In an Age Where Even Lu Xun Can Be Called a Master, All You'll Get Are Fart-Masters!

2006/10/3 14:24:17

"When there are no heroes in the world, upstarts make a name for themselves" — this is the best summary of 20th-century Chinese culture, and it can certainly extend to the 19th century, the few years of the 21st century so far, and many more centuries besides. In an age overflowing with "masters," what is most lacking is precisely masters! In an age where even Lu Xun can be called a master, all you'll get are fart-masters!

Of course, Lu Xun too can be called a master; a few rungs lower, Li Ao can as well. In fact — Zhang San, Li Si, any Tom, Dick, or Harry — anyone can. Just shift the standard for "master" (大师, dàshī) toward "big corpse" (大尸, dàshī), and won't everyone eventually become a "master"? "Big corpse" and "master" — originally two completely unrelated things — are often conflated in Chinese culture. Since ancient times, if you wanted to become a "master," the primary prerequisite was: you had to be a "big corpse." But in today's China, people are no longer satisfied with corpse-ified masters. The current trend is the "big louse" (大虱, dàshī). As long as your louse is big enough — capable of leaping from Zhang San's public parts to Wang Wu's private parts and biting him $10^30$ round trips in $10^-30$ seconds — then you are definitely a master!

Whether it's Lu Xun or Li Ao, Zhang San or Wang Wu, big corpse or big louse, public parts or private parts — none of this is a question worth considering. But setting the record straight on the word "master" — that is indeed a question worth considering. What constitutes a "master"? We must start with the character "teacher" (师). Han Yu's famous essay "On the Teacher" states: "A teacher is one who transmits the Way, imparts knowledge, and resolves doubts." Those who cannot achieve "transmitting the Way, imparting knowledge, and resolving doubts" don't even qualify as a "teacher," let alone a "master."

Take just "resolving doubts": a master should at least be able to resolve the great doubts, shouldn't he? The greatest doubts one faces in this world are inseparable from life and death. If you can't even resolve the doubt of life and death, if you yourself are still bobbing up and down adrift in the sea of life and death — can you be a "master"? Beyond life and death, there is the doubt of livelihood — how to survive in this world. The so-called "settling one's body and establishing one's destiny" — if you can't even settle your own body, and your fate tosses about on the waves of fortune, can you still be a "master"? Someone who even struggles to survive cannot possibly be a "master." At the very least, it shows that whatever he imagines qualifies him for "masterhood" is impractical — nothing but a flashy but useless spear made of silver-coated wax.

Some might say: "The times held him back — even with 'master' potential, he couldn't realize it!" This is typical fart-logic! A true "master" may be frustrated for a time, but cannot be frustrated for a lifetime. Moreover, can someone who is led around by the times be a "master"? A master shapes the era rather than being shaped by it — only such a person is qualified to be a master. If someone cannot even see through the current era and is trapped by it — can that person be a master?

"Transmitting the Way, imparting knowledge, and resolving doubts" is the standard for a "teacher." Then the standard for a "master" is "transmitting the Great Way, imparting Great Knowledge, and resolving Great Doubts." What is the "Great Way"? The Great Way is the Great Vehicle. Those who cannot even cultivate their own virtue need not be mentioned; those who cultivate their own virtue but cannot extend goodness to the entire world are also not worth discussing. One who can transmit the Great Way must first be able to walk the Great Way — and one who walks the Great Way, whether in adversity or prosperity, both can and should extend goodness to the entire world. What is "Great Knowledge"? Great Knowledge is Great Good. To transmit the Great Way, one must impart "Great Knowledge"; to walk the "Great Way," one must undertake "Great Knowledge." Bringing Great Good to all under heaven — that is what it means to accomplish Great Knowledge. How could those who busily pursue private enterprises ever compare?

Well, having said all this, let me now present the pH test paper for identifying masters. "Transmitting the Great Way, imparting Great Knowledge, and resolving Great Doubts" is a bit too abstract, so let's be practical. In today's China, if there were to be a master, what must this master personally possess at minimum? Let me enumerate as follows:

One: You must be proficient in both Chinese classical learning and Western learning — otherwise, how can you be a master?

Two: Poetry, prose, song, and fu; qin, chess, calligraphy, and painting — these are all minor arts, but surely you should understand them? Otherwise, if you can't even walk the minor paths, can't even write a proper regulated verse, can't even compose a tune — what kind of master are you?

Three: Your appearance must be passable. As the saying goes, "the face is born from the heart." If you can't even grow a proper face — what kind of master are you?

Four: In today's economic society, you must at least be proficient in how to make money legally. Otherwise, if you can't even feed yourself and have to depend on others' charity and look at others' faces — what kind of master are you?

Five: In a scientific age, you surely must understand some science? Especially the foundational sciences — mathematics and physics at minimum — surely you should be proficient? We don't require you to solve any particular problems, but at the very least you can't be completely ignorant of the frontiers of science, a total layman. The most cutting-edge papers in mathematics and physics — you should at least be able to read them, yes? Otherwise — what kind of master are you?

Six: In matters of politics, economics, military affairs, religion, and the like, you must at least be able to see clearly and judge accurately. As the saying goes, "ignorance of a single matter is a scholar's shame." If you can't even reach the level of a Confucian scholar — what kind of master are you?

Seven: You must be in good health, free of major illness, with strong virility — yet transcendent over sexuality. Even Daoists can return essence to nourish the brain and refine essence into qi. If you can't even grasp these minor Daoist techniques, can't even control sexual desire — what kind of master are you?

Eight: You must be thoroughly versed in the ways of the world and navigate them with ease. If you can't even get along with people — what kind of master are you?

As the saying goes, "Three Main Disciplines and Eight Points for Attention": "Transmitting the Great Way, imparting Great Knowledge, and resolving Great Doubts" are the Three Main Disciplines of a master, and the eight items above are the Eight Points for Attention. Those who aspire to be masters, those who pretend to be masters, and those who want to hire masters for their services — measure yourselves against these!