本文論述《莊子》一書中的意象叢現象，通過〈逍遙遊〉、〈人間世〉、〈山木〉中四個大木形象的分析，說明《莊子》一書深層的意象思維特徵，並由此對人類思維從詩性時代走向散文時代的特點進行了簡要闡述。本文認為只有既看到《莊子》與神話思維和原始意識的聯結，又能將它們之間的區別分辨清楚，並與從詩性時代向散文時代過渡這樣一個大背景聯繫起來，才能對《莊子》一書的思維、表達方式，以及與此相關聯的文風和語言特點有深入的認識。作者將這一思路視為《莊》學研究取得深層次、整體性突破的途徑。

　　　　　This essay discusses the appearance of a cluster of images in Chuang Tzu. It illustrates, through analysis of the four tall trees in the chapters, “Travelling About,” “In the World” and “Mountain Trees,” the characteristics of profound thinking in terms of images, and briefly expounds the pattern of human thinking that developed from the age of poetry to that of prose. The essay shows that only when we see the association of Chuang Tzu with mythological thinking and primitive consciousness, make a clear distinction between them, and associate Chuang Tzu with such background as the transition from poetry to prose, can we have a profound knowledge of the way of thinking, the special expressions, the literary style and the characteristics of language, which are applied in Chuang Tzu. This author regards the above as a profound and holistic breakthrough in research on Chuang Tzu.