Zuowang
Taoism
Zhuangzi (c. 4th century BCE)
Zhuangzi, Inner Chapters, Chapter 6 ("The Great Master") (c. 4th-3rd century BCE)
Zuowang, literally "sitting and forgetting," is among the oldest recorded meditation practices in China, appearing in the Inner Chapters of the Zhuangzi. In a famous dialogue, Confucius's disciple Yan Hui describes how he "lets the body and limbs fall away, dismisses perception and intellect, separates from form, puts aside knowledge, and becomes one with the Great Pervasion."
The Zhuangzi is one of the two foundational texts of classical Taoism. Its Inner Chapters are attributed to Zhuangzi himself (c. 369-286 BCE). Zuowang influenced later Chinese Buddhist and Neo-Confucian meditative traditions.
Tips
- Zuowang can feel like nothing is happening. This is not a problem. The practice works through the absence of striving. - If you find yourself trying to let go, notice that impulse and release it too. The grasping mind is exactly what the practice addresses. - The Zhuangzi explicitly warns against seeking results from the practice.