As readers will see in this document, contrary to the understanding of some, Zhuan-zis idea of a Daoist sage is not at all

mystical. For what the Book of Zhuan-zi is able to tell, such a sage is very conscientious about preserving his natural disposition, nourishing his vital energy and conforming himself to the way of Nature
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Zhuan-zi on The Daoist Sagely Way of Being

An excerpt from The Six Patriarchs of Chinese Humanism Author: Peter M.K. Chan
All Rights Reserved

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As Confucius and his followers were meticulous in their portrayal of the kingly person, Zhuan-zi and his associates were very loud about their man of Dao -- lauded in the Book of Zhuan-zi as sage ( ), true man ( ), perfect man ( ), and great man ( ). In this document, I would like to offer this sagely personality of Daoism as much coverage and exposure as it deserves. Doing so would allow us to understand more clearly the mind and psychology of such sagely characters. For a glimpse of what a Daoist sage is like, lets begin with the following samples: The sage has human form, but does not have human emotions. As he has human form, he is part of society. For his lack in human emotions, he is not concerned with right and
wrong. (

He works as other people do, and is adapted to what people have to adapt. He would not seek that which is suitable only for himself. ( Ibid. Chapter 6) In poverty, he will make his family forget that he is poor. In prominence, he will make
Book of Zhuan-zi Chapter 5)

kings and dukes forget about their status. He is easy with things and happy with people, but safe guarding his inborn nature at all times. He promotes harmony among the people without having to speak, and transforms them by being in their midst. He is easy for being a father or son. But his mind is far removed from that of ordinary folks. (
Ibid Chapter 25) He loves people and people call him a sage. If people do

not tell him, he would not know that he loves them. Regardless of whether he knows and hears about it, it is his nature to love others without fail, and peoples concern for him will never fade. (
Ibid.)

For what is beyond the world, the sage takes note but does not discuss. For what is in the world, the sage discusses but does not pass judgment. Of chronicles and records regarding the ancient kings, the sage passes judgments and does not argue.
( Ibid. Chapter 2) He embraces Heaven and Earth,

and reaches out for the world. But the people do not know who he is. This is why he does not hold official positions when he is alive, or receive posthumous titles when he is dead. He does not accumulate wealth nor establish his name. Such a person could indeed be called a great man. (
Ibid. Chapter 24)

A great man does not harm others nor brags about humaneness. He does not seek after profit nor despise the profit-seekers. He does not compete for property and wealth, nor praises himself for declining them. He does not rely on others nor exert himself for a living. He does not look down on what is vulgar, or distance himself from what is ordinary. He does not avoid what is strange, and goes along with the crowd. .... He is not attracted by official positions and emolument, or

considers penalty and humiliation to be disgraceful. He knows that right and wrong are difficult to differentiate, and is not perturbed by things big and small. As it is said: a man of Dao is not known, nor would he think highly of his own virtue. In short, a great man has no self (not obsessed with himself). (
Ibid. Chapter 17)

The true man of antiquity did not dream in sleep or feel anxious when he was awake. He ate ordinary food and his breath was long and deep. While people inhaled by way of their throats, he breathed (deep down) from his heels. (
Ibid. Chapter 6) He did not mind to be solitary. Neither would

he brag about himself, or scheme for anyone. For this reason, he had no regret about his past, and did not think much about himself. ( Ibid.) He did not know how to love life or resent death. He was at ease with his coming in and going out. He did not forget how he began, and would not seek to know how he would end. He was happy with what he has got, and returned to his natural state by forgetting. This is called not wanting to violate Dao with ones mind, and not to assist Nature with the way of man. This is what is called a true man. (
Ibid. )

The perfect man of antiquity treated others in the natural way. He did not use the way of man to interfere with Heaven (or Nature). For him, gain and loss has nothing to do with being alive, or for that matter, death. (
Ibid. Chapter

He shares food with the Earth and rejoices with Heaven. He does not entangle himself with anything or anyone so as to gain advantage or inflict injury. He does not discriminate against or contrive with anyone. He simply goes without worry, and comes without care. (
24) Ibid, Chapter 23) Only a perfect man can wander in the

mundane world without prejudice, and comply with others without losing his individuality. He does not study the teaching of others, but would not reject them either. (
Ibid. Chapter 26)

In short, the ancient man of Dao found happiness in both favorable and unfavorable situations. His happiness was not dictated by circumstance. For him, poverty and affluence alternates just like summer and winter as wind alternates with rain. Such is the Virtue of (following) Dao. (
Ibid. Chapter 28)

Comment: Lets pause and take some notes. On the basis of what is being advertised, it should be seen that the Daoist sage is only out of the ordinary, but not out of the world. For one thing, he has to work and adapt to situations as people do. But his happiness is not dictated by circumstance. He does not mind to be poor and is comfortable with what he has or has not got. What makes him distinguished is that he does not lose his individuality when moving with the crowd. For another, he is not profit seeking, but does not look down on profit seekers either. He is solitary but not selfish, and is easy with things and people. He does not think highly of himself, and does not contrive against anyone. He is concerned about others, but does not brag about his humaneness. He would discuss with others but would not judge or argue about what is right. He would also forget about the past, so as to spare his mind from regrets.

What this means is that despite Zhuan-zis call to abandon worldly affairs, it is not to be assumed that a Daoist sage must be some kind of hermit living solitaire in the mountains. As he

had also taken the trouble to point out: To be deliberate in behavior, and promote aloofness from the world with high sounding theories are favored by hermits living in the mountains and forests as well as cynics who would burn and drown themselves. ( Ibid. Chapter 15) By the same token, a secluded life in the wilderness, retirement to the fields, angling fish (with hook and sinker) in a leisurely environment, and do nothing at all are favored by drifters, escapists, and leisure-seekers. (
Ibid.)

