Traditional lore holds that Zhuangzi was born the same day the [[Laozi]] died; however, records suggest that he was likely born several years later. As the son of a potter and tradesman, he was expected to join his father's business but he had a youthful interest in philosophy. He started with the [[Analects]] and the works of [[Mencius]], but quickly wrote off the Confucian philosophy as impractical. Around the age of 15, he began writing poetry and studying nature. During this time, he drifted toward the more naturalist philosophy of Daoism. After reading the Dao De Jing, he departed his home to study exclusively with the Daoists. | Traditional lore holds that Zhuangzi was born the same day the [[Laozi]] died; however, records suggest that he was likely born several years later. As the son of a potter and tradesman, he was expected to join his father's business but he had a youthful interest in philosophy. He started with the [[Analects]] and the works of [[Mencius]], but quickly wrote off the Confucian philosophy as impractical. Around the age of 15, he began writing poetry and studying nature. During this time, he drifted toward the more naturalist philosophy of Daoism. After reading the Dao De Jing, he departed his home to study exclusively with the Daoists. |