Why read Zhuangzi?

Book cover of Zhuangzi

Book description

The Zhuangzi (Sayings of Master Zhuang) is one of the foundational texts of the Chinese philosophical tradition and the cornerstone of Daoist thought. The earliest and most influential commentary on the Zhuangzi is that of Guo Xiang (265-312), who also edited the text into the thirty-three-chapter version known ever since.…

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Why read it?

1 author picked Zhuangzi as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Peipei Qiu

Author

The Daoist classic Zhuangzi has a rich tradition of commentaries, with Guo Xiang (265–312) being the earliest and most influential. Guo is credited with editing the text into the thirty-three-chapter version known today and providing a comprehensive commentary that deepens understanding of its often ambiguous narratives and aphorisms.

Richard Lynn’s monumental translation of Guo’s interlinear commentary, along with his new translation of the Zhuangzi, make this essential text accessible to English readers. Lynn achieves a superb balance between literary Chinese syntactic equivalence and English fluency. The book includes an 89-page introduction detailing Guo’s life and contributions, extensive notes, four appendices,…

From Peipei's 3 favorite reads in 2024.