The Book of Lieh Tzu, often referred to as the Liezi is a Taoist text attributed to Lie Yukou (Lieh Tzu), a 5th century BC Hundred School of Thought philosopher during the Warring States Period of China.
Although there were references to Lieh Tzu from the 3rd and 2nd centuries BC, a number of Chinese and Western scholars believe that the content of the current text was compiled around the 4th century CE by Zhang Zhan.
References used in both this Commentary and my own “My travels with Lieh Tzu”, are from The Book of Lieh Tzu, A Classic of Tao that is translated by A.C. Graham, notes from Taoist Teachings by Lionel Giles, plus multiple other sources that are used to tell the complete story.
The earliest references to the Liezi book date back to the Han Dynasty. Editor Liu Xiang removed repeated passages and organized it into eight chapters. According to the Book of Han’s bibliography, it contains these eight chapters and notes that since the work attributed to Chuang Tzu quotes Liezi, a/k/a Lieh Tzu, he must have lived before Chuang Tzu. Lie Yukou lived around 400 BCE and is considered the author of the Taoist book Liezi, which uses his honorific name Liezi (列子; Lieh Tzu; literally: “Master Lieh”). Lie Yukou was born in the State of Zheng, near today’s Zhengzhou, Henan Province.
There’s a three-century gap in the historical record before the next mention of the Liezi appears, in a Jin dynasty commentary by Zhang Zhan in 370 CE. In his preface, Zhang says his copy of the Liezi was passed down from his grandfather. All existing versions of the text come from Zhang’s edition, which was divided into the eight chapters we have today as a collection of stories and philosophical musings of a sage of the same name who lived around the fourth century BCE.
Lieh Tzu’s teachings range from the origin and purpose of life, the Taoist view of reality, and the nature of enlightenment to the training of the body and mind, communication, and the importance of personal freedom.
During Emperor Xuanzong of Tang’s reign, the Liezi was recognized as a Taoist classic, completing the trilogy alongside the Tao Te Ching and Chuang Tzu. In China, it was given the honorary title “True Classic of Simplicity and Vacuity”, meaning the Classic of Perfect Emptiness.
This “Simplicity and Vacuity” is Wing-tsit Chan’s translation; that literally meant to “soar/young/simple empty/skies/modest” usually means “to soar aloft, rise high; carefree, unburdened with ambition”. Over time this led to references to him as a sage, or dragon who could ride on the wind. During the later reign of Emperor Zhenzong of Song, the Liezi was further honored as the “True Classic of Simplicity and Vacuity and Perfect Virtue”.
My travels with Lieh Tzu / Interpolations along the Way
Chapter Eight – Explaining Conjunctions
145. Hounded forever by flying Pigeons
Have things changed all that much? Confucius tells us of his great friend Niu Chueh from the highlands of Wu. Going down to Hen Ten, he met with robbers at Ou‑Sha. They took all that he had, clothes and equipment, a carriage and horses. After they left Niu Chueh set off on foot appearing to be quite content showing no sign of anxiety or regret. Puzzled, the robbers ran after him and asked him why.
Niu Chueh responded:
“How could I be concerned about possessions which merely serve as a means to support one’s life. Why would I risk my life for mere possessions?”
After leaving Niu Chueh alone at the roadside the bandits questioned their own wisdom and the obvious wisdom of this man who they had just robbed of everything he owned. They then became concerned about what such a wise man might say to others and agreed that if such a mark or target, whom they often referred to as a flying pigeon, went to see the Lord of Chao and asked him to do something about them, he would certainly get them into trouble.
Their leader continued: “We will forever be on the run. We had better kill him.” So, the bandits ran back after him and killed him.
The story soon spread of the fate of the well‑respected man, who had been known as Niu Chueh. Clansmen of the area came together and questioned what they should do and agreed that if anyone met with these robbers, they should not end up like this Niu Chueh from the highlands of Wu. 
Soon afterward, just as could have been expected, one of the men of the clan encountered the robbers on the road to Chin. Remembering what his clansmen had agreed to, he put up a struggle against the robbers. After losing most of the men in his party and his possessions he ran after the robbers and upon catching up with them begged for the return of his property.
The robbers angrily replied:
“We recently encountered a Confucian fellow from Wu who we stole from, and he simply went merrily on his way. We had to kill him because of what he might say to others. Now here you are, we spare your life, and you come running after us. You truly are a flying pigeon. If we let you go everyone will know what direction, we took.”
They concluded by saying that once a robber what room has a man for kindness. What choice do we have but to kill you as well? So, they did and concluded: When will these flying pigeons ever stop? Are they to haunt us forever?” One of their group confessed that perhaps if they themselves did not want to be here today and gone tomorrow, they should keep from being hounded by these flying pigeons and all find another profession. Reluctantly, they all agreed. Niu Chueh’s death would not be in vain. 8/20/95
Number one hundred forty-five of one hundred fifty-eight entries.
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