Thinking from Zhuang Zhi’s Philosophy

Understanding by postmodernism

Abstract

This article is an attempt to try to understand Zhuang Zi’s philosophy through modernism and postmodernism methods. Despite the contexual differences, this article pay respect to both ideas. The article argues that Zhuang Zi’s philosophy tries to break social norm, values, customs and traditions to find the truth. Zhuang Zi’s method is very similar to postmodernism method in a manner that both reveal the pratice of narrative as an obstacle to truth. It points out that narrative has a power to control the definition of truth, and also uncover those oppressed narratives along the process. The difference between Zhuang Zi’s and postmodern methods is that Zhuang Zi implement a new norm to what he has critiqued. This might be the difference caused by contexual geography.