Do Gangstas have their Dao, too? This episode presents a Daoist take on the morality of crooks and the crooks of morality. The Zhuangzi 莊子 chapter "Breaking into Trunks" (Qu Qie 胠篋) contains a dialogue with our Gangsta Zhi, or Robber Zhi, containing the line that is now a Chinese proverb, "Gangstas have their Dao too" (dao yi you dao 盜亦有道). The Hong Kong edition of Martin Scorsese’s mobster classic GoodFellas is shrewdly titled with this Chinese proverb.
#taoist #taoism #ethics

Sources:
A.C. Graham, Chuang Tzu: The Inner Chapters. Hackett: 2001.
Brook Ziporyn, Zhuangzi: The Complete Writings. Indianapolis/Cambridge: Hackett, 2020. (recommended)
Daodejing: https://ctext.org/dao-de-jing; https://www.amazon.com/Daodejing-Readable-Translation-Life-Changing-Scripture/dp/0812696255
Bob Dylan, “Absolutely Sweet Marie” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SiPOZ958PA
Bob Dylan, “Sweetheart Like You” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2mE80miKdk
Eugene O’Neill, The Emperor Jones (page 4-5): http://www.public-library.uk/ebooks/32/16.pdf

Scripts: Hans-Georg Moeller (https://www.amazon.com/Hans-Georg-Moeller/e/B08VS4PP7X)
Animations: Rory O’Neill & Li Jing
Production: Fai
Narrations : Simon Barber (https://izwi.com)
Chinese subtitles: Jim Lei Wanjun
Music in the beginning by Kevin Macleod "Long Note One"

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The money you donate will go to the production team, consisting mostly of university students. Our script writer Prof. Hans-Georg Moeller chooses not to receive any money.