A person bereft of sincerity is like the facial makeup a woman wears; everything he does is mere empty show.
When dealing with the world, if a person does not approach matters with a flexible and nimble mind, he will become a lifeless and wooden object, and encounter obstacles everywhere.
作人无点真恳念头，便成个花子，事事皆虚；涉世无段圆活机趣，便是个木人，处处有碍。
Notes
This teaching from Cai Gen Tan (Tending the roots of wisdom) distills life’s core principles through two dimensions: self-cultivation and worldly engagement.
- The heart must root in uncompromising authenticity;
- Actions must embody adaptability with integrity.
Neither suffices alone.
Authenticity is foundational — Without inner truth, humanity hollows into empty shells, words and deeds severed from their roots.
Adaptable wisdom is essential — Rigidity breeds collision with reality, isolating one from life’s flow.
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