Guo the Camels Wise Planting Lesson | Generated by AI
Question: Provide an introduction to “种树郭橐驼传” (The Biography of Camel Guo the Tree Planter).
Answer:
“种树郭橐驼传” (often translated as “The Biography of Camelback Guo the Tree Planter” or “Guo the Camel, the Tree Planter”) is a famous classical Chinese prose essay written by 柳宗元 (Liu Zongyuan, 773–819), one of the leading figures of the Tang Dynasty literary movement called the 古文运动 (Classical Prose Movement).
Basic Information
- Author: Liu Zongyuan (柳宗元)
- Genre: 传 (zhuan) – a biographical sketch (but in reality a very short allegorical essay)
- Period: Mid-Tang Dynasty (around 805–810 CE, during Liu’s exile in Yongzhou)
- Length: Very short — usually only about 500–600 characters
Main Content Summary
The essay tells the story of a poor, ugly, humpbacked gardener nicknamed 郭橐驼 (Guo Tuotuo = Camel Guo) who is extraordinarily skilled at planting trees. No matter what kind of tree he plants — fruit trees, ornamental trees, large or small — they all grow vigorously, bear abundant fruit, and live long.
When people ask him his secret, he gives very simple answers:
“我只是不伤害树的根，不强迫它生长，顺着它的天性而已。”
(“I merely do not harm the tree’s roots, do not force its growth, and follow its natural tendencies.”)
He then sharply criticizes ordinary gardeners who:
- Damage roots while transplanting
- Over-fertilize
- Force trees to grow too fast
- Constantly check and interfere with them
As a result, the trees either die quickly or grow poorly.
At the end, Liu Zongyuan turns the story into a powerful political allegory:
The same principle applies to governing people. Officials who “love” the people too much — constantly issuing new orders, making endless demands, interfering in every detail — actually harm the people, just like those bad gardeners harm trees. True good governance should follow the natural way (顺其天性), reduce interference, and let the people live and develop naturally.
Core Theme & Famous Lines
The most quoted and philosophically important sentence is:
“苟能顺木之天，以致其性焉尔。”
(“One only needs to follow the natural character of the tree so as to bring its nature to fulfillment.”)
This line embodies Daoist ideas (无为而治 / wuwei – governing by non-interference) while also serving as a sharp critique of the excessive, micromanaging bureaucracy of the Tang government.
Literary & Historical Significance
- One of the most famous examples of 寓言式散文 (allegorical prose) in classical Chinese literature
- Masterpiece of 唐代古文 (Tang ancient-style prose)
- Frequently included in Chinese middle school and high school textbooks
- Often studied together with Liu Zongyuan’s other famous Yongzhou exile essays (e.g. 《小石潭记》, 《捕蛇者说》)
- Still widely quoted today when discussing management philosophy, education methods, economic policy, or parenting — basically any situation involving “over-management” vs “letting things follow their nature”
In short:
种树郭橐驼传 is a very short, deceptively simple story that uses the metaphor of tree-planting to deliver a profound Daoist-influenced political and management philosophy: less interference, respect natural development → better results.
References:
- 柳宗元《种树郭橐驼传》原文及译文
- Classical Chinese literature textbook selections (commonly taught in Chinese secondary education)