Therefore, we must now clear away the fear that arises in our hearts when approaching the I Ching—a cleansing of sorts. This fear stems from two sources: one is reverence, which is a positive and beautiful feeling. We should hold reverence for the classics, the sages, our culture, our Chinese characters, and our entire history. This sense of reverence precisely proves that we are members of this lineage. Humans possess reverence—but reverence and fear are two different things. Hidden behind reverence is a sense of the sacred.
When we speak of the aesthetics of the I Ching, what is beauty? We will certainly explore this next, but not through Western definitions of beauty. How does the Chinese nation perceive aesthetics? In truth, Chinese history is itself a history of aesthetic life. The essence of Chinese civilization lies in its philosophy—a philosophy of life, of art, and of aesthetics.
Earlier, we discussed science and superstition. Is there anything wrong with advocating science today? You might ask: is promoting science correct? Yes. But is embracing scientism correct? That deserves caution—applying science to everything. Does falling in love follow scientific principles? If I say, “I love him according to scientific principles,” is that still love? What do you offer when you say you love me?
“May I ask, do you own a house?”
“Yes.”
“Where?”
“It’s rented.”
“Oh, so you’re just a pig.” That’s what’s popular today.
“Do you love me? May I ask, do you have a car?”
“Yes.”
“What kind?”
“A bicycle.”
“I’d rather cry in a BMW than laugh on a bicycle.” See that? That’s the second point.
Third: “Do you love me? Do you have money?”
“Yes.”
“Where?”
“In Fengdu, Chongqing.”
The next line would be: “That’s like meeting a ghost!” You know, right? Fengdu is known as the “Ghost City,” the “Nether Capital”—it’s said to be the capital of all the ghosts and spirits in the world.
This shows how today’s values have been turned upside down.
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