An Alternative, Non-Reductionist Reading of the Zhuangzi and Its Ethical Inquiry—Responding to Critics

Abstract This article responds to four commentators’ questions regarding how the Zhuangzi crosses the boundaries of the ethical/non-ethical, how Zhuangzian dao complements Confucian renyi , how the Zhuangzi contains altruistic elements, its positive attitude towards the other and relationality, and how it conceives the xing . These themes may not directly address the issue of Zhuangzian forgetting, but they are deeply implicated in the context in which the play of forgetfulness becomes possible. In pressing my understanding of Zhuangzian forgetfulness, these discussions contribute immensely to my book’s goal of offering alternative and non-reductionist readings of the Zhuangzi and its ethical inquiry.