Self-Contradictory: Spear-Shield 自相矛盾：以子之矛，攻子之盾

What happens when an irresistible force meets an immovable object?
An example of this contradiction is found in the origin of the Chinese word for contradiction (maodun, literally means ‘Spear-Shield’).

This term originates from a story in the 3rd century BC philosophical book Han Feizi, which led to the proverb of ‘zixiang maodun’ or ‘self-contradictory’.
A man from the State of Chu was selling his spear and shield. He pointed at his shield and shouted: ‘It is the firmest, soundest, strongest shield in the world; nothing can thrust through it regardless of how sharp it is.'

He then held the spear and said, ‘My spear is the sharpest one in the world, and it can thrust through any object no matter how firm the object is.’

An onlooker asked: ‘How about thrusting your spear through your shield?’

The man was speechless.
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如果不可抗之力与无法撼动之物相碰，什么事会发生呢？
中国词语‘矛盾’就很好的说明了这种情形。

这个词源自公元前3世纪的哲学书《韩非子》里的一个故事，也是成语《自相矛盾》的来源。
楚人有鬻(yù)盾与矛者，誉之曰：‘吾盾之坚，物莫能陷也。’
又誉其矛曰：‘吾矛之利，于物无不陷也。’
或曰：‘以子之矛陷子之盾何如？’
其人弗能应也。

Zhuangzi advocates No Action 庄子提倡无为

Zhuangzi advocates wuwei, which means ‘no action’ and involves knowing when to act and when not to act. This story from the Zhuangzi illustrates the importance of wuwei.
‘The ruler of the South Sea was called Shu (倏), the ruler of the North Sea was called Hu (忽) and the ruler of the Central Region was called Hun Dun ( 浑沌). Shu and Hu often met each other in the land of Hun Dun, who treated them very well. They wanted to repay his kindness, saying, “Every man has seven apertures with which to hear, to see, to eat and to breathe, but Hun Dun alone has none of them. Let’s try and bore some for him.” They bored one aperture each day, and on the seventh day Hun Dun died.’
Shu and Hu literally mean ‘swift’ and ‘unstable’ respectively. Hun implies turbid or murky states, and also something simple and natural. Hun Dun (浑沌) suggests ‘blended’, ‘integral’, or ‘undivided’. So in Chinese expressions, the primeval state of the universe before the earth was first separated from the heavens was called Hun Dun.
Seven apertures here mean the function of so-called the five senses, that is, the sense of hearing, sight, smell, taste and touch.
One interpretation says that Shu and Hu did not act ‘spontaneously’ or with ‘non-interference’. They were more concerned with proper protocol such as gift-giving. They had a human-oriented bias in that their response was to give Hun Dun human orifices so that he would have the ‘prestige’ of a human face. They did not act with natural and spontaneous actions in accordance with the core Daoist philosophy of wuwei which demands that one submit to and move with, as opposed to against, the natural processes and change.
As a result of their actions, Hun Dun died.
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庄子提倡无为，意思是没有行动，要知道何时行动，何时不应行动。以下庄子的寓言说明无为的重要。
‘南海之帝为倏，北海之帝为忽，中央之帝为浑沌。倏与忽时相与遇于浑沌之地，浑沌待之甚善。倏与忽谋报浑沌之德，曰：“人皆有七窍以视听食息，此独无有，尝试凿之。”日凿一窍，七日而浑沌死。’
‘倏’意为极快，‘忽意’为不平稳，‘混’表示混浊，朦胧的状态，和简单自然的东西。‘混沌’意味混合、完整、未分开。所以，在华人词语中，在天与地还没有分开之前的原始状态的宇宙就叫混沌。
一种解释说倏与忽没有依自然而行动，或者说没有执行‘不干扰’行为。他们更关心的是还礼之类的适当的礼节。他们有着以人为本的偏见，因而他们的反应是给与混沌人类的窍孔，这样混沌就可以有人类的尊严。他们没有依照道家的无为哲学来依自然行事。无为要求一个人服从或依照自然方法或变动，而不是反其道而行。
他们的行动的结果，混沌死了。

