The arguments of Zhuangzi and Mencius are vivid, and they are both good at expressing abstract truth with concrete and vivid language images, but there are also similarities and differences.

Mencius is good at metaphor, and his application is ingenious and natural. It often organizes metaphors in arguments or directly uses figurative images to reason. It can be said that Mencius is in a transitional state from metaphor to fable in image application. There are also some pure fables in the book, such as "encouraging seedlings" and so on. Most of his fables won not by exaggeration of plot, but by vivid description.

Zhuangzi also used metaphors and symbols instead of logical reasoning. Fable is the most important form of expression in Zhuangzi, and it is called "Fable 19", which makes the composition of Zhuangzi loose and changeable, full of profound thoughts and strong emotions, and can also be said to be philosophical lyric prose.

Xunzi's fables are mostly taken from natural things, or things in heaven and earth, such as shine on you is better than blue, there are no eggs under the nest, flying snakes fly without feet, mice are poor in five skills and so on.

The fable of Han Feizi is mainly based on historical deeds and reality, with few anthropomorphic animal stories and fairy tales, and no illusory realm and characters beyond reality, which is completely different from the grotesque and magical fable style in Zhuangzi.

Han Fei's fables vividly reflect his legalist thoughts and his profound understanding of social life, such as the satirical power of "Zheng Ren buys shoes" and "Xi Shu Yan Shuo" and the philosophical wisdom of "spear and shield", which all reflect the depth of Han Fei's fable thoughts.

The plain theme makes Han Fei's fables less complicated than Zhuangzi's. However, Han Fei's fables are not dull in art, but ingenious in conception, bold in description, humorous in language, plain and wonderful, and have intriguing and warning artistic effects. For example, the "prickly female monkey" in "The Top Left of the Foreign Reserve", the three characters focus on one end of their personality, and the story is ups and downs.

Extended data:

The fables in Zhuangzi show extraordinary imagination and form a peculiar image world. "Beyond the dust, strange things happen." .

Zhuangzi's imaginary fiction often transcends the limitation of time and space and the difference between things and me, and is complex, fantastic and changeable. For example, the fish that swims freely in the north turns into Peng, "flying angrily, its wings hang like clouds in the sky." Zhuangzi's absurd imagination is to express his philosophical thoughts. The main feature of Zhuangzi is that it contains the theories of life's core monuments and metaphysics.

Baidu Encyclopedia-Zhuangzi