were the manuscripts discovered or persevered by anyone or anywhere?
Yes, it was discovered and preserved
Zhuangzi (book)
Portions of the "Zhuangzi" have been discovered among bamboo slip texts from Warring States period and Han dynasty tombs, particularly at the Shuanggudui and Zhangjiashan Han bamboo texts sites. One of the slips from the Guodian bamboo texts, which date to around 300 BC, contains what appears to be a short fragment from the "Ransacking Coffers" ("Qu qie" ) chapter.

A large number of "Zhuangzi" fragments dating from the early Tang dynasty were discovered among the Dunhuang manuscripts in the early 20th century by the expeditions of Hungarian-British explorer Aurel Stein and French Sinologist Paul Pelliot. They collectively form about twelve chapters of Guo Xiang's version of the "Zhuangzi", and are preserved mostly at the British Library and the Bibliothèque nationale de France.

Among the Japanese national treasures preserved in the Kōzan-ji temple in Kyoto is a "Zhuangzi" manuscript from the Muromachi period (13381573).
what is the first animal appear in the famous book zhuangzi Butterfly what is this book about? It contains stories and anecdotes that exemplify the carefree nature of the ideal Taoist sage how did the book get its name? Named for its traditional author, "Master Zhuang" (Zhuangzi) who is this aforementioned author? He was an influential Chinese philosopher during which period did the book originate? Late Warring States period which is the geographical location of this aforementioned era? UNANSWERABLE what is the history behind the book? Details of the "Zhuangzi"s textual history prior to the Han dynasty are largely unknown. Traces of its influence in late Warring States period suggest that Zhuangzi's intellectual lineage was already fairly influential in the states of Qi and Chu in the 3rd century
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Zhuangzi (book) [SEP] Manuscripts
Portions of the "Zhuangzi" have been discovered among bamboo slip texts from Warring States period and Han dynasty tombs, particularly at the Shuanggudui and Zhangjiashan Han bamboo texts sites. One of the slips from the Guodian bamboo texts, which date to around 300 BC, contains what appears to be a short fragment from the "Ransacking Coffers" ("Qu qie" ) chapter. A large number of "Zhuangzi" fragments dating from the early Tang dynasty were discovered among the Dunhuang manuscripts in the early 20th century by the expeditions of Hungarian-British explorer Aurel Stein and French Sinologist Paul Pelliot. They collectively form about twelve chapters of Guo Xiang's version of the "Zhuangzi", and are preserved mostly at the British Library and the Bibliothèque nationale de France.