The Self-Cultivation Realm and Natural Value in Zhuangzi’s Concept of Zhenren 真人

Adopting a comparative philosophical approach and engaging in textual analysis, this paper reveals that the concept of Zhenren 真人—as the embodiment of Zhuangzi’s ideal personality—explicates the dual connotations and axiological foundations of “naturalness” (ziran 自然) as the central paradigm of his spiritual realm theory. In the Daoist context, naturalness encompasses two interrelated dimensions: the ontological “naturalness of the Dao” and the existential “naturalness of the Zhenren”. These dimensions are integrated through the practical principles of “assisting all things” and “accommodating their inherent tendencies.” At the level of realm discourse, Zhuangzi’s Zhenren stands apart from the rational, truth-seeking tradition of Western philosophy by pursuing naturalness-oriented cultivation. This gives rise to a distinctive realm system characterized by a psychological state of “equanimity and clarity”, an axiological orientation toward “primordial simplicity”, and a lived experience marked by “serene non-action”. Rooted in naturalness, this mode of self-cultivation not only offers a new theoretical framework for interpreting the ideal personality of the Daoist but also sheds light on the unique ethical significance of naturalness in Chinese philosophical discourse on morality.