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We¡¡have¡¡said¡¡that¡¡the¡¡Taoist¡¡Absolute¡¡was¡¡the¡¡Relative¡£¡¡¡¡¡¡In¡¡ethics¡¡the¡¡Taoist¡¡railed¡¡at¡¡the¡¡laws¡¡and¡¡the¡¡moral¡¡codes¡¡of¡¡society£»¡¡for¡¡to¡¡them¡¡right¡¡and¡¡wrong¡¡were¡¡but¡¡relative¡¡¡¡terms¡£¡¡¡¡Definition¡¡is¡¡always¡¡limitationthe¡¡¡¨fixed¡¨¡¡and¡¡¡¡¡¨unchangeless¡¨¡¡are¡¡but¡¡terms¡¡expressive¡¡of¡¡a¡¡stoppage¡¡of¡¡¡¡growth¡£¡¡¡¡Said¡¡Kuzugen£»¡¨The¡¡Sages¡¡move¡¡the¡¡world¡£¡¨¡¡Our¡¡standards¡¡of¡¡morality¡¡are¡¡begotten¡¡of¡¡the¡¡past¡¡needs¡¡of¡¡society£»¡¡but¡¡is¡¡society¡¡to¡¡remain¡¡always¡¡the¡¡same£¿¡¡The¡¡observance¡¡of¡¡communal¡¡traditions¡¡involves¡¡a¡¡constant¡¡sacrifice¡¡of¡¡the¡¡¡¡individual¡¡to¡¡the¡¡state¡£¡¡¡¡Education£»¡¡in¡¡order¡¡to¡¡keep¡¡up¡¡the¡¡mighty¡¡delusion£»¡¡encourages¡¡a¡¡species¡¡of¡¡ignorance¡£¡¡¡¡People¡¡are¡¡not¡¡taught¡¡to¡¡be¡¡really¡¡virtuous£»¡¡but¡¡to¡¡behave¡¡properly¡£¡¡We¡¡are¡¡wicked¡¡because¡¡we¡¡are¡¡frightfully¡¡self¡conscious¡£¡¡We¡¡nurse¡¡a¡¡conscience¡¡because¡¡we¡¡are¡¡afraid¡¡to¡¡tell¡¡the¡¡truth¡¡to¡¡others£»¡¡we¡¡take¡¡refuge¡¡in¡¡pride¡¡because¡¡we¡¡are¡¡afraid¡¡to¡¡tell¡¡the¡¡truth¡¡to¡¡ourselves¡£¡¡¡¡How¡¡can¡¡one¡¡be¡¡serious¡¡with¡¡the¡¡world¡¡when¡¡the¡¡world¡¡itself¡¡is¡¡so¡¡ridiculous£¡¡¡¡¡The¡¡spirit¡¡of¡¡barter¡¡is¡¡¡¡everywhere¡£¡¡¡¡Honour¡¡and¡¡Chastity£¡¡¡¡¡Behold¡¡the¡¡complacent¡¡salesman¡¡retailing¡¡the¡¡Good¡¡and¡¡True¡£¡¡¡¡One¡¡can¡¡even¡¡buy¡¡a¡¡so¡called¡¡Religion£»¡¡which¡¡is¡¡really¡¡but¡¡common¡¡morality¡¡sanctified¡¡with¡¡flowers¡¡and¡¡music¡£¡¡¡¡Rob¡¡the¡¡Church¡¡of¡¡her¡¡accessories¡¡and¡¡what¡¡remains¡¡behind£¿¡¡¡¡Yet¡¡the¡¡trusts¡¡thrive¡¡marvelously£»¡¡for¡¡the¡¡prices¡¡are¡¡absurdly¡¡cheap£»¡¡a¡¡prayer¡¡for¡¡a¡¡ticket¡¡to¡¡heaven£»¡¡a¡¡diploma¡¡for¡¡an¡¡honourable¡¡citizenship¡£¡¡Hide¡¡yourself¡¡under¡¡a¡¡bushel¡¡quickly£»¡¡for¡¡if¡¡your¡¡real¡¡usefulness¡¡were¡¡known¡¡to¡¡the¡¡world¡¡you¡¡would¡¡soon¡¡be¡¡knocked¡¡down¡¡to¡¡the¡¡highest¡¡bidder¡¡by¡¡the¡¡public¡¡auctioneer¡£¡¡Why¡¡do¡¡men¡¡and¡¡women¡¡like¡¡to¡¡advertise¡¡themselves¡¡so¡¡much£¿¡¡Is¡¡it¡¡not¡¡but¡¡an¡¡instinct¡¡derived¡¡from¡¡the¡¡days¡¡of¡¡slavery£¿
