Use 12 Animals As One's Potential Traits to Uncover Chinese Ancestor's Wisdom
It reveals one of Chinese Ancestors' wisdom when we reflect upon using 12 animals to associate with one's potential or trait.
Once, I have an opportunity to dine with some European celebrities and nobles. Perhaps we drank too much wine, one German noble stood up and had some sarcastic comments about Chinese using 12 animals as symbols of each person's trait or potential. He said that when you Chinese was born, you would belong to pig, dog, or rat, etc. It is not like us who would belong to Taurus, Leo, Andromeda, etc. We just don't know how your ancestors think.
十二生肖的小故事 - 中國老祖先的智慧(轉載)
有一次，我有機會和歐洲貴族聚餐。可能酒喝多了，一位德國貴族站了起來，諷刺說︰你們中國人都是屬什麼豬啊！狗啊！老鼠啊！不像我們，都是金牛座、獅子座、仙女座, 真不知道你們祖先怎麼想的？
At that time, those nobles laughed and cheered with one another.
Previous elegance was disappeared all of sudden.
當時這些貴族聽完哈哈大笑，還互相碰杯，先前的優雅完全不見了。
Technically, if someone makes fun of your ancestors, even you find no response, yet you could perhaps turn over the table. However, nobody did nothing. It was possibly a big surprise for all the Chinese. I could not help but stand up and present to all the attendance the Chinese philosophical rationale.
按理說，人家在罵你祖宗了，你即使沒有話說，起碼可以掀桌子啊！但所有人都坐著不吭聲，也可能是還沒回應過來，我當時只好平和地告訴在場所有外賓︰
Chinese ancestors are very realistic. The twelve animals consists of 6 groups and each group with two animal pairs. The complements of two pairs in six groups realized our ancestors' expectations and guidance for all the Chinese people.
中國人的祖先是很實在的，我們十二生肖兩兩相對，六道輪回，體現了我們祖先對中國人全部的期望跟要求。
At this moment, the atmosphere turned into silence, yet thier faces showed some incredible expressions. I said:
這時，現場氣氛雖然從嬉鬧轉為安靜，但是他們臉上還是一副不屑的樣子。我說︰
The first group contains rat and cow. Rat stands for wisdom and cow for diligence. Wisdom and diligence should be integrated together. If one possesses all wisdom but lacks of diligence, then he/she would become just some smart cookies. If one works very hard, but using no brain, he/she may act like a fool. Thus, these two traits need to combine with each other. This is our ancestors' first expectations and guidance and it is the most important group.
第一組是老鼠和牛。
老鼠代表智慧，牛代表勤奮。智慧和勤奮一定要緊緊結合在一起。如果光有智慧不勤奮，那就變成小聰明；而光是勤奮，不動腦筋，那就變成愚蠢。所以這兩者一定要結合，這是我們祖先對中國人的第一組期望和要求，也是最重要的一組。
The 2nd group contains tiger and rabbit. Tiger stands for brave
power and rabbit for cautiousness. If one possesses both brave
power and cautiousness, one would succeed in many different ways.
If one is very brave, but acting carelessly, he/she would be a rude person. On the other hand, if one is not brave, but acting cautiously all the time, he/she would become a timid and coward person. These two are next important traits. They are ranked 2nd in the group.
第二組是老虎和兔子。
老虎代表勇猛，兔子代表謹慎。勇猛和謹慎一定要緊緊結合在一起，才能做到所謂的膽大心細。如果勇猛離開了謹慎，就變成了魯莽，而你沒有勇猛，一味的謹慎，謹慎就變成膽怯。這一組也非常重要，所以放在第二。
I looked at those nobles and added one more comment: Hence,
when we show our cautiousness, our fierce power is not always
revealing. In fact, our ancestors try to pursue some harmonious
wisdom and flexibility. They don't just go after one simple
mission and requirement.
我看著這些貴族，補上一句︰所以當我們表現出謹慎的時候，千萬不要以為我們中國人沒有勇猛的一面。實際上，我們祖先追求的是一種和諧的智慧和圓融，從來不會單獨給一個要求和任務。
I found everyone followed my presentation. I continue and said -
看著大家陷入沈思，我繼續往下說。
The 3rd group contains dragon and snake. Dragon stands for steel fierce power and snake for gentleness. We find that steel power could be broken and bent easily. On the other hand, if one possesses only gentleness, he/she may get lost and become aimless easily. Thus, integrating both steel power and gentleness is an important proverb passed by our ancestors from one generation to another.
第三組是龍和蛇。
龍代表剛猛，蛇代表柔韌。所謂剛者易折，太剛了容易折斷，但是如果只有柔的一面，就易失去主見，所以剛柔並濟是我們歷代的祖訓。
Next one contains horse and Goat. Horse stands for running forward and toward the goal constantly. Goat represents meekness. If someone goes after the goal, neglecting all the surroundings, he/she may encounter all kinds of obstacles. At the end, he/she may not reach the goal. On the other hand, if someone tries to focus on solving all the minor problems, he/she may lose his/her goal. Thus, running toward the goal, together with meekness, is the fourth expectation from Chinese ancestors.
