The "Middle Way" discernment
——On the existence of reality and the pursuit of realm
Liu Xiaolin
The Middle Way is an important part of Chinese culture, and countless people have fallen into it — either claiming to be solved or confused for life. Today, I want to try to think and discuss.
Tang Kong Yingda said in "Zhou Yi Zhengyi": "Sixty-four gua in this test, two and two are even, and they are either overturned or changed." The overthrower, who sees it in the surface, becomes two trigrams, such as Tun, Meng, Need, Litigation, Shi, and Bi. The changer, repeatedly only into a trigram, then change to the right, "Qian", "Kun", "Kan", "Away", "Big Over", "Yi", "Zhongfu", "Little Pass" and so on are also. "Two-two is even, non-overlapping or variable." In short, it means that two things meet, merge or separate. Further clarification is: the overthrower, divided into two, the changer, the two into one. When will it become appropriate? It is closely related to the middle way.
The evolution of the entire universe follows the principle of alternating "constant (overtuplet) and changing". Further, everything in the universe (including human beings and the cultures they created) is likewise subject to the principle of alternating "constant and change". For people with higher thinking and rich emotions, it is difficult not to know the existence of "constant (covering) and changing", but to understand and even master the "critical point" of "constant (covering) and changing" transformation. The "tipping point" of this transformation is at the heart of the so-called "middle way" – which does exist in the real world. At the same time, because after all things come to the world, they are subject to many factors. As a result, it is often difficult for human beings to actually achieve this original reality. Second, it is easier to accept the "middle way" as a realm pursuit.
One yin and one yang are the way, the way of the world. Everything is contradictory, and so is the "middle way."
The central contradiction of the "Middle Way" is that there is always a "gap" between methodology and ontology. In other words, there is always a difference between epistemology and essentialism. In other words: how can the ideal and reality completely coincide? In short: the "middle way" states the best state that things, including series of relationships, can achieve.
What is moderation? Neutral. 1, the mediocre, use also. 2, the mediocre, often also. If the use of the middle is used, then it is necessary to consider "non-middle", "medium" because of the existence of two ends (always two points). Dual-use, just right. If the two ends are fixed, it is easy to implement in use. The harsh reality is that everything, including "both ends," is changing—the same thing is placed in different "integrated environments" and its specific properties are different. Since the "two ends" are not fixed, then the "medium" must exist in constant change.
Mencius said, "There is no power in clinging to the middle, and there is no one in the middle." This means: sticking to "zhong" means being limited to "non-middle". Vernacular: If you and I achieve the middle way in a given situation, but we can't stick to it. To do otherwise is to violate the middle way. In other words: the middle way needs to be adjusted at any time, and it is impossible for a person to follow the middle way all his life. In this regard, Confucius himself also sighed: "If you can't be in the middle of the line, you must also be crazy?" The madman is enterprising, and the cunning is not doing anything! The Nine Heavenly Laymen believe that "radical" or "conservative" exists in everyone, and that it is already a great thing for someone to be able to "use" in most (overall) situations!
The real world does exist in the "middle", and this "middle" is either implicit or explicit—it cannot be permanently enjoyed by something (including people). Perhaps Confucius and other sages have long realized this, so they retreat to the second: from the use of the use to the use of the common. That is to say, from the absolute use (the middle way) to the relative (the middle way). Constant, usual, normal, normal also. The core of the way of the middle way is "neutralization" - the so-called "extremely wise and moderate" person is really the highest ideal pursued by human beings when they do learning and doing other things! Although the "moderation" as the Tao is always there, the "extreme wisdom" of human beings is not always present. Therefore, we know that we cannot exhaust the "middle way" but we have to do our best to fight for it - this is the real helplessness of human beings.
The "middle way" does not refer to the unprincipled compromise, let alone blind adherence. It contains the realm pursuit of "dual use", and realizes the reality of "using in the middle".
Attached picture of the work of the Nine Heavenly Residents
