"The true man of Tao lives as a fish lives in water: he is at home in it, but he does not know it. The true man of Tao lives as a bird lives in the air: he is at home in it, but he does not know it."

"When you are born, you are soft and weak; when you die, you are hard and stiff. When plants are alive, they are soft and tender; when they are dead, they are dry and brittle. Therefore, the soft and w…"

"I dreamed I was a butterfly, fluttering hither and thither, to all intents and purposes a butterfly. I was conscious only of my happiness as a butterfly, unaware that I was myself. Soon I awoke, and t…"

"I dreamed I was a butterfly, flitting around in the sky; then I awoke. Now I wonder: Am I a man who dreamt of being a butterfly, or am I a butterfly dreaming that I am a man?"

"The true man of Tao is like a child: he knows nothing, but he is full of wisdom."