Zheng Banqiao's "Rarely Be Confused": Great Wisdom in Being an Official

Author: Shi Sheng
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-12-01
Features: A classic book on the ancient Chinese wisdom of "retreat to advance" in life. Great wisdom often appears foolish, great skill often seems clumsy, and great eloquence often seems taciturn. Zheng Banqiao's phrase "It's hard to be clear-headed" () expresses certain unspoken connotations of being an official in just four simple and clear characters, making it widely recognized and popular among the people. This book gathers the wisdom crystallized from Zheng Banqiao's years as an official, telling us that whether one is an official or an ordinary citizen, there is no distinction between high and low, noble and humble, but there is a duty that must be fulfilled. The wisdom of being an official may have a thousand paths, but the duty of serving the people must never be forgotten; the wisdom of being an official may have ten thousand forms, but "It's hard to be clear-headed" must never be abandoned. Let us learn from the "positive foolishness," "flexible foolishness," and "tolerant foolishness" in Zheng Banqiao's "It's hard to be clear-headed," while discarding the "negative foolishness," "dark foolishness," and "true foolishness." Let us truly master and understand the way of being an official and the way of governing in practice, using the power in our hands to do more good and practical deeds for the country, society, and the people!