[The Final Ramble........For Now]
For a final rambling (Finally this guy can stop spamming), I will like a share a quote from Menfucian which (I believe) still have relevance in our society. And to commemorate its finale, I will come up with a Singlish translation before the English translation. But before that, please allow me to explain two basic words to better understand... it context. The two words are 仁 ren commonly as benevolence and 义yi commonly translated as Justice.(If you are familiar with the Dynasty Warriors series, you will know that there is a particular faction that like to use these words, overdoing it in fact to the extent that it become a recurring joke). If you aren't interested in the explanation of the two concepts, just skipped the appetiser.
仁- For this word. I will like to use 3 ways to interpret it. The first method is known as 音训, interpretation via how the words are pronounced. One common complaint to the learning of the language is its freaking huge vocab and word bank. 90000 characters in the dictionary, each having its unique stroke! But do you ever wonder how these characters are created? There are a fewer that a thousand words in the past. How does this monster evolve? Simple enough. Like Pokemon, when your monster reach a certain level, it evolve to the next stage. Life are much simpler in the past, there were no need for so many words as there is no need to express too much. But as life gets sophisticated though ages, there is a need for more precise, specified and enriched expressions. Thus, from existing words, they added "parts" to them and form new words. Of course, this is not a suka suka process (Singaporean slang for "anyhow") and their meaning are connected. And we know their connection since the "root" word and the new word supposedly sound similar. For the cause of 仁, its 音训 would be 人, which mean Man. 仁 and 人, benevolence (Use this word) and people, what is the connection? it means For a Man/human to be a Man/Human, one must have this Ren. In menfucian sense, this is what differentiate us from beasts (Not in a scientific sense of course). Ok, so this Ren is suppose to be something everyone should have. What is it then? How is it being achieved. This come to the second and third method.
The second method is to use how the word is structured. For those who know Chinese, 仁is form by a symbol representing people/Man/Human (亻) and the word two(二), which literally means two man. It will mean that this Ren can only be realised or discovered through interactions with people. A third method, is to use interpretation by those who come before. As characters are mostly a symbol where meaning are given by people who came before. The traditional explanation will mean 爱人, commonly translated as loving people. But that's a cheap way of explaining it. It means more about feeling for other. There is example given by Menfucian: When you saw a kid about to be knocked down by the car, you would experience this feeling of shock, a sudden pain in the car. Do you have these feelings just to boast and show off to others than you are compassionate. Or do you have these feelings to make friends with the kids parents. Evidently, this ability to feel for others is the beginning of Ren. The above is the interpretation of Ren.
义: Since the basic has been explained, I will go faster with this one. The 音训 of 义is 宜, which means suitable. A even more suitable interpretation will be: suitable as you feel settled down. From the structure of the words, its a goat (羊) and a I (我). The symbol of the Goat associated itself with words like beauty (美) and goodness (善) and the notion of I will mean that it is beauty and goodness that I want or aspire to achieve. From the third method, we know that the meaning is 已之威仪也,which means the majestic awe-inspiring aura portrayed by self. Although Justice is not really a accurate translation, we can see connection between as they are all awe-inspiring and beautiful. Though the Chinese's concept empathise more self initiative and action to pursue them.
Ok, straight for the Main course. The Singlish translation is as followed:
Mencius go visit King Hui of Liang. The king said: Uncle, you come from far far away, must have good plan to profit my kingdom right?
Mencius relied: ai yo, why talk profit. Got Ren got Yi can olready. The king ask how to profit my country. Civil servants ask how to profit my family. Ordinary people ask how to profit myself. Then people from top till bottom from bottom to top just reap profit from one another lor. Then like that country gone case already. Profit never enough, in the end snatch la. However hor, I never heard of Ren people who neglect their papa mama, and Yi people who put themselves as the first consideration. Talk of Ren Yi, no talk profit can?
For those who don't understand local flavours, the following is a proper translation:
Mencius went to see king Hui of Liang. The king said "Venerable sir, since you come from a far.may I presume that you are provided with counsels to profit my kingdom?"
Mencius replied, 'Why must your Majesty use that word "profit?" What I am provided with, are counsels to Ren and Yi, and these are my only topics. 'If your Majesty say, "What is to be done to profit my kingdom?" the great officers will say, "What is to be done to profit our families?" and the inferior officers and the common people will say, "What is to be done to profit our persons?" Superiors and inferiors will try to snatch this profit the one from the other, and the kingdom will be endangered........ if righteousness be put last, and profit be put first, they will not be satisfied without snatching. There never has been a benevolent man who neglected his parents. There never has been a righteous man who made his sovereign an after consideration. Let your Majesty also say, "Benevolence and righteousness, and let these be your only themes." Why must you use that word - "profit?".'
When Sima Qian is writing the legend of Mencuis, he said "Whenever I look at the first line of his written works (Which is the quote I am sharing), I would put the book aside and gave a big sigh." I can totally relate to that. In a society where greed and lust are reverent as the savoir of the world, whereas values are swept like dust in the room. But what can be done? It is "necessary" for our world order as it determines economy success. Sighing is the only thing I can do.
