The Usefulness of the Useless': Reconstructing Zhuangzi's Philosophy as a Critical Framework for Contemporary Design

Design practice is dominated by instrumental rationality, reducing objects to mere utility or market value. This article challenges this hegemony by reconstructing the Daoist concept of "the usefulness of the useless"as a critical design framework. Using a hermeneutical approach, we translate Zhuangzi's insights—specifically the "equalization of things" and "following natural principles"—into actionable ethics. Through comparative case studies of Chinese Taihu stone esthetics and Japanese Kintsugi repair, we articulate an ontology that respects material agency and resists planned obsolescence. These findings are synthesized into a four-dimensional evaluation framework (functional, material, existential, and relational). By offering a pluralistic value system, this study demonstrates that Zhuangzi's wisdom provides a vital resource for reimagining sustainable, non-anthropocentric material relationships in a consumerist age.