Achieving such a state of mind is indeed not something everyone can do. This is because it represents an ideal state of perfection. Just as the allegory of "Cook Ding cutting the ox" is merely a story, no real-life butcher can truly achieve that level of perfection. Life is much the same; if there were a moment of absolute perfection in life, its meaning might also come to an end. Zhuangzi understood this well. He knew that human suffering cannot be eliminated and a perfect realm is unattainable. What he pursued was not abstract metaphysics, but rather the integration of spiritual attainment with everyday life.
There is a story that one day, Zhuangzi's family was in such dire straits that they could no longer afford food. To seek sustenance, he approached the Marquis of Henghou, a minor official in charge of water conservancy, to borrow grain. The Marquis replied, "I am currently busy collecting taxes; once I have collected them all, I will lend you three hundred taels of gold." Upon hearing this, Zhuangzi told him a story: "Yesterday, as I was passing by, I heard someone calling my name. Looking around, I saw no one, but when I looked down, I found a small crucian carp in a wheel rut. The carp begged, 'Please, give me a little water; even just one liter would save my life.' I replied, 'I have no water now, but I will go to Yue and ask the King of Yue to open the waters of the Xijiang River to carry it back to the sea to save you.' The carp replied, 'By the time you bring water from such a distance, you might find me in a dried fish shop instead.'" After finishing the story, Zhuangzi left. This shows that in real circumstances, Zhuangzi was not always a detached and affluent figure; he was deeply connected to the realities of human life.
Through this small allegory, we can discover Zhuangzi's life philosophy. Although Zhuangzi spent his life wandering, by the end of his travels, he entered eternity and became part of our collective memory. His philosophical thought remains as enduring as an evergreen tree, as he once said: "The flame passes from one to another, without end."