The¡¡virility¡¡of¡¡the¡¡idea¡¡lies¡¡not¡¡less¡¡in¡¡its¡¡power¡¡of¡¡breaking¡¡through¡¡contemporary¡¡thought¡¡than¡¡in¡¡its¡¡capacity¡¡for¡¡dominating¡¡subsequent¡¡movements¡£¡¡¡¡Taoism¡¡was¡¡an¡¡active¡¡power¡¡during¡¡¡¡the¡¡Shin¡¡dynasty£»¡¡that¡¡epoch¡¡of¡¡Chinese¡¡unification¡¡from¡¡which¡¡we¡¡derive¡¡the¡¡name¡¡China¡£¡¡¡¡It¡¡would¡¡be¡¡interesting¡¡had¡¡we¡¡time¡¡to¡¡note¡¡its¡¡influence¡¡on¡¡contemporary¡¡thinkers£»¡¡the¡¡mathemeticians£»¡¡writers¡¡on¡¡law¡¡and¡¡war£»¡¡the¡¡mystics¡¡and¡¡alchemists¡¡and¡¡the¡¡later¡¡nature¡poets¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Yangste¡Kiang¡£¡¡¡¡We¡¡should¡¡not¡¡even¡¡ignore¡¡those¡¡speculators¡¡on¡¡Reality¡¡who¡¡doubted¡¡whether¡¡a¡¡white¡¡horse¡¡was¡¡real¡¡because¡¡he¡¡was¡¡white£»¡¡or¡¡because¡¡he¡¡was¡¡solid£»¡¡nor¡¡the¡¡Conversationalists¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Six¡¡dynasties¡¡who£»¡¡like¡¡the¡¡Zen¡¡philosophers£»¡¡revelled¡¡in¡¡discussions¡¡concerning¡¡the¡¡Pure¡¡and¡¡the¡¡Abstract¡£¡¡¡¡Above¡¡all¡¡we¡¡should¡¡pay¡¡homage¡¡to¡¡Taoism¡¡for¡¡what¡¡it¡¡has¡¡done¡¡toward¡¡the¡¡formation¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Celestial¡¡character£»¡¡giving¡¡to¡¡it¡¡a¡¡certain¡¡capacity¡¡for¡¡reserve¡¡and¡¡refinement¡¡as¡¡¡¨warm¡¡as¡¡jade¡£¡¨¡¡¡¡Chinese¡¡history¡¡is¡¡full¡¡of¡¡instances¡¡in¡¡which¡¡the¡¡votaries¡¡of¡¡Taoism£»¡¡princes¡¡and¡¡hermits¡¡alike£»¡¡followed¡¡with¡¡varied¡¡and¡¡interesting¡¡results¡¡the¡¡teachings¡¡of¡¡their¡¡creed¡£¡¡The¡¡tale¡¡will¡¡not¡¡be¡¡without¡¡its¡¡quota¡¡of¡¡instruction¡¡and¡¡amusement¡£¡¡It¡¡will¡¡be¡¡rich¡¡in¡¡anecdotes£»¡¡allegories£»¡¡and¡¡aphorisms¡£¡¡¡¡We¡¡would¡¡fain¡¡be¡¡on¡¡speaking¡¡terms¡¡with¡¡the¡¡delightful¡¡emperor¡¡who¡¡never¡¡died¡¡because¡¡he¡¡had¡¡never¡¡lived¡£¡¡¡¡We¡¡may¡¡ride¡¡the¡¡wind¡¡with¡¡Liehtse¡¡and¡¡find¡¡it¡¡absolutely¡¡quiet¡¡because¡¡we¡¡ourselves¡¡are¡¡the¡¡wind£»¡¡or¡¡dwell¡¡in¡¡mid¡air¡¡with¡¡the¡¡Aged¡¡one¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Hoang¡Ho£»¡¡who¡¡lived¡¡betwixt¡¡Heaven¡¡and¡¡Earth¡¡because¡¡he¡¡was¡¡subject¡¡to¡¡neither¡¡the¡¡one¡¡nor¡¡the¡¡other¡£¡¡¡¡Even¡¡in¡¡that¡¡grotesque¡¡apology¡¡for¡¡Taoism¡¡which¡¡we¡¡find¡¡in¡¡China¡¡at¡¡the¡¡present¡¡day£»¡¡we¡¡can¡¡revel¡¡in¡¡a¡¡wealth¡¡of¡¡imagery¡¡impossible¡¡to¡¡find¡¡in¡¡any¡¡other¡¡cult¡£
