Be, Do----A set of survival strategies you can't afford not to know

Author: Fang Zhou
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-09-01
Features:
1. The Simple Is True
What is simplicity? Simplicity is turning complexity into simplicity, diversity into unity, and burdens into ease. It is not to grieve for what one lacks but to rejoice in what one has. Simplicity is a form of sensory enjoyment, a state of happiness. Confucius praised Yan Hui for his simple life, clearly implying that simplicity is beauty, simplicity is happiness. A simple life saves resources and time, allowing people to devote more energy to nurturing their souls, live more clearly, and be happier.
Confucius originally aspired to become a high official and travel around the world, but he failed and had to return home, becoming a teacher instead. Unexpectedly, he found immense joy in teaching and finally realized two truths: first, doing small things is greater than doing big things; second, do what you should do without forcing yourself. Confucius passed these two pieces of wisdom to his disciples, who benefited immensely from them, each becoming incredibly happy, and the fame of Confucianism spread widely.
Confucius’s most esteemed disciple, Yan Hui, was a truly simple person. He lived and ate modestly: residing in a humble lane and eating simple meals. People like Confucius and Yan Hui found joy in simplicity, infusing simple sensory beauty into rational enjoyment. Though they had little money and no so-called status, they were happy, happier than the wealthy and powerful.
In Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Liu Bei was being chased by Cai Mao and leaped over Tanxi River on Lu Ma’s horse, narrowly escaping danger. On the road, he saw a shepherd boy riding a cow backward leisurely, playing a bamboo flute carefree. Liu Bei sighed, “I am no match for him!” Of course, Liu Bei’s level of happiness could not compare to the shepherd boy, as he was too busy and preoccupied. Before becoming the “Vassal Emperor,” Liu Bei was a humble straw sandals seller, and his happiness was once just like that of the shepherd boy. Later, after forming grand ambitions, he lost touch with happiness.
We are not saying people should not have ambitions, but rather that ambitions should not make them unhappy. If they do, what are they good for? Better not to have them. True ambition is to find one’s true self and truly be happy. Yan Hui remained true to himself, so living in a humble lane was fulfilling for him, better than living in high-rise apartments. There’s a technical secret here: A simple life is an enjoyment. Some people work themselves to death because they complicate what was originally a simple life.
Once, a man complained to his master, “Oh, I am so suffering, so tired.” The master asked, “Why are you like this?” He replied, “Even eating makes me tired. Eating too little makes me hungry, eating too much makes me afraid of indigestion. Eating meat makes me fat, eating vegetables makes me thin, and not eating is not an option.” The master laughed and said, “I understand. Try starving yourself for a day.” “Can I?” “Try it.” So the man starved himself for a day and became extremely hungry. The next day, he ate heartily and said to the master, “Master, I understand.” “What do you understand?” “Eating is just eating—it’s originally simple.” “Haha, you understand.”
Modern people today seem to have lost the ability to eat, even the courage to eat, so perhaps it’s time to let them starve a bit. The simpler one lives, the better, for only then can one see their true self and not lose basic survival skills.
The Secret History of the Mongols records that the great Genghis Khan died from a fall from his horse. A great hero who spent his life on horseback later couldn’t even ride a horse, proving that his abilities faded away, bit by bit, along with his greed, until they vanished completely. Compared to Genghis Khan, Yan Hui lived more authentically because he remained true to himself, had no greed, and was a pure, happy person. Such people don’t need to conquer the world—after all, the world is already theirs. So the simpler one lives, the better, until one can turn complex emotions into simplicity, diversity into unity, burdens into ease, not grieve for what one lacks but rejoice in what one has—this is a rational act within sensibility.
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