忠經 Zhong Jing #1
天地神明章 Heaven Earth Spirit Bright-Understanding Chapter
(PD) Mt Seoraksan Republic of Korea
Skies, earth, footprint...
(Photo clarity, angle, and wording by Larry Neal Gowdy)
Copyright ©2019 October 22, 2019
忠經 (Zhong Jing) is a very interesting book. Listed within Confucian titles, Zhong Jing begins with thoughts of a Nature-based logic, and of applying the logic through what might be interpreted in English to be devotion.
It is currently unknown who the author was, and also unknown of when the book may have been written, but from the style and patterns of writing, it appears that the book may have been written around 400-1000 A.D., or plausibly later. A few of Zhong Jing's patterns are colored of some of the ideas that are also found within 道德經 Dao De Jing, as well as 中庸 Zhong Yong, but the patterns and use of language are also colored of more modern cultures, and do not appear to suggest the text to be much ancient. As a whole, Zhong Jing appears to have been written by an individual who was well-learned, more literate than the common scholars, and possibly possessed a pleasing degree of self-awareness.
Composed of eighteen chapters, the first chapter of 忠經 - Zhong Jing is titled 天地神明章, which is loosely interpreted to be Sky Earth Spirit Bright-understanding Chapter. 天 (tian) can imply 'heaven, overhead, sky' etc.. As used within the first chapter, 天 appears to best fit the English idea of 'sky'.
神 (shen) implies 'appearance, deity, divinity, expression, look, mind, spirit' and similar. As used within the first chapter, 神 appears to best fit the Native American idea of 'spirit'. The 'spirit' is not a physical ghost, nor a soul, nor of any known European concept, but rather is similar to what is often said of 'the spirit of one's home', and 'the spirit of the river'.
明 (ming) implies 'bright, clear, obvious, understand, wise' etc.. Composed of the symbols for sun and moon, the meaning is as obvious as seeing and feeling the sun and moon.
One of the first things noticed within 忠經 Zhong Jing is that it is written within brief sentences, usually of four words per sentence... a lengthy poem.
The Nature-based ideas are presented within allegories. An example: 'Sky it place cover, Earth it place carry, People it place footstep, None large in devotion'. (draft translation of a sentence within 忠經 Zhong Jing section 1)
Perhaps the core idea within the book is 忠 zhong, which has numerous possible English dictionary synonyms that include 'devoted, devotion, faithful, fidelity, loyal'. 忠 (zhong pronounced within a descending tone) is composed of 中 (zhong, pronounced with a flat tone) that most commonly implies 'middle, amidst, center', plus 心 (xin) that most commonly implies 'bosom, heart, mind'.
Depending on whether an individual is aware or unaware of how their own thoughts arise, 忠 might be interpreted in numerous different ways. When an individual chooses devotion to a thing, does the individual perceive that the devotion arises from the 'center of mind', 'middle of mind', 'center of heart', 'middle of heart', or from some other source? One's own definition will likely mirror how well the individual's own emotions and mind harmonize.
Of interest, if the originating Chinese script were to simply infer a mental choice, then why use the heart and middle symbols instead of using a 'head on shoulders' symbol? Individuals of heart, individuals who are able to care from the heart, they recognize why the Chinese symbols are placed as they are, and also recognize why the symbols might suggest 'devotion'. Many of the Chinese words help suggest the processes of how the ancient people may have processed thoughts and feelings, which, unfortunately, is not present within European languages.
Another example: 'Past dwell, reach logic, Upper lower one virtue, Together perfect-note heaven rest, Devoted it way {also}'. (draft translation of a sentence within 忠經 Zhong Jing section 1)
A related modern topic is of the humorous news articles that speak of how scientists — perhaps bored with nothing better to do — have measured people's strides, the scientists believing that they can mathematically judge a person's mental health by how an individual walks. The news articles speak of the 'subtle' differences of gait between Alzheimer's and Lewy body dementia, as well as the large differences of the Parkinson's disease gait. While there is a lot of truth that different gaits describe different states of mind and health, the differences that the scientists have measured are very tiny and almost insignificant.
Within one's own momentary observation of another individual, can be seen levels of intelligence, the flows of emotions, degrees of personal knowledge, personal histories, the person's likely thoughts of the moment, ancestral traits, honesty, deceit, and so much more, and the name given to the individual's expression of his own self is body language. Healthy infants learn the language of 'body language' by themselves, by observing and reasoning what is observed. Healthy individuals, upon gaining sufficient firsthand experience of life, are able to self-reflect what is seen, and to consciously create within their own minds an interpretation of what is seen.
For some individuals, another person's beauty is initially found within the person's body language... look at the shapes of thighs, are the thighs' shapes proportional to the proportions of the pelvis, do the legs move smoothly and coherently within ratios of proportions relative to the whole of body language, how well do the arms and torso harmonize with the symmetries of leg movement, how well does head movement harmonize with all other movements, and of the countless other judgments of an observed person's body language, with all of the judgments occurring almost instantly, the observed person's inner nature of heart and mind can be known to a high degree of accuracy. If the observed person's body language is harmonious and fluid of mindfulness, then the person might be interpreted to be very beautiful.
It is very rare for a human's body language to be harmonious. Disharmonious body language exhibits a creature nature that is not, quite, well-developed. The only known inner nature that is able to enable a harmonious body language, is being calmly rational of mind, centered of self, and centered of heart, all within harmony with the other. Honesty, and sincerity, are ingredients of a calm mind. Honesty, it too is an ingredient of beauty.
Body language is open for everyone to see, and when combined with the observed person's aromas and tones of voice, as well as how the whole of all perceptions relate to the other, the observed person's health, mind, and heart are obvious. Not able to self-reflect, the scientists' own gaits may show what the scientists believe is hidden from sight.
'Poem say: Secret, even-if hidden, likewise cave-hole it obvious' (draft translation of a portion of Zhong Yong 33-3)
If the common person of today were able to discern body language, especially when combined with tones of voice, then dishonest politicians would not receive votes, and crooks would not be able to cheat people, but the politicians and crooks do exist, and continue to deceive the public. Perhaps some of the people of the ancient China region may have been aware of body language, both as what is seen, as well as what is felt within one's self.
忠 devotion to some people might be as if a mere unconscious brain choice, perhaps one that scientists can partially measure with flat measurements, but devotion means something else entirely to other people.
'Devoted person-ist middle {also}, Approach public not-have selfish' (draft translation of a sentence within 忠經 Zhong Jing section 1)
The English idea of 'middle' is synonymous with 'center', but from the firsthand point of view, 中 by itself implies an outer middle of things, not implying a solidified inner center from where devotion arises. Therefore, the title 忠經 Zhong Jing might could be interpreted to simply be Devotion Weave, Heart-felt Weave, or something else like Balanced-heart Weave.
If one's heart is not within an emotioned state of stability towards a specific topic — no 'Devotion solidify noble servant' — then the person's 'heart is not in it', and there is no devotion.