"The Influence in Things" by Jean François Billeter is a profound engagement with the work of the Chinese philosopher Zhuangzi, which emerged during the Warring States period. Billeter refutes the common belief that Zhuangzi's writings are unfathomable for the modern Western reader. Instead, he demonstrates that these texts are understandable and reveal Zhuangzi as a subversive thinker of radical autonomy. Through dialogue with significant thinkers such as Wittgenstein, Kleist, and Montaigne, an intellectual conversation unfolds that spans over two thousand years and addresses central questions of modern philosophy. Billeter's work not only makes one of the most beautiful texts in Chinese intellectual history accessible but also highlights its relevance for contemporary life by encouraging readers to engage with Zhuangzi's thoughts.