The Outgoingness of the Heart
In no Chinese poet’s works does compassion for human suffering play so large a part. The works of his maturity — the ballads, satires and petitions- — are largely grounded on pity, and even at…
Category: China
Hold It All
Joseph Needham has described the unity of Chinese civilisation as organismic, with the various parts functioning like those of a living organism. We think of Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism, and even of popular religion. These…
Camerados
I swore an oath of eternal brotherhood with Yuan-ruo, and pledged him my everlasting allegiance, as an expression of my lifelong loyalty to him. Chinese people have always treated their friends with this sort of…
Kindred Spirits
Sometimes I feel overwhelmed. But I try to work one day at a time. If we just worry about the big picture, we are powerless. So my secret is to start right away doing whatever…
Accept Loss Forever
Bo Juyi, On Hearing Someone Sing a Poem by Yuan Zhen No new poems his brush will trace;Even his fame is dead.His old poems are deep in dustAt the bottom of boxes and cupboards.Once lately,…
Blessings of a Long Life
The world has allowed me to hand down a thousand of my poems; Heaven has let my years draw out to more than three score. I count over the happy chances that have helped me all my…
Microscopic Moments
In order to help ourselves change, we must become aware that breaking from our normal ways of being is what makes it possible to develop different sides of ourselves. Rituals—in the Confucian sense—are transformative because…
How Things Looked in 1990
All over the world, we are saturated by a contemporary culture of materialism, instant communications, and electronic luxury. Advertising bombards us with pulsating music, sexual imagery, and the urgent appeal to involve ourselves more and…
Forthwith!
All we can know is, what we, who compose humanity, must do, and what not, in order that the kingdom of God may come. That we all know. And every one need but begin to…
Train Wholeheartedly
One who practices the teachings of these great scriptures will become aware of the unity of life, and this awareness will give constant strength and inspiration to those who seek to turn anger into compassion,…