Issue 12, January 1989
Kuang-Ming Wu
Pages 313-324
Self-Contradictions in Chuang Tzu
Since Hui Shih the sophist friend of Chuang Tzu's, it has been philosopher's custom to point to self-contradictions in Chuang Tzu. For example, Mr. Ho Pao-chung's recent
paper says: since Tao pervades everywhere, no one can return to it; since the self is one, self-fasting is suicide. Chuang Tzu urges us such logical impossibles; he makes no
sense.
This paper replies that: (a) this is an inevitable outcome both of the encounter between life (particular) and language (universal) , and of the self which is one in two and two in
one; (b) we need to point out these inherent contradictions in life and their significance for us; (c) Chuang Tzu's "cantradictions" are an honest account of all this; he plays
with them to arouse us, both to realize the inexpressible Tao and to roam in life with joyless joy.