An old frontiersman lost his horse-who could say whether it was a blessing or a curse?
Anyone who had gone through nine years of compulsory education had learned that story.
But how could that old frontiersman have been someone skilled in divination?
Why didn't I remember that at all?
Could feudal superstition actually make it into textbooks?
No longer caring whether I was being rude, I hurriedly pulled out my phone to look it up.
Once my science-and-engineering brain kicked into gear, I just had to check whether it was true!
Good heavens, it really did say "a man skilled in the divinatory arts"!
Even better, unless you looked up the original text, the modern Chinese version simply translated it as "an old man on the frontier lost his horse."
I stared in astonishment, wondering if there was something wrong with my eyes.
Of course, there might have been something wrong with my brain instead.
How could they get away with that...?
The old Taoist merely smiled faintly. "That's life. Sometimes you shouldn't take things too seriously.
"You're just too intent on getting to the bottom of everything."
I puffed out my chest and defended myself with perfect confidence. "Chairman Mao said: 'Knowledge is a matter of science, and no dishonesty or conceit whatsoever is permissible.'"
The old Taoist straightened up, wore a Mona Lisa smile, and looked utterly inscrutable. He didn't take the bait.
Oh, come on. The corner of my mouth twitched.
Fortunately, people were hurrying back and forth along the airport concourse, and no one noticed my embarrassment.
Just then, two people in the waiting area ahead started arguing.
They looked like a married couple.
From the snippets of their conversation, I could tell the argument had started because boarding was about to begin.
The woman was in a hurry and wanted to join the line so they could get on the plane sooner.
The man wanted to stay seated and wait until everyone else had boarded. There was no need to stand around waiting; they would get on eventually anyway.
The woman called the man lazy. Standing for a little while wasn't going to kill him!
The man called the woman a glutton for punishment. Why insist on standing when she could sit?
One look at the way they argued told me they were both seasoned veterans.
Neither would back down.
The old Taoist looked away and said leisurely, "One yin and one yang constitute the Dao."
After a pause, he continued, "Most problems in this world arise from an imbalance between yin and yang."
(Only later did I learn that the old Taoist had been understating things out of modesty.)
"When two people or two organizations argue, it's because their viewpoints differ."
"Their viewpoints differ. Not the facts," he repeated.
"Normal people don't argue over facts."
I listened quietly, trying my best to grasp what he meant.
The old Taoist pointed to a cup of water. "This is water. That's a fact. There's nothing to argue about. Of course, you can also call it 'water' in English."
"Cough..." I hadn't expected the old Taoist to suddenly speak English, and I choked on my own saliva.
I cupped my hands in a gesture of respect, signaling for him to continue.
He gave me a speechless look, then went on. "Water freezes at zero degrees Celsius. That's a viewpoint. Someone might see it differently. Different viewpoints can lead to an argument."
At this point, a young woman beside us couldn't resist chiming in.
"Master, isn't it common knowledge that water freezes at zero degrees? How could anyone disagree?"
She had fair, clear skin and a round, plump face. Like a little steamed bun fresh out of the steamer, she looked soft and springy.
The old Taoist explained patiently, "A viewpoint, put simply, is the point from which you view something.
"Everyone has different experiences and different exposure to the world, so they look at problems from different angles.
"For example, in Lhasa, water doesn't freeze at zero degrees."
"Oh, oh, oh, I remember!" Little Bun waved her raised hand excitedly and interrupted. "Because of atmospheric pressure, water has a lower boiling point in Lhasa, and its freezing point is different from normal too, right?"
"Yes. People argue because they're trapped within the limits of their own viewpoints.
"They think they're right and the other person is an idiot.
"Unfortunately, the other person thinks the same thing."
"Hahaha!" Little Bun and I couldn't help laughing, our shoulders shaking.
The old Taoist seemed to be commenting on the arguing couple, but he also seemed to be answering me.
The more I laughed, the more ashamed I felt.
I was often on a mission to prove that someone else was a dumbass...
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