Ambassador Yan 晏子使楚

Yan Ying, also known as Yanzi, was an important politician, thinker and diplomat of the State of Qi during the Warring States period.
Yan was appointed by the State of Qi state as its ambassador to the State of Chu. When the king of Chu was so informed, he said to his officials, ‘Yan is an eloquent and witty man of Qi. Since he will come to our State, I would like to humiliate him. How can this be arranged?’
The officials said, ‘When he arrives at the court, we will arrange to have a man bound with ropes before you. You may ask who he is. We shall say he is from Qi, and you then ask what he is guilty of. Our answer will be that he is guilty of theft.’
When Yan was ushered to meet the King of Chu, the latter treated him to a drink of wine. While they were drinking, two officials brought a man bound with ropes to the King, who asked ostensibly, ‘Why did you tie the man with ropes?’
‘He is from Qi, guilty of theft.’
The King looked at Yan and quizzed, ‘Are people of Qi born to be adept thieves?’
Yan left his seat and countered, ‘I heard that oranges grown south of Huai River are true oranges; once transplanted to the north of the river, they become trifoliate oranges. Although they resemble in the shape of leaves, yet they differ greatly in taste. What accounts for it? The difference is in water and soil. Now people born in Qi are incapable of theft, but once in Chu they commit this crime. Could it be that the climate of Chu has something to do with it?’
The King remarked with a smile, ‘A sage is indeed not to be trifled with. The ridicule has recoiled upon us.’
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晏婴,又称晏子，是春秋后期齐国一位重要的政治家、思想家、外交家。
晏子将使楚。楚王闻之，谓左右曰：‘晏婴，齐之习辞者也，今方来，吾欲辱之，何以也？’
左右对曰：‘为其来也，臣请缚一人过王而行。王曰：何为者也？对曰：齐人也。王曰，何坐？曰，坐盗。’
晏子至，楚王赐晏子酒，酒酣，吏二缚一人诣(yì)王。王曰：‘缚者曷(hé)为者也？’
对曰：‘齐人也，坐盗。’
王视晏子曰： ‘齐人固善盗乎？’
晏子避席对曰：‘婴闻之，橘生淮南则为橘，生于淮北则为枳，叶徒相似，其实味不同。所以然者何？水土异也。今民生长于齐不盗，入楚则盗，得无楚之水土使民善盗！’
王笑曰：‘圣人非所与熙也，寡人反取病焉。’

Who is Dearer, Father or Husband? 父与夫孰亲？

The power politics among the rulers and high ministers can result in severe consequences for their family members. Sometimes, their wives and daughters are confronted with agonizing conflicts of loyalty.
Below is one such sad story happened in 697 BC as recorded in Zuozhuan.
The Prime Minister Zhai Zhong monopolized power, much to the distress of the ruler of Zheng. The latter ordered Zhai’s son-in-law, Yong Jiu, to kill Zhai.
In order to do so, Yong invited Zhai to a banquet in the suburbs of the capital. Yong’s wife was aware of the plot and said to her mother, ‘who is dearer, a father or a husband?’
Her mother replied, ‘All men are potential husbands, but you have only one father. How could there be any comparison?’
In the end she informed her father, saying, ‘Yong deliberately decided not to hold the banquet in his own house, he decided to hold it in the suburbs instead. I tell you this because I am suspicious of the arrangement.’
Zhai killed Yong and threw his corpse into the hill of Zhou family. The ruler of Zheng loaded the corpse on his carriage and fled from the capital, saying, ‘He told even his wife about the plot, no wonder he died!’
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统治者与大臣之间的权力政治会对他们的家庭成员带来严重的结果。有时，他们的妻子和女儿会面对痛苦的忠贞的矛盾。
下面发生于公元前697年不幸的故事来自《左传》。
祭仲专，郑伯患之，使其婿雍纠杀之。
将享诸郊，雍姬知之，谓其母曰：‘父与夫孰亲？’
其母曰：‘人尽夫也，父一而已。胡可比也？’
遂告祭仲曰：‘雍氏舍其室而将享子于郊，吾惑之，以告。’
祭仲杀雍纠，尸诸周氏之丘。
公载以出，曰：‘谋及妇人，宜其死也。’

