzi, and Laozi. Born in Taiwan, Tsai now lives in Hangzhou, China. Brian Bruya is professor of philosophy at Eastern Michigan University, where he teaches Chinese and comparative philosophy. He has translated many of Tsai’s books into English. Edward Slingerland is professor of Asian studies at the University of British Columbia and the author of Trying Not to Try: Ancient China, Modern Science, and the Power of Spontaneity.

Table of Contents

Map of China in the Era of Zhuangzi viii

Foreword Edward Slingerland ix

Introduction Brian Bruya xi

1 Carefree Living 7

The Giant Bird 8

The Summer Cicada and the Wonder Tortoise 9

The Little Sparrow's Small Happiness 11

Liezi Rides the Wind 12

Xu You Refuses the World 13

The Tattooed Yue People 14

Huizi's Giant Gourds 15

The Song Family's Secret Formula 17

The Useless Shu Tree 19

2 On Seeing Things Evenly 22

Music of the Earth 23

Who's the Master? 26

Is Xi Shi Really Beautiful? 27

Three at Dawn and Four at Dusk 28

Zhao Wen Quits the Zither 29

Huizi Leans against a Tree 30

Zhuangzi Speaks about Not Speaking 31

Yao's Question 32

Does Wang Ni Know? 33

Li Ji's Tears 35

Zhang Wuzi's Dream 36

Shadows Talking 37

The Dream of the Butterfly 38

3 The Basics of Nurturing Life 39

The Danger of Knowledge 40

The Cook Carves Up a Cow 41

The Man with One Leg 43

The Caged Pheasant 44

Qin Shi Didn't Cry 45

Passing on the Flame 46

4 In Human Society 47

Mental Fasting 48

The Man on Fire 49

Like a Mantis Stopping a Cart 50

The Tiger Trainer 52

The Horse Lover 53

The Earth Spirit's Tree 54

A Tree's Natural Life Span 56

The Freak 58

The Madman of Chu 59

Oil Burns Itself Out 60

5 Replete with Virtue 61

Toeless Shu 61

Body and Spirit 62

Should People Have Emotions? 63

6 The Grand Master 64

What Is a Genuine Person? 65

The Dao Is Higher Than Heaven 66

Mindless of Each Other 67

Nature the Superhero 68

Hiding the World in the World 69

Forgetting the Dao 70

Creation and Destruction 71

Yan Hui Sits in Forgetting 73

Zisang Questions His Fate 75

7 Fit to be Ruler 76

Digging a Hole in the Ocean Floor 76

The Mind Is Like a Mirror 77

The Death of Primal Chaos 78

8 Fused Toes 79

A Sixth Finger 79

Are a Duck's Legs Too Short? 80

Great Confusion Alters One's Nature 81

The Lost Goat 82

9 Horse Hooves 83

The Horse Trainer's Transgressions 83

The Harm of Morality 85

10 Stolen Chests 86

Theft Prevention 86

Bandits Have Principles, Too 87

Good Wine, Bad Wine 89

11 Letting It Be 90

The Yellow Emperor Questions Guangchengzi 90

Nature's Friend 91

12 Heaven and Earth 92

The Lost Pearl 92

13 The Heavenly Dao 94

The Heavenly Dao 94

Governing through Non-action 95

The Old Wheelwright 96

14 The Moving Sky 98

The Earth and Sky 98

Crows and Seagulls 99

Confucius Sees a Dragon 100

15 Curbing Ambition 101

Independent Leisure 101

Energy and Spirit 103

16 Reforming One's Nature 104

Recluses 104

17 An Autumn Flood 105

An Autumn Flood 106

Heaven and Earth and a Strand of Fur 108

Size and Limits 109

Status and the Dao 110

Alternating Functions 111

Fire Doesn't Burn 112

Don't Ring the Bull's Nose 113

The Wind and the Snake 114

Courage of the Sage 116

The Frog in the Well 118

Learning How to Walk in Handan 121

Tail in the Mud 122

A Crow Eating a Dead Rat 123

You're Not a Fish 125

18 Ultimate Joy 126

Ultimate Joy 127

Zhuangzi Drums to Death 129

A Lump on the Elbow 131

Zhuangzi Dreams of a Skeleton 132

Sea Birds Don't Like Music 134

People Neither Live nor Die 136

19 Understanding Life 137

Realm of the Perfect Person 138

The Drunk Passenger 139

Catching Cicadas 140

Steering a Boat 142

The Sacrificial Pigs 144

Swimming in a Waterfall 145

Qing Builds a Bell-Stand 146

Dongye Ji Has an Accident 147

The Craftsman's Fingers 148

20 Mountain Trees 149

Riding with the Dao 150

The Sweet Water Is Gone First 152

Lin Hui Forsakes a Fortune 154

Zhuangzi in the Brambles 155

Swallows Nest in the Eaves 156

The Mantis Getting the Cicada 157

21 Tian Zifang 159

Only One Confucian in Lu 160

Baili Xi Raises Oxen 162

The Genuine Painter 163

Perfect Archery 164

Self-Respect 166

Fan Was Never Destroyed 167

22 Knowledge Travels North 168

Knowledge and the Dao 169

Can the Dao Be Possessed? 171

The Dao in Defecation 172

The Dao Transcends Knowledge 174

No Distractions 176

23 Gengsang Chu 177

Gengsang Forsakes Fame 177

Breaking Barriers 178

Ultimate Benevolence 179

24 Xu Wugui 180

Xu Wugui's Appraisals 181

The Exile 183

The Yellow Emperor and the Pasture Boy 185

The Stone Mason and the Ying Man 187

The Special Monkey Gets Shot 189

The Realm of Ignorance 190

25 Zeyang 191

The Cyclic Dao 191

Two Nations on a Snail's Antennae 192

26 Externalities 193

Zhuangzi Borrows Money 193

The Prince of Ren Goes Fishing 194

The Turtle That Could Predict the Future 195

Natural Use 197

Catch the Fish, Discard the Trap 198

27 Ascriptions 199

Confucius Changes 199

No Attachments 200

The Phases of Attaining the Dao 201

Yang Zhu Studies the Dao 202

28 Stepping Down 203

Life Is Most Important 203

The Goat-butcher Refuses Reward 204

Zigong's Snow-white Clothes 205

Refusing Office 207

29 Zhi The Bandit 208

The Bandit Speaks 208

30 Persuasion with Swords 213

Zhuangzi's Three Swords 213

31 An Old Fisherman 220

Confucius in the Black Forest 220

The Man Who Hated His Footprints 223

The Man Who Hated His Shadow 224

32 Lie Yukou 225

Like a Drifting Boat 226

The Dragonslayer 227

The Man Who Pursued Profit 229

Shattering the Dragonpearl 230

Don't Make Sacrifices 232

Zhuangzi on His Deathbed 233

Pronunciation Index 235

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"[C. C. Tsai's] books are awe-inspiring. His line is elegant; his characters are sharply drawn; his humor is sly and appropriate; and his subject is profound. This is cartooning of the highest order."—Larry Gonick, author of The Cartoon History of the Universe

"C. C. Tsai's introductions to the world of Chinese thought and spirituality are masterpieces. His drawings are charming, clever, and engaging; his texts are clear and faithful to the spirit of the originals; and Brian Bruya's translations are fluid and accurate."—Stephen C. Angle, Wesleyan University

"C. C. Tsai's popular cartoon adaptations of the Chinese classics are original and uniquely accessible."—Mark Csikszentmihalyi, University of California, Berkeley

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