【"Cicada Says Zhuangzi", Introduction, No. 1 / Total No. 1]
Dapeng is one of the most deeply rooted imagery in Zhuangzi's writing, but I don't know if you have thought about it: Why is it that at the beginning of "Getaway", Zhuangzi mentions Dapeng again and again, and it seems that he is still afraid that everyone will not believe and understand?
What exactly does Dapeng symbolize?
The image of Dapeng is crucial not only for understanding Zhuangzi, but also for understanding traditional Chinese culture as a whole, especially Taoist culture.
You can use your imagination now, imagine that at this moment, Zhuangzi's Dapeng is covering the sky and the sun, "angry and flying, its wings are like clouds hanging down in the sky", and the huge shadow of the infinite friend covers the entire earth in an instant...
Although it is a little difficult, please try to imagine where you will be at this time, and what do you think?
- The magic of nature?
- The Greatness of Creation?
- The smallness and pity of human beings?
Will these be your answers?
You might also think that when an ant sticks its head out of his nest and looks up at a human who happens to pass by, is that the same situation?
Well, let's go back to reality.
If your feelings stop there, then I am afraid that Zhuangzi will be a little disappointed, because he opened the chapter to release Dapeng's intentions, and you did not understand it.
Why can't you be the Roc?
Now you can do it again, close your eyes, try to imagine that you have transformed into the roc, soaring by the wind, surrounded by a churning sea of clouds, behind the blue sky and white sun.
If you've ever seen a sea of clouds through the portholes of an airplane, try to recall that scene... In short, immerse yourself.
You can even flap your arms to find the feeling of flying in the wind.
Now that you've flown high enough, what will you see if you look down?
The earth in your eyes will be a whole, maybe colorful, but still a whole, at this moment any details can not be seen clearly, only the sun in the rivers and lakes, the dust in the air, and the breath of all living things exhaled into a clump ("Wild horses also, dust also, living things blow together also")
Everything is so trance-like and ethereal that there is no room for separation.
Hey, the ticks on the ground, the doves, the reproaches are laughing at you, you know?
Of course you don't know! You're so far away from the little birds and bugs that you can't hear what they're mumbling about, or even know they exist.
At this moment, you are Dapeng, do you still care about the disturbances in the world, right and wrong?
In this way, we know that Zhuangzi tried his best to portray the image of Dapeng, and his good intentions, right?
Dapeng offers us a new choice, let us leap up in the air, leave the current dimension, and look at the world and life with a grander, more detached, and deeper perspective, which is a key to open the "door of all wonders".
When Lao Tzu said, "The heavens and the earth are not kind, and all things are dogs; the saints are not kind, and the people are dogs" (Tao Te Ching, chapter 5), he uses the same perspective, from top to bottom, looking down on all beings.
To read extraordinary articles, you have to use extraordinary perspectives.
Therefore, reading Lao Zhuang reads the word "realm" first! Otherwise, even if you understand every sentence of theirs, if your realm has not been elevated, it is equivalent to reading in vain (Teacher Lu said something similar in the Tao Te Ching, here to borrow it).
Therefore, in our vast inner world, let go of such a roc, "shake up the ninety thousand miles" will be our soul that is constantly sublimated.
With this in mind, then with regard to Dapeng, the remaining questions are solved, such as why dapeng is changed from a carp, and what does the kun symbolize? What does it mean for Dapeng to fly from The North to the South? What did Dapeng later become? We'll talk more about that later.
I'll stop here today and see you in the next issue.