Kingfisherish Wandering

KINGFISHERISH WANDERING Minh-Hoang Nguyen AISDL Copyright © 2025 AISDL All rights reserved The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the express written permission of the publisher. ISBN: 9798269223599 Cover design by: Nguyen Thi Quynh Yen Printed in the United States of America Dedicated to Nan Hua Jing & Wild Wise Weird CONTENTS Tables of Content Zhuangzi on Kingfisher’s Quiet Perch What Zhuang Zhou Has to Say about the Bird Village The Daoist Angler and Kingfisher The Dao of Doodles Ripples of Dao in a Conservation Talk Is Peng Real? Ultimate Harmony with Dao Qin Shi Huang’s Dream of Dao Lao and Zhuang, Too, Had Their Flaws On Wu Wei Wages with Zhuangzi The Wonder of Uselessness The Character “An” (安) FOREWORD I once asked myself what freedom truly is. If, on any given morning when I wake up, I could go somewhere else and do something different—would that be freedom? Most people have a destination they must reach and a set of tasks already defined the moment they open their eyes. I am no exception. For many, the sense of freedom can be found in choices: taking a break from work to travel, changing their lifestyle, seeking new pleasures, or buying themselves something novel and fashionable. I, too, love freedom— but I found little meaning in those things. So, for a time, I lived without purpose, trying to avoid a fixed mind and letting life drift as it would. I even believed that was Laozi’s wu wei (nonaction) way of living—until I had the fortune to work with Professor Vuong Quan Hoang. While working with him, I often heard stories from Wild Wise Weird over coffee at a street corner. The collection’s original title was The Kingfisher Story Collection, so we affectionately called it Kingfisher. From the very first time, I was captivated by its thinking—so wonderfully “weird,” yet entirely logical and humorous. The stories don’t just twist the mind; they challenge prejudice, bringing bursts of laughter intertwined with moments of deep reflection. It is precisely these absurdities of Kingfisher that have given me precious moments of self-reflection. Through them, when I look back at my earlier phase of aimless, spontaneous living—which I once mistook for wu wei—I now see it as an illusion. It was like dreaming myself a butterfly like Zhuangzi, but never waking myself up. Is that truly freedom? The freedom of swimming in water belongs to the fish, not to the birds. So perhaps true freedom is to remain a bird, yet let one’s mind turn toward the fish. At the very least, like Kingfisher, who lives in the world of birds, yet still sees himself playing in the world of fish. ¤ Indeed, Kingfisher has given wings to my dream, guiding me toward the Dao (道)—the Way that leads back to my true nature—so that once again I may wander freely within my own thoughts. Yet this time, I can learn from Master Zhuang: to awaken from the dream and ask: was it I who dreamed I was a butterfly, or the Butterfly who dreamed it was Me? Achieving such freedom of mind has helped me realize that Wild Wise Weird is like Zhuangzi’s Nan Hua Jing: a work that guides the people to the Dao, expands the mind, and makes philosophy accessible—liberating yet never preachy or rigid. Zhuangzi is often called the philosopher of uncertainty, while Kingfisher is the philosopher of absurdity. If the two were to meet and converse, what a fascinating dialogue that would be! Even though Prof. Hoang no longer intends to continue the story series, my curiosity compels me to imagine what would happen if Kingfisher were to meet Master Zhuang. With his kind permission, I have taken the liberty of sending Kingfisher back to the Warring States era, to wander and converse with Zhuangzi—to see, after all, how absurdity and uncertainty differ, and how they might be one. That is the reason this book is named Kingfisherish Wandering. ¤ (*) Remark: Each story in this collection stands entirely on its own— spontaneous and independent. Thus, the logic of one story is not determined by the details of another; each follows only its own internal rhythm and meaning. For that reason, the order of the stories reflects nothing more than my personal whim. ZHUANGZI ON KINGFISHER’S QUIET PERCH Zhuangzi pauses at the edge of the Bird Village to watch Kingfisher peacefully land on a thin branch above the pond. Without a twitch, he settles in as if he owns the place while the village birds are busy engaging vehemently in dawn gossip. Perching turns into meditation the moment Kingfisher relaxes into the branch, yet stays ready for any sneaky fish. He inhales the morning like it’s his favorite tea, exhales whatever worries he never bothers to pick up, and lets thoughts float off like wayward feathers. Watching him, Zhuang admits, “I might be a revered thinker, but Kingfisher lives the Dao more than I know about it.” Dao bubbles through all beings like spring water—no scholar’s robes required. Kingfisher hasn’t cracked open a single scroll, yet he’s already fluent in it. His balanced, unhurried hush says more about life’s truths than a mountain of dusty books. The Bird Village discovers Dao by copying Kingfisher’s simple vibe: Find your own comfy branch, whether it’s a garden wall or a kitchen stool. Breathe like you’re flapping your wings, but not for a flight. Let go of the effort; trust insight to wander in like an uninvited bird at your nest. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Minh-Hoang Nguyen Dr. Minh-Hoang Nguyen earned his Ph.D. from Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University in Japan. He was awarded Young Outstanding Scientist title by Phenikaa University where he has been working as a research scientist at the Centre for Interdisciplinary Social Research since 2020. In 2024, he received the Vietnamese Blaze Journalism Prize for his publication of the eco-surplus culture. Dr. Nguyen has published nearly 200 articles and book chapters in peerreviewed journals, and been ranked among top cited publishing academic authors according to the Elsevier-Stanford Ranking in 2025. This little book is his only fictional work.