Story

Zhuangzi walked with his students and came upon a tree with crooked branches, knotty bark, and bent trunk.

“This tree is worthless,” said one. “No one could use it.”

Zhuangzi smiled. “That is why it lives long. No one chops it down.”

He continued: “A craftsman once cursed such trees. But when he returned in a dream, the tree said: Your usefulness kills you. My uselessness preserves me.”

The students were puzzled. “So should we be useless?”

Zhuangzi replied, “Be useful to your soul, not your master.”

Later that evening, Zhuangzi sat under that same tree. It gave generous shade. Birds sang. No one disturbed it.

It was in being unfit for the world that the tree became perfectly suited for the Tao.

Commentary

Taoism reveres what’s natural, unpolished, and slow. The “useless” tree is free from exploitation and becomes a haven. Zhuangzi urges us to escape the trap of performative value.

Psychological Reflection

Many feel pressure to constantly “produce” or be “useful.” This story reframes worth—not in doing, but in being. Embracing imperfection becomes an act of liberation.

Closing Reflection

• Where in my life have I confused usefulness with worth?
• Can I sit beneath my own inner tree without needing to be anything more?