Wu Wei in Chuang Tzu as Life-Systematic

Authors

Kuang-ming Wu, University of Missouri-Columbia

DOI

10.24972/ijts.2002.21.1.71

Abstract

Wu wei (non-doing) in Chuang Tzu is expressed in story-bits reflecting life-slices. They are lifesystematic,

not random, not having a system. One; Chuang Tzu is a dragonfly over the pond of

life, dotting the water of daily ongoing without dotting it. Two; the dotting is dot-sayings that

yam life's concrete bits into story-coherence. Three; Chuang Tzu dots and struts around to let

others say, and life-coherenc.e appears. FoUl'; life-coherence is a life-family of concrete bits, a

thread of many life-fibres twisted together. Five; Chu Hsi and Chuang Tzu have dot-sayings

that draw readers into making systems of their own to attribute them to Chu and Chuang Tzu.

"System" is then a verb, to let-make systems, weaving out a system beyond system. Six; this

system-beyond is expressed in spontaneous flexuous story-nets to cipher comprehensive/

systematic life. Seven; being flexibly systematic expresses the inexpressible One Poem of life.

All this while, Chuang Tzu has been winking at us, letting us spin out all the above. That is

tacit wu wei- of living "happily ever after."

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Recommended Citation

Wu, K. (2002). Wu, K. (2002). Wu wei in Chuang Tzu as life-systematic. International Journal of Transpersonal Studies, 21(1), 71–77.. International Journal of Transpersonal Studies, 21 (1). https://doi.org/10.24972/ijts.2002.21.1.71