| 'Follow thing's nature' is taken as the theme of Zhuangzi's philosophy, and will be discussed through four aspects, i.e. base of theory, mode of thinking, process of training and use in reality. So this paper includes 4 chapters:Chapter One:Base of Theory. First, thing's nature is Dao;'Where is the so-called Dao?' 'Everywhere', Zhuangzi answers,'What makes things as things has no boundaries with things, while things have boundaries.' Second, to follow thing's nature is to follow Dao. 'If you get it, everything can be done. If you lose it, nothing can be achieved.' 'One who knows Dao must understand principle; one who understands principle must be clear about expediency; one who is clear about expediency will not harm himself with other things.' Last, 'Dao unites all things': 'Seen from Dao, all things are equal.' 'Everything has reason to be thus, everything has reason to be affirmed.' 'For things as a whole, whether there is creation or destruction, they all return to Unity. ' 'Only the sage understands that all things join in Unity, so they don't use their personal opinion but stay in thing's nature.'Chapter Two:Mode of Thinking. First, 'Dao has never been limited, speech has never been constant.' 'Speech is made for meanings; when you've caught the meaning, you can forget about speech.' 'What meaning depends on cannot be expressed in speech.' 'Let me speak casually and you listen casually, all right?'Fables are effective nine times out of ten, quotations seven times out of ten, and impromptu words come forth every day and harmonize with thing's nature.'Second,'Dao is obscured by partiality, speech is obscured by eloquence.' 'That has a side of right and wrong, and this also has a side of right and wrong. Changes of right are infinite and so are changes of wrong.' 'The manifestation of right and wrong is what diminishes Dao and Dao's diminution leads to the creation of partiality.' 'The hundred schools keep their own bias without turning back so that they will never join together! Dao which was so greatly embodied by ancient men are being sundered by the world.' Last, 'Where that and this cease to be opposites, there lies the pivot of Dao.' 'Only by getting the pivot in the circle's centre, can we respond to things' infinite changes.''The sage harmonizes the right and wrong and rests in the balance of nature. This is called double way.'Chapter Three:Process of Training. First, 'When I lost myself, I could hear the pipes of nature'. 'Fast in mind:listen not with your mind but with your primal breath. The primal breath awaits things emptily. Only empty mind can get thing's nature.' 'Sit and forget:leave body and mind behind, and become equal to the great Dao which unites everything.' Second, 'No thing is better than the light of nature:keep the light of nature.' 'Still water has such clarity, to say nothing of pure spirit!' 'The mind of the perfect man functions like a mirror. It neither sends off nor welcomes; it responds but does not retain. Therefore, he can treat things well without being injured.' Last, 'Hundun:the emperor of the Centre.' 'Only Xiangwang could find the pearl of nature's mystery.' 'Being innocent, you experience Dao, which can support you and make you whole.' 'How great is his being himself naturally!' 'Join his nature to thing's nature.''To be in harmony with nature is called the joy of nature.'Chapter Four: Use in Reality.Part One:Life can be well kept by following its nature. First,'Life is limited while knowledge is boundless. To pursue the boundless with the limited is dangerous.' 'From ancient Three Dynasties, everyone has sacrificed his nature for other things.' 'In fight and friction with other things, we are unable to stop like galloping horses. Is this not sad?'Second,'Everyone knows the use of usefulness, but no one knows the use of uselessness.''When doing'good', don't approach fame; when doing'bad', don't approach punishment. Follow the central artery as a constant way.''He has a human form, but hasn't human emotions. What I mean by having no emotions is that a man should not harm himself with'good'and'bad', but rather should follow his nature.'Last,'Throw something without any thickness into an empty space, there must be enough room for the blade to play around in.''If a person can empty himself and wander in the world, whoever can harm him?''He who rides on Dao wanders freely. He treats things as things but doesn't let them treat him as a thing. How can he get in trouble?'Part Two:The world can be well governed by following its nature. First,'Virtue is dissipated for fame, and knowledge is elicited by contention.''When the world is in great confusion, the evil lies in fondness of knowledge.''If superiors are really fond of knowledge instead of following thing's nature, the world will be in great confusion.'Second,'The truth of Dao is for governing oneself. Its remnants are for managing the state and family. Its scraps are for governing the world.''When the ancients discussed the great Dao, it was at the fifth step that they mentioned forms and names, and at the ninth step that they discussed rewards and punishments.''He who speaks against Dao is to be governed by others. How could he govern others?'Last, 'The ancient sage took care of himself before taking care of others.' 'All he does is follow thing's nature and make sure they do what they can.''Just rest yourself in non-action, and things will take care of themselves.''Follow thing's nature and admit no personal bias, then the world can be well governed.'In short, thing's nature is Dao; to follow thing's nature is to follow Dao, that is, 'Qiwu'. Zhuangzi's philosophy is based on Dao, spread by following it and aimed at wandering about freely ('Xiaoyao').
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