The humorous nature of the Zhuangzi can be traced back to its reception in early China. Parody and satire are central philosophical tools in the Zhuangzi because they deconstruct master narratives and enable resistance against repressive moral and sociopolitical regimes. Humor is based on incongruity, and its philosophical practice in the Zhuangzi illustrates the incongruity of dogmas and ideologies of the time as well as of human existence in general. Importantly, humor has therapeutic effects and supports the “medicinal” orientation of the Zhuangzi. It provides respite from social pressure, protects against conceit and despair, and alleviates distress and fear in the face of mortality. It promotes the existential mode of you 遊, or “carefree wandering.”