忠經 Zhong Jing #6
兆人章 Million People Chapter
(PD) Mt Seoraksan Republic of Korea
Skies, earth, footprint...
(Photo clarity, angle, and wording by Larry Neal Gowdy)
Copyright ©2019 October 27, 2019
The sixth chapter of 忠經 (Zhong Jing) is titled 兆人章, which is loosely interpreted to be Million People Chapter.
The general theme of chapter #6 is similar to the previous chapters, except for adding thoughts of qi (chee, ki), as well as adding ideas about the acts of self-change-transform. Zhong Jing, in several ways, better presents ideas of self-creation than what is found within 道德經 Dao De Jing.
The following quotes are draft translations of the sentences within 忠經 Zhong Jing chapter 6 兆人章. Several of the words are given with accompanying synonyms that help to present an active concept. Note also that "{also}" infers a Chinese particle that can imply a pause when used within a sentence, or imply the end of a sentence. Although the particle "{also}" would be given a comma or period punctuation in English, the particle "{also}" is included below for reference as well as to better retain the sentences' patterns of quantities of words and syllables per sentence. Also, as mentioned in a previous article on this site, is that 'heaven earth' can be interpreted to imply the whole of Creation, or, perhaps the better modern concept, is that of 'heaven earth' pointing to the thing named 'Nature'.
'Heaven earth peaceful
Noble it virtue {also}
Heaven earth build-establish position
Hold-grasp have noble'
The allegory is quite nice, enabling pleasingly extended thoughts of Nature's creativity, nobility, and virtue, plus that a noble person would hold the values within Nature to be one's own.
An interesting contrast is of how some people only wish to find promises of personal gain and supernatural powers within texts, as compared to other people who are already satisfied with life, and who are able to appreciate the beauty of Nature's creativity. A related sentence is from Zhong Yong #14: 'So junzi live simple to wait fate, tiny people behavior gamble to encompass luck.' If similar words had been written within 道德經 Dao De Jing, then most readers might assume that the words spoke of a promise of an individual attaining a state of peacefulness and nobility.
'Wrong-violate noble great peaceful
People will narrow-stooped short-steps'
The sentence begins awkwardly for English-speaking people, but a moment's thought finds the meaning. Nature's way is peaceful, and noble, but a wrong way that violates Nature's way does indeed create the psychological stress that results in the body's movements of being stooped with short steps. Short steps and a stooped posture, are similar to the body language of individuals suffering from Parkinson's disease, but also similar to a growing percentage of all people today. It has been reported that the younger generation is experiencing heightened stress, resulting in numerous personal problems, including a sharp increase of suicides. Today's cultures are 'wrong-violate noble great peaceful'.
Today, very few people are witnessed to walk with long strides, the rapid walking being their own norm... most people are witnessed to walk slowly, with short strides, as if in slow motion, the body language illustrating a slowness of mind and heart. A very delightful experience was to see a young lady of about eighteen to twenty years of age, walking briskly through a store, her eyes showing a mental awareness of the environment around her, her body language exhibiting harmony, her knowing where she was wanting to go... I was astonished. Not since my own youth had I witnessed anyone (other than my wife and I) to not walk slow and with short strides... within ten seconds, the young lady gave to me a memory that will always remain one that raises a soft smile of respect, honor, and a sense of appreciation of her inner qualities.
Nature is right, man's cultures are wrong.
'Noble virtue clear-obvious bright-understanding
Then Yin-hidden Yang-open wind rain use-together harmonious
People accuse-blame it and-while raw-unprocessed-birth {also}
Four qi-ki harmonious casually-same-time
One-hundred expenses-outlay-usefulness capable
Correct use be rest perfect-note'
It is uncertain what the author may have intended by the idea of "four qi", but the concept is indeed valid. Two inner natures in harmony self-create a strong inner force-solidity... adding a third harmonious inner nature further strengthens the inner force... a fourth inner nature in harmony with the other three, creates an even stronger inner nature. Each added harmony is as if exponential, not as if 'quantity 1 plus quantity 2', but rather as like 'fluid sphere of one multiplied by a second fluid sphere that is itself multiplied by the first fluid sphere'. An individual whose inner natures all agree with and harmonize with all other inner natures, will have attained a self-state that is at peace with itself... calm, no conflicting personalities... one mind, one heart, one spirit, very strong of virtue.
Two heavily weighted inner natures in harmony are able to create 'fist fist to bosom' devotion... four heavily weighted inner natures in harmony create something else that is much better and stronger.
The idea of there being a "perfect note" is also mentioned within Confucian texts, but, at present there is not yet a convincing reason to believe that there can only be one perfect note as related to Nature. Perhaps, the author's idea may have simply implied that four qi in harmony are enough to enable the creation of a self that is then able to further self-change-transform.
'Therefore people it raw-unprocessed-birth
Accuse-blame capable when-from noble {also}
Correct therefore respect due-to noble it follow-principle standard
Behavior filial-piety as-brother when-regarding his family
Clothes diligent-attentive, sow-grain harvest, use-together supply-offering king-pure-jade-jasper tax-give
This-now million people it devotion {also}
Following-meanwhile change-transform supply raise-give-birth-cultivate
Diligent-attentive labor give-with-respect nation
Correct then serve-as devotion
Book say: One person first virtuous
Ten-thousand nation use virtuous
One person use great
Good comfort-console ten-thousand nation
Ten-thousand nation use devotion
Virtuous respect one person'
Some Taoist writings speak of a similar thing, that of one good person's quality inner nature and outer behavior being able to change everyone's natures. I wish that it could be true.