The Art of Stopping when it’s Time to Stop. A Philosophical Approach to the Daoist Notion of Wú wéi

Abstract

Abstract One of the most significant current discussions in Chinese philosophy is the problem of interpreting the notion of wú wéi. As one of the popular concepts of ancient Chinese thought, wú wéi was used and differently interpreted in various philosophical schools from the very beginning. In this article, the Daoist notion of wú wéi will be explored as the “art of stopping when it’s time to stop”, taking the philosophical approach and appealing to the text of the Zhuangzi. The critical investigation into the sinological literature allows us to reveal several different contemporary attitudes towards wú wéi as the aim, process, and ground for the “ideal” human existence