Confucius looked disconsolate and sighed. …”I was twice driven from Lu; I had to flee from Wei; the tree under which I taught was cut down in Song; I was held in a state of siege between Chen and Cai. I do not know what transgressions I had committed that brought about the hardship…
Book 31 is a brief 5 page vignette of an encounter between Confucius and an anonymous Fisherman. While on a roadway adjacent to a lake Confucius and his traveling companions are taking a break from the road. They are approached by this stranger who steps down from his boat. The man is described in…
Of my assertions,9 out of 10 are metaphorical;7 in 10 are from existing writings. Words flow on every day clarified bythe heavenly elementin our nature. The 9 assertions in 10 which are metaphoricalare borrowed from external sources to expound my arguments. It is said,“A father does not act as the matchmakerfor his own son.”This…
Huizi said to Zhuangzi, “You speak of what is useless!” Zhuangzi replied, “You have to know what is useless beforeyou can speak about what is useful… Zhuangzi said, “if a man has the capacity to wander freely,can he be stopped? If a man lacks the capacity, then whatcan induce him? There are those who…
The 2nd Sunday of March, you lose an hour of rest due to the ‘click forward’ of daylight savings time. I’d wager most despise the imposition, and there’s no mechanism to stop the obsolete ritual. Saving energy and encouraging commerce… A globalized economy heavily encumbered by tariffs is roiled by the President of the…
The four seasons have distinct weather, but as heaven has no partiality the year completes the cycle. The five offices of the government have distinct duties, but as rulers have no partiality the state is governed. Peace and war have distinct characteristics, but as a great man does not oppose one against the other…
Lord Hui of Wei agreed on a treaty with Marquis Wei of Qi. When Marquis of Wei violated it, Lord Hui was enraged and was planning to send a man to assassinate him. When Gongsun Yan, the Minister of War, heard of this he regarded it as a shame and said, “you are the…
The marquis said, “I have wished to see you for a long time. I want to love my people and with the practice of righteousness put an end to war. Will that be adequate?” “Certainly not replied,” Replied Xu Wugui, “Loving the people is the start of hurting the people. Practicing righteousness to put…
Perfectionism which would transform the whole of thought and the entire society, is a program of destruction, ending up at best in a world of pretense. The Tacit Dimension by Michael Polanyi, 1891-1976 Today is unseasonably warm nearly sixty degrees, mid-February. Are the gods are playing with us? Or is it just another step…
My wife asked me what I would write about today. I replied I was unsure whether I would write anything at all on this February 1st. Midway through winter, my energy is at low ebb. I am not one to peruse Facebook, or other social media sites. Still, I am aware of the activities…
