Zhuangzi Chapter 16 Outer Chapter. Cultivating One’s Nature 缮性

The Chapter is an excerpt from Zhuangzi's Zhuangzi, specifically Chapter 16, "Cultivating One's Nature." It explores the decline of virtue and the Dao (the Way) in society, contrasting the harmonious existence of ancient sages with the confusion and artificiality of later times. The text emphasizes returning to one's natural state, finding joy in simplicity, and rejecting the pursuit of worldly success as a path to true fulfillment. It argues that true virtue and the Dao are not achieved through external means but by inner cultivation and alignment with the natural order. The author uses historical examples to illustrate the gradual erosion of natural harmony and the importance of self-cultivation.