SuaveG – The Gentle Path

Chinese mythology, folktales, and literature

  • The Truth That Power Cannot Hear

    •

    Rob

    Drawing parallels to The Emperor’s New Clothes, this Han Fei‑based essay analyses “blocked‑speech” in hierarchies. It explains why subordinates withhold uncomfortable truths, citing the MUM‑effect and warning against misleading manufactured consensus.

  • Why Gratitude Is a Bad Investment

    •

    Rob

    This Legalist‑oriented essay uses Lü Buwei’s downfall to argue gratitude is an unreliable investment. Genuine feelings cannot guarantee returns; dependable claims need binding structural leverage instead of mere emotional obligation.

  • 奇货可居 (Qí huò kě jū)

    •

    Rob

    This entry explains the idiom *qí huò kě jū*, originating from Lü Buwei’s political speculation story in *Records of the Grand Historian*. It covers its literal and figurative meanings, modern usages and related cautionary notes.

  • The Ten Faults: Han Fei’s Manual for Not Destroying Yourself

    •

    Rob

    This article unpacks Han Fei’s “Ten Faults”, ten ruin‑invoking behavioural patterns for rulers. Translated to modern‑day survival wisdom, it warns against short‑term emotional impulses eroding long‑term structural safeguards.

  • Look at the Position, Not the Person: Why Character Is a Poor Predictor of Behavior

    •

    Rob

    This article explains Han Fei’s positional‑analysis idea: people’s conduct stems more from their roles and incentives than personal character. It advises judging structural positions rather than relying on perceived personality or sincere declarations.

  • Zhou Yi (The Book of Changes)

    •

    Ana

    Zhou Yi, also called Yi Jing or simply Yi, is a Confucian classic. According to Zheng Xuan‘s Yi Zan, the character Yi carries three meanings: change, simplicity, and constancy. It is traditionally said to have been produced by the people of Zhou; another interpretation holds that “Zhou” means thorough, all-encompassing, and circulating, hence the…