Have you ever thought of water as a wise guide? In her recent book "The Way of Water and Sprouts of Virtue", British sinologist Sarah Allan dives into how ancient Chinese philosophers looked to water and plants to explain the Tao. 🌊🌿
Water, with its gentle flow and unstoppable force, became a powerful image for the Tao—always moving, always adapting, yet giving life. From Daoist classics to Confucian musings, thinkers found in water a mirror for human virtue: go with the current, stay humble, carve your path without force.
According to Benoît Vermander, a professor at Fudan University in the Chinese mainland, Allan shows that understanding water's nature is key: only by working with its flow can it nourish, not flood. This harmony with water, Vermander suggests, is the very attitude we need to approach the Tao itself. 💧🤝
Whether you're a philosophy lover, a curious traveler, or just someone who finds zen in nature, this fresh take on ancient wisdom reminds us that the simplest elements can hold the deepest truths. Ready to go with the flow?
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
