The mountain tree plunders itself. The candle fat scorches itself. The cinnamon tree is edible, and thus it gets chopped down. The lacquer tree is us… - Zhuang Zhou

" "

The mountain tree plunders itself. The candle fat scorches itself. The cinnamon tree is edible, and thus it gets chopped down. The lacquer tree is useful, and thus it is cut down. Everyone knows how useful usefulness is, but no one seems to know how useful uselessness is.

English
Collect this quote

About Zhuang Zhou

莊子 Zhūangzi (c. 369 BC – c. 286 BC), literally Master Zhuang, was a Chinese philosopher, who is supposed to have lived during the Warring States Period, corresponding to the Hundred Schools of Thought. His name is also transliterated as Zhuang Zi, Zhuang Zhou, Chuang Tzu, Chuang Tse. Chuang was his surname and Tse indicates master; so he would be referred to as Master Chuang. You will also see his name given as "Chuang Chou" or "Zhuang Zhu", this was his proper name, first and last, not an alternate spelling of "Chuang Tzu" or "Zhuangzi".

Biography information from Wikiquote

Also Known As

Native Name: 莊子 庄子
Alternative Names: Zhuang Zi Chuang Tzŭ Chuang Tzu Chuangtzŭ Chuangtzu Chuang Chou Master Zhuang Tchouang-tse Chuang-tzu Chuang-tse Zhuangzi Zhuang zi

Share this quote as an image

Customize card

Works in ChatGPT, Claude, or Any AI

Add semantic quote search to your AI assistant via MCP. One command setup.

Related quotes. More quotes will automatically load as you scroll down, or you can use the load more buttons.

Shorter versions of this quote

Everyone knows how useful usefulness is, but no one seems to know how useful uselessness is.

Everyone knows how useful usefulness is, but no one (4:20) seems to know how useful uselessness is.

Additional quotes by Zhuang Zhou

When I speak of good hearing, I do not mean listening to others; I mean simply listening to yourself. When I speak of good eyesight, I do not mean looking at others; I mean simply looking at yourself. He who does not look at himself but looks at others, who does not get hold of himself but gets hold of others, is getting what other men have got and failing to get what he himself has got. He finds joy in what brings joy to other men, but finds no joy in what would bring joy to himself.

PREMIUM FEATURE

Advanced Search Filters

Filter search results by source, date, and more with our premium search tools.

And how do I know that the hate of death is not like a man who has lost his home when young and does not know where his home is to return to?

Loading...