The "late bloomer" of the Tao Te Ching is written as "Daqi Wai Cheng" in the second edition of the Book of Pals, and "Daqi Mancheng" in the Guodian Chu Jian Book, so it has caused controversy. There were relatively few people who thought that "late bloomers" were yes, and more people said that "big things are exempt" were yes. I think that in order to understand Lao Tzu's "late bloomer", it is inseparable from the other "big", and cannot be separated and interpreted separately.
Combining the "four greats" mentioned by Lao Tzu, we will find the similarities and differences between the ancient and modern late bloomers.
Generous, late bloomer, loud voice, elephant invisible, Tao hidden nameless. "The husband is good at the beginning and accomplished. (40 chapters)
Are all late bloomers big bloomers?
【Notes】
Square: Square.
Corner: corner, corner.
Apparatus: Appliances.
Late: Time is later.
Sound: Sound.
IH: Sparse, sparse.
Like: shape, look.
The size of the device varies
Shape: shape, appearance, image.
Tao: The Way of the Source, the Tao, the Tao.
Hidden: hidden, hidden.
First name: name, name; Ancient Chinese logical noun, referring to concepts; Description, indicated.
Fu: pronounced fú, as a language aid, used at the beginning of a sentence.
Yui: pronounced wéi, the same as "only" alone, only.
Start: Begin.
Done: done, realized, successful.
utensil
【Literal translation】
Large squares have no corners, large utensils are finished late, loud voices are rarely heard, large images have no image, the Tao is hidden without revealing, and there is no reputation.
Only the Tao is good at beginning and finishing.
【Analysis】
The four "great" all have an infinite meaning here. Infinitely large squares, infinitely large appliances, infinitely large sounds, infinitely large images. Because of infinity, it is possible to appear that "generous" cannot see the corners, "loud" cannot hear sound, and "elephant" cannot see the image.
Because it is so large that it is infinite, the "late" of "late bloomer" does not end here, and the time is also infinitely long.
Early bloomer for small instruments, late bloomer for large ones
"Generous and invisible" is an infinitely large square with no edges and corners, "late bloomer" is an infinitely large instrument that is always under construction, "loud sound" is an infinite sound that cannot hear the sound, and "elephant invisible" is an infinite image that cannot see the image.
"Dao Yin" is the Dao hidden and not visible, and it is difficult to understand its properties. "Nameless" is difficult to describe and name because it is difficult to understand its properties.
"Good beginning and good completion" is to be good at both beginning and completion, that is, good beginning and good end.
【Translation】
The infinitely large square cannot see the sharp corners, the infinitely large instrument is completed infinitely late, the infinitely large sound cannot hear the sound, the infinitely large image cannot see the image, and the attributes of the Tao are hidden and difficult to explain and name.
Only the Tao has achieved a good beginning and a good end.
Good beginnings and good ends
【Let's make small talk】
These two words of Lao Tzu are still his "advice".
The four "greatness" are all infinite, so large that there is no boundary, and their attribute characteristics are also hidden, which is very similar to the Tao. Therefore, the four "greats" can all be called Tao. It is precisely because the attributes of the Tao are hidden and not obvious, it is difficult to understand completely, it is difficult to explain and name, and it is difficult to say it that it has caused ridicule from some people.
In ancient times, utensils referred to pottery, and large vessels were large pottery. How big is Lao Tzu talking about? Combined with the generosity of the corner, the sound of the loud voice, and the invisible of the elephant, the great vessel that Lao Tzu said is an infinite vessel. Will an infinite number of devices be able to be manufactured successfully? Definitely not. Therefore, the "late" of Lao Tzu's late bloomer is also infinitely late, that is, the infinite vessel is always under construction.
"Instrument" is often used to describe human ability because of its storage function. Small pottery is packed less, which is equivalent to small capacity; Large pottery is much more loaded, which is equivalent to great capacity. This is consistent between ancient and modern times. For example, we are now commenting on someone who says, this is not a thing; Or praise a child and say that this child can become a big player.
Live to be old, learn to be old, strive to improve until you are old, and rest until you die
Regarding the ability to describe instruments, the Modern Chinese Dictionary interprets the late completion of the instrument as "refers to the fact that characters who can undertake great things have to undergo long-term training, so their achievements are relatively late".
It is common knowledge that small pottery takes a short time to manufacture and large pottery takes a long time to make. However, no matter how long it takes, there will always be a time when it will be completed. However, the time for the late completion of the big bloomer mentioned by Lao Tzu is far away. Therefore, it is not surprising that there are versions of "Daqi Waicheng" and "Daqi Mancheng".
Small pottery represents small ability, large pottery represents large ability, and infinite pottery represents infinite ability. Does the completion of the device represent the end of the mission, and is there an end to the improvement of ability? For improving ability, we must not be satisfied with a small ability, we must live to be old, learn to be old, transform to old age, and rest until death. This can reflect the true meaning of Lao Tzu's late bloomer, and it is also the difference between ancient and modern late bloomer.
Good is like water. If the low-lying terrain that forms the sea is regarded as a vessel, it is a big vessel, and the river water continues to flow into the sea day and night, when has the sea level been seen?
Will the sea level rise if the river continues to flow into the sea day and night?
The last sentence of this chapter, "The Tao is good and accomplished," tells those who believe in the Tao and those who do not believe in it, to have firm faith in the Taoism, that the Tao is endless, that it extends to infinity like the "Four Greats," that prudence is always the same, and that one will always "know in the middle" (Chapter 53, which can only be known when it is close to success).
Speaking of which, I think I have said almost the similarities and differences between ancient and modern late bloomers, and my alternative interpretation of late bloomers has also been completed. I don't know what the few officials think.