Incessant Efforts

Yutang Lin


Entered the path early or late varies with people.
Areas of mastery differ according to propensity.
Bits and pieces accumulated incessantly for life.
Through familiarity elegance gradually arrived.

Comment:

Han Yu, an ancient Chinese writer, wrote: "In getting to know the path there is the difference of sooner or later. As to skills and careers each has areas of specialty." The first two sentence of this work were composed while I was pondering over the famous quote above. "Sooner or later" is comparison made in reference to public time. "Early or late" is not only so, but can also apply to indication of the stage in one's life. Each has areas of specialty, but the area of mastery mostly is determined by individual propensity.

No matter entrance to the path was early or late, and whatever the area of mastery was, only through life-long incessant efforts in accumulation of bits and pieces could one gradually achieve elegant perfection through thorough familiarity.

Written in Chinese and translated on February 10, 2005
El Cerrito, California


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