Zhuangzi, a representative of Taoism, once gave guidance on communication, and the most famous line was "A friendship between gentlemen is as light as water". For thousands of years, this language has been regarded as the standard of treating people with lofty ideals by many philosophers and people with lofty ideals in history and put into practice. However, there is another sentence behind this sentence, which subverts the concept of most people and is worth pondering.
Statue of Zhuangzi
Statue of Zhuangzi
"Friends of gentlemen are as light as water, and friends of villains are willing to endure; A gentleman is indifferent to his relatives, and a villain is willing to rest. " This whole sentence comes from Zhuangzi, which roughly means: a friendship between gentlemen is as light as water, and a friendship between villains is like sweet wine; The friendship between gentlemen is plain and friendly, while the friendship between villains is utilitarian and easy to break the righteousness. Zhuangzi took this opportunity to explain to the world the most ideal communication state, that is, to make friends with gentlemen, and friendship will last forever.
Dragon and phoenix jade in Han dynasty
Dragon and phoenix jade in Han dynasty
People who meet by chance are in the same boat. The ancient Lin Hui did not hesitate to help, but abandoned the priceless jade. Some people laugh at him for giving up money easily. He replied, "When dealing with people, you should be as light as white water and have nothing to ask for. We meet not for profit, but to stand the test and endure hardships. " This is the famous historical allusion of "returning the forest to abandon the wall", and the childlike love has been passed down through the ages.
The Dream of Butterfly
The Dream of Butterfly
This shows that Zhuangzi is good at telling stories and reasoning. "Friends of gentlemen are as light as water, and friends of villains are as happy as cucumbers" is also Zhuangzi's way of life. He despised the association of collusion and attachment because of interests, and he was optimistic all his life, not seeking fame and fortune.
worldly wisdom
worldly wisdom
Sweet friendship, utilitarian words and deeds, internal and external differences, are the situations that many people have encountered, some are onlookers, and some are even participants. Zhuangzi, who has great wisdom, expounded this point, and the history of China for thousands of years also confirmed this point.
The friendship between gentlemen seems indifferent, but in fact it is pure as water.
The friendship between gentlemen seems indifferent, but in fact it is pure as water.
In a word, the person you don't often contact, but always accompany you as a friend, sharing your worries and solving problems, may be your real friend. Zhuangzi was born in troubled times, and his mind is changeable, but he can still practice the friendship between gentlemen, which is really comparable to the teacher of later generations.