Movement against Tao

Mr. Zhu Guangqian said, how much does it have to do with us? Only the wisdom of those thinkers, like the stars in the darkness, shows us the way forward in the darkness.

If you want to ask which sentence in the Tao Te Ching is the most philosophical and wise, it is of course a sentence in Chapter 40 of the Tao Te Ching-the anti-Tao movement. The core of Tao Te Ching is not in the first chapter, nor in chapter 8 1, but in the middle is chapter 40. Chapter 40 only talks about three sentences: oppose the movement of Tao, make use of weak Tao, everything in the world is born in existence, and everything is born in nothing.

Opposition, weakness and nothingness are three core concepts in Tao Te Ching.

The basic meaning of the anti-Tao movement mainly has two aspects, one is to look at the problem from the perspective of opposition, and the other is to complement each other.

We have been longing for a mature wisdom. When did it mature? There are two signs. The first is that we know how to take responsibility and have a sense of responsibility. Second, know how to think from the other side's point of view, that is, reverse thinking and empathy.

For example, I write a 6 here. From your point of view, it is 9, and from my point of view, it is 6. We will argue with each other all our lives. If we don't put ourselves in other's shoes, we won't have a correct conclusion. And everyone thinks each other is stupid. Why not admit such a simple question? Come on, don't you see things from each other's point of view? In fact, this is the truth of the so-called cross view of the ridge side peaking.

The first requirement of Laozi's anti-Tao movement is that if we look at the problem from another angle, we will find a more wonderful and higher realm and wisdom in this world.

For example, what is the highest state of art? For example, is calligraphy beautiful? Many calligraphers tell us that the more clumsy calligraphy is in the end, the higher the realm. When a great calligrapher finally writes his calligraphy like a child, it is the highest realm of his calligraphy.

The same is true of China's sculptures. The peak of China sculpture is Maoling stone carving in Shaanxi. If you have seen it, you will find that you can never see a more exquisite work. The horse stepping on the Xiongnu in front of Huo Qubing's tomb, the shape of the mountain ... Almost all sculptures in the Han Dynasty are ingenious, and it is considered to be the most ingenious because it is naive, clumsy and simple.

What is the highest realm of China's poetry? Like the lotus of water, it has the nature of nature. When you can't see the trace of artificial carving, it's just Wei's two sentences, "The desert is lonely and the smoke is straight, and the long river sets the yen", which seems to come directly from the mouth, but it is the highest realm of China's poetry.

What is the highest realm of China gardens? Although it is man-made, it is natural. Although it is artificial, there is no trace of artificial carving, which seems to have grown from nature. Therefore, important idioms in China culture, such as those from the forty-second, forty-fourth and forty-fifth chapters of Laozi's Tao Te Ching, are actually the products of the anti-Tao movement. If you are clumsy and you are eager to hear, you are a late bloomer and you lack success. Like these, you all draw from an opposite perspective of reverse thinking.

Take unsuccessful as an example. The world is perfect because there are imperfections in it. This sentence sounds contradictory, but it actually contains wisdom.

What is the greatest sculpture in the world? Venus! Nowadays, many Venus arms are designed by computers. Where is the best place to put them? You will find that no one admits where it is, and everyone thinks it is not as perfect as it was. Because of its defects, this sculpture became the most perfect sculpture, in fact, the truth of life is the same.

The highest number in China culture is nine, not ten, just a little worse than ten. Flowers are not fully open, the moon is not full, flowers wither when they are fully open, and the full moon develops as if there is no direction. Being so close, let me give you more expectations and feel more perfect. This is the reason for the lack of great achievements. Therefore, if we look at the world from the perspective of reverse thinking, our world will double, and our world will be broader and wiser. This is the first point of the movement against Tao, and we should consider the problem from the opposite angle.

The second meaning of the movement against Tao, which is often said in philosophy, is that opposites complement each other. Contrary things can promote each other and complement each other, forming a more harmonious and higher realm.

Give three examples.

The first example, what is the highest basic framework of China culture and China philosophy? What is its architecture?

I think four words are the most appropriate, that is, Confucianism and Taoism complement each other. Confucianism and Taoism seem to be opposites, but in fact they promote and complement each other, which is a very prominent aspect of our cultural thinking. Confucianism emphasizes that the sky is healthy and the gentleman is constantly striving for self-improvement; Taoism emphasizes taking retreat as progress, combining rigidity with softness, and governing by doing nothing; Therefore, when Confucius stood at the water's edge, his emotion was: the deceased was so, he didn't give up day and night. Emphasize the spirit of self-sacrifice and continuous progress of water; And the feeling of Lao Tzu standing by the water is another kind of taste. Laozi said in Chapter 78 of the Tao Te Ching: "The husband's water is not weak, and the attacker cannot win." Water is the weakest, but it contains powerful power. There is nothing in the world that cannot be overcome. Water droplets still penetrate the stone. Anyone who cuts metal materials knows that when there is nothing else to deal with, they cut with water. When you give water a driving force, it will be very sharp when it reaches a certain speed. Besides, if you give water a kind of power, it will last for a long time. Therefore, through the image of water, we know that these two ideas are very different, but in China culture, they promote each other and complement each other. Reaching for the best helps the world, which is Confucianism; If you are poor, you will be immune. This is Taoism.

