Culture

Stories from Ancient China: Gentlemen Are Hard to Please

2007-09-18

Confucius said, "Gentlemen are easy to serve, but hard to please. In order to please a gentleman, you must act according to the principles, or he will be unhappy. A gentleman will think highly of your talents and give you an opportunity to use them. Villains are difficult to serve and easy to please. You do not need to behave according to the principles as long as you do exactly what you are told.

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Stories from Ancient China: General Wei Qing

2007-09-15

Others said, "That is not the right thing to do. Su Jian fought a vigorous battle and he led only one thousand soldiers to fight with tens of thousands of enemy soldiers. If you kill him, you are also telling others that, from now on, if you lose a battle you should never return."

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Stories from Ancient China: Deities Prevent a Robbery

2007-09-09

During the earlier Jiajing reign of the Ming dynasty in ancient China, a merchant by the name of Jin in Yizheng County of Jiangsu Province, opened a pawnshop. He was honest and treated people coming to pawn their goods with fairness. He also gave generous appraisals and allowed a longer redeeming time compared to other pawnshops and when a poor elder came to pawn their goods, he often made an exception to charging any interest.

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A Look at the History and Origin of Chinese Medicine

2007-09-07

It is said that traditional Chinese medicine was passed down by the gods. In the first chapter of the The Yellow Emperor, a classic of Chinese medicine, it discusses on how one should follow and obey the heavenly principles instead of how to cure illnesses via certain methods. In addition, it discusses true selves, virtuous men, sages, and wise men. Here the true selves are really enlightened beings, namely gods. Why, in the first chapter of a Chinese medicine classic, does it talk about gods and Taos?

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Stories from Ancient China: The Honourable Yelu Chucai

2007-09-02

Upon hearing this, Genghis Khan was so greatly shocked that he immediately sought the advice of Yelu Chucai who commented: "It is a good omen animal and is called the Good Omen Horn. It can speak many local languages. It is a being whom greatly cares for lives and detests killing indiscriminatingly. His appearance is a warning to the Great Khan from Heaven. I hope that you will follow Heaven's will." Genghis Khan therefore withdrew his troops and returned home.

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A Chinese Idiom: The Fox Profits from the Tiger's Might

2007-09-01

This is a story stated in the Zhan Guo Ce (Intrigues of the Warring States). The idiom that the fox profits from the tiger's might evolved from this story. It is an analogy referring to people who like to bully or suppress others when they are associated with someone in a powerful position.

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Ancient Cultivation Stories: The Huayang Hermit

2007-08-29

His whole life Tao Hongjing searched for the truth--the ultimate truth of life. And with compassion he always cared about sentient beings. He was modest, understanding, sharp-eyed, and always conformed to etiquette regardless of his reclusive life or being a high-level official. He was honest, calm, and unperturbed regardless of what was happening. The stories of his cultivation and great deeds will forever be remembered.

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Stories from Ancient China: News of an Official's Virtuous Rule Travels Far and Wide

2007-08-28

In short, Zhang Fangping ended the chaos in Sichuan that began one autumn by calming and trusting the people. He did not treat people in Sichuan like bandits or thieves. Instead, he treated them with respect and trust. As a result, peace and order was restored by January of the following year.

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Stories from Ancient China: Tiandan's Sharp Mind Wins the Battle

2007-08-27

Tiandan ordered his army to have one thousand oxen covered with bright red satin sheets painted with dragons, tied a dagger on each bull horn, and tied a burning rope on the oxen's tails. He then ordered the oxen to be released and had his soldiers follow them. The city dwellers beat their drums and shouted together as they marched forward. Yan's army woke up in panic from their dreams and saw many sharp horns with strange fiery bodies rushing towards them and so they panicked and fled. Tiandan

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Stories from Ancient China: Leaving a World of Fame and Power to Study Buddhism

2007-08-25

When Renzong heard about Guan's resignation from his noble office and that he simply handed it over to his brother, he told his officials: "It is hard to find the descendants of generals with such meritorious records. Guan Yunshi presented the Explanation of Classic of Filial Piety, which was highly praised by Renzong. Renzong appointed him as a scholar of his residence before ascending the throne.

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Sincerity and Virtue Move People and Heaven Alike

2007-08-23

All the income that Yuan Dexiu earned during his service as government official was used to help orphans. After he finished his term, his only asset was a roll of silk. Yuan rode a crudely-made cart and settled down in the mountains. Fang Guan, the Minister of Punishment at the time, said of meeting Yuan, "When I see Yuan Dexiu's face, all my thoughts of pursuing fame and profit are gone." After Yuan Dexiu passed away, all he left behind was a pillow, shoes and cookware, without any other valuables.

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Selected Translation from the Book "Role Model to the World" by Yuan Cai

2007-08-19

"Often, close friends, beloved relatives, and old acquaintances become estranged, not because of what they say, but rather because of how they say it, such as when they have a rude attitude or tone. If we can keep our attitudes gentle and polite, when we point out others' shortcomings with direct and straight words, they will not be offended even if they do not heed our advice. On the other hand, when we speak tersely, then even if we do not mean to alienate others, they will often feel offended, if not outright angry."

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Poem: Worlds Within

2007-08-16

Silence withincalmest watersto clearest skiesboundlessness, endlessnessas above so belowcome let hearts arise.

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Traditional Chinese Culture - Mi Zijian Knew Precisely What to Accept or Reject

2007-08-13

Shanfu County was in order when Mr. Mi played the lute within the hall. When Mi Zijian was acting as the magistrate in Danfu County (what is now Dan County in Shandong Province), he was never extremely busy, like his predecessor. Instead, he seldom went out of the hall, preferring to play his lute. Consequently, the county was administered with great order, and he was praised by the common people. People said, "This magistrate can play the lute and is not meddlesome. He is a good official."

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Stories from Ancient China:: Businessman Xian Gao Saves the Country with His Cows

2007-08-12

When the army arrived at the border of the Zheng, they met a Zheng businessman, Xian Gao, who was about to go to Zhou to sell his twelve cows. When Xian Gao saw the Qin army, he sent a person back to his country to deliver the urgent message. In the meantime, he walked towards the troop and said: "The Zheng emperor sent me here to offer a dozen cows to cheer up your soldiers from the honorable Qin country."

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