<p>Others have already answered the question, but you should also note that at the time the Zhuangzi was composed, there was no such thing as "June". There was a 6th month, but it's the 6th month of the Chinese calendar, whose months shouldn't be translated as Jan/Feb/etc.</p>

<p>As for the comment about classifiers, the question is about Classical Chinese and 六月 was the way to say six months.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-07-05T13:16:31.613Z
2015-07-05T13:16:31.613Z
vermillon
<p>It helps to look at some of the translations available, which are not authoritative, but are suggestive. Burton Watson, for example, translates: 'He beats the whirlwind and rises ninety thousand li, setting off on the sixth-month gale." Thus he takes 六月 as the sixth month, and 息 as the "breath" of the sixth month, which can be a very gusty time of year.  Watson's interpretations are not usually original, though it is often difficult to figure out who he is following. Using this interpretation, the 者 is probably NOT 'he-who' but makes explicit that the peng uses the winds of the sixth month as its means (instrument) for departing.  </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-07-07T06:05:36.387Z
2015-07-07T06:05:36.387Z
wpt
<p>a general explanation: the bird flies 6 months without stop until arrives nanhai. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-07-05T04:02:20.037Z
2015-07-05T04:02:20.037Z
WIZARDELF
<p><code>去以六月息者也。</code></p>

<p>Hello it's Zhuangzi Enjoyment in Untroubled Ease, first chapter.</p>

<p>My question:
Does he rest for six months or in June. Is Chinese the same in both cases? Does 者 mean <strong>he</strong> who goes for rest for six months?</p>

<translation>
six months or in June
# six months or in June

(Asked by: username_0 on 2015-07-04)

`去以六月息者也。`

Hello it's Zhuangzi Enjoyment in Untroubled Ease, first chapter.

My question:
Does he rest for six months or in June. Is Chinese the same in both cases? Does 者 mean **he** who goes for rest for six months?

**Tags:** translation


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## 3 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2015-07-05. Score: 1

Others have already answered the question, but you should also note that at the time the Zhuangzi was composed, there was no such thing as "June". There was a 6th month, but it's the 6th month of the Chinese calendar, whose months shouldn't be translated as Jan/Feb/etc.

As for the comment about classifiers, the question is about Classical Chinese and 六月 was the way to say six months.


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### Answer by username_2 on 2015-07-07. Score: 0

It helps to look at some of the translations available, which are not authoritative, but are suggestive. Burton Watson, for example, translates: 'He beats the whirlwind and rises ninety thousand li, setting off on the sixth-month gale." Thus he takes 六月 as the sixth month, and 息 as the "breath" of the sixth month, which can be a very gusty time of year. Watson's interpretations are not usually original, though it is often difficult to figure out who he is following. Using this interpretation, the 者 is probably NOT 'he-who' but makes explicit that the peng uses the winds of the sixth month as its means (instrument) for departing.


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### Answer by username_3 on 2015-07-05. Score: 0

a general explanation: the bird flies 6 months without stop until arrives nanhai.


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