One Who Stops Thinking about Words 忘言之人

Zhuangzi once said: ‘A basket-trap is for catching fish, but when one got the fish, one need think no more about the trap. Words are for holding ideas, but when one got the idea, one need no longer think about the words. If only I could find someone who had stopped thinking about words and could have him with me to talk to!’
To talk to someone who has stopped thinking about words is not to talk with words.
A New Account of Tales of the World (Shi Shuo Xin Yu) tells this story about Wang Ziyou (Huizhi):
“Wang travelled to Nanjing by boat. The boat was parked at the river bank. Wang had heard of Huan Ziye’s fame as a flute player but he was not acquainted with him. Wang was inside the boat when Huan was travelling by land along the river bank. Someone told Wang that the man travelling on the bank was Huan. Wang sent a messenger to say to him, ‘Wang heard that you are good at the flute, please play it for him.’ Huan had also heard of Wang. Although at that time Huan was already a man of noble position, he descended from his chariot, sat on the chair, and played the flute three times. After that, he ascended his chariot and went away. The two men did not exchange even a single word. ”
They did so because what they wished to enjoy was only the pure beauty of music. Wang asked Huan to play for him, because he knew he could play it well. Huan played for him, because Huan knew he could appreciate Huan’s playing. When this had been done, what else was there to talk about?
Note: The site of the ferry is Yaodibu (the ferry with flute-play invited), at Fuzi Temple district in Nanjing. It is said that the music played by Huan was the famous Three Stanzas of Plum Blossoms.
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庄子说过：‘荃者所以在鱼，得鱼而忘荃；蹄者所以在兔，得兔而忘蹄；言者所以在意，得意而忘言。吾安得夫忘言之人而与之言哉！’
遇到忘言之人而和他谈话，这时两人不是用语言来交谈。
《世说新语·任诞》就这么记载了关于王子猷（徽之）的故事。
“王子猷出都，尚在渚下。旧闻桓子野善吹笛，而不相识。遇桓于岸上过，王在船中，客有识之者，云是桓子野。王便令人与相闻云：‘闻君善吹笛，试为我一奏。’桓时已贵显，素闻王名，即便下车，踞胡床为作三调。弄毕，便上车去，客主不交一言。”
他们没有交谈，因为他们所要的只是享受美好的音乐。王子猷请桓伊为他奏乐，因为他知道桓伊会奏。桓伊为王子猷奏乐，是因为他知道王子猷会欣赏。演奏完毕，还有什么好谈的呢？

