History of Philosophy: India, Africana, China

HPC 46. Turning the Tables: Confucius in the Zhuangzi

Feb 1, 2026
A deep dive into surprising portraits of Confucius in the Zhuangzi. They explore a cannibalistic confrontation that undercuts authority and a critique that Confucian order can be pathological. Scenes show Confucius urging 'fasting the heart-mind' and facing limits of mourning and ritual. Stories of embodied skill and disabled figures highlight alternatives to fixed moral formulas.
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ANECDOTE

Cannibal Confrontation Upsets Confucius

  • Robert Tzu threatens to eat Confucius' liver and insults him by using his personal name, upending Confucian authority.
  • The encounter ends with Confucius shaken and portrayed as outwitted rather than exemplary.
INSIGHT

Confucius Advocates Fasting The Heart‑Mind

  • In one passage Confucius (Zongni) counsels Yan Hui to abandon proselytizing and to 'fast the heart-mind' instead of imposing values.
  • The Shuangzi contrasts this vacuous openness with Mengzi's and Shunzi's cultivation-focused Confucianism.
ANECDOTE

Cicada Catcher Teaches What Confucius Cannot

  • Confucius watches a hunchbacked cicada catcher and fails to grasp the practical, embodied skill behind his success.
  • He then lectures his followers, revealing his inability to learn from humble, non‑verbal mastery.
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