接下來是馬和羊。
馬代表一往無前，直奔目標，羊代表和順。如果一個人只顧自己直奔目標，罔顧周遭，必然會和周遭不斷磕碰，最後不見得能達到目標。但是一個人如果光顧著和周遭和順，之后他連方向都沒有了，目標也失去了。所以一往無前的秉性一定要與和順緊緊結合在一起，這是我們祖先對中國人的第四組期望。
The following one consists of monkey and chicken. Monkey stands for flexibility. In good old days and in the country site, cocks makes some alarming sounds regularly at dawn (trying to wake up people). Thus, chicken represents persistence and endurance. These two needs to be integrated together. If one is very flexible, but no persistent, some good policy may not have any impact in the life. On the other hand, one is very persistent, but not flexible, it is like dead water pool or a large piece of iron, and eventually it would rotten and become rusted. In that case, we would not find openness in our society. Only if we possess both flexibility and persistence, we would develop our unlimited potentials and live together in a harmonious community life.
再接下來是猴子和雞。
猴子代表靈活，至於雞呢，以前的年代沒有鐘，都是聽雞鳴聲決定一天的開始，所以雞定時打鳴，代表恆定。靈活和恆定一定要緊緊結合起來，如果你光靈活，沒有恆定，再好的政策最後也得不到斬獲。但如果說你光是恆定，一潭死水、一塊鐵板，那就不會有我們今天的改革開放了。只有它們之間非常圓融的結合，一方面具有穩定性，保持整體的和諧和秩序，另一方面又能不斷變通地前進，這才是最根本的要旨。
The last one contains dog and pig. Dog stands for loyalty. Pig
represents modesty or gentleness. If one is too loyal, but not
modest, he/she may reject other people. On the other hand, if one is too modest, but not loyal, he/she may not have any principle or guideline. Hence, if one is loyal to one's country, or society, or to someone, he/she should act in a modest way. This would lead to a real and intrinsic loyalty. This expresses Chinese people's philosophy of life for being circular in the outlook, yet square in the hearts. A real gentleman is a loyal and modest person.
最後是狗和豬。
狗是代表忠誠，豬是代表隨和。一個人如果太忠誠， 不懂得隨和，就會排斥他人。而反過來，一個人太隨和，沒有忠誠， 這個人就失去原則。所以無論是對一個民族國家的忠誠、對團隊的忠誠，還是自己理想的忠誠，一定要與隨和緊緊結合在一起，這樣才容易真正保持內心深處的忠誠。這就是我們中國人一直堅持的外圓內方，君子和而不同。
Chinese are born in one of 12 animal years.
Someone is born in the pig year, or dog year, or etc. What does it mean? In fact, our ancestors would like us to be more flexible in our life. They expect us to be gentle in dealing our daily lives.
中國人每個人都有屬于自己的生肖，有的人屬豬，有的人屬狗，這意義何在？實際上，我們的祖先期望我們要圓融，不能偏頗，要求我們懂得到對應面切入。
For instance, one with pig trait should pursue loyalty. And one with dog trait should train himself/herself with modesty.
比如屬豬的人能夠在他的隨和本性中，也去追求忠誠；而屬狗的人則在忠誠的本性中，去做到隨和。
(to be continued) After presenting this 12 animal philosophy, I
asked that: Do you know that when you belong to 白羊座(牡羊座) Aries, 寶瓶座(水瓶座) Aquarius、射手座(人馬座) Sagittarius、or 金牛座(牡牛座和公牛座) Taurus, or 雙子座Gemini, 巨蟹座(天蟹座) Cancer, 獅子座Leo, 處女座Virgo,
天秤座Libra, 天蝎座(巨蝎座) Scorpio, 磨羯座(山羊座) Capricorn, 雙魚座Pisces, have you fulfilled your ancestors' expectations or not? I would like to learn all the details from you.
解釋完十二生肖，我說︰不知道你們那些寶瓶座啊、射手座啊、公羊座啊，體現了你們祖先哪些期望和要求？也希望不吝賜教。
At that moment, no one responded to my question. It was so quiet that we would probably hear the sound of a needle dropped to the floor.
結果呢，這些貴族老爺們很長時間都沒說話，全場鴉雀無聲，一根針掉在地上都能聽見。
At last, all the nobles showed their sincere respects to the Chinese ancestors' invention of these 12 animals. They are indeed very meaningful and cheerful.
最後貴族們紛紛由衷地表示對中國人和中國人的祖先非常敬佩︰沒有想到中國的十二生肖有這麼深刻而實在的意義。