Yao's Questions

AnonymousBashu Publishing House · ChinaJun 2024

3.2

Word count: 1.5K words
Chapters: 2

Summary

Thus in ancient times Yao asked Shun, saying: “I wish to aid the states of Zong, Kuai, and Xu'ao, but when I face south in court my mind is not at ease. What is the reason?” Shun said: “Those three rulers still dwell among the mugwort and weeds. Why should you be ill at ease? In ancient times ten suns rose together and all things were illuminated—how much more so one whose virtue surpasses the sun!” This is a passage from the *Qiwulun*. 1. Formerly (in the past); aid (assist); face south (hold court); you (you, referring to Yao). 2. 1. You feel uneasy in your heart. 2. How much more so moral teaching, whose merit is greater than sunlight! Formerly Yao asked Shun, saying: “I wish to aid the three small states of Zong, Kuai, and Xu'ao, but whenever I hold court I always feel uneasy in my heart. What is the reason?” Shun replied: “The people of these three states are like those living in the undeveloped regions among the mugwort and weeds. Why should you feel uneasy in your heart? It is said that in ancient times ten suns rose together in the sky and all things could receive the sunlight at the same time, yet the common people suffered greatly instead—how much more so moral teaching, whose merit is greater than sunlight!”

Editor's review

This book centers on the famous passage in the *Qiwulun* chapter of *Zhuangzi* in which Yao asks Shun, using the question and answer about Yao's wish to aid the three states of Zong, Kuai, and Xu'ao while feeling uneasy to present ancient thought on power, moral teaching, and natural order. Though short, the text is rich in layers: there is word-by-word glossing, such as the analysis of “formerly,” “aid,” “face south,” and “you,” as well as exposition of the meaning of “ten suns rose together” and “virtue surpassing the sun,” combining philology and philosophical interpretation. Its highlight is that it does not treat the original as an isolated quotation but restores it to the overall context of the *Qiwulun*, helping readers understand the tension between “illumination” and “unease.” It is suitable as introductory material for close reading of pre-Qin thought and classical texts, and also for sentence-by-sentence discussion in reading groups, using a short passage to open up reflection on Daoist political ethics and the experience of life.

Who it's for

A good fit for

General readers interested in *Zhuangzi* and pre-Qin thought who wish to read short passages closely
Facilitators needing a classical text for reading groups or classroom discussion
Learners wishing to improve classical Chinese reading through annotations and interpretation of meaning

Not a good fit for

Readers expecting a systematic complete translation and annotation of *Zhuangzi* or a long philosophical monograph
Readers who only want vernacular stories and do not wish to engage with the classical original and word glosses

Reading tips

First read the original text and annotations, mark key words such as “aid,” “face south,” and “you,” then compare with the interpretation of meaning.
After reading, contrast Yao's “unease” with Shun's “ten suns rose together” and write a short note of about one hundred characters to organize your understanding.
If participating in a reading group, design a discussion question around “whether moral teaching is greater than sunlight.”

About the publisher

Bashu Publishing House China · Founded in 1983

Bashu Publishing House is a publisher centered on collating and publishing classical Chinese cultural texts, with its main publishing areas covering classical literature, Eastern philosophy, ancient poetry, and educational classics. Its library currently holds 1,075 titles, including representative works such as Dream of the Red Chamber, the Preface to the Orchid Pavilion Gathering, Renjian Cihua, and Out to the Frontier, involving authors such as Cao Xueqin, Wang Xizhi, Wang Guowei, Wang Changling, Liu Xie, and Yan Yu. These reflect the publisher's focus on literary classics, poetry criticism, and philosophical readings. Its publishing character lies in working around ancient texts and canonical works, with attention to textual collation and presentation. Public information on its more detailed publishing background and series plans is limited; this introduction is based only on the library's book information.

版权信息
尧问第三十二

FAQ

Why is “fa” in this passage glossed as “aid” rather than “attack”?

The annotation in the material explains “fa” as “aid,” which echoes Shun's later description of the three states as “among the mugwort and weeds” and his comparison with moral teaching, emphasizing that Yao does not advocate military conquest but wishes to help undeveloped lands. Readers may consider the purpose of this gloss in context and note that different annotated editions may differ.

What role does “ten suns rose together” play in the text?

The material uses “ten suns rose together, all things were illuminated” to explain that universal sunlight instead caused the common people great suffering, thereby contrasting with the merit of moral teaching being greater than the sun. This metaphor reminds readers that mere universal illumination does not necessarily bring peace; the significance of moral teaching lies in settling the human heart, not in relentlessly applying external force.

Can I read this book without any foundation in *Zhuangzi*?

Yes. The book provides word glosses and interpretation of meaning around a short passage; it is concentrated in scope and suitable for beginners to enter the context of the *Qiwulun*. For deeper study, read it alongside a complete annotated translation of *Zhuangzi* to gradually become familiar with common Daoist concepts and expressions.

Comments

Find this book

This site is an index: you start “Search all sources” in your browser, and the entries it lists all point to third-party sites; please judge their availability yourself.

About the author

Anonymous Author

Anonymous is not a real personal name but a general Chinese designation for authors whose names are unknown, lost, or unsigned. Neither nationality nor dates of birth and death can be verified, and available public information is limited, so the works attributed to this name are the only basis for description. The collection holds 2,078 works under Anonymous, spanning medicine, classics, historical readings, ancient poetry, classical literature, and philosophy. Representative works include The Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon: Lingshu, Mencius, The Book of Documents, Nineteen Old Poems, Complete Song Ci, and The Peacock Flies Southeast. Most of these works took shape through long transmission and editing, emerging either from collective folk creation or from authors whose names were lost over time. In ancient China, the Book of Songs, the Great Learning, and many popular storybooks and plays were signed Anonymous because their authors could not be traced. Anonymous works cross the classics, histories, philosophical writings, medical texts, and poetry; their subjects are broad, and their styles vary from archaic simplicity to clear naturalness, making them important and influential sources for understanding ancient Chinese thought, medicine, and literature.