Chuang Tzu: Mystic, Moralist, and Social Reformer

The thirty-three chapters appear to have existed in the fourth century AD. 1 The following account of the first known edition is given in the Imperial Catalogue:

Chuang Tzŭ, with Commentary, in 10 books. By Kuo Hsiang of the Jin original: "Chin" dynasty (AD 265–420).

The A New Account of Tales of the World 2 original: "Shih-shuo-hsin-yü" states that Kuo Hsiang stole his work from Hsiang Hsiu. 3 Subsequently, Hsiang Hsiu's edition was issued, and the two circulated together. Hsiang Hsiu's edition is now lost, while Kuo Hsiang's remains.

A comparison with quotations from Hsiang Hsiu's work, as given in Chuang Tzŭ Explained by Lu Te-ming, provides conclusive evidence of plagiarism. Nevertheless, Kuo Hsiang contributed a certain amount of independent revision, making it impossible for us to regard the entire work as coming from the hand of Hsiang Hsiu. Consequently, it is now attributed to Kuo Hsiang.

Since the time of Kuo Hsiang, countless editions with ever-varying interpretations have been produced to both delight and confuse the student. I have chosen six of these, representing as closely as possible different schools of thought. Their editors are:

1.—Kuo Hsiang of the Jin original: "Chin" dynasty. (a) As given in the Complete Works of the Ten Philosophers original: "Shih Tzŭ Ch'üan Shu". (b) As edited by Tan Yuan-ch'un of the Ming dynasty, including his own valuable notes.

2.—Lü Hui-ch'ing of the Sung dynasty.

1 Based on the authority of the Treatise on Literature original: "I-wên-chih".
2 A work from the fifth century AD.
3 Of the Han dynasty. Mayers places him a little later, namely AD 275.