Selected Works of He Qizhi

Author: He Qizhi
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-06-01
Features: What is happiness in the world? Everyone yearns for happiness—that state of mind that brings contentment and satisfaction. Tolstoy once told us: "Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way." Perhaps Tolstoy was referring to something specific in the opening line of Anna Karenina, but after experiencing decades of ups and downs, I no longer hesitate to say to myself and also to my readers: it is perhaps better to say that the happiness each person longs for is mostly the same, rather than that happiness can only be each person's own happiness.
First, happiness varies from person to person. Great political leaders not only strive to achieve outstanding achievements for their countries and nations but also wish to contribute more to the progress of human civilization. This is the happiness they yearn for in their hearts. A sincere laborer will find deep happiness in the harvest after hard work and in prosperous days. Teachers see happiness in nurturing one generation after another of useful talents for their motherland. Soldiers believe that sacrificing for their country is their happiness. Scientists find happiness in pursuing their passionate research fields, writers and artists in entering a state of productive creativity, and athletes in breaking records at the moment. And of course, greedy merchants view huge profits as the greatest happiness. Gamblers naturally only desire to win big sums of money. A lazy Chinese-American young man once told me without any shame that if he didn’t have to do any work and had a lot of money, he could eat, drink, and be merry as he pleased—that would be too happy.
Second, at different stages of life, people may have different understandings and aspirations regarding happiness. For innocent children, accompanying their parents on outings, receiving a beautiful outfit, an exquisite toy, or some delicious candy and pastries can satisfy their longing for happiness. For young adults just stepping into adulthood, excellent academic performance, romantic love, and exploring the internet are often the happiness they yearn for. For middle-aged people, their pursuit naturally shifts to career success and a harmonious family life. As for the elderly, the saying "health is gold, peace is happiness" reflects their aspirations for happiness.
However, happiness and unhappiness are actually woven into people's daily lives. It can also be said that happiness differs based on each person's unique living circumstances. For a traveler traversing the desert and sand dunes, when you are so thirsty that your throat is parched and you are drenched in sweat, a cup of clean water means happiness. When you climb the perilous path of Mount Hua or carefully make your way across the "Carp's Back" on Mount Huangshan—a narrow ridge less than two meters wide, surrounded by deep abysses shrouded in clouds and mist—the ability to safely reach your destination is happiness. For a lonely person enveloped in boundless melancholy, genuine care and kind affection are their happiness. During the era of the "Great Leap Forward" transitioning to famine, for those struggling to survive on hunger and edema, even a small bowl of steamed corn cakes and a few carrots as thick as fingers would mean happiness. In the successive political movements characterized by extreme leftism, when you are pushed and shoved, beaten with a with copper buckles, or tied to a "wheel