注：据说桓伊吹笛所在地在南京秦淮河夫子庙的邀笛步, 旧名萧家渡。传说桓伊所奏的乐曲就是著名的‘梅花三弄’。

The Dragon Boat Festival 端午节

This year, the Duanwu Festival falls on May 28.
The Duanwu Festival is a Chinese traditional festival which falls on the 5th day of the 5th lunar month. In Chinese, Duan means ‘starts, at the beginning, early’ and ‘Wu’ is used in the Earthly Branches to represent the 5th lunar month. Duanwu means the early 5th lunar month.
In English it is referred to as the ‘Dragon Boat Festival’, after one of the traditional activities for the festival holiday. Other than having dragon boat races, people also celebrate it by eating rice dumplings, drinking yellow wine, wearing incense sachets, putting up bunches of sweet flag and gathering herbal medicines.
It is said that the customs of having dragon boat races and eating rice dumpling is to commemorate the sacrifice of the patriotic poet Qu Yuan on the 5th of the 5th lunar month. He was a citizen of the State of Chu during the Warring States Period (5th century BC), who was exiled to the Xiang River by the Emperor. Greatly concerned over the corruption in the government and feeling helpless to remedy it, he drowned himself in the Miluo River. Therefore, this day is also known as the Poet Day.
Popular legend has it that villagers carried their dumplings on boats to the middle of the river and desperately tried to save him, but were unsuccessful. In order to keep fish and evil spirits away from his body, they beat drums and splashed the water with their paddles. They threw rice dumplings into the water as a food offering to Qu Yuan and to distract the fish away from his body. Another theory says that the rice dumplings were supposed to ward off the river dragon that killed Qu Yuan.
Due to the long history of dragon boat racing in China, participants in cultural and sport racing events there today number some 26 million people (on a population base of over 1.3 billion). Over the past 30 years since 1976, and especially since the formation of the International Dragon Boat Federation and its Continental Federations for Asia and Europe in the early 1990s, dragon boating as a sport with regularised rules and equipment has rapidly spread beyond Asia to Europe, North and South America, Australia and Africa, becoming a popular international sport for a growing global base of participants.
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农历五月初五为端午节。端是“开端”、“初”的意思。地支以‘午’代表农历五月。端午就是五月初的意思。
英语翻译为‘龙舟节’，取自端午节假期的一个传统活动。除了赛龙舟外，其他的活动还有：吃粽子，喝雄黄酒，挂香囊，插菖蒲和采草药等习俗。
据说，赛龙舟与吃粽子是为了纪念爱国诗人屈原在五月初五的牺牲而来的。他是战国（公元前5世纪）时期楚国人，被楚王流放到湘江一带。深感于政治腐败，与无力挽救，头汨罗江而死。所以，这天也叫‘诗人节’。
盛传乡民把粽子放在船上，划到江的中央，拼命地要抢救他，可是不成功。为了要使鱼儿与恶鬼远离屈原的身体，他们击鼓并以船桨溅水。他们还把米粽丢进河里，奉献给屈原，又可以把鱼儿从他的身体旁引开。另一个说法是米粽其实是为了挡住那个杀死屈原的河里的龙。
由于赛龙舟在中国的历史悠久，今日参与这些文化与运动竞赛的人估计有两千六百万（以十三亿人口计算）。自1976年起，过去三十多年以来，尤其是在1990年在初期国际龙舟联合会及其亚洲及欧洲的洲际联合会成立以后，龙舟赛作为一种运动，有了规划的条文与设备，很快地由亚洲传到欧洲、南北美洲、澳洲与非洲等地区，成为一种有全球观众基础的国际运动。

Scholarly Ghosts 阅微草堂笔记：書生鬼

The following story is from ‘Gossips from the Micro-reading Hall’.
There was an old village tutor held his classes at a deserted temple during the day. The temple was located near a graveyard. At night, it was normal to see wild ghosts moving around or hear them talking. The old tutor was quite brave and not afraid. His young servant was also quite used to it and not afraid of the ghosts.
One night there was a voice outside the wall saying, ‘we have been neighbours for a long time, and I know that you are not afraid of us. I have also heard you reciting poems, so you must have the collections of poetry of Wen Tingjun on your table. Can you do me a favour by copying his poem the Damo tune and burn it for me?’
Then he lowered his voice and continued, ‘But please can you change the word “connect” into “stick” in the last verse of his poem for me? We are having drinks and I have a bet with my friends over this particular word.’
The old tutor happened to have Wen’s collection and therefore copied the poem unaltered and burned it outside the wall accordingly. A short while later, the wind outside the window was howling wildly and the branches of the tress rattled violently. Sand and dust also rained on the window.
The old tutor laughed and shouted, ‘Don’t be rude, I am old enough. I know when two parties bet, one is bound to lose and the loser is bound to make noise, which is normal. If I were to alter the word, when the loser blames me, I would be in the wrong. If I copied it correctly, the loser would have no basis to complain. In this case, you are just being cunning. I do not feel guilty at all.’
All was quiet after that.
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有老儒授徒野寺，寺外多荒塚，暮夜或見鬼形，或聞鬼語。老儒有膽殊不怖，其僮僕習慣，亦不怖也。
一夕，隔牆語曰：「鄰君已久，知先生不訝。嘗聞吟詠，案上當有溫庭筠詩，乞錄其《達摩支曲》一首焚之。」
又小語曰：「末句『鄴城風雨連天草』，祈寫連為黏，則感極矣。頃爭此一字，與人賭小酒食也。」
老儒適有溫集，遂舉投牆外。約一食頃，忽木葉亂飛，旋飈怒卷，泥沙灑窗戶如急雨。
老儒笑且叱曰：「爾輩勿劣相，我籌之已熟。兩相角賭，必有一負﹔負者必怨，事理之常。然因改字以招怨，則吾詞曲﹔因其本書以招怨，則吾詞直。聽爾輩狡獪，吾不愧也。」

