The Importance of Living (V): Our Animal Heritage
By Lin Yutang Chapter Three OUR ANIMAL HERITAGE I THE MONKEY EPIC BUT if this biological view helps us to appreciate the beauty and rhythm of life, it also shows our ludicrous limitations. By presenting to us a more correct picture of what we are as animals, it enables us to better understand ourselves and […]
The Importance of Living (IV): Views of Mankind
By Lin Yutang Chapter Two Views Of Mankind 2. EARTH-BOUND The situation then is this: man wants to live, but he still must live upon this earth. All questions of living in heaven must be brushed aside. Let not the spirit take wings and soar to the abode of the gods and forget the earth. […]
The Importance of Living (III): Views of Mankind
By Lin Yutang Chapter Two Views Of Mankind Christian, Greek and Chinese THERE are several views of mankind, the traditional Christian theological view, the Greek pagan view, and the Chinese Taoist- Confucianist view. (I do not include the Buddhist view because it is too sad.) Deeper down in their allegorical sense, these views after […]
The Importance of Living (II): The Awakening
By Lin Yutang Chapter One The Awakening 1. Approach To Life IN what follows I am presenting the Chinese point of view, because I cannot help myself. I am interested only in presenting a view of life and of things as the best and wisest Chinese minds have seen it and expressed […]
The Importance of Living (I)
By Lin Yutang Is not truth that makes man great, but man that makes truth great. — CONFUCIUS Only those who take leisurely what the people of the world are busy about can be busy about what the people of the world take leisurely. — CHANG CH’AO Preface THIS is a personal testimony, a testimony […]