Chinese Way of Life

Author: Mu Qing
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-09-01
Features:
Say — The difficulty of speaking lies in understanding the speaker's intention. (Han Feizi)
Govern — Those who toil with their minds govern others, while those who toil with their labor are governed by others. (Mencius)
Attack — Conquer others with strategy, not with force; in battle, use wisdom, not numbers. (Ouyang Xiu)
Gap — All things begin from the smallest flaw and grow into the greatest mountain. (Guiguzi)
Conceal — A wise merchant hides his wealth as if he had none, and a nobleman with great virtue appears foolish in appearance. (Laozi)
Softness — Softness overcomes hardness, weakness overcomes strength. If the world does not understand this, no one can practice it. (Laozi)
Ineptitude — Conceal skill within clumsiness, use obscurity to reveal clarity, embed purity in turbidity, and bend to extend. (Caigen Tan)
Virtue — To pacify the world, one must first rectify oneself. There has never been a ruler who was upright yet crooked, and who caused chaos above while governing below. (Tang Taizong)
Freedom — The highest person has no self, the divine person achieves nothing, and the sage has no fame. (Zhuangzi)
The world is vast and life is diverse. Everyone is the protagonist of their own life stage. How to play this role well? To what extent should life be performed? Is it brilliant and colorful, or dull and dim? Is it grand and passionate, or silent and unnoticed? Is it to return in glory, or to gain nothing? — All of this depends on one's grasp of the fundamental principles of life — the art of dealing with the world.
This book is rooted in the traditional culture of ancient China, extracting and summarizing nine classic, representative "Chinese ways of dealing with the world" from extensive historical records and numerous stories. These nine aspects, starting from the perspective of establishing oneself and cultivating oneself, cover areas such as social interaction, management, strategy, self-cultivation, morality, and life philosophy. It is hoped that readers, while enjoying this book, will be inspired, gain insights, and appreciate the subtle nuances of how to conduct oneself and navigate life. At the same time, by taking the essence and discarding the dross, learning from the past and applying it to the present, they can use these principles in the fierce game of life, making our lives more harmonious and fulfilling.