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Flow with whatever may happen, and let your mind be free.

Zhuangzi, chapter 4 (loose rendering)

Philosophy

The story behind the card

The Zhuangzi is a founding text of Taoism, the Chinese tradition that teaches living in step with the natural course of things rather than forcing it. It is named after its main author, Zhuang Zhou, who lived in the 4th century BC. This card gives a loose modern English version of a line from its fourth chapter, where Confucius, used as a character, advises an anxious envoy to go along with things and let his mind wander freely. Zhuangzi taught through jokes and short stories, such as his dream of being a butterfly and the crooked tree that lives long because no carpenter wants it.

Türkçe oku
Ne olursa olsun akışa uy, zihnini özgür bırak.
Zhuangzi, 4. bölüm (serbest çeviri)

Zhuangzi, Taoculuğun kurucu metinlerinden biridir. Taoculuk, olayları zorlamak yerine doğanın kendi akışıyla uyum içinde yaşamayı öğütleyen bir Çin düşünce geleneğidir. Kitap adını, MÖ 4. yüzyılda yaşamış asıl yazarı Zhuang Zhou'dan alır. Karttaki söz, dördüncü bölümdeki bir cümlenin serbest bir modern İngilizce çevirisinden aktarılmıştır. O bölümde Konfüçyüs bir karakter olarak sahneye çıkar ve göreve gitmeden önce kaygılanan bir elçiye, olayların akışına uymasını ve zihnini serbest bırakmasını öğütler. Zhuangzi fikirlerini şakalarla ve kısa hikâyelerle anlatırdı: Kelebek olduğunu gördüğü rüya ya da hiçbir marangoz istemediği için kesilmeyip uzun yaşayan eğri ağaç gibi.

Sources and further reading

Background reading: Zhuangzi (book)
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