Day 23-IS Lesson

Today at 9am, we have our IS lesson. I was looking forward to today IS as it will be teaching traditional Philosophy even though I was not feeling well. She explains to us how the education started and more on 孟子 (a pupil of Confucius grandson) and 老子. 先说孟子的哲学吧，天时不如地利，地利不如人和。原文是这样写的，三里之城，七里之郭，环而攻之而不胜；夫环而攻之，必有得天时者矣，然而不胜者，是天时不如地利也。城非不高也，池非不深也，兵革非不尖利也，米粟非不多也，委而去之，是地利不如人和也。

译文

宜于作战的气候不如有利于作战的地理条件，有利于作战的地理条件不如人心所向、内部团结。 方圆三里的内城，方圆七里的外城，包围着攻打它却不能取胜。包围着攻打它，必定是得到天然的时运了，这样却不能取胜的原因，这是因为天然的时运条件比不上有利于作战的地理形势。 城墙不是不高，护城河不是不深，武器装备不是不坚固锋利，粮食不是不充足，但守城者弃城而逃，这是因为对作战有利的地理形势比不上作战中的人心所向、内部团结。这说明了，不管你有再多的武器装备或粮食，你没有一个团结，肯为国争光的兵，那场战一定会落败。

接着我就说老子的哲学。道可道，非常道，名可名，非常名。这是老子文章中提出的最高哲学范畴。“道”是可以说的，但不能用通常的说法，像说某一件具体东西那么说，这就好比“名字”是可以命名的。我举一个例子，我们可以指着这个猫说，它叫小花，指着那个说，它叫阿黄，但我们不能指着一个东西说，这叫名字。479B.C. Confucius passed away, aged 73.confucious is the pioneer in making education available to all. This has won him the titles of “Sage for the ages”. Confucius and his doctrine crystallize the many facets of china’s ancient civilization and become the symbol of it. It sets the standard in politics, morality and philosophy, and has the most profound and lasting influence on china. He is recognized as the greatest thinker, scholar and educator of our time.

After that, we went to 江汉路步行街to shop. Every time when we reach江汉路步行街, the first thing that we will do is to eat.

煎包recommended by me

Coco drink is also recommended by me

Then, we proceed to wal-mart to buy some foods for tomorrow 武当山trip.

Reflection: Some well- known Confucian quotes:

"To know your faults and be able to change is the greatest virtue."
知錯能改，善莫大焉

Yes, I agree. Often, people can only see others’ mistake and criticize it critically. We ourselves have to reflect upon our own faults too and not ignore it. We cannot keep on blaming others as they do not own us. I have to learn to be more independent in both learning and living. No one owes Singapore a living. No one owns me a living too. I must find my own way to turning challenge into opportunity, only then I can achieve higher and better results. This is because I feel that only when one sees their own fault and change for the better, then only one is one step closer to success.