Which book should I start with to learn Lao Zhuang s philosophy?

It is difficult to get philosophical ideas by looking directly at the Zhuangzi and the Tao Te Ching. I recommend you to first read Feng Youlan's "A Brief History of Chinese Philosophy", which has a very incisive insight into Chinese philosophy, and focuses on Confucianism and Taoism, in which talking about Lao Zhuang philosophy is the authoritative view of Chinese philosophy. After reading "A Brief History", you can quickly get the essence of the original book when you read the original book.

The essence of Lao Zhuang's philosophical thoughts: "the unity of heaven and man", "return to nature", "stop in moderation", "quiet and inaction", etc. The idea of "harmony between man and nature" should be the premise and pursuit of modern lifestyle, while "quiet inaction and return to nature" is the life attitude of postmodern society.

Lao Zhuang is the combined name of Lao Tzu and Zhuang Zi, and also refers to the combined name of Lao Xue and Zhuang Xue. It refers to the Taoist (Taoist) Lao Zhuang sect doctrine.

Lao Tzu, surnamed Li Ming'er, the word Dan, the word Boyang, or said Boyang, the late Spring and Autumn Period, the year of birth and death is unknown, and the place of origin is also controversial, and the "Historical Records" and other records that Lao Tzu was born in Chu or Chen. Ancient Chinese thinker, philosopher, writer and historian, founder and main representative of the Taoist school. Later, he was revered as the ancestor of Taoism and called "Taishang Laojun".

In the Tang Dynasty, he was posthumously regarded as the ancestor of the surname Li. He has been listed as a world cultural celebrity and one of the world's 100 historical celebrities.

Zhuangzi (c. 369 BC – c. 286 BC), known as Zhou, was a native of the Song and Mongolian dynasties during the Warring States period. He was a thinker, philosopher, and writer in the middle of the Warring States period, the founder of Zhuangxue, and a representative of the Taoist school.

Taoists believe that "Tao" is the ontology that produces all things in the universe, and from the perspective of the process of generation, it is natural and does not have any external force, so "Tao" is "Wu Wei"; However, judging from the result of its production of all things, everything is born of the "Tao", so it can be said that the "Tao" is "nothing but doing". Therefore, Taoism does not say "inaction", but "inaction and inaction"; It is not to do nothing and give up everything, but to develop and change naturally according to the law and logic, and not to force it. Taoist thinking is mainly based on conforming to the law, highlighting the harmonious relationship between man and nature in the universe, which is characterized by quietness, and its work is channeling, which is very objective to think about the insignificance of human beings and the vastness of the way of the universe.

What this Tao is looking for is how to identify with the objective world, how to turn complexity into simplicity and primordialness, and how to find the essence of things, so we need to obey reality and objectify problems, so as to reduce our own negligence.

Lao Zhuang philosophy.

I will talk about philosophy first, philosophy is in the sense of universality, and Lao Zhuang must be based on the particularity of Chinese philosophy in terms of universal philosophy.

Tao Te Ching "Chapter 33 Lao Tzu said: "Those who know others are wise, and those who know themselves are wise." the winner is powerful , and the self-winner is strong . the contented are rich. The forcible have ambition . ”

Zhuangzi Qi Theory of Things" contains:

Wang Ni said: What is the same thing that the son knows? Said:

I know it. The son knows what the son doesn't know? Said:

I know it. But then things are ignorant, right? Said:

I know it. Although, try to say, what I say I know is not ignorant of it? What do you know that I don't know?

Yu Que asked Wang Ni: "Do you know that all kinds of things always have something in common with each other?" Wang Ni said

How do I know! He asked, "Do you know what you don't know?"

This "ignorance" is the cessation of all "taking" knowledge and reducing it to an absolute ignorance. This "ignorance" is the ignorance that manifests itself from the constant transcendence, that is, the absolute transcendence. Ignorance is a kind of self-conscious true knowledge, and it is also the highest wisdom.

And how do you know that what I say I don't know is not knowing? "None of your knowledge, and your knowledge of yourself, are of no avail. I don't know this kind of self-knowledge, but it is a kind of true knowledge.

Therefore, if we want to return to the knowledge of nothing, we must knock out all the "taking", free and clean, and then return to the body independently, and there is no support, which is the beginning of philosophical wisdom.

The Tao is natural, do whatever you want.