But¡¡the¡¡chief¡¡contribution¡¡of¡¡Taoism¡¡to¡¡Asiatic¡¡life¡¡has¡¡been¡¡in¡¡the¡¡realm¡¡of¡¡aesthetics¡£¡¡Chinese¡¡historians¡¡have¡¡always¡¡spoken¡¡of¡¡Taoism¡¡as¡¡the¡¡¡¨art¡¡of¡¡being¡¡in¡¡the¡¡world£»¡¨¡¡for¡¡it¡¡deals¡¡with¡¡the¡¡presentourselves¡£¡¡¡¡It¡¡is¡¡in¡¡us¡¡that¡¡God¡¡meets¡¡with¡¡Nature£»¡¡and¡¡yesterday¡¡parts¡¡from¡¡to¡morrow¡£¡¡¡¡The¡¡Present¡¡is¡¡the¡¡moving¡¡Infinity£»¡¡the¡¡legitimate¡¡sphere¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Relative¡£¡¡¡¡Relativity¡¡seeks¡¡¡¡Adjustment£»¡¡Adjustment¡¡is¡¡Art¡£¡¡¡¡The¡¡art¡¡of¡¡life¡¡lies¡¡in¡¡a¡¡constant¡¡readjustment¡¡to¡¡our¡¡surroundings¡£¡¡¡¡Taoism¡¡accepts¡¡the¡¡mundane¡¡as¡¡it¡¡is¡¡and£»¡¡unlike¡¡the¡¡Confucians¡¡or¡¡the¡¡Buddhists£»¡¡tries¡¡to¡¡find¡¡beauty¡¡in¡¡our¡¡world¡¡of¡¡woe¡¡and¡¡worry¡£¡¡¡¡The¡¡Sung¡¡allegory¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Three¡¡Vinegar¡¡Tasters¡¡explains¡¡admirably¡¡the¡¡trend¡¡of¡¡the¡¡three¡¡doctrines¡£¡¡¡¡Sakyamuni£»¡¡Confucius£»¡¡and¡¡Laotse¡¡once¡¡stood¡¡before¡¡a¡¡jar¡¡of¡¡vinegarthe¡¡emblem¡¡of¡¡lifeand¡¡each¡¡dipped¡¡in¡¡his¡¡finger¡¡to¡¡taste¡¡the¡¡brew¡£¡¡¡¡The¡¡matter¡of¡fact¡¡Confucius¡¡found¡¡it¡¡sour£»¡¡the¡¡Buddha¡¡called¡¡it¡¡bitter£»¡¡and¡¡Laotse¡¡pronounced¡¡it¡¡sweet¡£
The¡¡Taoists¡¡claimed¡¡that¡¡the¡¡comedy¡¡of¡¡life¡¡could¡¡be¡¡made¡¡more¡¡¡¡interesting¡¡if¡¡everyone¡¡would¡¡preserve¡¡the¡¡unities¡£¡¡¡¡To¡¡keep¡¡the¡¡proportion¡¡of¡¡things¡¡and¡¡give¡¡place¡¡to¡¡others¡¡without¡¡losing¡¡one's¡¡own¡¡position¡¡was¡¡the¡¡secret¡¡of¡¡success¡¡in¡¡the¡¡mundane¡¡drama¡£¡¡¡¡We¡¡must¡¡know¡¡the¡¡whole¡¡play¡¡in¡¡order¡¡to¡¡properly¡¡act¡¡¡¡our¡¡parts£»¡¡the¡¡conception¡¡of¡¡totality¡¡must¡¡never¡¡be¡¡lost¡¡in¡¡that¡¡of¡¡the¡¡individual¡£¡¡¡¡This¡¡Laotse¡¡illustrates¡¡by¡¡his¡¡favourite¡¡metaphor¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Vacuum¡£¡¡¡¡He¡¡claimed¡¡that¡¡only¡¡in¡¡vacuum¡¡lay¡¡the¡¡truly¡¡essential¡£¡¡¡¡The¡¡reality¡¡of¡¡a¡¡room£»¡¡for¡¡instance£»¡¡was¡¡to¡¡be¡¡found¡¡in¡¡the¡¡vacant¡¡