The Tao can be Taoist, but it is not Taoist; the answer can be answered, but it is very Taoist - the future of Hong Kong legend
For society to develop in the long term, it is very important to have a group of wise and insightful people who can express opinions and record events from a righteous perspective, and for everyone to know that this power exists.
Author: GUDORDI | 2023-02-07
Are there talents like ancient Chinese historians in our society? (Asian News Agency)
Continuing from the above: “Fuxi’s Utopia”
The Tao can be Tao, but it is very Tao. Famous, very famous. The nameless beginning of heaven and earth; the named mother of all things.
──Laozi’s “Tao Te Ching”
In the last chapter, the author mentioned the issue of the Utopia in Fuxi’s mind. This question is not easy to answer. Some people say that everything about Fuxi is legend, so there is no basis for answering this question. However, from the perspective of understanding Chinese culture, whether these legends are all true may not be that important. Regardless of whether the legend is true or not, the truth remains that many of the things and concepts that are said to be created by Fuxi have deeply influenced the life and thinking of the Chinese nation over the past thousands of years. To say that Fuxi plays an important role in Chinese culture and national history, this may be enough.
No matter how difficult the problem is, we have to think about it
Mark Twains once said something similar: “No matter how high the price of fate is, we have to buy a little.” Perhaps, no matter how difficult the question of the Utopia in Fuxi’s mind is to answer, we still have to think about it. Think about it and try to answer it. I believe the answer can bring enlightenment to how Hong Kong can develop its career as an international financial center, international city, and cultural city.
The first sentence at the beginning of “Tao Te Ching” is: “The Tao can be Tao, but it is not Tao.” Perhaps, the answer to this question is: “The answer can be answered, but it is very Tao.” The author believes that we can use 4 unusual perspectives Go try to answer this question.
The first angle is to examine what Fuxi could definitely do, but did not do. It is worth noting that there have been many great men in ancient and modern times, at home and abroad, and these great men all have their greatness, but the author always feels that Fuxi is different in many aspects. First of all, although Fuxi’s wisdom is definitely much higher than that of others, he is not superior, nor does he ask others to worship him or treat him as a god. On the contrary, he seemed to enjoy his “work” and never tire of it; he never asked others to regard him as a great man, which may be what made Fuxi great. Lao Tzu has written in Chapter 63 of the Tao Te Ching, “It is because the sage never becomes great that he can become great.” What Lao Tzu is describing may be the realm of Fu Xi, right?
The second angle is to put all the legends about Fuxi together to have a higher level understanding of this person. It is worth noting that many of Fuxi’s deeds and legends have been verified and recognized by many historians throughout the history of China. In “Book of Bao Ren An” (a letter written by Sima Qian to his friend Ren An in prison), Sima Qian expressed his intention in writing “Historical Records”: “Collect the world’s old news, examine their actions, and examine their successes and failures. “Principles, all one hundred and thirty articles, are also intended to study the relationship between heaven and man, to understand the changes in ancient and modern times, and to form a family of words.” He then wrote, “If you have not yet started, you will suffer from this disaster. It is a pity that it will not succeed, so you will be punished with death without any regrets. I sincerely wrote this book, hid it in the famous mountain, and passed it on to others. I will pay for it in all cities and capitals.” Even if you are punished for being humiliated, how can you regret it! However, this is a guide for the wise, but it is difficult for ordinary people to explain it!” This shows that this “Historical Records” was once praised by Lu Xun as “the best song of the historian, the rhymeless Li Sao”. Behind the writing, there is huge indignation, sorrow, bitterness, regret and hope.
In the author’s opinion, “Historical Records” has made immeasurable contributions to the Chinese nation, and one of the most important ones is that it has set a model and example for Chinese historians, handling historical materials, historical facts and historical opinions extremely seriously, so that Many historians in the past dynasties of China have some sentiments and commitments like Sima Qian, as if they want to stake their reputation in life, their commitment and hopes for the country and nation in their works, so that future generations can one day give them a A fair evaluation can also allow future generations to learn from the historical truth.
Moral Responsibility in Historical Writings
In the author’s opinion, compared to many other civilizations in the world, one of the characteristics of the Chinese civilization is its special emphasis on history, and many historians throughout the ages have a high sense of moral responsibility. The author suspects that this may be an important reason why Chinese culture has been able to last for thousands of years without being noticed by people. Its nature is a bit like the justices of the U.S. Supreme Court, who silently and secretly protect a country and a culture. invisible force.
I remember that when I was in college, I spent a lot of time in the library perusing the judgments of the justices of the Supreme Court in several classic cases since the founding of the United States when society faced huge conflicts. The author remembers that I was very impressed at the time, especially that these elders had a high degree of insight into human nature, a great concern for the long-term overall well-being of society, and their ability to make decisions that were fair, balanced, and that took into account both human rights and legal principles. In this way, American society as a whole can take a step forward.
Yes, when it comes to the long-term development of society, it is very important to have a group of wise and insightful people who can express opinions and record events from a righteous perspective, and for everyone to know that this force exists. This may also be a role that historians play in the development of the Chinese nation that is rarely noticed. What is important is that many historians in the past dynasties of China were not afraid of the hardships caused by the lack of historical materials, and wrote down Fuxi’s deeds in their books to make up for the shortcomings of the “Historical Records”. This allows us to have clues to get a glimpse of Fuxi’s ideals. country, and what this can bring to Hong Kong in developing its career as an international financial centre. We will discuss this issue next time.
“Hong Kong’s Legendary Future” Series 21
Contact the author: Gudordi@proton.me
