What is Daoist Philosophy? The History and Critical Relevance of Daoist Ideas (Philosophy Lecture)

The speaker introduces the lecture recorded at East China Normal University, Shanghai. The lecture covers Taoist philosophy, particularly the philosophy of the Zhuangzi, from a historical and socio-political perspective rather than a mystical or metaphysical one. The speaker aims to contextualize Taoist philosophy within Chinese intellectual history and its critical reaction to Confucian philosophy. The lecture also draws connections to Sigmund Freud's 'Civilization and Its Discontents,' exploring how Zhuangzi addresses civilization-induced unease.

The speaker discusses the differences between Western and Chinese philosophy, highlighting the Western emphasis on distinguishing truth from appearance, as seen in early Greek philosophy, and the Chinese emphasis on order versus disorder. This theme is explored through various passages, including the opening of chapter 33 of the Zhuangzi, which presents different methods proposed by philosophers for ordering the world. The speaker contrasts Confucian and Taoist approaches to order, using the example of Yao and Xu You from the Zhuangzi.

The speaker delves into the Confucian concept of order as presented in the Mencius, which outlines a hierarchical society where intellectual laborers order others and physical laborers are ordered. The Confucian project involves a step-by-step process of ordering nature, life, and human relationships, leading to the establishment of five key relationships (renlun). This order is maintained through rituals and moral values. The speaker argues that the Zhuangzi critically responds to the Confucian order, viewing it as potentially suppressive and toxic.

The speaker explains how Confucian rituals serve to maintain and celebrate social and political order. These rituals establish and reenact hierarchical relationships within society, both in political and everyday contexts. The speaker describes how this order requires individuals to internalize their roles sincerely, shaping their identities according to Confucian values. This process, termed a 'regime of sincerity,' is seen as totalizing and can lead to psychological and social pressures, which the Zhuangzi critiques.

The Zhuangzi offers counter-narratives to Confucianism, using humor, historical reversals, and anti-role models to subvert the Confucian order. Stories like the one about the gangster Zhu highlight the incongruity of names and roles, presenting characters that are neither purely good nor bad. These stories provide relief from the pressures of Confucian sincerity by allowing individuals to emotionally dissociate from rigid role expectations, thereby achieving a state of ease.

The speaker analyzes the Zhuangzi's reversal of Confucian historical narratives, such as the depiction of the Yellow Emperor and other sage kings as bringers of disorder rather than order. This anti-history challenges the Confucian narrative of civilization as a positive force, instead presenting it as a process that destroys natural ease and vitality. The Zhuangzi uses these reversals to critique the Confucian project and highlight the suffering and discontent it produces.

The Zhuangzi critiques the Confucian concept of order through the story of Bo Le and the domestication of horses. This process is compared to the function of ritual, which the Zhuangzi views as equally brutal and destructive. The speaker explains how the Zhuangzi's critique extends to the ritualistic domestication of humans, drawing parallels between the treatment of animals and the Confucian ordering of society. This critique highlights the harmful effects of Confucian rituals on natural vitality.

The speaker discusses the famous Zhuangzi story of Hundun, an emperor without facial openings, who is killed when other emperors try to give him a human face. This story is interpreted as a critique of the Confucian regime of sincerity, which imposes roles and relationships on individuals, ultimately leading to their destruction. The Zhuangzi's antidote to this is promoting a state of ease (you) that allows individuals to dissociate from societal pressures and roles.

The Zhuangzi emphasizes achieving a state of ease (you) within the constraints of civilization. This state is described as an existential well-being and vitality that is intellectually sharp and socially engaged, rather than primitive or isolated. The speaker connects this idea to Freud's notion of civilization inevitably producing unease, and the Zhuangzi's attempt to enable individuals to experience ease despite societal pressures.

The speaker recounts the story of Sun Shu Ao, a chief minister who remains at ease whether promoted or dismissed, illustrating the contingency and fluidity of social roles. Sun Shu Ao's ability to accept the transitoriness of positions and the incongruity of social roles reflects the Zhuangzi's teaching on achieving ease by not over-identifying with any role. This perspective encourages maintaining flexibility and not internalizing societal roles too rigidly.

The speaker elaborates on the concept of 'genuine pretending,' where individuals understand the existential condition of playing roles within society without over-identifying with them. This insight enables individuals to achieve ease (you) in their various roles by recognizing their contingent nature. The Zhuangzi's philosophy suggests that by seeing all roles as forms of genuine pretending, one can cope with the inevitable unease of civilized life.

The speaker reflects on the impact of studying the Zhuangzi on his own life, noting how it has shaped his philosophical perspective and provided a therapeutic approach to dealing with societal pressures. This influence extends beyond intellectual understanding to an existential practice of maintaining ease and flexibility within various roles. The speaker considers himself a 'neo-Daoist' in his application of these principles to contemporary life.