What is Small Knowledgein Taoism? 什么是小知

Small Knowledge refers to a petty wisdom confined to distinguishing right from wrong.

This phrase originates from Zhuangzi·Qi Wu Lun: "Great knowledge is broad and unconfined; small knowledge is narrow and contentious."

What is Small Knowledgein Taoism?

Fixating on spotting others’ faults and quibbling over the distinction between right and wrong are all petty skills. Those bound by the theories of petty skills are trivial and verbose; in society, they strive to adapt and curry favor with others, constantly using their intellect to contend, which leads to endless disputes. They are plagued by petty worries, feeling anxious and uneasy; by great fears, falling into dejection and pessimism. Obsessed with right and wrong, they indulge in their own thoughts, unable to restore their original nature, and drift far from Dao. Like all things in autumn and winter, they grow old and gradually lose their vitality. Those devoted to Small Knowledge cannot comprehend the ultimate Dao of all things and human life. Cf. the entry on "Great Knowledge".