The Way of Neutralization - Dialogue with an I Ching Expert on Harmony - Yinuo Lecture Series Three

Author: Yin ■
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-08-01
Features: Five Questions:
The ancients had a saying, "To be learned as if one owned five chariots." What was the concept of a "chariot" back then? How many compartments did it have? How large were its compartments? How many books could be loaded into these "five chariots"? What was the concept of books at that time? If all the books this student has read were turned into bamboo slips, how many chariots would be needed? What kind of chariots would be used? This question can only be explained in this way. Are humans progressing or regressing? We cannot define it, because things develop in a spiral, with ups and downs. Why? The ancients were not foolish due to limited production conditions; rather, they had their own advantages. Their advantage was that their minds were pure, and their language was concise. What kind of books do we read today? This does not mean anti-knowledge. If it were anti-knowledge, it would be problematic. I too come from an academic background, am a teacher by profession, respect knowledge, and rely on it for a living. However, our knowledge is all the "branches," not the "root"; it is flowers and fruits, not roots and sprouts. Our ancient ancestors' "five chariots of learning" included the Tao Te Ching, which has five thousand words, the I Ching, which also has five thousand words, and the Art of War, which likewise has five thousand words. Imagine the number of pages and printed sheets in a book. Perhaps there was a regulation regarding bamboo slips at that time, as the number of volumes was likely based on bamboo slips. Our human ancestors' knowledge was the "root," the sprouts, coming directly from the source, observing the heavens and the earth directly. What we study are their modes of thinking, which have been continuously expanded by later generations, so we have also progressed. In what ways have we progressed? We now use tools, instruments, and machines, and we can "borrow stones from other mountains to polish jade." But we have also regressed. In what ways have we regressed? Let me give a simple example: we work in air-conditioned environments, travel in air-conditioned cars, and return home to an air-conditioned home. Long-term exposure to air conditioning has weakened our ability to regulate body temperature. So, everything has both advantages and disadvantages. I can only answer it this way.
The second question: The pattern on the Korean flag is the same as our Bagua Taiji diagram, which is a good thing. It shows that the civilization of the Chinese nation is part of human civilization, a shared civilization of humanity, and this is our contribution to the world. The second point is whether there is a historical connection. Of course, there must be, but I am not familiar with this history and cannot speak blindly. As for the Taoist masters, they may have studied this, but it must be based on evidence. Japan, Korea, and Southeast Asia all belong to the Chinese-character cultural circle of Asia, and every Chinese character has a story. A Japanese person once told me that his Chinese was not fluent, but I could understand him. He said that in China, they talk about Fuxi, Fuxi, while in Japan, they eat by saying "mishi mishi." The Japanese are also Chinese, as three thousand young men and women were sent from China to the Japanese island. They missed their homeland and would say "mishi mishi" while eating, because Fuxi is also known as Fushi. But this is just a legend—how can it be proven? If this could be proven, there would not be so much friction in Sino-Japanese diplomacy. Six years ago, the South Koreans had a project and proposed at an international conference on the I Ching in Seoul that they wanted to establish an International I Ching Association with its headquarters in Seoul. At that time, Professor Zhu Bokai was present, and he said that they were also considering it. So after returning, he reported this issue promptly. The relevant leaders handed the matter to the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, which was approved, and the founding ceremony was held on April 23, last year, at the Fisherman's Wharf State Guesthouse. Last year, the South Koreans launched another project to adopt China's Dragon Boat Festival as their own holiday. This is not a matter of whether someone likes it or not. Some things are historical issues, and we cannot say much about them. "To know what you know and what you do not know" is the scientific attitude of our ancient Chinese ancestors.
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