Similarities between philosophies of Zhuangzi (daoism) and Friedrich Nietzsche?

Question

I've come across these quotes by German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche (1844 – 1900) and about Chinese daoist philosopher Zhuangzi (4th century BC).

from Nietzsche's The Birth of Tragedy from the Spirit of Music:

But now science, incited by its powerful delusion, speeds on inexorably right to its limits, at which point the optimism hidden in the essence of logic breaks down. For the circumference of the circle of science has an infinity of points, and while it is still impossible to see how that circumference could ever be completely measured, nevertheless the noble, talented man, before the middle of his life, inevitably comes up against such a border point on that circumference, where he stares out into something which cannot be illuminated.

from the Wikipedia article about Zhuangzi:

In general, Zhuangzi's philosophy is skeptical, arguing that life is limited and knowledge to be gained is unlimited. To use the limited to pursue the unlimited, he said, was foolish.

from Nietzsche's The Birth of Tragedy from the Spirit of Music:

Dionysian art thus wishes to convince us of the eternal delight in existence: only we are to seek this delight, not in appearances, but behind them; we are to recognize how everything which comes into being must be ready for painful destruction; we are forced to gaze directly into the terror of individual existence—and nonetheless are not to become paralyzed: a metaphysical consolation tears us momentarily out of the hustle and bustle of changing forms. For a short time we really are the primordial essence itself and feel its unbridled lust for and joy in existence; the struggle, the torment, the destruction of appearances now seem to us necessary, on account of the excess of innumerable forms of existence pressing and punching themselves  into life and of the exuberant fecundity of the world will.

from the Encyclopædia Britannica article on Zhuangzhi (the book):

The text presents a process-oriented view of the cosmos, which is the product of the ceaseless fluctuations and transformations of the Dao (Way) The dao perpetually generates and transforms the “ten thousand things” — of which the human race is one — that constitute the world.

These excerpts make Zhuangzhi's ancient and Nietzsche's more contemporary (early) philosophy sound very similar e.g. in their pessimism as to what human knowledge can achieve.

My question is this: have the similarities and possible relations between the two philosophies been studied and if so, what are the main conclusions drawn? (BTW, I'm not asking for some homework exercise but would like to delve further into relevant sources after noticing these matches.)

Answer 1

To give you a reference, André van der Braak wrote a comparative study on Nietzsche and Zen (worldcat link).

As Zen is influenced by Daoism (or so Van der Braak claims), he discusses it, including Zhuangzi, in relation to Nietzsche. One of the subjects is indeed Nietzschean scepticism and (Daoist influenced) Zen scepticism. Another similarity Van der Braak sees is the emphasis of both on (the way of) life, rather than theoretical knowledge.

Answer 2

Also, take a look at

Deconstructing Deconstruction: Zhuang Zi as Butterfly, Nietzsche as Gadfly

"Each embraces a strategy of fruitful opposition: gadfly Nietzsche approaches his predecessors with wariness and righteous wrath; butterfly Zhuang Zi co-opts Kong Zi, and confounds Hui Zi. The distinction between opponent and competitor parallels that between wu-wei effortlessness [Zhuang Zi] and wei aggression [Nietzsche]. Despite an intuitive grasp of the child's 'yes' to life, wu-wei, Nietzsche remains mired in a defective wei strategy, while Zhuang Zi's Daoist deconstruction takes the form of wu-wei philosophical play."

However, both were aware of the error of the excessive-wei of the dominant culture of each scenario: Confucianism in China and Christianism in Europe. Although, in my point of view, Confucius is far closer than Christ to the wuwei and spontaneity of the Dao. And, when both depart from spontaneity, Confucius advises study, Christ advises monotheism. Maybe that's why Confucius is so "butterfly", and Nietzsche so "gadfly".

Another point in common is their view about evolution: Zhuang Zi spoke of evolving species -- as the Dao De Jing before him:

"Dao|Nature creates one,
one creates two,
two create three,
three create the "ten thousand"|all things"

"道生一
一生二
二生三
三生万物"

Dao De Jing 42.

Nietzsche, in the so-called West, needed Darwin to understand the world without the monotheistic mythology. In a first moment he seems to grasp the natural evolution of everything. Later in life, half crazy (for not finding too many "thinking people"?), half misinterpreted (purposedly?) by so-called "postmodernists" mostly, ends up (kind of?) denying everything, including scientific knowledge. Or at least this is the interpretation lots of teachers and students made of his later writings.