The truth of the matter, as Zhuan-zi further explained, is actually this. Hermits in ancient times did not hide themselves from public view; they did not shut their mouths so as not to speak; they did not conceal what they knew so as to keep things to themselves. They had to do so only because they were living in turbulent times. When times were favorable, they would do great deeds without leaving a trace. When times were unfavorable, they could only hold onto their roots and wait. This was their way of preserving their lives. (
Ibid. Chapter 16) As it is said, when Dao prevails

in the world, success is attributable to the sage. When Dao prevails not in the world, he must try to stay alive. To live in this day and age, all he could do is to avoid punishment. (
Ibid. Chapter 4)

In light of the above, it should be seen that the Daoist sage is very much in the world. What really differentiate a sage from an ordinary man, as Zhuan-zi further emphasized, is that the sage is tranquil in mind and kingly in motion. He is honored for his non-action. Although he is simple and plain, none in the world can compete with him. ( Ibid. Chapter 13) Such are the virtues that characterize the way of the mysterious sage and

uncrowned king. When he retreats and roams at leisure, all the intellectuals from the rivers and seas as well as hills and forests will submit to him. If he takes upon himself to pacify the world, his achievements will be great, and his name will stand out in a unified world. (
Ibid.)

Another defining characteristic of the Daoist sage, said Zhuan-zi, is the state of his mind. To begin with, the mind of the sage is tranquil; it monitors Heaven and Earth and is the mirror of all things. ( Ibid.) He is tranquil because nothing is able to bother his mind. ( Ibid.) Secondly, he forgets his liver and gall (i.e., deep-seated feelings) and leaves behind his eyes and ears (the customary way of looking and evaluating things). This is how he wanders mindlessly beyond the dusty world, and roams in the realm of non-action. ( Ibid. Chapter 19) For these reasons, his mind is pure and simple, his spirit is staunch and tireless. Being vacuous and indifferent, he conforms to the Virtue of Nature (or Heaven). ( Ibid. Chapter 15) As Lao-zi was also reported to have said, those who have forgotten about themselves can be said to have merged themselves with Nature. (
Ibid. Chapter 12)

What that amounts to is that for his having seen the One (Dao), the sage is able to abolish distinction between past and present. Having abolished past and present, he is able to enter the realm where there is neither life nor death. ( Ibid. Chapter 6) It is by forgetting everything that the sage possesses everything. Being undisturbed to the extreme, he is admired and followed by many. Such is the way of Heaven and Earth, which is also the virtue of a sage. ( Ibid. Chapter 15) This is also why the

demeanor of such a man is quiet, and his forehead broad. He is as melancholic as autumn and as warm as spring. His happiness and anger are in tune with the four seasons. He is easy with things, and no one knows his limit. (
Ibid. Chapter 6). In short, he who is devoted to Dao would forget about his mind. (Ibid. Chapter 28)

Now, for those who do not know how to forget about their minds, said Zhuan-zi, the following formula is to be kept in mind. True forgetfulness is not to forget what is forgotten, but to forget what is not forgotten. ( Ibid. Chapter 5) Less paradoxically put, it is to remember what is forgotten and to forget what is well remembered. In terms of what is known, what one forgets is the carefree innocence of ones inborn nature and child-like temperaments. What one remembers well are ones gain and loss, love and hate, social status and reputation. What is being suggested here is that the sage is not preoccupied with what is really troubling people in their minds. As it is said: the perfect man has no self, the spiritual man has no achievement, and the sage has no name.
( Ibid. Chapter 1)

This is why it is also said that a man of perfect virtue is not burnt by fire or drown by water. Neither could he be harmed by the cold of winter and the heat of summer, nor injured by animals. But it is not to be misunderstood that such a person would put himself into such unfavorable situations. It only means that he would discriminate between safety and danger, remain calm in the face of calamity and fortune, as well as being cautious about rejecting one thing or go along with another. In his so doing, nothing is able to hurt him. (
Ibid. Chapter 17)

Comment: As readers can see, unlike the misunderstanding of some, Zhuan-zis idea of a Daoist sage is not at all mystical. Rather, such a sage is very conscientious about preserving his natural disposition, nourishing

his vital energy and conforming himself to the way of Nature. The following exchange reported in the Book of Zhuan-zi between Leih-zi (who was said to have traveled with the wind for five days) and Guan Yi (an old comrade of Lao-zi) is also meant to shed light on the issue. Leih-zi asked Guan Yi: Is it really the case that the perfect man is not choked when he swims in water, that he is not burnt when he treads on fire, that he is above everything, and is not afraid of anything? If so, may I ask how such abilities are to be attained? (
Ibid. Chapter 19)

To this, Guan Yi replied: All that which have sound and color are things. How can one thing be so different and superior to another when all of them are but shapes and colors? Things are created by that which is formless and will also cease to be when there is nothing left to be transformed. ( Ibid. ) A perfect man stays within reasonable limits, hides himself in obscurity, and wanders in the realm of Dao where everything begins and ends. He adheres to his natural disposition, nourishes his vital energy and conforms his virtue to the wherewithal of all things. In so doing, his nature remains completely intact, his spirit is not obstructed, and nothing is able to enter and affect him. (
Ibid. ) =============================================================

Peter M.K. Chan is the author of The Mystery of Mind (published 2003), and Soul, God, and Morality (published 2004). Recently, he has also competed any work titled The Six Patriarchs of Chinese Humanism (copyrighted and available in ebooks, but not yet in print). For details regarding the above, please visit http://sites.google.com/site/pmkchan/home https://sites.google.com/site/patriarchsofchinesephilosophy/home http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/petermkchan
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