Wandering in the Ruler's Cage: Zhuangzi as a Political Philosopher

While the Zhuangzi is an object of perennial interest among scholars of classical Chinese philosophy, it is rarely taken as a major work of political thought. This article contends that Zhuangzi off ers a more coherent and powerful political message than is often thought. It is argued that he provides a compelling account of the psychological origins of political confl icts, as well as a therapeutic strategy designed to mitigate them.