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The (Non)Active Company of Forces : A Deleuzian Reading of the Affected Agential Self in “Boundless Wandering” in <i>Zhuangzi</i>
ID Tsai, Shanni Sunny (Author)

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Abstract
How do we act when we are defined by the relations that we depend on to flourish? How can we celebrate the nonhuman constitutions that constitute us, but still actively become ourselves and take ethical actions for others? The abundant web of impersonal forces Deleuze theorizes calls for a reconfiguration of agency. This paper explores the agency of selves in the Zhuangzi’s 莊子 “Boundless Wandering” (逍遙遊) chapter in dialogue with Deleuze’s theories of forces in affective relations. I argue for acts of creatively relating to others. These acts constantly redefine our selfhood, enable different ways of enjoying life, and reframe our perspective to include differences. The concept of the “agential self” conceives of who we are through what we are capable of doing. Conversing with Deleuze’s thoughts on forces, activeness, and the will to power, this paper explores how the agential self can be active in affective relation through three sets of characters in “Boundless Wandering”: First, Zhuangzi presents a self that is formally dissolved but affectively connective, elaborated through the description of four types of humans, including Song Rongzi 宋榮子 and Liezi 列子. Secondly, the story of Yao 堯 and Xu You 許由 foregrounds the activeness of a self that embraces its embeddedness in the world of forces. Lastly, the conversation between Zhuangzi and Hui Shi 惠施 shows the power to recreate relations that let diverse lives flourish.

Language:English
Keywords:agential self, force, affect, active
Work type:Article
Typology:1.01 - Original Scientific Article
Organization:FF - Faculty of Arts
Publication status:Published
Publication version:Version of Record
Publication date:01.09.2025
Number of pages:Str. 247-276
Numbering:Vol. 13, no. 3
PID:20.500.12556/RUL-178292 This link opens in a new window
ISSN:2232-5131
eISSN:2350-4226
DOI:https://doi.org/10.4312/as.2025.13.3.247-276 This link opens in a new window
Publication date in RUL:22.01.2026
Views:277
Downloads:138
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Record is a part of a journal

Title:Asian studies
Publisher:Znanstvena založba Filozofske fakultete, Znanstvena založba Filozofske fakultete, Založba Univerze v Ljubljani
ISSN:2232-5131
COBISS.SI-ID:265206272 This link opens in a new window

Licences

License:CC BY-SA 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International
Link:http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/
Description:This Creative Commons license is very similar to the regular Attribution license, but requires the release of all derivative works under this same license.

Secondary language

Language:Slovenian
Title:Moč nedelovanja : deleuzovsko branje aficiranega dejavnega sebstva v Zhuang-zijevem »Svobodnem lebdenju«
Abstract:
Kako delovati, ko nas določajo odnosi, od katerih je odvisno naše blagostanje? Kako slaviti nečloveške sestavine, ki nas sestavljajo, obenem pa dejavno postati mi sami in etično delovati v prid drugih? Bogata mreža neosebnih sil, ki jo opisuje Deleuze, zahte-va rekonfiguracijo delovanja. Članek raziskuje delovanje sebstev v poglavju »Svobodno lebdenje« (逍遙遊) iz Zhuangzija莊子 v dialogu z Deleuzovimi teorijami sil v aficiranih razmerjih. Zagovarjam dejanja ustvarjalnega povezovanja z drugimi; ta dejanja nenehno preoblikujejo naše sebstvo, omogočajo različne načine uživanja življenja in spreminjajo naše perspektive, tako da zajamejo tudi razlike. Koncept »dejavnega sebstva« vzpostavl-ja, kdo smo, glede na to, kar smo sposobni narediti. V dialogu z Deleuzovimi razmisleki o silah, delovanju in volji do moči članek pokaže, kako je v »Svobodnem lebdenju« de-javno sebstvo aktivno v aficiranih razmerjih na podlagi treh skupin likov. Prvič, Zhuangzi predstavi sebstvo, ki je formalno razblinjeno, vendar afektivno povezovalno, kar ilustrira z opisom štirih vrst ljudi, med njimi Song Rongzija 宋榮子 in Liezija 列子. Drugič, zgodba o Yaotu 堯 in Xu Youju 許由 poudari dejavnost sebstva, ki sprejema svojo vpe-tost v svet sil. Nazadnje pokaže pogovor med Zhuangzijem in Hui Shijem 惠施 moč preoblikovanja odnosov, ki omogočajo razcvet raznolikih življenj.

Keywords:dejavno sebstvo, sila, afekt, dejavnost

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