Zhuangzi's Parable of the Empty Boat

Someone lashes two hulls together to cross the river. Suddenly, an empty boat drifts towards him and collides with his tied boats. Even the most narrow-minded and quick-tempered person would not get angry. However, if there were someone on that previously empty boat, he would start shouting. He would demand that the other person retreat and move away. If there is no response to the first shout, he would shout a second time. If there is still no response, he would start cursing. The reason he didn't lose his temper earlier but now gets angry is because the boat was empty before, but now there is someone on it.

This Zhuangzi parable conveys the Daoist concept of non-attachment and the idea that one's reactions to events are often tied to one's perceptions and expectations of the situation. If a person can adopt a Wu Wo (absence of self) mindset, he can better manage his anger.