語訖而風止。

The Young Xiang Yu 少年项羽

Xiang Yu (232 BC – 202 BC), whose other name is Ji, was one of the most prominent generals in Chinese history. He failed in his struggle with Liu Bang to rule China after the Qin dynasty was over thrown. His life story is recorded in the ‘Records of the Historian’.
Xiang Ji was from Xiaxiang, said to be at the current Suqian, Jiangsu province. He was twenty-four when he first rose in arms. His uncle Xiang Liang was the son of Xiang Yan, a general of Chu who was killed by the Qin general Wang Jian. For many generations the heads of the clan had been enfeoffed in Xiang as generals of Chu; Xiang became their family name.
As a lad Xiang Yu studied to be a scribe. Failing in this, he took up swordsmanship. When he failed in this too, Xiang Liang was angry with him. But he said, ‘All scribes do is to make lists of names, and swordsman can only fight a single foe, that is not worth learning. I want to learn the strategy of fighting ten thousand foes.’
Then, to his great joy, Xiang Liang taught him military strategy. But once he had a general grasp of the subject, Xiang Yu again refused to study to the end.
Xiang Liang was arrested at Yueyang, but procured a letter from Cao Jiu, jailer of Ji, and presented it to Xima Xin, the jailer of Yueyang, who thereupon let him go. Later Xiang Liang killed a man and fled from vengeance with Xiang Yu to Wu where its literati-officials were worked under Xiang Liang before. In Wu, Xiang Liang took charge of large labour and military conscriptions and important funerals. And in secret he trained his followers and young men in the arts of war, to test their abilities.
When the First Emperor of Qin crossed the River Zhe on a visit to Kuaiji, both Xiang Liang and Xiang Yu were there to witness.
‘He can be taken over,’ exclaimed Xiang Yu.
‘Don’t talk so wildly!’ said Xiang Liang, covering his nephew’s mouth. ‘Do you want our clan wiped out?’ However, Xiang Liang had noticed Xiang Yu’s ambition.
Xiang Yu was over six feet and so strong that he could carry a bronze cauldron. He was more brilliant and ambitious than others, so that all the young men in the district stood in awe of him.
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项籍者，下相人也，字羽。初起时，年二十四。其季父项梁，梁父即楚将项燕，为秦将王翦所戮者也。项氏世世为楚将，封于项，故姓项氏。
项籍少时，学书不成，去；学剑，又不成，项梁怒之。籍曰：“书足以记名姓而已。剑一人敌，不足学，学万人敌。”于是项梁乃教籍兵法，籍大喜，略知其意，又不肯竟学。
项梁尝有栎阳逮，乃请蕲狱掾曹咎书抵栎阳狱掾司马欣，以故事得已。项梁杀人，与籍避仇于吴中，吴中贤士大夫皆出项梁下。每吴中有大徭役及丧，项梁常为主办，阴以兵法部勒宾客及子弟，以是知其能。
秦始皇帝游会稽，渡浙江，梁与籍俱观。
籍曰：“彼可取而代也。”
梁掩其口，曰：“毋妄言，族矣！”梁以此奇籍。
籍长八尺余，力能扛鼎，才气过人，虽吴中子弟，皆已惮籍矣。

