Zhuang Zhou (c. 369–286 BCE), commonly known as Zhuangzi, was an influential Chinese philosopher of the Warring States period. He is considered a foundational figure in Daoist philosophy alongside Laozi, author of the Daodejing. His work, the Zhuangzi, is celebrated for its literary brilliance, imaginative parables, and profound exploration of spontaneity, relativity, and the nature of reality.