Zhuangzi Predicted the Fate of Tigers 庄子预知老虎命运

This is the year of tiger. Tigers are known to be the kings of jungle and yet they are one of the Earth's fastest disappearing species. Why? This is because every part of a dead tiger is valuable (more valuable than a live tiger in the eyes of poachers). A tiger's coat sells for as much as US$20,000 on the black market. An intact tiger forearm can bring in hundreds of US dollars per kilogram. Tiger penis soup sells for US$320 a bowl in Taiwan. (Some people actually believe that tiger penis soup will increase their sexuality.) Tiger bones, claws, eyes and even the whiskers command high prices for use in Eastern potions and elixirs. To fulfil the demand, the world's last tigers are being illegally trapped, poisoned and shot, then smuggled across international boundaries.

So being useful is not something that is good as at times it is better to be useless. Zhuanzi knows it best.

Zhuangzi was walking in the mountains when he saw a huge tree with branches full of luxuriant foliage. A lumberjack had stopped next to it, but wasn't attempting to cut it down. When Zhuangzi asked the lumberjack the reason, he responded, ‘There's nothing useful about that tree.’ Zhuangzi said: ‘This tree is so worthless it's been able to live out its natural lifespan.’

After coming out of the mountains, Zhuangzi stayed overnight in the home of an old friend. His friend was so delighted that he ordered his young servant to slaughter a goose so they could have it for dinner. The young servant politely asked, ‘One of them can cackle, and one of them can't cackle. Please tell me which one I should slaughter?’ The host responded, ‘Kill the one that can't cackle.’

The next day one of his disciples asked Zhuangzi, ‘Yesterday when we were in the mountains and came across that tree, it was able to live out its natural lifespan because it was worthless. Now our host has ordered the goose to be killed because it's worthless. Which is the better position?’

Zhuangzi laughed and said, ‘All around, I'd say the better position would be somewhere between being of worth and being worthless. Being somewhere between being of worth and being worthless might seem like the best place to be, but it's actually not. That's because one hasn't yet gotten rid of being tied to some idea. But that wouldn't be true if you could mount on the chariot of Dao and virtue and float about on it, without praise, without disapproval; In one moment a dragon, in one moment a snake. Changing in unison with the times; and never consenting to act in one specified way. In one moment above, in one moment below; using harmony as a measuring stick. Floating about with the ancestor of all living things; allowing things to be things, but not making things out of things. Then how would one be tied to anything? This was the method used by Shen Nong and Huang Di. But that's not truly the sentiments of most creatures who pass concepts of human ethics on to humanity: Joining together, then separating; Constructing, then destroying; Appearing to be honest, then back stabbing; Glorifying, then criticizing; Making promises, then backing down; Acting virtuous, then scheming; Deeming unworthy, then deceiving. Is there anything to be certain of? Yes, it's sad. But remember, my disciples, the only place to find a comfortable home is in Dao and virtue.’

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今年是虎年。老虎被称为森林之王，却是在地球上消失最快的物种之一。为什么呢？这是因为死去的老虎的每一个部分都值钱（在猎物者的眼中，比活生生的老虎更有价值）。在黑市中，虎皮可卖美元两万。一个完整的虎臂每公斤可值几百美元。虎鞭在台湾每碗可卖美元三百二十元（一些人真的相信虎鞭可壮阳）。虎骨、爪、眼，甚至虎须都因在东方可用来做药与补品而可卖得高价。为了满足需求，世上所剩下的老虎都被非法捕捉、毒害与射杀，然后偷运过国际国界。

所以有用并不是件好事。有时无用反而好。庄子最明白这一点了。

庄子行於山中，见大木枝叶盛茂，伐木者止其旁而不取也。问其故，曰：“无所可用。”庄子曰：“此木以不材得终其天年。”夫子出於山，舍於故人之家。故人喜，命竖子杀雁而烹之。竖子请曰：“其一能鸣，其一不能鸣，请奚杀？”主人曰：“杀不能鸣者。”

明日，弟子问於庄子曰，“昨日山中之木，以不材得终其天年；今主人之雁，以不材死。先生将何处？”

庄子笑曰：“周将处乎材与不材之间。材与不材之间，似之而非也，故未免乎累。若夫乘道德而浮游则不然，无誉无皆，一龙一蛇，与时俱化，而无肯专为。一上一下，以和为量，浮游乎万物之祖。物物而不物於物，则胡可得而累邪！此神农、黄帝之法则也。若夫万物之情，人伦之传，则不然。合则离，成则毁，廉则挫，尊则议，有为则亏，贤则谋，不肖则欺，胡可得而必乎哉！悲夫！弟子志之，其唯道德之乡乎！”

Literati Disdain Each Other 文人相轻

Cai Pi was the son of the great general and warlord Cao Cao of the Han dynasty (206 BC - 220). Cao Pi succeeded his father as king of Wei upon the latter’s death in 220. At the same time, Cao Pi formally proclaimed the end of the Han and the inauguration of the Wei dynasty, of which he was the first emperor. He retired the last Han emperor with great honours and married the emperor’s two daughters. He then undertook administrative reforms in his domains. Cao Pi’s Wei dynasty never controlled more than the northern part of China and lasted less than 50 years.

