Wang Liming: "Shou Clumsy" has been forgotten by modern people to some extent

"Humility" is a virtue that our ancestors admired. Lao Tzu advocated: "Great straightness is like bending, great cleverness is like clumsiness, and great debate is like a big argument." The ancients believed, "The great fool, the wisdom of the opposite." Outer wisdom and inner foolishness, real foolishness; external foolishness and inner wisdom, great wisdom also. The wise man, who works in the heart, is accustomed to mannerism, is always flamboyant, calculating, shrewd and capable, and cannot afford to lose anything. The wise man on the inside, the fool on the outside". Those who are good at keeping clumsiness, "so they can become a long instrument", only have the strength to shoulder the burden.

However, in Chinese, "humble" has a pejorative meaning, and in ancient times, some frustrated literati often laughed at themselves as "humble people" to show that they looked down on fame and fortune. In modern society, people generally taboo this "clumsy" word, always associating "clumsy" with "clumsy", "not bright", "stupid and stupid", etc. The word "humble" has become an antonym for intelligence, and even a derogatory term. So that in reality, there is always a style of thinking, lest they suffer losses and damages, they often take advantage of things, and they like to play some self-righteous little cleverness. "Clumsy" has been forgotten by modern people to some extent.

In the face of the social atmosphere of vanity and trickery, we need to re-mention this virtue that has existed in China since ancient times - "keeping clumsy". A "clumsy" word contains a lot of principles for doing things.

To be humble is to keep one's own background. Keeping a simple heart, which is a kind of return to the truth, compared with the middle way, shou humble more emphasis on appropriate, focusing on a natural nature, so that life returns to the most comfortable state, do their duty. Humble and Simple are often linked, and "Hugging Park shou clumsy" comes from "Vegetable Root Tan". The word "Baopu" originates from Lao Tzu's "see the simplicity of the plain, less selfish and widowed", which means "simple on the outside, simple in the heart, less selfish, lower desire". For a person who is still shallow in the world, he is also contaminated with fewer bad habits; once a person's experience of world affairs is deepened, the city government will also deepen, and it is inevitable that he will be affected by bad habits. However, the gentleman is clumsy and does not take advantage of it, and still maintains a pure and simple nature in the turbid world, which is what people often call "out of the mud without staining".

"Shou Humble Collection", written by Wang Liming, published by the Commercial Press

Being humble means being a person and doing things loyally and steadily. The so-called "Heavenly Dao Taboo" is exactly this meaning. Mencius said, "The way of heaven is also the way of the sincere; the one who thinks of sincerity, the way of man." China's excellent traditional culture has always advocated sincerity, sincerity in doing things, and loyalty to people, which is our excellent traditional virtue. To advocate humility is to promote loyalty, duty, and down-to-earth morality.

Clumsiness is a low-key way of dealing with the world. "Keeping clumsiness" opposes blindly high-profile, sensationalism or arbitrariness to satisfy personal desires, especially when the strength is not good, it should be more energetic, wait for thick and thin hair, and never show people in a high profile. Of course, high-profile does not mean not enterprising, humble is not too modest, its proposition is also a way to forge ahead, but not ostentatious, not exaggerated, not adventurous, down-to-earth, to success. A clumsy person may seem to be verbally wooden, but "being willing to speak and being sensitive to deeds" is the way of being a person and the basis of accomplishing things. Clumsiness is a kind of wisdom that is hidden and not revealed. The treasure jade does not hide its light, and the sword into the sheath does not reduce its edge. Clumsiness is a kind of unassuming, not-aggressive, not aggressive conduct, which is actually a kind of great wisdom.

To be humble is to advocate a solid work attitude that is the only one. Zhuge Liang said, "If you learn from your nobles and be sincere and single-minded, everything can be accomplished." People and things must be done sincerely and single-mindedly, "rather be simple, not to play clever", should not use their own wisdom in cleverness, calculation, if you always want to take shortcuts, curve overtaking, and not down-to-earth, it is difficult to succeed. What we call "craftsman spirit" today actually embodies this spirit of solidity and humility. "Only great clumsiness can break great skill", it is actually advocating sincerity and steadfastness, not seeking overnight fame, not pursuing shortcuts, and trekking forward step by step towards the goal. Some people are good at looking up at the sky, but they are not willing to be down-to-earth, and in the end it is difficult to achieve great things.

The word "humble" is nothing less than a good medicine for the noisy and impetuous atmosphere of the current society. Being humble means keeping a simple heart and a humble heart. Being humble does not mean that everything is not disputed, follow the tide, and do nothing, but emphasizes not forgetting the original intention, single-mindedness, down-to-earth, immersed in work, excellence, and hard work. Advocating humility is to cultivate the spirit of doing things in a down-to-earth manner, not to play tricks, not to do vain things, to work conscientiously, to do everything well in a down-to-earth manner, "keeping clumsy" in oneself is a necessary condition for achieving a career, in society is a driving force for the continuous advancement of the entire collective, and for the country is a virtue that cannot be abandoned.

(The author is a first-class professor and doctoral supervisor of Chinese Min University)