<p>According to L. A. Paul, since we cannot know in advance how a transformative experience will reshape our values and preferences, we have no basis for deciding whether or not to have such an experience. How can we know the value we will get out of the experience when what we value itself may change as a result of undergoing it? At the same time, Paul acknowledges that the emphasis on planning out our lives in accordance with our deepest values is unique to affluent Western societies. In this essay, I explore an alternate approach to transformative experience, derived from the classical Chinese text of the <i>Zhuangzi</i> 莊子. The <i>Zhuangzi</i>’s philosophy draws our attention to the “transformation of things” (<i>wuhua</i> 物化), and many passages in the text deal with the unforeseen changes that occur in life. Whereas the contemporary discussion has focused on deciding whether or not to undergo a particular transformative experience, the <i>Zhuangzi</i>’s account highlights how we can respond to transformations that occur whether we want them or not.</p>