Cao Pi's collection of essays ‘Discussing the Norms for Literature’ (Dianlun), established him as a major figure in the history of Chinese literature. He discussed the function of literature, the relationship between the author’s character and his style and basic features of the genres. The most important chapter being ‘A Discourse on Literature’ (Lunwen), in which he explained why men of letters always disdain each other since old times.

Since ancient times, men of letters disdain each other. For example, Ban Gu (d. 92 AD) is more or less on par with Fu Yi in capability and knowledge, but he scorned the latter concerning his literary works. In a letter to his brother Ban Zhao, Ban Gu wrote: ‘Fu Yi (Wuzhong) is just able to compose some small essays, and that was enough to become director of the imperial Lantai 'Orchid Terrace' library, but he does not know when to lay down his writing brush.’

Often people only look at their own strengths without considering that a writer's ability is not exhausted in one literary style. Very few writers are able to master all different literary styles, and that is the reason why most people measure other writers' weaknesses with their own strengths.

A proverb says, ‘In your own house, even a broken broom is worth a thousand golden coins.’ This is just the fault of not looking at oneself from another standpoint.

Usually, people esteem things from far away, not the things accustomed to them, and they trust what is said without asking if it is really true. Further, most people make worries about something invisible to them and think they to be better than others.

The frame for writing has a common character, while the content of a text is unique. Memoranda and petitions (zou yi) should be elegant, letters and treatises (shu lun) should be logical and ordered, inscriptions and elegies (ming lei) should report the truth, and poems and rhapsodies (shi fu) require beauty. These four types are different to each other, and people that are expert in one of them cannot be expert in another. Only persons with universal abilities are able to master all of them.

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曹丕为汉将军与军阀曹操之子。曹操于220年死后，曹丕承继其父之魏王位。曹丕正式宣布汉朝之终止，成立魏朝，为其开朝皇帝。他体面地让汉皇退位并娶她的两个女儿。他接着在他的领土内实行行政改革。曹丕的魏朝一直只有统治北方，统治少过50年。

曹丕所写文集《典论》使他成为中国文学史里一个重要人物。他讨论文学的功能，作者个性与他的风格的关系，与艺术类型的特征。其中《论文》是最重要的一章，谈到为何自古以来文人相轻。

文人相轻，自古而然。傅毅之于班固，伯仲之间耳，而固小之，与弟超书曰：“武仲以能属文，为兰台令史，下笔不能自休。”

夫人善于自见，而文非一体，鲜能备善，是以各以所长，相轻所短。

理话曰：“家有弊帚，享之千金。”斯不自见之患也。

常人贵远贱近，向声背实，又患闇於自见，谓己为贤。

夫文，本同而末异。盖奏议宜雅，书论宜理，铭诔尚实，诗赋欲丽。此四科不同，故能之者偏也；惟通才能备其体。

Dong Yong’s Wife 董永妻

Filial piety is one of the Chinese traditional virtues. It is said that only when a person respects and loves his parents can he respect the elderly in society, humbly learn from the seniors in the work place, devote himself to the country, and sacrifice his life to defend the country. As such, all kind-hearted and capable emperors in Chinese history promoted filial piety.

Here is a story recorded in Sou Shen Ji (stories of Immortals) about Dong Yong, a son with filial piety and was reward by Heaven. The story later evolved to become a very popular folktale ‘Seven Fairies’.

In the Han dynasty in Qiancheng lived a man by the name of Dong Yong. His mother died when he was a child. While living with his father, they worked hard in fields. Each time they went out, he would put his old father on a small cart and follow it on foot. When his father died, he was so poor that he had no money for his father’s funeral. He was willing to sell himself into slavery for a little money for funeral. Knowing that he was a virtuous man, his master gave him ten thousand coins and allowed him to go home.

Dong was in mourning for three years. When it was over, he decided to return to his master to work as a slave. On his way he met a woman who said to him, ‘I am willing to marry you.’ So they went together to his master.

‘I have given you money, but I do not expect you to be my slave.’ The master said to him.

‘Thanks to your generous help,’ Dong said, ‘I was able to bury my father. Although I am a person with no social status, I know I ought to work for you to repay your kindness.’

Then the master said, ‘What is wife good at?’

‘She can weave,’ Dong answered.

‘If you insist on doing something for me,’ said the master, ‘please ask your wife to weave a hundred rolls of fine silk for me.’

Dong’s wife set to work in master’s house. Ten days later the hundred rolls were ready.

When she came out, she said to Dong, ‘I am a weaver in Heaven. The Emperor of Heaven ordered me to help you pay your debt because he was moved by your filial piety.’ After saying these words she flew into the sky and vanished.

