Selected Prose Works of Sun Fuxi

Author: Sun Fuxi
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-08-01
Features: Further beyond, there was the edge of the mountain where he stood. On the perilous cliffs, the women held onto the men’s clothes, afraid they might fall off the rocks, while they themselves stood firmly far away from the shore. From childhood to adulthood, they had heard countless stories of people dying from falling off rocks or dying due to other dangers. They remembered these incidents more vividly than the men, who were forgetful, so they dared not take risks. Or perhaps they knew it wasn’t as dangerous as it seemed, but they believed that success through risk-taking was not as certain as success through caution, so they preferred not to take risks. Their aversion to risk-taking and their reluctance to take risks were their strengths. These strengths were intertwined with their weakness of cowardice. They did not stop the men from approaching the cliff to gaze, but held onto their clothes to prevent danger. They did not impose their own standards on others, nor did they blindly sacrifice themselves for them—this was the beauty of women that I often observed.
I once heard of a Chinese man taking his wife in an elevator without explaining its nature. When the elevator suddenly rose, the woman became frightened, and the man calmly said, "You never obey me, so today you’ll get a taste of it." If I took this as the representative of men and compared them to women, how great the difference between the two genders would be. If a man gets angry because a woman holds his clothes, it means he only has himself and not others. If a man stops taking risks because a woman is afraid he might fall, it means he only has others and not himself. Most men suffer from one of these two weaknesses. But the weaknesses of men are also influenced by the same weaknesses in women. For example, women, due to their own cowardice, force their children and husbands to obey. If men prevail, it fosters men who only have themselves and not others. If women prevail, it fosters men who only have others and not themselves. I do not wish for a society that consists only of men or only of women.
The storm has passed, and the sunset is even more brilliant. The clouds drift scattered, some creamy with purple, some rose red and vermilion, floating lightly, set against a sky of never-seen-before azure, like an ocean. Jellyfish of various shapes and colors gather here in joy, like a carpet of emerald. The stars in the sky have transformed into costumes and are dancing merrily. No matter how luxurious or magical the comparison, the result is still an unknown mysterious significance.
A lake of green water reflects the sky, so smooth and luminous that one cannot believe it could also have moments of sorrow. The mountains and forests, whether walnuts or apples, even the tiniest daisies and moss, are washed by the storm and look youthful. They are as docile and obedient as children who follow their parents’ subtle cues. The sun is about to set behind the western mountain. Across the lake, in front of the eastern mountain, a rainbow arches. Who knows to whom Cupid has shot his arrows with this bow. This bridge, if it is not the embodiment of happiness, why is it so beautiful, so tempting, so enchanting, so ethereal and fleeting? The fragrance of gold and silver flowers becomes more intense as night approaches. After dinner, Zhang Xue and the others, like the mountains and waters washed by the storm, youthful and fresh, stepped out into the garden, carried away by the evening fragrance of the gold and silver flowers. They were amazed by the grandeur of the scenery and their hearts swelled with emotion. The two wanted to go up the hill to get a distant view, so they walked past the village.