Who is Zhuang Ji 庄忌？

Zhuang Ji（庄忌）, a Taoist and litterateur of the Western Han Dynasty, was also known as Yan Ji to avoid the taboo of Liu Zhuang, Emperor Ming of Han. He was from Wu (with its administrative seat in present-day Suzhou, Jiangsu). He once served as a guest of Liu Wu, Prince Xiao of Liang, and was active mainly during the reigns of Emperors Wen and Jing of the Western Han Dynasty, contemporary with Mei Sheng and Sima Xiangru. During the reign of Emperor Jing, "when Prince Xiao of Liang came to court, he was accompanied by men of persuasive eloquence such as Zou Yang from Qi, Mei Sheng from Huaiyin, and Master Yan Ji from Wu. When Xiangru saw them, he took pleasure in their company" (Biography of Sima Xiangru in *Hanshu*).  

In thought, Yan Ji inclined toward Lao-Zhuang philosophy and proposed a philosophy of life advocating withdrawal from the world to poor and remote places, and the shedding of burdens to return to one's true nature. He held that real life was turbid, dark, and utterly worthless. First, he felt that he was born in an inopportune time: the past could not serve as a basis, and the future held no hope. Second, he felt caught in a dilemma with no way out: roads were blocked, rivers were broad without bridges, making it impossible to cross by water or soar with wings; relatives and friends had passed away, food was scarce, carts were broken, and horses were exhausted, leaving him unable to take even a step. Third, he felt that the the ways of the world were sinister, with people forming cliques to attack dissent and jealous of the virtuous and capable, making it impossible to display any intelligence or talent. In such circumstances, he fantasized about transcending worldly cares and attaining immortality. He wrote:  
"Wu Guang threw himself into the abyss, avoiding the dust and filth of the world. Who can endure destruction for long? I wish to withdraw and live in poverty. I will chisel mountain pillars to build a house and wear clothes by the water's edge. Below, I will fish in the valleys; above, I will seek immortals. I will befriend Chisongzi and pair with Wang Qiao. Let Xiaoyang (a mountain spirit) lead the way, and white tigers follow before and behind. I will float through clouds and mists into the depths, riding a white deer at ease!" (*Ai Shi Ming* / Lament for My Time)  

He hoped to associate with legendary immortals like Chisongzi, Wang Qiao, and the mountain spirit Xiaoyang. He believed that only by soaring high among the clouds could birds avoid being caught, and only by hiding in deep abysses could dragons avoid nets; similarly, only by withdrawing from the world could humans avoid calamities. He said:  
"Knowing that greedy pursuit of bait leads to death, it is better to swim in clear waves below. Better to live in seclusion to avoid disaster than to suffer invasion and humiliation!" (Ibid.)  
He asserted that social life was opposed to human nature and thus advocated transcending reality to return to one's natural, the so-called "return to true form." He wrote:  
"I disdain the chaotic dust and filth, shedding filth and burdens to return to my true form. My body is pure and my nature unadorned, my inner self bright and virtuous. When the times reject and do not employ me, I will hide and keep far from the world. I will flee and hide my tracks, silent and soundless. Alone in sorrow and distress, how can I vent my frustration? As the dim light of the times fades, I sigh in obscurity." (Ibid.)  
Shedding burdens to return to truth, hiding one's form and tracks, being silent and unknown—this was the fundamental conclusion of Yan Ji's philosophy of life guided by Lao-Zhuang thought. His work *Ai Shi Ming* is included in *Chu Ci* (Songs of the South) and compiled in Volume 19 of *Quan Han Wen* (Complete Prose of the Han Dynasty).