the book of tea(茶书)-第5部分
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the Passage rather than the Path。 It is the spirit of Cosmic Change；the
eternal growth which returns upon itself to produce new forms。 It recoils
upon itself like the dragon； the beloved symbol of the Taoists。 It folds
and unfolds as do the clouds。 The Tao might be spoken of as the Great
Transition。 Subjectively it is the Mood of the Universe。 Its Absolute is
the Relative。
It should be remembered in the first place that Taoism； like its
legitimate successor Zennism； represents the individualistic trend of the
Southern Chinese mind in contra…distinction to the communism of
Northern China which expressed itself in Confucianism。 The Middle
Kingdom is as vast as Europe and has a differentiation of idiosyncrasies
marked by the two great river systems which traverse it。 The Yangste…
Kiang and Hoang… Ho are respectively the Mediterranean and the Baltic。
Even to…day； in spite of centuries of unification； the Southern Celestial
differs in his thoughts and beliefs from his Northern brother as a member
of the Latin race differs from the Teuton。 In ancient days； when
communication was even more difficult than at present； and especially
during the feudal period； this difference in thought was most pronounced。
The art and poetry of the one breathes an atmosphere entirely distinct from
that of the other。 In Laotse and his followers and in Kutsugen； the
forerunner of the Yangtse…Kiang nature…poets； we find an idealism quite
inconsistent with the prosaic ethical notions of their contemporary
northern writers。 Laotse lived five centuries before the Christian Era。
The germ of Taoist speculation may be found long before the advent
of Laotse； surnamed the Long…Eared。 The archaic records of China；
especially the Book of Changes； foreshadow his thought。 But the great
respect paid to the laws and customs of that classic period of Chinese
civilisation which culminated with the establishment of the Chow dynasty
in the sixteenth century B。C。； kept the development of individualism in
check for a long while； so that it was not until after the disintegration of
the Chow dynasty and the establishment of innumerable independent
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kingdoms that it was able to blossom forth in the luxuriance of free…
thought。 Laotse and Soshi （Chuangtse） were both Southerners and the
greatest exponents of the New School。 On the other hand； Confucius with
his numerous disciples aimed at retaining ancestral conventions。 Taoism
cannot be understood without some knowledge of Confucianism and vice
versa。
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
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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
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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 be
