無何有之鄉

See also: 无何有之乡

Chinese

not have
carry; what; how
carry; what; how; why; which
 
to have; there is; there are
to have; there is; there are; to exist; to be
 
 's; him/her/it; this country; village
trad. (無何有之鄉) 無 何 有 之 鄉
simp. (无何有之乡) 无 何 有 之 乡

Etymology

From Zhuangzi:

今子有大樹，患其無用，何不樹之於無何有之鄉，廣莫之野，彷徨乎無為其側，逍遙乎寢臥其下？ [Classical Chinese, trad.]
今子有大树，患其无用，何不树之于无何有之乡，广莫之野，彷徨乎无为其侧，逍遥乎寝卧其下？ [Classical Chinese, simp.]
From: Zhuangzi, circa 3rd – 2nd centuries BCE
Jīn zǐ yǒu dàshù, huàn qí wúyòng, hé bù shù zhī yú wúhéyǒuzhīxiāng, guǎngmò zhī yě, pánghuáng hū wúwéi qí cè, xiāoyáo hū qǐnwò qí xià? [Pinyin]
You, Sir, have a large tree and are troubled because it is of no use - why do you not plant it in a tract where there is nothing else, or in a wide and barren wild? There you might saunter idly by its side, or in the enjoyment of untroubled ease sleep beneath it.

Pronunciation

Proper noun

無何有之鄉

  1. Land of Nothingness

Synonyms

Noun

無何有之鄉

  1. (circumlocution) utopia

Synonyms

Descendants

  • → Japanese: 無何有の郷 (mukau no sato) (calque)
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