Explore Chapter 8 of '故事新编' with the original Chinese text, English translation, detailed Chinese vocabulary explanations, and audio of the Chinese original. Listen and improve your reading skills.
Zhuangzi - (With a dark, lean face, grizzled sideburns, a Taoist cap, a cloth robe, and holding a horsewhip, he enters.) Having left home without water to drink, I suddenly feel thirsty. Thirst is no trivial matter. I'd rather turn into a butterfly. But there are no flowers here... Ah! Here's a pond. Lucky, lucky! (He runs to the water hole, pushes aside the duckweed, cups water with his hands, and drinks several mouthfuls.) Well, that's better. Now to continue on my way slowly. (Walking, looking around.) Ah! A skull. What's this? (Using his horsewhip to poke through the wormwood, he taps it and says:)
Were you so greedy for life and afraid of death, acting perversely, that you ended up like this? (Tap, tap.) Or did you lose your territory, fall under the executioner's blade, and become this way? (Tap, tap.) Or did you make such a mess of things, failing your parents, wife, and children, that you turned into this? (Tap, tap.) Don't you know that suicide is the act of a coward? (Tap, tap, tap!) Or were you without food or clothing, leading to this state? (Tap, tap.) Or were you old and simply destined to die, ending up like this? (Tap, tap.) Or... Ah, I'm being foolish. It's as if I'm putting on a play. How could you answer? Well, we're not far from Chu Kingdom. No need to rush. I'll ask the Great Deity of Fate to restore your form, regrow your flesh, and have a chat with you. Then you can return home and reunite with your family. (Putting down the horsewhip, facing east, he clasps his hands toward the sky and raises his voice, shouting:)
...
Zhuangzi - You're the fools, dead and still not understanding. Know that life is death, death is life. A slave is also a master. I have comprehended the source of life and death. I won't be swayed by you petty ghosts.
The sky is dark, the earth is yellow. The universe is vast and desolate. The sun and moon wax and wane. The stars and constellations spread across the heavens.
Zhuangzi - Your servant is on his way to see the King of Chu. Passing through here, I saw an empty skull, still retaining the shape of a head. He must have had parents, a wife, and children. To die here is truly lamentable, pitiable. So I humbly beg you, Great Deity, to restore his form, regrow his flesh, and bring him back to life, so he may return home.
Deity of Fate - Haha! That's not your true intent. You're looking for trouble before your belly is full. Neither serious nor playful. Just go on your way. Don't bother me. Know that "life and death are fated." I cannot rearrange them at will.
Zhuangzi - Great Deity, you are mistaken. In truth, what is death or life? I, Zhuang Zhou, once dreamed I turned into a butterfly, a fluttering butterfly. Upon waking, I was Zhuang Zhou, a busy Zhuang Zhou. Was it Zhuang Zhou dreaming of being a butterfly, or the butterfly dreaming of being Zhuang Zhou? Even now, it's unclear. So how do we know this skull isn't alive right now? Perhaps after being revived, it would be considered dead? Please, Great Deity, be flexible. In human affairs, one must be adaptable. As a deity, you needn't be rigid either.
Deity of Fate - (Smiling.) You're still all talk and no action, human rather than divine... Well, fine. I'll give it a try for you.
Zhuangzi - Tsk, tsk. You're a hopeless fool. Obsessed with your own clothes, a thorough egoist. You don't even understand what a "person" is, let alone your clothes. So first, tell me. From what era are you? Ah, you don't get it. Well then, (thinking.) let me ask you. When you were alive before, what stories happened in your village?
Man - A great stir? (Thinking.) Oh, yes! That was three or four months ago. Because children's souls were to be taken to prop up the Deer Terrace, everyone was terrified. They hurriedly made talisman bags for the children to wear...
Man - (Somewhat angry.) Sir, we've just met. Don't joke with me. I only took a nap here. What five hundred years dead? I have serious business, visiting relatives. Return my clothes, bundle, and umbrella. I have no time for your jokes.
Man - How did I fall asleep? (Thinking.) I walked here in the morning. Suddenly, there was a boom above my head, everything went black, and I fell asleep.
Zhuangzi - Oh... (Thinking.) Oh... I see. You must have been walking alone here during the Shang dynasty, under King Zhou. Then you encountered a highway robber who hit you from behind with a club, killed you, and stole everything. Now we're in the Zhou dynasty, over five hundred years later. Where would we find your clothes? Do you understand?
Zhuangzi - You're truly unreasonable...
Zhuangzi - (Anxious.) Listen again. You were a skull. I pitied you and asked the Great Deity of Fate to revive you. Think about it. You've been dead for many years. How could you still have clothes? I don't want any reward. Sit down and tell me about the time of King Zhou...
Man - I don't know. Even if you do, what good is it? You've made me stark naked. What use is reviving me? How can I visit relatives? No bundle either... (About to cry, he runs and grabs Zhuangzi's sleeve.) I don't believe your nonsense. Only you're here, so I demand it from you! I'll drag you to the neighborhood watch!
Zhuangzi - Slowly, slowly. My clothes are old and brittle. Don't pull. Listen to me. Don't focus only on clothes. Clothes may or may not be necessary. Perhaps having clothes is right, perhaps not having them is right. Birds have feathers, beasts have fur, but cucumbers and eggplants are bare. As they say, "That has its right and wrong, this has its right and wrong." You can't say having no clothes is wrong, but how can you say having clothes is right?
Zhuangzi - (Flustered, fending him off.) How dare you get rough! Let go! Otherwise, I'll ask the Great Deity of Fate to return you to death!
The sky is dark, the earth is yellow. The universe is vast and desolate. The sun and moon wax and wane. The stars and constellations spread across the heavens.
Zhuangzi - (Pleased.) Exactly! I am Zhuang Zhou, the official of the Lacquer Garden. How did you know?
Policeman - Our chief has mentioned you often these days. He said you're going to Chu Kingdom to seek fortune and might pass through here. Our chief is also a recluse, handling some duties on the side. He loves reading your essays, like "On the Equality of Things." Lines like "When there is life, there is death; when there is death, there is life. When something is permissible, it is impermissible; when impermissible, it is permissible." So powerful, truly refined writing, excellent! Please, come to our station and rest.
(Zhuangzi speaks while walking, climbs onto his horse, and is about to whip it when the man suddenly jumps from the grass and grabs the horse's bit. The policeman chases and grabs the man's arm.)
(Zhuangzi whips his horse and moves off. The policeman puts his hands behind his back, watching him gradually disappear into the dust. Then he slowly turns and strolls back the way he came.)
Policeman - (Struggling to free his sleeve.) That won't work. Stark naked, how can you walk the streets? Let go!
Policeman - I only have this one pair. If I lend them to you, I'll be a mess myself. (Struggling hard.) Stop fooling around! Let go!
Policeman - (Flustered.) Impossible!
Policeman - This is really... What use is taking you? Stop making trouble. Let go! Otherwise... (Struggling fiercely.)
Man - (Tightening his grip.) Otherwise, I can't visit relatives or be a person. Two pounds of southern dates, a pound and a half of white sugar... You let him go, I'll fight you to the death...