knowyourself.doc

Know yourself Before my topic, I would like you to guess a riddle. What goes on four legs in the morning, on two legs at noon, and on three legs in the evening? May you have read about it already, for it s the famous Riddle of the Sphinx . In Greek mythology, the Sphinx sat outside of Thebes and asked this riddle of all travelers who passed by. If the traveler failed to solve the riddle, then the Sphinx killed him/her. If the traveler answered the riddle correctly, then the Sphinx would destroy herself. This Story told us that it is the hardest for us to know ourselves. The Ancient Greek aphorism “ Knowyourself ” wasinscribed in the forecourt of the Temple of Apollo at Delphi, and said by Socrates. I have read some philosophy about Chuang Tzu recently, and found that Chuang Tzu paid close attention to man s existence and destiny. Man is not only the starting point of Chuang Tzu s philoso but also the destination. So I just choose knowing yourself as my topic today, all of these are my Personal understanding of Chuang Tzu philosophy. Firstly, Chuang Tzu and Zhuangzi . Chuang Tzu or “ Master Zhuang ” allegedly lived during the reign of King Hui of Liang and King Xuan of Qi, in the span from 370 to 301 BCE. Chuang Tzu was, after Laozi, one of the earliest thinkers to contribute to the philosophy that has come to be known as Taoism. It said he lead a poor life during that time and made a living by fishing. Zhuangzi, the style is complex, mythical, poetic, narrative, humorous and indirect. Fables can be seen anywhere in it. Secondly, I will give an introduction to Chuang Tzus philosophy. Chuang-Tzu espoused a holistic philosophy of life, encouraging disengagement from the artificialities of socialization, and cultivation of our natural “ ancestral ” po skills, in order to live a simple and natural, but full and flourishing life. Then, I will talk about the philosophy about man. According to his philosophy, the greatest misfortune in one s life is oneself, and if one doesnt know himself, he will just like entering Platos cave. It is very difficult to know yourself. In fact, it takes a lifetime for most people. Knowing yourself means accepting yourself and not worrying excessively about what other people think. Know yourself and be yourself! This is the key to a happier life. Next, let us enjoy a story, the butterfly s dream. “ Once upon a time, I, Chuang Cho dreamt that I was a butterfly, fluttering hither and thither, to all intents and purposes a butterfly, I was conscious only of my happiness as a butterfly, unaware that I was Chou. Soon I awaked, and there I was, veritably myself again. Now I do not know whether I was then a man dreaming that I was a butterfly, or whether I am now a butterfly, dreaming that I am a man. Between a man and a butterfly, there is necessarily a distinction. The transition is called thetransformation of material things ”. This interesting story also proves that it is very cduiflfti to know yourself, but whether you think you are a high mountain or a small stone, you represent a state of nature .If you earnestly admire yourself you llhave a real sense of self-appreciation, which will give you confidence. As soon as you gain full confidence in yourself you ll be enabled to fight and overcome any adversity. Last but not the least, knowing yourself requires doing oneself a favor when it s needed. In time of anger, do yourself a favor by giving vent to it in a quiet place so that you wont be hurt; in time of sadness, do yourself a favor by sharing it with your friends so as to change a gloomy mood into a cheerful one; in time of tiredness, do yourself a favor by getting a good sleep or taking some tonic. Show yourself loving concern about your health and daily life. Unless you know how to do yourself a favor, you can resist the attack of life.