It's better to forget each other when spring is over and fish is on land. It's better to forget it than to be arrogant.
This sentence has been passed down to this day because the idiom "caring for each other" refers to the feelings of husband and wife and can also be used for friends. Metaphor is to help each other with meager strength in difficult situations. And "forget each other in rivers and lakes" is more natural and unrestrained than caring for each other, so it is often used to express that lovers or couples forget their past lives with a brand-new attitude and devote themselves to a broader and free emotional life after breaking up.
This is no problem. Because today, there must be many different extensions and interpretations of ancient Chinese prose. No one stipulates that the quotation of ancient prose or poetry must be used according to the original intention. Even experts can only conduct textual research based on various materials. Even if there is an official explanation, it will not affect people's flexible use in life. This is the law of language development.
So what is the original intention of this sentence? I would like to express my personal understanding here, because there are countless talented scholars who have interpreted the wonderful book Zhuangzi for thousands of years, so the explanation here only represents the original intention and personal views of the text.
"When the spring water dries up, the fish will run aground on the land, get wet and vomit. It is better to forget about the rivers and lakes and be at ease. It is better to be embarrassed than to be jealous. It is better to forget the grievances and be one with the avenue. "
Zhuangzi's writing habits are jumping. Apart from those fables, the language of reasoning is sometimes a little mysterious. In fact, Li Bai, the great poet of later generations, learned his poetic methods from Zhuangzi. However, poetic language is too much for everyone, and Zhuangzi's writing is sometimes a little laborious.
The controversial understanding of this sentence is the word "rivers and lakes forget each other" Why is it "forgetting each other like rivers and lakes"? Of course, people think that fish living in dry mud might as well spit on each other in rivers, lakes and seas and live happily.
Is it really that simple? Of course not. Looking at the last two sentences, instead of praising Yao's sacredness and criticizing Jie's tyranny, it is better to judge them with a normal attitude, forget them all and melt them into Tao. Isn't this right and wrong? Why does Zhuangzi think so?
At this time, we might as well look at the following sentence:
My husband took my figure, worked for me to make a living, married me to death. Therefore, those who live well will die well.
"The earth carries my body, torturing me with survival, relaxing me with aging and comforting me with death. Therefore, those who regard my existence as a good thing can also regard my death as a good thing. "
Therefore, in Zhuangzi's view, Yao's wisdom and Jie's tyranny are the pros and cons of Tao in the world. We don't need too much attention. Their body, morality and evil will eventually return to the road and reach a natural balance. So from the perspective of the avenue, there is no difference between "caring for each other" and "swimming in the lake and the sea". There is no difference between dying of thirst in the eyes of a dry spring and dying of old age in the sea.
In this case, "forgetting the rivers and lakes" tastes like eating, drinking and having fun.
In fact, the rivers and lakes in "rivers and lakes forget each other" are used to compare "Tao". Those who seek Tao should forget the existence of rivers and lakes like fish in rivers and lakes. We must forget the existence of "Tao" in order to truly get the Tao.
In fact, when it comes to this sentence, there is a story in The Grand Master. Zhuangzi further clarified this point with the help of the dialogue between Confucius and Zigong, but many people didn't notice it:
Zi Gong said, "Dare to ask its side." Confucius said, "Fish makes water and man-made roads. Those who make water together are fed through the pool; People who create Tao are born with nothing. Therefore, fish forget rivers and lakes, and people forget Taoism. "
Zi Gong asked, "How can I pursue the avenue?" Confucius said:' Fish must seek water, and many people seek Tao. If you want water, dig the ground into a pool and you will have sufficient supplies; Those who strive for Tao are indifferent and at ease. So rivers and lakes forget fish, while Taoists forget people. " "
Although Confucius said it, it was of course the attitude of the author Zhuangzi.