Zhuangzi (book)

High school (ages 12+)
Art & Creativity

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/zhuangzi-book

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. Who wrote Zhuangzi (book)?Zhuang Zhou (Zhuangzi), with later additions likely by followers
2. What is the historical context?Warring States period, ancient China (c. 475–221 BCE)
3. What is the philosophical affiliation?A foundational text of Daoism (Taoism)
4. What is the Zhuangzi book about?It is a collection of funny stories and big ideas that use talking animals, flying dreams, and jokes to ask questions about reality and freedom.
5. Why does the Zhuangzi talk about a butterfly?The Butterfly Dream shows that it can be hard to know what is real or who we are, and it helps us think about how our senses and thoughts can change.

Dao (Tao): The fundamental, ineffable principle of the universe, the natural order and source of all things.
Wu Wei: Effortless action; acting in accordance with the natural flow of the Dao, without force or striving.
Epistemology: The branch of philosophy concerned with the theory of knowledge, especially its methods, validity, and scope.