Two Interpretation Orientations of the Debate on the Small and the Big in Zhuangzi and their Effective Ranges

Abstract: The debate on the small and the big is an important topic of " Wandering in Absolute Freedom” (" 逍遥游”) in the Book of Zhuangzi. The interpretation of it has formed two basic orientations: one is that the big is more important than the small and the other is that the small and the big are equal on the road to freedom. Modern researchers regard this as the manifestation of conflicts, and the solution is often to choose one of them. However, this solution has made the fallacy of misplaced concreteness. A reasonable solution is to determine the respective effective boundaries of the two orientations. As far as our research is concerned, the rationality of the former interpretation orientation is only effective when it points to the mind, that is, the horizon and pattern of existentialism while the latter interpretation orientation is meaningful only within the scope of nature. Although the nature of each thing is qualitatively different, it can reach its own destiny in its own way respectively and it is equal to every being, whether it is the big one or the small one.Therefore, the essence of the second interpretation orientation is to fully realize one’s own nature and move toward freedom. This must be based on the expansion of the existential horizon. The former interpretation orientation is directed to maximizing the expansion of the existential field of view.The two interpretation orientations constitute two different stages of the subject’s course towards freedom—from expanding the existential horizon to realizing all beings’ own nature respectively.When everything works according to its own nature, this is what Zhuangzi calls " tiandizhizheng”(天地之正).