Harmonizing virtuosities in the Zhuangzi

Harmony is a crucial value for resolving conflicts. Discussions on harmony in the Zhuangzi primarily focus on harmonizing ‘right and wrong’ (shifei 是非). However, it represents only a superficial understanding of Zhuangzian harmony. To explore a fundamental form of harmony would be beneficial: harmon...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Li, Luyao (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
Check availability: HBZ Gateway
Interlibrary Loan:Interlibrary Loan for the Fachinformationsdienste (Specialized Information Services in Germany)
Published: 2025
In: Asian philosophy
Year: 2025, Volume: 35, Issue: 2, Pages: 181-193
Further subjects:B Domination
B the Zhuangzi
B Harmony
B virtuosity
B Conflicts
Online Access: Volltext (lizenzpflichtig)
Description
Summary:Harmony is a crucial value for resolving conflicts. Discussions on harmony in the Zhuangzi primarily focus on harmonizing ‘right and wrong’ (shifei 是非). However, it represents only a superficial understanding of Zhuangzian harmony. To explore a fundamental form of harmony would be beneficial: harmonizing ‘virtuosities’ (de 德), which can prevent conflicts and avoid domination. This paper begins by illustrating the discombobulated (zhili 支离) characteristic of virtuosities in the Zhuangzi. By comparison with harmonizing virtues in Five Conducts, we can better understand the distinctive characteristic of harmonizing virtuositiesin the Zhuangzi. Moreover, a metaphor of perfectly still water suggests that in this process, virtuosities can be internally preserved and externally unshaken. This suggests to maintain one’s own virtuosities in the transformations of eventsand avoidacquiring specific names or reputations that can lead to interpersonal conflicts and domination. These two characteristics can fundamentally avoid disputes over ‘right and wrong’.
ISSN:1469-2961
Contains:Enthalten in: Asian philosophy
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1080/09552367.2024.2399878