In the long river of history, there is a wise man shining like a bright star. He is Zhuangzi. Zhuangzi lived in a turbulent era. Poverty was always with him. Sometimes he even had to rely on borrowing rice to make ends meet. However, he could maintain an optimistic and open-minded attitude in such a predicament. In "Zhuangzi·Autumn Waters", he wrote down his debate with Huizi about "the joy of fish", showing his unique perception of life and pursuit of spiritual freedom. Facing material scarcity, Zhuangzi did not fall into depression and complaint. Instead, he viewed the world with a transcendent state of mind. He believed that people should get rid of the bondage of matter and pursue spiritual freedom and happiness. In his view, predicament is only an external appearance, and inner freedom and happiness are the real wealth.

Zhuangzi's life was extremely difficult. He lived in a simple thatched cottage. His home was often extremely poor. He had no gorgeous clothes and no sumptuous food. Even in the most difficult times, he even had problems with basic food and clothing. But he never complained about himself because of this, nor did he bow to the predicament. Zhuangzi understood that material scarcity is only temporary, while inner abundance is eternal.

Once, there was no rice left in Zhuangzi's home, and he had to borrow rice from his neighbor. The neighbor saw Zhuangzi's predicament and felt a little unbearable in his heart. So he lent him some rice. Zhuangzi gratefully took the rice, but there was not the slightest shame in his heart. He knew that the predicament of life cannot determine a person's value. What is really important is inner perseverance and pursuit.

In such a poor life, Zhuangzi did not give up the pursuit of truth and spiritual freedom. He often walked alone among the mountains and waters, observing all things in nature and thinking about the meaning of life. When he saw fish swimming freely in the water, a longing for freedom welled up in his heart. So, in "Zhuangzi·Autumn Waters", he wrote down his debate with Huizi about "the joy of fish".

On that day, Zhuangzi and Huizi came to the bridge over the Hao River together. Zhuangzi looked at the fish swimming cheerfully in the water under the bridge and couldn't help sighing: "The minnows swim freely. This is the joy of fish." Huizi retorted: "You are not a fish. How do you know the joy of fish?" Zhuangzi replied with a smile: "You are not me. How do you know that I don't know the joy of fish?" Huizi said again: "I am not you. Certainly I don't know you. You are certainly not a fish. Your not knowing the joy of fish is complete." Zhuangzi said unhurriedly: "Let's follow the original. When you said 'How do you know the joy of fish?', you already knew that I knew it and then asked me. I know it on the bridge over the Hao River."

This debate seems to be only an argument about whether fish are happy or not. In fact, it shows Zhuangzi's unique perception of life and pursuit of spiritual freedom. Zhuangzi believes that people and all things are connected. As long as one feels with one's heart, one can experience the happiness of all things in nature. He doesn't care about others' doubts and opposition and sticks to his own point of view. Because he believes that true happiness comes from inner perception, not external recognition.

Facing material scarcity, Zhuangzi did not fall into depression and complaint. Instead, he viewed the world with a transcendent state of mind. He understood that the pursuit of material is endless, and people's desires are also infinite. If one blindly pursues material wealth, one will only fall into endless pain and trouble. Therefore, he advocated that people should get rid of the bondage of matter and pursue spiritual freedom and happiness.

In Zhuangzi's view, predicament is only an external appearance, and inner freedom and happiness are the real wealth. He explained this concept with his own actions. Although his life was poor, he could still maintain an optimistic attitude and enjoy the beauty of life. He gathered with friends and talked about the philosophy of life. He thought alone and explored the mysteries of the universe. His heart was full of freedom and happiness. This kind of happiness does not come from material enjoyment but from the love of life and the pursuit of truth.

Zhuangzi's thoughts have influenced countless people in later generations. His optimistic, open-minded, and transcendent spirit has become the driving force for people to move forward in predicaments. In modern society, people are often troubled by material desires and are busy running around in pursuit of wealth and status. However, when we lose ourselves in the pursuit of material, we might as well stop and think about Zhuangzi's teachings. We should learn to get rid of the bondage of matter, pay attention to inner needs, and pursue true freedom and happiness.

Zhuangzi's story tells us that the predicament in life is not terrible. As long as we have an optimistic and open-minded heart, we can find hope and strength in the predicament. No matter how difficult life is, we should stick to our beliefs and pursue inner freedom and happiness. Because the real wealth is not the accumulation of material, but the abundance of the heart.