Overview
The translated histories identify Zhuang Zhou as a hermit, named individual, official, and philosopher. This record brings together 15 passages from 10 chapters across 7 histories, with names, dates, relationships, offices, and events preserved as source-backed claims.
Names
| Type | English | Chinese | Pinyin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal | Zhuang Zhou | 莊周 | Zhuang Zhou |
| Alternate | Master Zhuang | 莊氏 | Zhuāng shì |
| Given | Zhou | 周 | Zhou |
| Given | Zhou | 周 | |
| Surname | Zhuang | 莊 | |
| Alternate | Zhuang Sheng | 莊生 | |
| Personal name | Zhuang Zhou | 周 | |
| Personal name | Zhuang Zhou | 莊周 | Zhuāng Zhōu |
| Personal name | Zhuang Zhou | 莊周 | Zhuang Zhou |
| Personal | Zhuangzi | 莊子 | Zhuangzi |
| Personal | Zhuangzi | 莊子 | Zhuāngzǐ |
| Personal | Zhuangzi | 莊子 | |
| Personal | Zhuangzi | 莊周 | Zhuang Zhou |
| Alternate | 莊 |
Identity
- Historicity
- Uncertain
- Identification
- Named
- Sex
- Male
- Sex: male
- Sex: male
- Value: maleStrongly inferred · shiji:074:s0086
Roles
- Hermit
- Named Individual
- Official
- Philosopher
- Scholar
- Writer
Life and dates
Attested activity
- Qualitative: legendary antiquityExplicit · songshu:062:s0120, yuanshi:171:s0036
- Source Date: Text: BC 369-286 · Western Interval: Start: BC 369 · End: BC 286Strongly inferred · houhanshu:032:s0166
- Source Date: Text: 楚威王聞莊周賢 · Western Interval: Start: BC 339 · End: BC 329Explicit · shiji:063:s0038
- Source Date: Text: 清塵 · Western Year: c. BC 286Explicit event contextual date · liangshu:014:s0269
- Source Date: Text: 與梁惠王、齊宣王同時 · Western Interval: Start: BC 369 · End: BC 301Explicit · shiji:063:s0031
- Western Interval: Start: BC 369 · End: BC 286 · Source Date: Text: 荀卿嫉濁世之政，亡國亂君相屬，不遂大道而營於巫祝，信禨祥，鄙儒小拘，如莊周等又猾Strongly inferred · shiji:074:s0086
- Source Date: Text: 莊周 · Western Interval: Start: BC 369 · End: BC 286Explicit · liangshu:052:s0074
- Source Date: Text: 莊周 · Western Interval: Start: BC 369 · End: BC 286Strongly inferred · xinwudaishi:034:s0032
- Source Date: Text: 莊子曰 · Western Interval: Start: BC 369 · End: BC 286Explicit · shiji:127:s0071
Career and standing
- Label: lacquer garden official of Meng / 蒙漆園吏 · Action: heldExplicit · shiji:063:s0031
- Status: never-took-office · Negated: false · Label: lifelong not serving / 終身不仕Explicit · shiji:063:s0045
Places and affiliations
- Place: Meng / 蒙Explicit · shiji:063:s0030
Learning and skills
- Belief: Laozi's teachings / 老子之言 · Relation: adherent-ofExplicit · shiji:063:s0032
Works and attributed material
- Work: Cutting Open Boxes / 胠篋 · Relation: authorExplicit · shiji:063:s0034
- Work: Robber Zhi / 盜跖 · Relation: authorExplicit · shiji:063:s0034
- Work: The Fisherman / 漁父 · Relation: authorExplicit · shiji:063:s0034
- Work: writings over 100,000 words / 著書十餘萬言 · Relation: authorExplicit · shiji:063:s0033
- Work: Zhuangzi teachings / 莊周之說 · Relation: authorStrongly inferred · xinwudaishi:034:s0032
- Kind: quotation · Role: attributed-author · Provenance: Mode: quotation · Speaker Person Id: Sima Jizhu (司馬季主) · Source Person Id: Zhuang Zhou (莊周)Explicit · shiji:127:s0071
- Kind: speech · Role: speaker
Events and relationships
- Kind: political · Role: invitee · Action: refused-chancellorship · Other Person Id: King Wei of Chu (楚威王)
- Relation: contemporary-of · Person Id: King Xuan of Qi (齊宣王)Explicit · shiji:063:s0031
- Relation: contemporary-of · Person Id: King Hui of Liang (梁惠王)Explicit · shiji:063:s0031
Assessments and attributes
- Assessment: spread discussions of Way and virtue yet returned to naturalness · Provenance: Mode: historian-judgment · Speaker Person Id: Sima Qian (太史公)Explicit · shiji:063:s0143
- Assessment: with slippery facetiousness disordered custom · Provenance: Mode: historian-judgment · Speaker Person Id: Sima Qian (太史公)Explicit · shiji:074:s0086
References in the histories
Open any source group to read the Chinese and English passage in context.