The vehemence and stridency of Zhuangzi’s hostility to the Confucian program of self-cultivation cannot be explained simply in terms of his belief that it is misguided or mistaken. The antagonism clearly is grounded in a belief that the program is deeply pernicious and that it must be eradicated. It is not clear, however, precisely why he believes the program is so dangerous. This paper addresses that puzzle. We argue that there are two distinct, albeit closely related, grounds for Zhuangzi’s hostility. He believes: first, that the Confucian program of self-cultivation destroys natural virtue and, second, it makes it impossible for the individual to achieve enlightenment—i.e. to become one with the Way. © 2025 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.