Fortune and Misfortune

In China, as everywhere, fu (good fortune) is widely sought after, while huo (ill fortune or catamity) is avoided at all costs. As a topic of conversation, fu is one fulsomely expanded, extended an lingered upon, while huo comes up too frequently in a person’s daily life and social interactions, the mighty begin to feel nervous or apprehensive, or even offended. The Chinese people are nonetheless fully aware of the interplay between fu and huo, partly through the basic Taoist Yin (negative)/Yang (positive) principle, but mostly through their insight, born of experience, into the human condition. They are aware that fu and huo occur in parallel to life’s ups and downs and joys and grieves. This is clear from everyday Chinese proverbs, such as le ji sheng bei, “Extreme joys begets sorrow,” and ku jin gan lai, “Bitter experience may turn to sweet joy.” The former refers to positive changing to negative the reverse is true of the latter. Hence, at times of euphoria born of an unexpected blessing a Chinese person is instinctively aware that, having reached a pinnacle of happiness, it would be all too easy to make a sudden descent into misery. They therefore do their utmost to keep their emotions in check. If, on the other hand, people find themselves in a woeful plight, they try not to lose hope and to remain optimistic as they actively pursue a positive outcome. Western philosopher Bertrand Russell, who lived in China during 1040s, was particularly impressed by what he perceived as “Oriental philosophical wisdom,” as regards a Chinese person’s capacity to extract pleasure from the meanest of situations, in a midst of poverty, privation and disaster. This still holds true today, and is no less impressive now than it ever was.