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孝顺是中华美德之一。就是说，一个人如果能尊敬与爱护他的父母，他才会尊敬社会里的长者、在工作场所里虚心向前辈学习、献身国家、与肯为保卫国家而牺牲自己的性命。所以，历史上仁慈与有才能的君主都宣扬孝道。

以下是《搜神记》里记载孝子董永的故事，因其孝而获天协助。这个故事后来演变成为家喻户晓的《七仙女》的故事。

汉董永，千乘人。少偏孤，与父居。肆力田亩，鹿车载自随。父亡，无以葬，乃自卖为奴，以供丧事。主人知其贤，与钱千万，遣之。

永行三年丧毕，欲还主人，供其奴职。道逢一妇人曰：‘愿为子妻。’遂与之俱。

主谓永曰：‘以钱丐君矣。’

永曰：‘蒙君之惠，父丧收藏，永虽小人。必欲服勤致力，以报厚德。’

主曰：‘妇人何能？’

永曰：‘能织。’

主曰：‘必尔者，但令君妇为我织缣百匹。’

于是永妻为主人家织，十日而百匹具焉。

女出门，谓永曰：‘我，天之织女也。缘君至孝，天帝令我助君偿债耳。’语毕，凌空而去，不知所在。

2010: Year of Metal Tiger 庚寅金虎2010年

The Chinese New Year celebration – known also as the Spring Festival – begins this year on February 14 (New Year’s Day) and culminates on February 28 (the 15th day of the first lunar month) with the Lantern Festival. According to Chinese astrology, this year is the year of the Metal Tiger. There are twelve animals in the Chinese zodiac and five elements, which means that the last Metal Tiger year was sixty years ago, in 1950.

There are therefore two important concepts associated with the Chinese calendar – the animals in the Chinese zodiac, the metal in the five elements (wuxing).

The Tiger is one of the most beautiful creatures on the planet, and is feared and revered in equal measure. It features in many Asian cultures as a manifestation of courage, power, passion and royalty. The Tiger is therefore a natural born leader and symbolizes power, passion and daring. Words associated with tiger are, among others, courageous, active, self-assured, optimistic, passionate, independent, rebellious, dynamic, and unpredictable, quick tempered but considerate, affectionate but careless.

Tigers are fond of competitions. They simply cannot pass up a challenge. They may appear cool and are unpredictable, and it would be unwise to underestimate their reactions.

The qualities associated with Metal are unyieldingness, rigidity, persistence, strength and determination. The Metal person is controlling, ambitious, forceful and set in their ways as metal is very strong; and they are self-reliant and prefer to handle their problems alone. The Metal person is also materialistic, business oriented and good at organization and stability. However the Metal person can also appreciate luxury and enjoy the good things in life. Just as metal can conduct electricity, the Metal person has strong impulses and generative powers and can bring about changes and transformations for those who come into contact with them. Metal is believed to govern the lungs, nose and skin. The negative emotion associated with Metal is grief, while the positive emotion is courage.

People who are born in the year of Tiger with the element of Metal are very quiet people. However, their innermost beings are the opposite. This makes them quite complicated but interesting in the meanwhile. Metal Tiger people hates naggers, they like to think things alone and calmly. However they are passionate about life. Metal Tiger people draws clear lines between work and private life. They never "bring works home". They can be very considerate to their partners. A Metal Tiger person enjoys power, but they know they have to work hard for it. Therefore, most of the people born in the Metal Tiger years can be successful in the later years.

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今年华人新年，或称春节，由2月14日（年初一）至庆祝高潮于2月28日（农历一月十五）的灯节。根据华人天文学，今年是金虎年。华人生肖中有十二动物，与五行；就是说，上一次的金虎年是在60年前，也就是1950年。
这里有两个重要的华人日历概念，华人生肖中的动物及五行。
老虎是世界上最美丽的生物，被人畏惧与敬重。在亚洲文化中，被认为是勇气、权力、热情及忠诚的象征。所以老虎是天生的领袖，象征权力、热情与果敢。与老虎相连的字词包括：勇敢、活跃、有把握、乐观、热情、独立、叛逆、活力、不可预测，暴躁而体贴，深情而粗心。
老虎喜爱竞争。他们就是不能放过挑战。它们看起来冷静与不可预测，所以不能低估它们的反应。
金元素的属性是倔强、僵直、坚持、有体力与决心。属金的人犹如金属般坚强，好控制、雄心勃勃与强而有力，同时墨守成规。他们自立，喜欢单独处理事务。但是，属金的人也很享受奢侈与人生中美好的东西。犹如金可传电，属金的人有冲力与感染力，可改变与他们有接触的人。一般相信金统管肺、鼻与皮肤。在精神上，属金的负面是多愁善感，它的正面情绪是有勇气。

出生于金虎年的人城府很深。但是，他们的内心却是相反的。这就令他们显得相当复杂与有趣。属金虎的人讨厌别人喋喋不休，喜欢单独冷静的思考。但是，他们对人生充满热情。他们从不把工作带回家。他们对他们的伙伴相当体贴。属金的人很享受权力，但是他们知道他们要很努力去争取权力。因此，出生于金虎年的人在他们的人生的后期会很成功。