Immortality Of The Soul : * "Musings of a Chinese Mystic", by Lionel Giles, [1906], p. 82 IMMORTALITY OF THE SOUL When Lao Tz died, Chin Shih went to mourn. He uttered three yells and departed. A disciple asked him, saying: "Were you not our Master's friend?" "I was," replied Chin Shih. "And if so, do you consider th...
The Identity Of Contraries : * "Musings of a Chinese Mystic", by Lionel Giles, [1906], p. 42 THE IDENTITY OF CONTRARIES Tz Chi of Nan-kuo sat leaning on a table. Looking up to heaven, he sighed and became absent, as though soul and body had parted. Yen Chng Tz Yu, who was standing by him, exclaimed "What are you thinking...
Self Adaptation To Externals : * "Musings of a Chinese Mystic", by Lionel Giles, [1906], p. 77 SELF-ADAPTATION TO EXTERNALS Yen Ho was about to become tutor to the eldest son of Prince Ling of the Wei State. Accordingly he observed to Ch Po Y: "Here is a man whose disposition is naturally of a low order. To let him take his own...
Note : * "Musings of a Chinese Mystic", by Lionel Giles, [1906], p. 6 p. 7 NOTE The extracts in this volume are drawn, with one or two very slight modifications, from the translation by Professor H. A. Giles (Quaritch, 1889).
Editorial Note : * "Musings of a Chinese Mystic", by Lionel Giles, [1906], p. 8 EDITORIAL NOTE The object of the Editors of this series is a very definite one. They desire above all things that, in their humble way, these books shall be the ambassadors of good-will and understanding between East and West--the old...
Advertisements : * "Musings of a Chinese Mystic", by Lionel Giles, [1906], [The following advertisements appeared at the end of the original volume. They are included as documentation, not as an advertisement.--JBH.] THE WISDOM OF THE EAST SERIES EDITED BY CRANMER-BYNG AND DR. S. A. KAPADIA THE SERIES AND ITS...
Title Page And Front Matter : * "Musings of a Chinese Mystic", by Lionel Giles, [1906], THE WISDOM OF THE EAST SERIES EDITED BY L. CRANMER-BYNG Dr. S. A. KAPADIA MUSINGS OF A CHINESE MYSTIC FIRST EDITION June 1906 Reprinted, December 1911 WISDOM OF THE EAST MUSINGS OF A CHINESE MYSTIC SELECTIONS FROM THE PHILOSOPHY OF CHUANG...
The Mysterious Immanence Of Tao : * "Musings of a Chinese Mystic", by Lionel Giles, [1906], p. 51 THE MYSTERIOUS IMMANENCE OF TAO The Penumbra said to the Umbra, "At one moment you move: at another you are at rest. At one moment you sit down: at another you get up. Why this instability of purpose?" "I depend," replied the Umbr...
Illusions : * "Musings of a Chinese Mystic", by Lionel Giles, [1906], p. 48 ILLUSIONS How do I know that love of life is not a delusion after all? How do I know but that he who dreads to die is as a child who has lost the way and cannot find his home? The lady Li Chi was the daughter of Ai Fng. When the Duke...
The Sage, Or Perfect Man : * "Musings of a Chinese Mystic", by Lionel Giles, [1906], p. 86 THE SAGE, OR PERFECT MAN The perfect man ignores self; the divine man ignores action; the true Sage ignores reputation. ..... The perfect man is a spiritual being. Were the ocean itself scorched up, he would not feel hot. Were...
Personal Anecdotes : * "Musings of a Chinese Mystic", by Lionel Giles, [1906], p. 109 PERSONAL ANECDOTES Chuang Tz was fishing in the Pu when the prince of Chu sent two high officials to ask him to take charge of the administration of the Chu State. Chuang Tz went on fishing and, without turning his head, said "I have...
The Hidden Spring : * "Musings of a Chinese Mystic", by Lionel Giles, [1906], p. 60 THE HIDDEN SPRING Tao has its laws and its evidences. It is devoid both of action and of form. It may be transmitted, but cannot be received. It may be obtained, but cannot be seen. Before heaven and earth were, Tao was. It h...
Passive Virtue : * "Musings of a Chinese Mystic", by Lionel Giles, [1906], p. 69 PASSIVE VIRTUE Yen Hui 1 went to take leave of Confucius. "Whither are you bound?" asked the master. "I am going to the State of Wei," was the reply. "And what do you propose to do there?" continued Confucius. "I hear," answered Yen...
Introduction : * "Musings of a Chinese Mystic", by Lionel Giles, [1906], p. 11 MUSINGS OF A CHINESE MYSTIC INTRODUCTION Although Chinese history can show no authentic contemporary record prior to the Chou dynasty, some eleven hundred years before Christ, there is no doubt that a high pitch of civilisation w...
The Doctrine Of Relativity : * "Musings of a Chinese Mystic", by Lionel Giles, [1906], p. 37 THE DOCTRINE OF RELATIVITY In the northern ocean there is a fish, called the Leviathan, many thousand "li" 1 in size. This Leviathan changes into a bird, called the Rukh, whose back is many thousand "li" in breadth. With a mighty...
Non Interference With Nature : * "Musings of a Chinese Mystic", by Lionel Giles, [1906], p. 66 NON-INTERFERENCE WITH NATURE Horses have hoofs to carry them over frost and snow; hair, to protect them from wind and cold. They eat grass and drink water, and fling up their heels over the champaign. Such is the real nature of horses...
Untitled : * This short collection of texts featuring Chuang Tzu (Zhuangzi), the Taoist sage, is a good introduction to the core concepts of the Taoist worldview. The author, Lionel Giles, was an eminent Victorian scholar of Chinese society, who, most notably, also translated Sun Tsu's Art of War. Title Page...
Random Gleanings : * "Musings of a Chinese Mystic", by Lionel Giles, [1906], p. 93 RANDOM GLEANINGS TAKE no heed of time, nor of right and wrong; but, passing into the realm of the Infinite, take your final rest therein. ..... Our life has a limit, but knowledge is without limit. ..... To serve one's prince without...