Skilfulness and uselessness in the Zhuangzi

Among pre-Han philosophical texts, the Zhuangzi is most famous for its extensive discussion and analysis of skill. Stories about such characters as Cook Ding (7/3/2-8/3/12), who can carve an ox without hacking and smashing, the swimmer (50/19/49-54), who can swim even in choppy waters, and Woodworker Qing (50/19/54-59), who can make bell-stands look as if they were they work of spirits, have attracted scholarly attention because of their literary and philosophical value. One might even suggest that skill cultivation helps one to embody dao 道, as the term 'dao' appears in several skill stories, including that of Cook Ding and the cicada-catchers (48/19/17-21).