For a final rambling (Finally this guy can stop spamming), I will like a share a quote from Menfucian which (I believe) still have relevance in our society. And to commemorate its finale, I will come up with a Singlish translation before the English translation. But before that, please allow me to explain two basic words to better understand... it context. The two words are 仁 ren commonly as benevolence and 义yi commonly translated as Justice.(If you are familiar with the Dynasty Warriors series, you will know that there is a particular faction that like to use these words, overdoing it in fact to the extent that it become a recurring joke). If you aren't interested in the explanation of the two concepts, just skipped the appetiser.
仁- For this word. I will like to use 3 ways to interpret it. The first method is known as 音训, interpretation via how the words are pronounced. One common complaint to the learning of the language is its freaking huge vocab and word bank. 90000 characters in the dictionary, each having its unique stroke! But do you ever wonder how these characters are created? There are a fewer that a thousand words in the past. How does this monster evolve? Simple enough. Like Pokemon, when your monster reach a certain level, it evolve to the next stage. Life are much simpler in the past, there were no need for so many words as there is no need to express too much. But as life gets sophisticated though ages, there is a need for more precise, specified and enriched expressions. Thus, from existing words, they added "parts" to them and form new words. Of course, this is not a suka suka process (Singaporean slang for "anyhow") and their meaning are connected. And we know their connection since the "root" word and the new word supposedly sound similar. For the cause of 仁, its 音训 would be 人, which mean Man. 仁 and 人, benevolence (Use this word) and people, what is the connection? it means For a Man/human to be a Man/Human, one must have this Ren. In menfucian sense, this is what differentiate us from beasts (Not in a scientific sense of course). Ok, so this Ren is suppose to be something everyone should have. What is it then? How is it being achieved. This come to the second and third method.
The second method is to use how the word is structured. For those who know Chinese, 仁is form by a symbol representing people/Man/Human (亻) and the word two(二), which literally means two man. It will mean that this Ren can only be realised or discovered through interactions with people. A third method, is to use interpretation by those who come before. As characters are mostly a symbol where meaning are given by people who came before. The traditional explanation will mean 爱人, commonly translated as loving people. But that's a cheap way of explaining it. It means more about feeling for other. There is example given by Menfucian: When you saw a kid about to be knocked down by the car, you would experience this feeling of shock, a sudden pain in the car. Do you have these feelings just to boast and show off to others than you are compassionate. Or do you have these feelings to make friends with the kids parents. Evidently, this ability to feel for others is the beginning of Ren. The above is the interpretation of Ren.
义: Since the basic has been explained, I will go faster with this one. The 音训 of 义is 宜, which means suitable. A even more suitable interpretation will be: suitable as you feel settled down. From the structure of the words, its a goat (羊) and a I (我). The symbol of the Goat associated itself with words like beauty (美) and goodness (善) and the notion of I will mean that it is beauty and goodness that I want or aspire to achieve. From the third method, we know that the meaning is 已之威仪也,which means the majestic awe-inspiring aura portrayed by self. Although Justice is not really a accurate translation, we can see connection between as they are all awe-inspiring and beautiful. Though the Chinese's concept empathise more self initiative and action to pursue them.
Ok, straight for the Main course. The Singlish translation is as followed:
Mencius go visit King Hui of Liang. The king said: Uncle, you come from far far away, must have good plan to profit my kingdom right?
Mencius relied: ai yo, why talk profit. Got Ren got Yi can olready. The king ask how to profit my country. Civil servants ask how to profit my family. Ordinary people ask how to profit myself. Then people from top till bottom from bottom to top just reap profit from one another lor. Then like that country gone case already. Profit never enough, in the end snatch la. However hor, I never heard of Ren people who neglect their papa mama, and Yi people who put themselves as the first consideration. Talk of Ren Yi, no talk profit can?
For those who don't understand local flavours, the following is a proper translation:
Mencius went to see king Hui of Liang. The king said "Venerable sir, since you come from a far.may I presume that you are provided with counsels to profit my kingdom?"
Mencius replied, 'Why must your Majesty use that word "profit?" What I am provided with, are counsels to Ren and Yi, and these are my only topics. 'If your Majesty say, "What is to be done to profit my kingdom?" the great officers will say, "What is to be done to profit our families?" and the inferior officers and the common people will say, "What is to be done to profit our persons?" Superiors and inferiors will try to snatch this profit the one from the other, and the kingdom will be endangered........ if righteousness be put last, and profit be put first, they will not be satisfied without snatching. There never has been a benevolent man who neglected his parents. There never has been a righteous man who made his sovereign an after consideration. Let your Majesty also say, "Benevolence and righteousness, and let these be your only themes." Why must you use that word - "profit?".'
When Sima Qian is writing the legend of Mencuis, he said "Whenever I look at the first line of his written works (Which is the quote I am sharing), I would put the book aside and gave a big sigh." I can totally relate to that. In a society where greed and lust are reverent as the savoir of the world, whereas values are swept like dust in the room. But what can be done? It is "necessary" for our world order as it determines economy success. Sighing is the only thing I can do.
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