Reading the Zhuangzi playfully: Stepping back from ‘Ancient Chinese Wisdom’

Playfulness and humor are often recognized as key components of the Zhuangzi. Despite this, the text itself is rarely read in a playful or humorous manner. It is commonly treated, even in its most jesting moments, as representative of solemn “Ancient Chinese Wisdom.” This paper seeks to recognize the playfulness and humor in the Zhuangzi not simply as a means or method for elaborating some more grave philosophical message; playfulness itself is both the means and message. Read in this way many contemporary debates over labeling the Zhuangzi as being a guru-text, or advocating skepticism, relativism, perspectivism, or else being ethical, amoral, political or apolitical—become less important. The Zhuangzi can thereby break free from the serious “Ancient Chinese Wisdom” attitude commonly attributed to it, and the philosophical contributions of a self-proclaimed “reckless” text, that begins with a quote from the likely fictitious “Equalizing Jokebook,” take on a new light.