But these can be well unified in one person, who is the bipolar personality and ideological sustenance of ancient intellectuals in China. Whether you are rich or poor, it is the ideal sustenance and spiritual comfort. Tao Yuanming and Su Dongpo are both typical examples of complementary Confucianism and Taoism. On the surface, Confucianism and Taoism are antagonistic, but in fact they can promote and complement each other, which is precisely the second meaning of the movement against Taoism.

The second example is called the combination of reality and reality.

The gardens in China are outstanding in the world, which can't be simulated by any other culture. Why? Because China culture not only emphasizes the real scene, but also emphasizes the virtual scene, the sound of wind and rain, the shadow of the sun and the real scene, which is the complete realm of China gardens.

In A Dream of Red Mansions, Lin Daiyu said that she didn't like Li Shangyin's poems. But there is one sentence that she particularly likes-leaving the residual lotus to listen to the rain. Lin Daiyu disagreed with the idea of eliminating dead branches and residual loads in Daguan Garden. She believes that even the combination of the dead branches and the bitter rain will form a very beautiful and sad realm.

At the Cross Street in the center of Suzhou, there is a very famous garden called Master Wang Garden. The name of this garden comes from the fisherman written in Chu Ci. Don't go to this garden during the day. Not only are the tickets expensive, but the garden is too small. You can walk a few steps during the day. What about at night? What about when there is a moon? When someone plays the piano. If you walk into this garden again, you will feel that the world is really big and you can linger for a long time. Therefore, a large part of China's beauty lies in the beauty of art and life, emphasizing the coexistence of reality and reality. Art should be left blank, whether it is painting, music or calligraphy. Life should also be left blank, and the reality and reality should coexist to form a more complete and beautiful life realm.

The third example is the movement in the opposite direction.

From Lao Tzu's Tao Te Ching, Chapter 58-Where misfortune is blessed, and where happiness is blessed. What I'm saying is that the truth of mutual dependence between misfortune and happiness and the truth of mutual dependence between misfortune and happiness can be explained from three levels.

On the first level, the curse of blessing goes hand in hand. When the wisdom of each nation reaches a high point, it often coincides with mine.

There is a book in Buddhism called Nirvana Sutra, which tells a story: One morning, when the host opened the door, a well-dressed and very beautiful woman stood at the door. The master asked, who are you? The woman said, I am a man of great merit, and I will prosper wherever I go. The host happily invited her in. Hardly had I closed the door when someone knocked at the door. At the door stood an ugly woman in rags, very dark and thin. The host asked, Who are you? The woman replied, I am black, and whoever I go to will be destroyed. Of course, the master won't let her in, and he will drive her away with a knife. As a result, the girl said, you are so stupid. It was my sister who just went in. We haven't been apart since the day we were born. The master didn't believe it. When asked, it was like this. Happiness and misfortune go hand in hand.

The enlightenment it gives us is the second point. Happiness and disaster are interdependent. Only when we are alert to disasters can we seek more happiness for ourselves. Han Feizi said that the embankment of a thousand miles collapsed in the ant nest. Thousands of miles away, if you are not alert to an ant hole, you may completely destroy such a huge project. So sometimes, when we are not alert to disasters, it will also lead to such a big disaster. Personally, corrupt officials are the stupidest class. Do you think that thing you are greedy for is a good thing? It's like bait for fishing. If you are not alert to these disasters, you will end up with very serious consequences.

There is a vice mayor in Hangzhou, surnamed Xu, nicknamed. There are many houses, money and so on. This person is still very capable, and he is still very capable in the transformation of Xixi and West Lake, but this person has a problem and loves to reach out. His father is a fortune teller in Fiona Fang Baili. He realized his problem long ago and warned him not to take other people's things. As a result, I took more than 80 million yuan and finally lost my life.

So we have always emphasized this point. If we are not alert to the disaster, it will eventually lead to very serious consequences, which sometimes even cost our lives.

The third fact that wealth is interdependent is that a blessing in disguise is a blessing in disguise. Tell us that happiness and disaster can be transformed into each other. An old frontiersman loses his horse—a blessing in disguise. The allusion comes from Huai Nan Zi Ren Xun. There is an old man outside the Great Wall, and his horse has run away. At that time, horses were similar to cars now. Everyone thinks he is unlucky. As a result, the old man said that this is not necessarily a bad thing. Sure enough, a few days later, his horses turned back to several horses beyond the Great Wall. Everyone says, old man, you are too wise, and you are right. The old man said that this is not necessarily a good thing. As a result, a few days later, my son rode a turned horse, was unfamiliar with the horse beyond the Great Wall, and broke his leg. Everyone says, old man, you are wise and accurate. The old man said that this is not necessarily a bad thing. What good thing can a broken leg be? As a result, those who were healthy were caught on the battlefield and used as cannon fodder. His son saved his life because of a broken leg.

This is the reason why blessing and misfortune are opposed to each other and transformed into each other. Indians see blessings and disasters, reminding us to be vigilant; What China people see more is that misfortune is followed by happiness. Breaking money can also avoid disaster; If you survive, you will be blessed; Thinking in this way will give us a broader space for thinking and a deeper and wiser view of the problem.