Th e writer’s attitude toward butchering meat is best described as one of
Acaution
Bindiff erence
Cpragmatism
Davidity
Eaversion
Passage 6. Zhuangzi
His cook was cutting up an ox for the ruler Wen Hui. Whenever he applied his
hand, leaned forward with his shoulder, planted his foot, and employed the pressure
of his knee, in the audible ripping off of the skin, and slicing operation of the
knife, the sounds were all in regular cadence. Movements and sounds proceeded as
in the dance of “the Mulberry Forest” and the blended notes of “the King Shou.”
Th e ruler said, “Ah! Admirable! Th at your art should have become so perfect!”
(Having fi nished his operation), the cook laid down his knife, and replied
to the remark, “What your servant loves is the method of the Dao, something
in advance of any art. When I fi rst began to cut up an ox, I saw nothing but the
(entire) carcass. After three years I ceased to see it as a whole. Now I deal with it
in a spirit-like manner, and do not look at it with my eyes. Th e use of my senses
is discarded, and my spirit acts as it wills. Observing the natural lines, (my knife)
slips through the great crevices and slides through the great cavities, taking advantage
of the facilities thus presented. My art avoids the ligaments and tendons, and
much more the great bones. A good cook changes his knife every year; (it may have
been injured) in cutting—an ordinary cook changes his every month—(it may
have been) broken. Now my knife has been in use for nineteen years; it has cut up
several thousand oxen, and yet its edge is as sharp as if it had newly come from the
whetstone. Th ere are the interstices of the joints, and the edge of the knife has no
(appreciable) thickness; when that which is so thin enters where the interstice is,
how easily it moves along! Th e blade has more than room enough. Nevertheless,
whenever I come to a complicated joint, and see that there will be some diffi culty,
I proceed attentively and with caution, not allowing my eyes to wander from the
place, and moving my hand slowly. Th en by a very slight movement of the knife,
the part is quickly separated, and drops like (a clod of) earth to the ground. Th en
standing up with the knife in my hand, I look all round, and in a leisurely manner,
with an air of satisfaction, wipe it clean, and put it in its sheath.”
Th e ruler Wen Hui said, “Excellent! I have heard the words of my cook, and
learned from them the nourishment of (our) life.”
His cook was cutting up an ox for the ruler Wen Hui. Whenever he applied his
hand, leaned forward with his shoulder, planted his foot, and employed the pressure
of his knee, in the audible ripping off of the skin, and slicing operation of the
knife, the sounds were all in regular cadence. Movements and sounds proceeded as
in the dance of “the Mulberry Forest” and the blended notes of “the King Shou.”
Th e ruler said, “Ah! Admirable! Th at your art should have become so perfect!”
(Having fi nished his operation), the cook laid down his knife, and replied
to the remark, “What your servant loves is the method of the Dao, something
in advance of any art. When I fi rst began to cut up an ox, I saw nothing but the
(entire) carcass. After three years I ceased to see it as a whole. Now I deal with it
in a spirit-like manner, and do not look at it with my eyes. Th e use of my senses
is discarded, and my spirit acts as it wills. Observing the natural lines, (my knife)
slips through the great crevices and slides through the great cavities, taking advantage
of the facilities thus presented. My art avoids the ligaments and tendons, and
much more the great bones. A good cook changes his knife every year; (it may have
been injured) in cutting—an ordinary cook changes his every month—(it may
have been) broken. Now my knife has been in use for nineteen years; it has cut up
several thousand oxen, and yet its edge is as sharp as if it had newly come from the
whetstone. Th ere are the interstices of the joints, and the edge of the knife has no
(appreciable) thickness; when that which is so thin enters where the interstice is,
how easily it moves along! Th e blade has more than room enough. Nevertheless,
whenever I come to a complicated joint, and see that there will be some diffi culty,
I proceed attentively and with caution, not allowing my eyes to wander from the
place, and moving my hand slowly. Th en by a very slight movement of the knife,
the part is quickly separated, and drops like (a clod of) earth to the ground. Th en
standing up with the knife in my hand, I look all round, and in a leisurely manner,
with an air of satisfaction, wipe it clean, and put it in its sheath.”
Th e ruler Wen Hui said, “Excellent! I have heard the words of my cook, and
learned from them the nourishment of (our) life.”