Little Window Reflections

Author: Chen Jiru
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2002-12-01
Features: To uphold virtue first, then to establish words; words are the voice of the heart, and character and scholarship are often revealed through them. Whether the language is restless, frugal, tedious, or fragmented, merely avoiding the caution against empty talk is insufficient. If one speaks grandly yet boastfully, discusses principles yet corruptly, how can such words serve as a guide? Therefore, to seek lasting fame and immortal works, one must grasp the essence. Mr. Mei Gong, renowned in his era, held lofty aspirations, authored countless works, and once compiled The Solitary Window in Seclusion for his own amusement, disclosing the secrets of the universe and extracting the essence of classics and history. His words carried the mist and clouds, and his rhythm harmonized with the stones and metals, enlightening and guiding the world, with not a single word falling outside the realm of meaning. His words stirred the dust, directly seizing the seat of elegant conversation; his delightful expressions often bloomed like flowers from the brush. His style was dignified yet playful, elegant yet warm, beautiful yet complete. Could it be that his words were without substance, merely serving as filler for discarded jars? Cui Weidong of Xuchang, a learned and ancient scholar, wished to publish this work to share with fellow enthusiasts, and asked me for a preface. Unafraid of my modesty, I have specially written this brief introduction for the Wisdom Fruit Series.
The Wisdom Fruit Series includes:
- The talented person engages with the world,
- The capable person takes the world,
- The wise person meets the world,
- The famous person leaves the world,
- The noble person plays with the world,
- The enlightened person transcends the world.
The Solitary Window in Seclusion is divided into twelve volumes. Each volume contains dozens to as many as two hundred segments of profound words, all centered around a particular aspect of life. The series begins with the character "Awaken," which carries deep meaning. Awakening arises from intoxication—therefore, when "the ambitious are intoxicated in court, the greedy are intoxicated in the wilderness, and the wealthy are intoxicated in sound, color, carriages, and horses," the character "Awaken" becomes a soothing balm. Awakening must also be linked to the character "Enlighten," making "Enlighten" the central theme of the entire work.
Life is a great book, filled with infinite wisdom and mysteries that humans can never fully fathom. Life is also an art, from which we can appreciate many insights. In today’s world, as people scramble to consume Adam’s "Wisdom Fruit" to pass various intellectual tests in talent recruitment and assessment, Jiangsu Ancient Books Publishing House has timely launched the Wisdom Fruit Series to meet the needs of.