Chinese culture has a unique understanding of rituals and music. Confucius once said: “Ritual, oh ritual, is it only about presenting jade and silk? Music, oh music, is it only about ringing bells and beating drums?” Is ritual just the act of offering precious gifts, and is music merely about the lively sounds of instruments? Or is there a deeper meaning to them?

​The wisdom of life is found in Chinese classics. Today, we discuss Taoist philosophy. How does Taoism view wealth, honor and prestige in life? Zhuangzi once said, “Those who attain the way forget the self.”

Today, let’s hear a story titled “The Joy of the Fish.” It comes from the “Autumn Water” chapter in the “Zhuangzi: Miscellaneous Chapters.”

Today, let’s hear a story about pretending competence. Chinese culture greatly values the seeking of truth from facts, knowing what one knows and admitting what one doesn’t know. This cultural concept is crucial for governance.

Today, we will discuss the idea of thrift leading to national prosperity.

Here's a story from “A New Account of the Tales of the World,” a collection of ancient anecdotes and tales from the Southern Dynasty (420-589).

Today, let’s hear a story — “Lord Ye loves dragons.”During the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 B.C.), the State of Lu’s ruler, Duke Ai of Lu, often told others about how much he desired talents and how he appreciated people with knowledge and skills. There was a man named Zizhang who heard about the duke’s eagerness to welcome capable individuals, so he traveled a long way to arrive at the State of Lu and requested an audience with Duke Ai. Originally named Zhuan Sunshi, Zizhang was a famous student of Confucius. With a cheerful personality and a broad-minded character, Zizhuang was diligent in his studies and had achieved remarkable academic accomplishments.

Today, let’s hear a story about diligence and frugality. In “Shang Shu” (“Classic of History”), it is said, “Be diligent in serving the state and frugal in managing the household.” This means that ancient sages demonstrated their virtues by working diligently for the country and practicing thriftiness at home. According to the Buddhist text “Wu Deng Hui Yuan” (“A Compendium of the Five Lamps”), it states, “If one doesn’t work, one shall not eat.”