Class requirement 10

Chuang Tzu’s parable of “When Life was Full There was No History” is a thought provoking story. Imagine a world where no one cared about possessions, talent, fortune and fame. Imagine a state where the rulers are neither corrupt nor social activists. Imagine a world where the extraordinary exists but never acknowledged. Imagine a world where the existence of man is merely an existence and not a race to beat each other. Imagine a world where men are not steered by moral conduct or misconduct. It is where the existence of man is reared by the flow of nature. It is where man does not recognize the great and the least. It is where men are equals. It is a world where man does good and yet not know it. It is a world of peace among men with no trace of past conflicts. It is a tranquil world that does not know peace at all for they have not known war. It is a perfect world that does not recognize its perfection for it never knew imperfection. It is the world overruled not by man but the Tao itself.

The message of the parable is an ideal of Taoism. It presents two sides. First is the story itself. Its totality speaks of what it is to live in a world of harmony. The absence of naming gave no reason for man to think ill or great towards his fellow. There was no reason for man to strive for excellence for they do not know excellence itself. The government does not need to administer laws for crime and punishment. It is because there is no concept of justice due to the absence of injustice. In this world, the rulers are simply at the position without the need to impose his will upon his subjects. The sage does only but let the people be and the people lives in accord with all else. The story is a utopia for the Tao. The second side of the story is the untold. It is the story of the real world. The reality that is completely detached to the Taoist ideal. Sadly, it is where all of us belong. The current ruling of every state and nation sees to make things in order. And what needs to be organized? It’s all the things that man had created themselves. Looking closely, why is it that there is need for justice? Why is there a need peace? Why is there a need for moral standards? The ultimate reason lies in the hands of man. Justice exists for man had created injustice towards his fellowman. There is a cry for peace for men started conflict towards each other. There is a need for moral standards because man has set bars and restrictions and norms. It is ironic that the real world is the very cage of mankind. It is the cage plagued by disorder that man itself had made.

Within one short parable, we have seen the vast difference between Taoism and Confucianism. The Confucian perspective strives to reconcile men in this world. Confucians sought to achieve social harmony by placing people into their proper places like intricate moves in a chess board. Taoism strongly contradicts this belief. The Confucian sage is seen the learned man that is wise enough to govern as he sees fit. However, the Taoist sage is a man that is wise enough to let the people live as the way they see fit. Basing on the parable, the world in harmony is not one that can be held by man no matter how wise he is. To achieve genuine social harmony is to let the nature work its magic. It’s like letting the river flow as it should. Man must not interfere with the flow of the river just to trap more fishes. This is when disharmony arises. The selfishness of man starts it all. The Tao sees harmony when man does not interfere because even though man is part of nature, Tao is not focused on man.

In conclusion, “When Life was Full, There was no History” is a parable that tells us that the problem is only created by the actions of man. Men are too engrossed to the weight and allure of the physical world. The achievement of social harmony is looking away from the allure of the physical world. Man must let go of the world. And eventually, he must let go of himself and submit to nature. The ‘full’ here refers the state of harmony. And history no longer exists because man does not acknowledge the extraordinary anymore. How did history exist in the first place? It was when man acknowledged what is great and what is not. It was when man decided what is worth to be remembered what is not. In achieving social harmony, it’s not important anymore. When social harmony is achieved, man becomes one with nature. He moves through it. He moves by it. He never questions it. He simply abides to nature. Man abides to the Tao.