On Zhuangzi's View Of The Body: Separation From Form, Harmony Of Qi, And Wandering Mind

Life is the most concerned topic of Zhuangzi’s philosophy,and the issue of “body”is the most relevant element to it.Zhuangzi’s view of the body is based on the dilemma of human existence and reflects the recognition of the complexity of the composition and course of life.Unlike the mind-body binary opposition mode of thinking,Zhuangzi treats the body as an organic whole consisting of form,Chi,and mind.The body is not only a representation of individual life,but also a practical subject that acts in the world.Zhuangzi’s pursuit of value and ideal state are all revealed in the meaning of the body.This claim is similar to the Body Steering in modern Western philosophy.Starting from the three concepts of mind,form,and Chi,this article seeks to reconstruct the structural and processual framework of Zhuangzi’s view of the body,using the original Zhuangzi texts(especially the inner seven pieces)as the main basis.Specifically,the article is divided into four parts.In the first part,Zhuangzi’s view of the body is defined.In the context of Zhuangzi’s text,some concepts related to the body,such as "body","life","mind","form" and "Chi" are explained,drawing the conclusion that the body is a unified with form and mind,and it is both material and spiritual,not just a visible body.The body and life are directly identical,manifesting as the dynamic course of the whole life.In the second part,Zhuangzi’s perception and attitude toward the "form",the basic part of the body,are explained.The body is finite and transient,and is limited by "times" and "destiny",causing the dilemma of human existence.Therefore,Zhuangzi’s attitude toward "form" is basically negative,advocating that through forgetting and pulling out of the form,the limited nature of the form itself,the excessive desires induced by the form as well as the false knowledge caused by desires can be dissolved.On the one hand,Zhuangzi used formalization to eliminate the death of the body.On the other hand,the comparison between form and spirit highlights the importance of spirit,thus weakening form.The third part explains the status and role of Chi in the body and Zhuangzi’s attitude toward Chi.The prototype of Chi can be traced back to the worship of wind and earth.The concept of Chi has been related to the phenomenon of life since the beginning of its generation.Before Zhuangzi,Chi had been used to explain many natural phenomena and human affairs.Zhuangzi further refined and enriched the relationship between Chi and human beings.Chi is the material that forms the form of human beings.The life and death of human beings are the result of Chi movement.At the same time,Chi is inherent in people and affects their physiological and psychological states.Therefore,for people,it is not only necessary to harmonize the Yin and Yang in the body,so that the physical body can be healthy and long lived,but also through the way of listening to Chi,so that the soul can remain empty and be preserved,so that life can return to the Tao.The fourth part explains the position and role of the mind in the body and Zhuangzi’s attitude.Zhuangzi opposes the kind of mind that contains intellect,emotions,and desires,and affirms the original mind that is unchanging,stillness,empty and clear.The original mind is the "wandering mind" in the sense that it is the same as freedom and the Tao.This is the ultimate goal of Zhuangzi’s view of the body,which frees the body from all the constraints and ties of the secular society and converts to the infinite Way.To explore Zhuangzi’s view of the body from three perspectives: form,Chi,and mind,reveals two aspects of Zhuangzi’s view of the body.Firstly,the "body" that Zhuangzi refers to is an organic whole of life that integrates form,mind,and Chi,and they are not separate,but intertwined;Secondly,Zhuangzi’s view of the body presents a dynamic process of life enhancement,which is the process from the separation from form(dissolving the bondage of the form)to the conforming to Chi(following the mechanism of Chi)and then to wandering the mind(pursuing the freedom of the mind).Zhuangzi’s view of the body has important theoretical significance and practical value,not only profoundly influencing the theoretical development of Taoism,but also helping people to escape from the crisis of modernity and to realize the settlement of life.