Read history with strategy

Author: Wang Yu
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-04-01
Features:
1. Learn to burn incense at "cold temples."
As the saying goes, "Don't burn incense when things are fine; seek help only in emergencies." The Bodhisattva may be compassionate, but if you don't burn incense for them, they won't help you. If you don't burn incense (), and then suddenly need help, how can the Buddha treat you as a tool for mockery? Therefore, you should burn incense more often in (). Burning incense () also shows that you have no ulterior motives—it is purely out of respect, not a transaction. Once you have a need, if you go to seek help, they will remember your () devotion and won't refuse you. A person who acts with "calculation" () should find cold temples to burn incense in, rather than just choosing crowded, popular temples. Crowded temples, due to the large number of incense-burning visitors, () the attention of the deities. If you burn incense there, you are just one among many, and your sincerity won't be recognized. Consequently, if you seek help later, they will treat you no differently from others and won't give you special attention. However, if you burn incense in a cold temple, it's different. Cold temples are usually neglected and rarely visited. If you go there with great sincerity to burn incense, the deities will naturally pay special attention to you. Burning a single incense stick in a cold temple is considered a great favor by the deities. If you seek help from them later, they will naturally take good care of you. If one day the fortune changes and the cold temple becomes popular, the deities will still treat you with special favor and won't see you as someone who seeks favor from the powerful.
Some people may be mediocre in ability, but when opportunity arises, they can become people of great fortune. When people are in a prosperous state, they tend to see everything as ordinary and easy, which is due to their arrogance. If your circumstances and status are similar to theirs, associating with them is natural and without gain or loss. But if your circumstances and status are inferior to theirs, frequent interactions may make you feel like you are fawning on them. Even if you make a great effort to connect and offer assistance, they may see it as ordinary, and your relationship won't improve much. Only when they face adversity—when their former friends turn their backs on them, when their once-bustling homes become deserted, when their once-respected word becomes useless, and when their former smooth path becomes fraught with obstacles—do they realize the truth about people. A person who acts with "calculation" () must know how to use "calculation" () to make friends. If you consider someone a hero, you should connect with them promptly and associate with them often. Take the opportunity to offer honest advice, point out their shortcomings, and encourage them to reform. If you have the ability, you should also provide appropriate assistance, even material support. And when it comes to material aid, don't wait for them to ask—be proactive. Sometimes they may be in urgent need but unwilling to reveal it or may deliberately pretend they don't need anything. If you learn of their situation, you should help them even more and avoid showing any pride. This will make them feel guilty but also appreciate your friendship. A small act of kindness or a meal of gratitude can be remembered for a lifetime. In the future, if they need help, they will surely repay you wholeheartedly.
The first female royal physician in Korean history—Hyo-won. She was born into a noble family living in seclusion in the mountains. Her father was a former inner guard officer who had retired from court struggles, and her mother was a palace maid who had nearly died due to false accusations in court struggles. As a child, Hyo-won, despite being of low status, inherited the refined demeanor of her elders.