Chuang Tzu: Basic Writings

The Chuang Tzu (rendered Zhuangzi in pinyin, which is becoming the standard transliteration these days) is second only to Lao Tzu's Tao Te Ching in its popularity and veneration in the Taoist world. If you've not heard of or read this book before, you're in for a real treat! The first time I read the Inner Chapters of the Chuang Tzu was like a revelation--the thoughts and ideas expressed in these passages still resonate today for their acuity, humor, satire, stabbing profundity, and life-changing potential. Indeed, after better understanding the thought this book expresses, I felt like so many loose ideas and insights I'd gleaned from other philosophy, literature, music, and poetry had been tied up together and formulated into a concise and elegant package that is urgently relevant to every day life--pretty amazing for a text that is well over 2000 years old!I recently completed reading the last of three complete translations of the Chuang Tzu, and I decided to wait until I read all of them before reviewing any of the three. Since this text is written in ancient Chinese, a language that was reserved for the intellectual and cultural elite two thousand years ago and has been considered effectively "dead" (like Latin) for quite a while, even understanding what the author(s) were trying to say is difficult, let alone translating the words from Chinese to English. So I figured reading a few different translations is probably the best way to get a broad and deep understanding of the text, and the cumulative effect would make up for each translation's weaknesses. This proved a good strategy--the other translations I chose were Victor Mair's  Wandering on the Way: Early Taoist Tales and Parables of Chuang Tzu  and A.C. Graham's  The Inner Chapters . All three were rewarding and worthwhile reads (I mean, it IS the Chuang Tzu!), but I still come back to Burton Watson's  The Complete Works of Chuang Tzu  as my favorite. I won't go into depth about what the Chuang Tzu says, since the writing in the text is so eloquent and vivid that any description won't do it justice, and because I would probably ramble on forever about either the academic issues and questions regarding the text's authorship, historicity, and philosophy, or about how mind-blowingly intellectually stimulating it is!After reading three different translations of the Chuang Tzu, I have to say that this Basic Writings translated by Watson is the best place for the uninitiated to start--it contains nearly all the best ideas and passages from the text (which has many interpolations from other, later authors that are often not as interesting and never as well-written as the ideas expressed in the Inner Chapters). Graham's translation is very academically rigorous, but makes Chuang Tzu's already distant culture and time period even more distant for new readers by means of very technical terminology and commentary. Mair's translation is good but doesn't flow as well as Watson's, and it's also much longer since it contains the entire Chuang Tzu. Watson's Complete Works is great, but this Basic Writings is much cheaper and more concise an introduction--once you read it and get hooked on the surprisingly fresh insights of these ancient thinkers, perhaps you'll delve into some other illuminating translations--until then, I have to say that this should be required reading for anyone interested in philosophy or Eastern classics.

The book is worth buying because in places it seems that the translation is good . The translator is probably more aware of the spiritual than some translators but he is not a deep practitioner, more like he has an intellectual understanding and appreciates the work. As the author himself states it is difficult to write this book because much of the material is cobbled together and probably was not the work of Chuang TZU in parts.The value is in places it reminds us very clearly of the Folly of our great Empire Building, trying to build a big life for the ego or for its desires for security. It says these things in ways that will make an impression. It might slow down your craving and aversion. Buy it despite the flaws.

This is a very difficult book to describe because it is written almost as a fable, that continually plays on language and the supposed logic of common sense.It is difficult reading. I had to read it at least twice, and then several passages more times before I could take away meaning from it.If you enjoy the Tao Te Ching, The Diamond Sutra, Nagarjuna's verses of Emptiness, and other similar buddhist / zen / tao titles, I can say with near certainty that you will greatly enjoy this book.It is not for everyone. A person without any background buddhism may find this book to be incomprehensible and or a very difficult read.I enjoyed it thoroughly, and consider it to be among the best books I have ever read.

I enjoy Watson's translations, of which he is among the best, but I prefer Thomas Merton's book on Chuang Tzu's writings a bit more. I'll leave it to the scholars to debate.

Oh Chuang Tzu thou art the greatest teacher.To Understand this book properly one must be spiritually awakened.I am not speaking of idiots who go and read religous books and light candles,i am talking about the truly awakened one.This book is so valuable,you have no idea.Everything you need is in here.The knowledge in here is worth Fort Knox x 100000.Oh CHUANG TZU THOU ART THE GREATEST TEACHER.

One of my all time favorite books. I read it every year or two and find new things in it each time. I've read multiple translations and this one is by far the best!

One of the greatest philosophers in China and his writings are very enjoyable to read. Watson does an excellent job with his translations. Must read for anyone with an interest in ancient Chinese thought or Daoist thought.

The original and still best translation by Burton Watson with his equally enlightening introduction. Also good with Thomas Merton's somewhat free interpretations inspired by Chuang Tzu