注：下相，据说在江苏省的宿迁市。

Jie Zhitui Claimed No Reward 介子推不言禄

The following is a story found in Zuo Zhuan about Jie Zhitui who lived in the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476BC). It shows that in ancient China, a willingness to die rather than compromise one's integrity came to be upheld as an admirable action and the ultimate sign of sincerity or virtue, and that dying to uphold one's beliefs was not gender specific.
Duke Wen of Jin dispensed rewards to his followers who adhered to him during his exile. Jie Zhitui made no claim of reward and, anyway, he was not considered for any reward.
Jie said, ‘Of the nine sons of Duke Xian only my lord has survived. Duke Hui and Duke Huai aliented themselves from people at home and abroad and were deserted by them. But Heaven did not mean to annihilate the State of Jin and must institute over it a sovereign. Who but my lord is worthy to wield power in this country? It was in fact the dispensation of Heaven. But a handful of followers regard the enthronement of the Duke as the result of their own efforts. Is it not ludicrous? The theft of other people’s property is called larceny, not to mention the attribution of Heaven’s working to one’s individual’s merits! Since their sins are justified by the common herd and rewarded by the Sovereign, with mutual deception between the Monarch and his subjects, I would find myself awkwardly situated if I associate with those people.’
‘Why not seek some reward?’ asked his mother. ‘And who is to blame if you die without His Highness knowing your probity?’
‘To imitate what one knows to be wrong,’ rejoined he, ‘is to aggravate one’s sin. And then I have complained against the Duke, I will not eat his food.’
‘Why not let him know?’
‘Language is used to decorate our body.’ he said. ‘Since I shall hide my body by going into seclusion, what is the point of talking to him? It would show clearly I am seeking fame and exaltation.’
The good woman then said, ‘Can you really behave like that? Then I will go with you to live in seclusion.’ Finally they died in seclusion.
The Duke searched for him, but to no purpose. So Mainshang was consecrated as a sacrificial ground in memory of him with the following dedication: ‘For the purpose of recording my fault and distinguishing a man of integrity.’
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以下是《左传》关于生活于春秋时代(770-476BC)的介之推的故事。它显示古代中国，宁愿死而不是对廉正妥协是更值得追求的行动，也是虔诚与道德的最佳表现；拥护理念是不分性别的。
晋侯赏从亡者，介之推不言禄，禄亦弗及。
推曰：“献公之子九人，唯君在矣。惠、怀无亲，外内弃之。天未绝晋，必将有主。主晋祀者，非君而谁？天实置之，而二三子以为己力，不亦诬乎？窃人之财，犹谓之盗，况贪天之功以为己力乎？下义其罪，上赏其奸，上下相蒙，难与处矣。”
其母曰：“盍亦求之？以死，谁怼？”
对曰：“尤而效之，罪又甚焉。且出怨言，不食其食。”
其母曰：“亦使知之，若何？”
对曰：“言，身之文也。身将隐，焉用文之？是求显也。”
其母曰：“能如是乎？与汝偕隐。”遂隐而死。

晋文公求之不获，以绵上为之田，曰：“以志吾过，且旌善人。”

Harsher Penalties for the Mastermind 阅微草堂笔记：严惩主谋

The following story is from the book ‘Gossips From the Micro-reading Hall’.
In 1732, during the rule of Emperor Yong Zheng of Qin dynasty, there was a daughter-in-law from a respectable family. She did not appear to be a quarrelsome person.
One day there suddenly was a thunder storm with lightning. Lightning came through the window, pierced through the heart of the daughter-in-law, and went on to strike the son’s back. The young lady was killed instantly and the young man badly burned.
When he regained his consciousness, the son cried, ‘I am hot tempered and it is true that I often quarrel with my mother. But, you were not such a person. You merely quietly complained to me about your suffering and cried under the lamp at night. Why did the lightning kill you instead of me?’
He felt that the Heaven had unjustly punished his wife. However, he did not know that the law always punishes the mastermind more severely than the accomplice. It is the same here as in the netherworld.
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下面的故事来自‘阅微草堂笔记’。
雍正壬子，有宦家子妇，素无勃谿状。突狂电穿牖，如火光激射，雷楔贯心而入，洞左胁而出。其夫亦为雷焰燔烧，背至尻皆焦黑，气息仅属。
久之乃苏，顾妇尸泣曰：‘我性刚劲，与母争论或有之。尔不过私诉抑郁，背灯掩泪而已，何雷之误中尔耶？’
是未知律重主谋，幽明一也。