昔者庄周梦为胡蝶 栩栩然胡蝶也
自喻适志与 不知周也
俄然觉 则蘧蘧然周也
不知周之梦也胡蝶与 胡蝶之梦为周与
周与胡蝶 则必有兮矣 此之为物化
— 《庄子·齐物论》
Once Zhuangzi dreamt he was a butterfly, a butterfly flitting and
fluttering around, happy with himself and doing as he pleased. He
didn't know he was Zhuangzi. Suddenly he woke up and there he was,
solid and unmistakable Zhuangzi. But he didn't know if he was Zhuangzi
who had dreamt he was a butterfly, or a butterfly dreaming he was
Zhuangzi. Between Zhuangzi and a butterfly there must be some
distinction! This is called the Transformation of Things.
— Discussion on Making All Things Equal (2, tr. Burton Watson 1968:49)
