Zhuangzi Fables and Doctrines

Pre-Qin thoughts schools usually use parables to illustrate things or laws. The parables in the book of Zhuangzi vary from those in books of other thoughts schools, such as Mencius, Han Feizi or those in historical works, such as Zhanguoci and Guoyu. Fables used by Zhuangzi and its students is not only a writing style, but a poetic form of wisdom, and art method of doctrines. The art function of fables is experience and comprehension, not analogy or metaphor. The relationship of doctrines and fables in the book of Zhuangzi is non-materiality and boundless of matter, which shows the aesthetic interest in the missing of doctrine spirits and matter of mind. The book Zhuangzi points out a whole system of the fable theory, such as zhiyan,repetition and fables. The common feature of the three is conform to nature, and this is the reflection in art of Dao emulates nature. The natural principles combines doctrine and fables together. The book Zhuangzi is the poetic philosophy and the fables in Zhuangzi is the formal form of poetic wisdom.