Who is Sun Chuo 孙绰

Affinity for Taoism
He embraced Taoism and took Taoist thought as his guide, retiring to the Eastern Hills. He stated: "From a young age, I have admired the Dao of Laozi and Zhuangzi, and have long looked up to their elegant demeanor. Then, moved by the words of the virtuous wife of Yu Ling, I suddenly realized and thus began to build a residence in the Eastern Hills—a five-acre cottage, bordered by long mounds and leaning against lush forests. How can this joy be compared to that of those who sit in splendid tents and beat bells and drums?" (cited in the annotation to A New Account of the Tales of the World·Discourses). He wrote Rhapsody on Fulfilling One’s Initial Aspirations, elaborating on Laozi’s thought of knowing when to stop and being content: "Chuo composed Fulfilling One’s Initial Aspirations to expound the way of contentment with one’s lot" (annotation to A New Account of the Tales of the World·Slight Disparagement). He once said that his understanding and practice of Laozi and Zhuangzi’s thought were unmatched by many of his contemporaries: "In terms of talents and abilities, I am unaware of being superior to other worthies; in terms of adapting to the times and encompassing the present age, I also fall short in many aspects. However, with my modest abilities, I occasionally entrust my thoughts to profound transcendence, chanting Laozi and Zhuangzi from afar, dwelling in seclusion and lofty detachment, not concerning myself with current affairs. I believe in this aspect, my heart yields to no one." (annotation to A New Account of the Tales of the World·Appraisals).

Interest in Buddhist Doctrine
He integrated Laozi’s view of "non-action yet nothing is left undone" with the fundamental ideas of Buddhism, interpreting "non-action" as Buddhism’s "emptiness and 寂然 nature" and "nothing is left undone" as Buddhism’s "divine transformation of all things," i.e., concepts like samsara (the cycle of birth and death) and karmic retribution.

Reverence for Confucianism
While maintaining the consistency between Laozi-Zhuangzi thought and Buddhist thought, he further harmonized Confucianism with Buddhism. He said: "Confucius and Zhou Gong are Buddha, and Buddha is Confucius and Zhou Gong—they are merely named differently based on external and internal perspectives. Thus, in the position of emperor, one is emperor; in the position of king, one is king. 'Buddha' is a Sanskrit term, which in Jin is translated as 'awakening.' The meaning of 'awakening' refers to understanding things, just as Mencius regarded sages as those who awaken first. Their essence is the same. Adapting to the world and setting examples is also a matter of following the times. Confucius and Zhou Gong remedied extreme abuses, while Buddhism clarifies the fundamental origin. They form a coherent whole, and their ultimate goals are not different" (Treatise on Illustrating the Dao, Collection of Propagating and Clarifying [Buddhism], Volume 3). He believed that Confucianism and Buddhism were completely consistent, even denying the contradiction between Buddhism’s abandonment of family and neglect of support (for parents) and Confucian filial piety. He argued that Buddhist monks leaving home to establish their virtue and practice the Dao constituted the most precious form of filial piety, and among the twelve Buddhist scriptures, four "are specifically dedicated to exhorting filial piety" (ibid.). He advocated unifying Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism with Buddhism at the center.