Our land, our people

Author: Lu Xun
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2007-01-01
Features: The nature of water determines human nature, and the nature of earth determines human nature. This is not only a fundamental belief of Chinese folk culture but also one of the core concepts of China's "high-end" thinkers. The Water Earth in the Guanzi states: "Earth is the origin of all things, the root garden of all life, where beauty and ugliness, virtue and vice, wisdom and folly are born. Water is the blood and qi of the earth, like the flow of veins and arteries, hence it is said that water possesses material." This explains the principle. The Analects says, "The wise love water, the benevolent love mountains," which also speaks to this principle. The Guanzi believes that the nature of water determines human nature: the water of Qi is "forceful and restless," so its people are "greedy and brave"; the water of Chu is "muddy and clear," so its people are "light-hearted and treacherous"; the water of Yue is "dirty and heavy," so its people are "foolish and dirty"; the water of Qin is "diluted and stagnant, muddy and mixed," so its people are "greedy, cruel, and seek pleasure"; the water of Qi and Jin is "dry and stagnant, muddy and mixed," so their people are "flattering, cunning, and greedy for profit"; the water of Yan is "low and weak, stagnant and mixed," so its people are "foolish and upright, light-hearted and easily die." The Xunzi believes that water is a symbol of virtue: "Water is vast and pervasive, nurturing all life without effort, resembling virtue; its flow is low and constrained, always following its principles, resembling righteousness; its vastness is endless, resembling the Dao; if it breaks through, its response is swift like sound, its rush to a thousand-foot valley is fearless, resembling courage; it measures and balances, resembling law; it overflows without seeking brim, resembling justice; it is subtle and perceptive, resembling insight; it brings forth and receives, achieving freshness and purity, resembling benevolent transformation; its countless twists are always eastward, resembling purpose. Therefore, a gentleman must observe great water." The Analects of Confucius believes that the quality of earth determines personality: "People of firm earth are tough, people of weak earth are gentle, people of wasteland are large, people of sandy earth are fine, people of lush earth are beautiful." In the Meditations of the Old Man of Jie'an by Ming Dynasty scholar Li Xu, it is also stated: "Woodly people are brave, metallic people are tough, fiery people are strong and dry, earthy people are wise and broad, watery people are urgent and treacherous." In the Micro-Commentary by Southern Song Dynasty scholar Cai Yuanding, "earth" and "stone" are considered the "flesh" and "bones" of the human body: "Earth is the flesh of the human body, hence it is slightly soft; stone is the bones of the human body, hence it is slightly tough. Combining water, fire, earth, and stone to form the earth is like combining blood, qi, bones, and flesh to form a person. Taking inspiration from the body nearby and from objects far away, there is no different principle." The sinologist Sarah Allan considers "water" the "primary metaphor" of Chinese philosophy: "From the contemplation of this common and ever-changing natural phenomenon, the Chinese found an understanding of the fundamental principles of life, a principle that not only manifests in the material world but also applies to human society. Thus, water became a primary metaphor at the base of abstract concepts, forming the foundation of the social and ethical value system." The Micro-Commentary by Southern Song Dynasty scholar Cai Yuanding considers "earth" and "stone" the "flesh" and "bones" of the human body: "Earth is the flesh of the human body, hence it is slightly soft; stone is the bones of the human body, hence it is slightly tough. Combining water, fire, earth, and stone to form the earth is like combining blood, qi, bones, and flesh to form a person. Taking inspiration from the body nearby and from objects far away, there is no different principle." The Analects of Confucius believes that the quality of earth determines personality: "People of firm earth are tough, people of weak earth are gentle, people of wasteland are large, people of sandy earth are fine, people of lush earth are beautiful." In the Meditations of the Old Man of Jie'an by Ming Dynasty scholar Li Xu, it is also stated: "Woodly people are brave, metallic people are tough, fiery people are strong and dry, earthy people are wise and broad, watery people are urgent and treacherous."