The text, as it now stands, consists of thirty-three chapters. These are a reduction from fifty-three, which appear to have been in existence in the fourth century A.D.[14] The following is the account given in the Imperial Catalogue of the first known edition:-- [14] On the authority of the _I-wên-chih_. Chuang Tzŭ, with Commentary, in 10 books. By Kuo Hsiang of the Chin dynasty (A.D. 265-420). The _Shih-shuo-hsin-yü_[15] states that Kuo Hsiang stole his work from Hsiang Hsiu.[16] Subsequently, Hsiang Hsiu's edition was issued, and the two were in circulation together. Hsiang Hsiu's edition is now lost, while Kuo Hsiang's remains. [15] A work of the fifth century A.D. [16] Of the Han dynasty. Mayers puts him a little later, viz., A.D. 275. Comparison with quotations from Hsiang Hsiu's work, as given in _Chuang Tzŭ Explained_, by Lu Tê-ming, shows conclusive evidence of plagiarism. Nevertheless, Kuo Hsiang contributed a certain amount of independent revision, making it impossible for us to regard the whole as from the hand of Hsiang Hsiu. Consequently, it now passes under the name of Kuo Hsiang. Since Kuo Hsiang's time, numberless editions with ever-varying interpretations have been produced to delight and to confuse the student. Of these, I have chosen six, representative as nearly as possible of different schools of thought. Their editors are:-- 1.--KUO HSIANG of the Chin dynasty. (_a_) As given in the _Shih Tzŭ Ch'üan Shu_, or Complete Works of the Ten Philosophers. (_b_) As edited by Tan Yüan-ch'un, of the Ming dynasty, with his own valuable notes. 2.--LÜ HUI-CH'ING of the Sung dynasty. 3.--LIN HSI-YI of the Sung dynasty. 4.--WANG YÜ of the Sung dynasty. Son of the famous Wang An-shih. 5.--HSING TUNG, a Taoist priest of the Ming dynasty. 6.--LIN HSI-CHUNG, of the Ming and Ch'ing dynasties. Where there is a consensus of opinion, I have followed such interpretation without demur. But where opinions differ, I have not hesitated to accept that interpretation which seemed to me to be most in harmony with the general tenor of Chuang Tzŭ's philosophy. And where all commentators fail equally, as they sometimes do, to yield anything at all intelligible, I have then ventured to fall back upon what Chuang Tzŭ himself would have called the "light of nature." Always keeping steadily in view the grand precept of Lin Hsi-chung, that we should attempt to interpret Chuang Tzŭ neither according to Lao Tzŭ, nor according to Confucius, nor according to Buddha, but according to Chuang Tzŭ himself. * * * * * Of the thirty-three existing chapters, the first seven are called "inside" chapters, the next fifteen "outside," and the remaining eleven "miscellaneous."