Like water in action

Author: Gui Shaohai
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-09-01
Features: Chinese civilization can be with a single character, "water." In the Book of Songs, there's "The Water on the Far Side"; Laozi's "The Highest Good is Like Water"; Zhuangzi's Autumn Water; Tang Dynasty's "Han Wen Like a Tide"; Song Dynasty's "Su Wen Like the Sea." Countless famous works about water in poetry, songs, and prose. The Chinese culture has always been closely tied to water. Culture shapes people's behavior, and when a nation is rooted in this "water culture," people's actions and ideas naturally have a close relationship with water. Therefore, the ancient Chinese emphasized being like water in character. They combined the various characteristics of water into principles for doing things, giving us inspiration: A person's virtue should be like water, "benevolent and kind"; a person's mind should be like water, "deep and wise"; a person's conduct in life should be like water, "just and ruling well"; a person's speech should be like water, "trustworthy and honest"; a person's behavior should be like water, "residing in the right place"; a person's grasp of opportunities should be like water, "acting at the right time"; a person's ability to do things should be like water, "competent and skilled." Chinese civilization can be with a single character, "water." In the Book of Songs, there's "The Water on the Far Side"; Laozi's "The Highest Good is Like Water"; Zhuangzi's Autumn Water; Tang Dynasty's "Han Wen Like a Tide"; Song Dynasty's "Su Wen Like the Sea." Countless famous works about water in poetry, songs, and prose. The Chinese culture has always been closely tied to water. Culture shapes people's behavior, and when a nation is rooted in this "water culture," people's actions and ideas naturally have a close relationship with water. Therefore, the ancient Chinese emphasized being like water in character. They combined the various characteristics of water into principles for doing things, giving us inspiration: A person's virtue should be like water, "benevolent and kind"; a person's mind should be like water, "deep and wise"; a person's conduct in life should be like water, "just and ruling well"; a person's speech should be like water, "trustworthy and honest"; a person's behavior should be like water, "residing in the right place"; a person's grasp of opportunities should be like water, "acting at the right time"; a person's ability to do things should be like water, "competent and skilled."