Wang Shou was travelling along with written materials on his back. At a big crossroads he caught sight of Hsü Fêng. Said Hsü Fêng: "Conduct consists of actions. Actions arise from circumstance. The person who knows has no constant pattern of conduct. Books consist of sayings. Sayings arise from knowing. Therefore the knowing person does not keep written materials. Why are you travelling along with these things on your back?" At this point Wang Shou burnt his written materials and danced round the bonfire.
--Introductory quotation in Science and Civilisation in China, vol. 7, Language and Logic, part 1, by Christoph Harbsmeier.
王壽負書而行,見徐馮於周塗,馮曰:「事者,為也。為生於時,知者無常事。書者,言也。言生於知,知者不藏書。今子何獨負之而行?」於是王壽因焚其書而舞之。
Comments
You can follow this conversation by subscribing to the comment feed for this post.