Bit by Bit - Chapter 12, Part 18

Trey Smith

Chun Mang was on his way east to the Great Valley of the sea when he happened to meet Yuan Feng by the shore of the eastern ocean. Yuan Feng said, "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to the Great Valley."

"What will you do there?"

"The Great Valley is the sort of thing you can pour into and it never gets full, dip from and it never runs dry. I'm going to wander there."

Yuan Feng said, "Don't you care about what happens to ordinary men? Please, won't you tell me about the government of the sage?"

"The government of the sage?" said Chun Mang. "Assign offices so that no abilities are overlooked, promote men so that no talents are neglected. Always know the true facts and let men do what they are best at.. When actions and words proceed properly and the world is transformed, then at a wave of the hand or a tilt of the chin all the people of the four directions will come flocking to you. This is called the government of the sage."
~ Burton Watson translation ~

There is something about a forest trail, an alpine meadow or an endless beach that speaks to us in ways that we can't truly express. It is when we are alone in the wilds of the world that we are filled up, yet never feel full. This is the main reason -- from a strictly human perspective -- that we must maintain wilderness areas. It connects us with all that has been, all that is and all that will come.

To view the Index page for this series, go here.