"I know the joy of fishes in the river through my own joy, as I go walking along the same river"

Zhuangzi’s words point toward a profound insight into the interconnectedness of all beings and the possibility of empathy that transcends boundaries. As he walks along the riverbank, aware of his own happiness, he claims knowledge of the fishes’ joy beneath the water. Here, the external world and internal consciousness are united through experience; the joy he perceives in the fishes is not separated from his own. By immersing oneself in the natural world, a person can feel the pulse of life beyond the limits of individual ego.

Implicit in these lines is the Daoist spirit of nonduality, the understanding that there is no absolute separation between self and other. Rather than seeking knowledge through analysis or objective observation, Zhuangzi suggests a more intuitive form of understanding, one rooted in shared existence and resonance with nature. His statement may seem paradoxical, how can a human know the feelings of a fish?, yet he argues for a kind of knowing grounded in direct experience and empathy, not in logic or language.

The river becomes a metaphor for the flow of life; walking alongside it, Zhuangzi senses no barrier between himself and the creatures within it. This unity is not achieved by attempting to penetrate the minds of fish but by honouring the subtle harmony between his feelings and those of all living things. Joy, in this context, is both personal and universal; it is the manifestation of being attuned to the rhythms of the world. The boundary between observer and observed dissolves, leaving only a shared participation in existence.

Such an attitude invites openness, acceptance, and humility. To truly know the joy of fishes in the river is to allow oneself to be moved by the same currents, to see outward experience as a mirror for inward truth, and to recognize that joy is a thread tying all lives together.