Zhuangzi: Outer Chapters (1)

Liu QiangJul 2024

4.3

Word count: 49K words
Chapters: 8

Summary

This volume in the Rereading the Classics series, ZHUANGZI: The Outer Chapters — A Common Person's Outlook on Life, offers a close and faithful reading of the classic Zhuangzi. Anyone drawn to Zhuangzi should not miss it.

Writing from the perspective of an ordinary citizen, the author re-annotates and reinterprets the Outer Chapters in order to carry forward traditional culture, spark readers' reflection, and help the classic's content take deeper root in their minds.

Centered on "rectifying the mind and cultivating the self," with improving one's cultivation and examining social phenomena as its thread, the book interprets the text chapter by chapter and passage by passage. It seeks to link theory with practice, to open up and stimulate readers' thinking, and so to foster an exchange of views that reaches the highest level together. Its apparatus includes the original text, annotations and analysis, brief introductions to the figures mentioned, translation, cited commentary from successive dynasties, and reading notes, all designed to make the book easy to read and to help readers connect it with reality, apply what they learn, and improve their cultivation.

Editor's review

This book is Liu Qiang's volume-by-volume reading of the Outer Chapters of Zhuangzi in his Rereading the Classics series. Writing from the perspective of an ordinary citizen, the author re-annotates the text, drawing Zhuangzi's philosophical reflections down from abstruse speculation to the everyday work of rectifying the mind and cultivating the self. The apparatus is complete: original text, annotations and analysis, brief introductions to the figures mentioned, translation, cited commentary from successive dynasties, and reading notes build on one another. The original classic is preserved intact, while the accumulated commentary opens up room for interpretation, and the notes link the text to real social phenomena, so that readers do not merely understand the words but can also reflect on their own circumstances. The Outer Chapters deal largely with conduct in the world, nourishing life, human relations, and political order; the author takes improving one's cultivation and examining social phenomena as his thread. The book suits readers who hope to use Zhuangzi to settle body and mind and adjust their attitude to life. It is not a book for quick, casual reading; it is better read slowly, chapter by chapter, using the annotations and notes to compare repeatedly with one's own experience and moving back and forth between original and translation to appreciate the author's care.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Ordinary readers interested in Zhuangzi but intimidated by the difficulty of the original text
Office workers who hope to use traditional classics to adjust their mindset and cultivate body and mind
Beginners in the Chinese classics who need passage-by-passage understanding of the Outer Chapters
Slow readers who like the composite format of original text plus annotations plus reading notes

Not a good fit for

Professional researchers seeking rigorous scholarly textual criticism and collation of editions
Readers who want only vernacular stories and do not wish to engage with the original text and annotations
Readers expecting a systematic theoretical construction of Zhuangzi's philosophy

Reading tips

Read the translation first to grasp the general meaning, then go back to the original text and annotations, and finally read the notes to connect with reality.
Read slowly in the order of the Outer Chapters; after each chapter, leave a little time to reflect on it in light of your own situation.
When you encounter cited commentary from successive dynasties, treat it as further leads; there is no need to memorize it—pick the comments that interest you and read them closely.
Keep a pen at hand and write your own questions and associations with daily life in the notes section for later review.

版权信息
外篇
骈拇
马蹄
胠箧
在宥
天地
天道

FAQ

Can I read this book without any grounding in classical Chinese?

Yes. The book includes translations and annotations, and the figure introductions and reading notes also help lower the threshold. It is best to read the translation first to grasp the general meaning of each chapter, then read closely against the original text and annotations. Do not force yourself to understand difficult sentences all at once; proceed step by step.

What is the difference between the Outer Chapters and the Miscellaneous Chapters, and should they be read in order?

Both books are Liu Qiang's readings of Zhuangzi. The Outer Chapters deal largely with conduct in the world, nourishing life, and social order, while the Miscellaneous Chapters are more varied in content and more scattered in topic. The two books share the same format and can be read independently; there is no need to insist on a fixed order. If you want a more systematic approach, you may read the Outer Chapters first and then the Miscellaneous Chapters.

What is the role of the cited commentary from successive dynasties and the reading notes?

The cited commentary gathers earlier critics' remarks on the relevant passages and helps readers understand the interpretive tradition of the classic; the reading notes are the author's extensions linking the text to real social phenomena and the topic of self-cultivation. Together with the original text and annotations, they move reading from understanding words to thinking about reality. They should not, however, be taken as final conclusions; readers may keep their own judgment.

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About the author

Liu Qiang Author · China · 1966

Liu Qiang, born in Suqian, Jiangsu in 1966, is a Chinese publisher and planner of educational supplementary books and currently general manager of Beijing Beijiao Culture and Media Co., Ltd. Since 1989 he has edited the "Middle School English Study Guide" series and has planned and edited supplementary series such as "1+1 Lightweight Champion," "Classroom Live," and "Key Exam Points," with cumulative distribution exceeding 400 million copies. The library holds 64 of his works, which beyond supplementary publishing also touch on literary appreciation, Eastern philosophy, medicine, culture, and industrial technology; representative works include editions and selections of "A New Account of Tales of the World" and the inner, outer, and miscellaneous chapters of "Zhuangzi." Public information is limited, but the available works indicate an editorial orientation combining educational publishing with the popularization of traditional culture, with selections emphasizing the organization and guided reading of classic texts while balancing practicality and readability.