We all like debate. Zhuang Zi said “Let’s debate,” Can you be regarded a winner if you win or if I win? Then, who is reasonable in debate? It should be evaluated by others. If they think you are reasonable, It means they hold the same opinion with yours. Your opinion is not original. It is the same with mine. So debate and argument is not necessary. Anybody has his own opinion. and views the things from his own perspective. We should be equal. This is the first idea of Zhuang Zi: the equality to things. Now let’s move to the next one. The quality of right and wrong. Is there a criterion of right and wrong? Zhuang Zi thought if you view others from your perspective, you cannot see them. A man views you from his perspective, he can only know himself. but cannot see you. So the criterion of making a judgment from your own perspective is not justified. So first of all, we should know Zhuang Zi does not think there is not a criterion, but we should not judge whether others’ point of view is right or wrong from your perspective You see, nowadays we begin our talk like this: It is a nice day today. Isn’t it from your perspective? The right way is “ I think it is a nice day today.” You should not deprive others’ right to say “it is a bad day today. What Zhuang Zi opposes is dogmatism. Whether it right or wrong? Different people may have different views from different perspectives. If a man thinks that the world is changing fast, the criterion of right and wrong is also constantly changing. it is stated On Equality of Things, This is right from one perspective. That is wrong from another perspective. So we should view things from a higher prospective. You may fell confused. What is the kernel idea of the quality of right and wrong? That is tolerant. Even though I do not agree with you, I should agree that you have the right to express yourself. Being tolerant. Tolerance entitles you the right to live a life in a humors way. What is humor? Being humors not only needs keen response but also broad mind. If you are tolerant, you will really have a humorous mind. Here, I’d like to recommend a person and his article. He is one of the two talents in aesthetics in Peking University: Professor Zong Baihua His article is entitled On Two Attitudes Toward Life Mr. Zong Baihua thinks there are two attitudes toward life. One is tragic life attitude. I think the world is imperfect. I think there are conflicts in the world. I will settle the conflict even though I sacrifice my life, I will not be regretful. What is tragedy? Tragedy is to tear the valuable things for others to look, but find more valuable things in the destruction. I will settle the conflict, and sacrifice my life for it. This is a tragic life attitude. Mr. Zong thinks that there is another attitude toward life which seems wiser. This is humor. What is a humorous life attitude? I see the world is imperfect, but I can find its significance and value in the imperfect world. Children are naive, innocent and selfish. We should adopt the attitude of children to treat the world. We think children are naïve and innocent, and sometimes we think they are funny. Is it right or wrong? Selfishness is certainly not right, but it is funny if a child is naïve, innocent and selfish. If we use this kind of mind to treat the world, In this kind of tolerant attitude we will find more beneficial and more valuable things in this world. As to the quality of right and wrong, There is another famous story. Yes, it is You Are Not Fish in Autumn Floods. Once Zhuang Zi and Hui Zi went for a walk along a ditch. Zhuang Zi saw fish swimming about happily. So he said poetically, Swimming about is the happiness of the fish. Hui Zi is a figure of the School of Logicians Hui Zi asked Zhuang Zi: You were not fish, how do you know it is happy? Zhuang Zi said: “You are not me, how do you know I don’t know the fish is happy?” Hui Zi said “Stop, you said the fish is happy’ first.” How do you know that? Logically speaking, He is right. We have no way to know others’ spiritual world. Let alone know a fish’s. Then how do you know that the fish is happy? Maybe it is chased by other fish. Zhuang Zi could not refute Hui Zi, as logically, Hui Zi’s opinion is irrefutable. So Zhuang Zi adopted his so called wisdom, which is called sophistry today. We all know that the word “an” in classic Chinese has two meanings: One is how and the other is where. Thus Zhuang Zi said: You ask me where I could know that the fish was happy. I stand by the waterside, so I know. Logically, Hui Zi is the winner of the debate, But from the perspective of Tao, Zhuang Zi is the winner. Why? We should view the world not only from the logic and scientific perspective but in many cases from the perspective of aesthetics and Tao as well. If we view the world like Hui Zi querying everything, We will find that many beautiful things and many nice poems both in China and abroad, become a kind of nonsense. For example, Li Bai once said, In my view, I love the Jing Ting Mountain, and it loves me. If you say “How can the mountain love you? Are you kidding?” the state of beauty is ruined. Our life should not only possess reality, but also beauty and poetry. Now let me give you another example, There was one girl who was moved lover to change her name into Liu Rushi Is it the same? You see the green mountain is charming, but how can it sees that you are charming. If we look at the world in a poetic way, we can find that the world is full of vigor and fun. If we are happy. and if we project our emotion on the nature, on the fish, they will be also happy. If we view the world with tolerant mind and perspective of the equality of right and wrong, We can feel that life is not only drifting along, not only logic, but poetic and future. Ok, that’s for today. Next time I’ll go on talking about the thought of Zhuang Zi.