Chapter 63 Youth and Lao Tzu

Respect It is said that "since the European wind spread eastward" [2], Chinese morality has deteriorated, especially the young people in recent times, often look down on Lao Tzu.I'm afraid this is really a big mistake, because I have read a few examples and feel that Lao Tzu's teachings are sometimes very useful and beneficial to young people, and they are not only good enough for "literary cultivation". There is an old article—I forget what book it came from—telling us that there was once a Taoist priest with the art of immortality, who claimed to be more than a hundred years old, but looked "as beautiful as a crown of jade", Like twenty or so.One day, the living god was having a big banquet, when suddenly an old man with white beard and hair came and asked him for money, and he scolded him out.While everyone was wondering, the living god said with great emotion, "That's my little boy, he doesn't listen to me, he doesn't want to practice Taoism, now you see, before he is sixty, he is so old and out of shape." I was very moved, but later, I finally realized that the man was actually the Taoist Lao Tzu. [3] There is another new article—Yang X’s Zi Bai[4]—but it tells us that he is a man of lofty ideals, and his theory is very correct. He not only speaks empty words, but also puts it into practice. But when he sees that the old men in some places suffer unbearably, he thinks of his own father. Even if his ideal is realized, his father cannot be made an old man, and he still has to suffer.So he got a more correct theory, threw away his original ideals, and became a filial son.If the parents died early, how could the theory be so complete and grand?Isn't this the benefit of Lao Tzu to the youth?

So, don't the young people who have already died of Lao Tzu have no other way?I don't think so, and there are ways to think about it.This is still to check old books.Another article—I forget what book it is in—tells us that an old woman was begging, and a rich man came suddenly and said that she was his long-lost mother. I will make mistakes and become an old lady.Later, her son was going to marry his daughter, so he went to the jewelry store with the old lady to buy goldware, and brought the things that the old lady liked to show to his wife, and asked the old lady to continue to choose, but he It has been gone since then. (5)

However, this is still like that of a Taoist priest, when you need something in kind, if you just make a confession, it doesn't really matter whether you have Lao Tzu or not.Some people have advocated "a republic of empty monarchs" [6] before, so why not have "filial sons without relatives" now?Zhang Zongchang[7] respected Confucius very much. I am afraid that his family may not have the "Four Books" and "Five Classics". November 7th. [1] This article was originally published in "Shen Shen Free Talk" on November 17, 1933. 〔2〕"Since the European style spread to the east" is a cliché that often appeared in the writings of many people in the late Qing Dynasty; "European style spread to the east" refers to the introduction of Western culture into China.

[3] For the story of Taoist immortality, see "Taiping Guangji" Volume 289 citing Five Dynasties Han Wang Renyu's "Yutang Gossip": "When Chang'an was in full bloom, there was a magician who was known for the beauty of cinnabar. Ruoguan, who said he was more than three hundred years old, was admired by the people of Kyoto. As for those who transported goods and asked for pills, and those who asked for benefits across the scriptures, the door was like a shop. Sometimes there were several high-ranking officials who built their houses, drinking and drinking, and some people reported that "My lord came up from the village and wants to attend the audience." The Taoist scolded him. Hearing it from the guests, he might say: "The virtuous man is coming from afar, why not see him at once." When the Taoist frowns and moves, he says: "But order Come in.' I saw an old man with hair like silver on his temples, faint and stooped. As a result, they were all under a hundred years old, so haggard, and they were often reprimanded in the ears of the village villas. 'The more the guest is, the more divine. Later, someone who asked him privately knew it, but it is said that the one who is stooped is his father. He is good at Taoism. Those who are deceived by him are like bullying a baby." [4] Yang's confession refers to the article "Leaving the Trenches of Political Party Life" published by Yang Villagers in the first issue of the third volume of "Reading Magazine" (February 1933). ", see note [28] on page 185 of this volume.

[5] In the Song Dynasty Chen Shichong's Suiyin Manlu, Volume 5, "Qiantang Youshou" has roughly the same story as that described here. "Lu Xun's Diary" quoted this book in "Xiyu Shuchao" in 1927. [6] After the Revolution of 1911, Kang Youwei published "Republic of Peace", "Republic of Peace" and "With Xu Taifu (Xu Shichang) "Book", said that China should not implement a "democratic republic", but should implement a "virtual monarchy republic" (that is, a constitutional monarchy). [7] Zhang Zongchang (1881-1932) was born in Yexian County, Shandong Province, and was a warlord of the Northern Feng Dynasty.When he was governor of Shandong in 1925, he advocated respecting Confucius and reading scriptures.