Chinese mythology, folktales, and literature
No one is happier than he who has caused few troubles. On the other hand, no one invites more trouble than the person who is always suspicious of others.
To make friends with others, you need a strong sense of justice and a readiness to help. To be a true man, you should preserve a pure heart.
In violent winds and raging storms, birds grow anxious and distressed;under clear skies and gentle breezes, plants and trees flourish with joy.Thus, we see that Heaven and Earth cannot go a single day without harmony,nor can the human heart go a single day without joy.
Caigentan (菜根谭 in Chinese), often translated as Discourses on Vegetable Roots or Tending the Roots of Wisdom, composed in the late Ming Dynasty (c. 1590) by scholar-philosopher Hong Yingming (Zicheng), is a timeless classic of Chinese wisdom literature.
Fachang, a disciple of the Chan master Mazu Daoyi and a renowned Tang dynasty monk, resided as abbot on Great Plum Mountain (Daimei Shan) in Yuyao, earning him the name “Great Plum Fachang.”
Dongshan Liangjie was a seminal Chinese Zen master of the Tang Dynasty. He established the Caodong lineage/school with his disciple Caoshan Benji, emphasizing silent illumination (默照禅) — a meditation practice integrating stillness and innate wisdom without forced effort.
In Journey to the West, Chapter 14, titled “Mind Monkey returns to the Right – The Six Robbers vanish from sight”, introduces six robbers who ambush Tang Sanzang and Sun Wukong.
In Journey to the West, the names and titles of the characters often carry specific symbolic meanings.
This chapter focuses on the dangers of excess and the wisdom of moderation. Lao Tzu questions the human pursuit of fame, wealth, and external validation (“Which is more harmful: gain or loss?”) and warns that overaccumulation invites ruin.