space¡¡enclosed¡¡by¡¡the¡¡roof¡¡and¡¡the¡¡walls£»¡¡not¡¡in¡¡the¡¡roof¡¡and¡¡walls¡¡themselves¡£¡¡¡¡The¡¡usefulness¡¡of¡¡a¡¡water¡¡pitcher¡¡dwelt¡¡in¡¡the¡¡emptiness¡¡where¡¡water¡¡might¡¡be¡¡put£»¡¡not¡¡in¡¡the¡¡form¡¡of¡¡the¡¡pitcher¡¡or¡¡the¡¡material¡¡of¡¡which¡¡it¡¡was¡¡made¡£¡¡¡¡¡¡Vacuum¡¡is¡¡all¡¡potent¡¡because¡¡all¡¡containing¡£¡¡¡¡In¡¡vacuum¡¡alone¡¡motion¡¡becomes¡¡possible¡£¡¡¡¡One¡¡who¡¡could¡¡make¡¡of¡¡himself¡¡a¡¡vacuum¡¡into¡¡which¡¡others¡¡might¡¡freely¡¡enter¡¡would¡¡become¡¡master¡¡of¡¡all¡¡situations¡£¡¡¡¡The¡¡whole¡¡can¡¡always¡¡dominate¡¡the¡¡part¡£
These¡¡Taoists'¡¡ideas¡¡have¡¡greatly¡¡influenced¡¡all¡¡our¡¡theories¡¡of¡¡action£»¡¡even¡¡to¡¡those¡¡of¡¡fencing¡¡and¡¡wrestling¡£¡¡¡¡Jiu¡jitsu£»¡¡the¡¡Japanese¡¡art¡¡of¡¡self¡defence£»¡¡owes¡¡its¡¡name¡¡to¡¡a¡¡passage¡¡in¡¡the¡¡Tao¡teking¡£¡¡¡¡In¡¡jiu¡jitsu¡¡one¡¡seeks¡¡to¡¡draw¡¡out¡¡and¡¡exhaust¡¡the¡¡enemy's¡¡strength¡¡by¡¡non¡resistance£»¡¡vacuum£»¡¡while¡¡conserving¡¡one's¡¡own¡¡strength¡¡for¡¡victory¡¡in¡¡the¡¡final¡¡struggle¡£¡¡¡¡In¡¡art¡¡the¡¡importance¡¡of¡¡the¡¡same¡¡principle¡¡is¡¡¡¡illustrated¡¡by¡¡the¡¡value¡¡of¡¡suggestion¡£¡¡¡¡In¡¡leaving¡¡something¡¡unsaid¡¡the¡¡beholder¡¡is¡¡given¡¡a¡¡chance¡¡to¡¡complete¡¡the¡¡idea¡¡and¡¡thus¡¡a¡¡great¡¡masterpiece¡¡irresistably¡¡rivets¡¡your¡¡attention¡¡until¡¡you¡¡seem¡¡to¡¡become¡¡actually¡¡a¡¡part¡¡of¡¡it¡£¡¡¡¡A¡¡vacuum¡¡is¡¡there¡¡for¡¡you¡¡to¡¡enter¡¡and¡¡fill¡¡up¡¡the¡¡full¡¡measure¡¡of¡¡your¡¡aesthetic¡¡emotion¡£
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If¡¡now¡¡we¡¡turn¡¡our¡¡attention¡¡to¡¡Zennism¡¡we¡¡shall¡¡find¡¡that¡¡it¡¡emphasises¡¡the¡¡teachings¡¡of¡¡Taoism¡£¡¡¡¡Zen¡¡is¡¡a¡¡name¡¡derived¡¡from¡¡the¡¡Sanscrit¡¡word¡¡Dhyana£»¡¡which¡¡signifies¡¡meditation¡£¡¡¡¡It¡¡claims¡¡that¡¡through¡¡consecrated¡¡meditation¡¡may¡¡be¡¡attained¡¡supreme¡¡self¡realisation¡£¡¡¡¡Meditation¡¡is¡¡one¡¡of¡¡the¡¡six¡¡ways¡¡through¡¡which¡¡Buddhahood¡¡may¡¡be¡¡reached£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡Zen¡¡sectarians¡¡affirm¡¡that¡¡Sakyamuni¡¡laid¡¡special¡¡stress¡¡on¡¡this¡¡method¡¡in¡¡his¡¡later¡¡teachings£»¡¡handing¡¡down¡¡the¡¡rules¡¡to¡¡his¡¡chief¡¡