Xiaoyao Tour is the masterpiece of Zhuang Zhou, a philosopher and writer in the Warring States Period. It is listed as the first chapter of Zhuangzi, a Taoist classic, and it can be regarded as the masterpiece of Zhuangzi both ideologically and artistically.
Extended data:
First, the creative background
Zhuangzi was brilliant, intelligent and diligent, and "learned everything". He is not born useless. However, "but now the world is in chaos. Although there is prayer, it is impossible." On the one hand, the corrupt society that "those who steal hooks will be punished and those who steal countries will be punished" makes him disdain to associate with them; On the other hand, the reality of "princes can't do it" makes him unable to show his ambition.
Since the world is so filthy and he can't talk to Zhuang, his soul seeking freedom has to soar in the fantasy world and seek liberation in the realm of absolute freedom. It is in this situation that he wrote the song "Happy Travel", which is the pursuit of suppressing the soul.
Second, the artistic features
The conception of "Happy Travel" adopts the writing technique of visual literary thinking, and uses a lot of simple fables, myths and dialogues, with rich and colorful styles. Imagination gallops like a fine horse in the universe, absorbing interesting themes related to the central idea of expression, and vividly propagating the author's thoughts of despising high officials and being generous, clinging to the emperor's kindness and generosity, denying reality, and pursuing absolute freedom without self, reactive power and namelessness.
It profoundly exposed the hypocrisy of the rulers to win over talents with meritorious service, which had a positive impact on the development of prose in later generations. In Happy Wandering, full of vitality and reverie, the author's artistic style attracted a large number of readers, making the work a famous masterpiece in ancient Chinese fable theory.
Baidu Encyclopedia-Happy Journey