Zhuangzi has many references to the Chu Kindom. The Chu civilization believed in witches and ghosts, and emphasized sacrificial ceremony. Astrology in Chu should be the most important witchcraft at that time. Based on this thinking, this study attempts to clarify the internal connection between Zhuangzi and the witchcraft tradition of Chu and astronomical culture. The thesis analyzes the rational traces of the characters in the fables of Zhuangzi from their strange naming to their deeds.
The first chapter is the "Introduction". The second chapter is the study of the origins of Chu’s astronomy. The third chapter analyzes the astronomical metaphors in Zhuangzi systematically. The fourth chapter will discuss the text of Zhuangzi with reference to the related research of narratology. The fifth chapter analyzes works similar to the text of Zhuangzi. The sixth chapter is the conclusion.
In terms of writing, the author uses the methods of close reading, document analysis, conceptual metaphor theory, narrative literary criticism, and the sound, form, and meaning of Chinese characters, as well as witchcraft thinking principles, and astronomical common sense for comprehensive research. The thesis attempts to clarify the context of the astronomical metaphors in Zhuangzi, hoping to enrich the perspectives of the interpretation of Zhuangzi.