Cai Gen Tan (Original Version)

"Cai Gen Tan" is a collection of short aphorisms compiled by Hong Yingming in the Ming Dynasty. Together with "The Secret of a Small Window" and "Night Talk Around the Furnace", it is known as one of the "Three Wonderful Books on Life". It is named with the profound meaning of "If you bite the root of vegetables, you can do everything". It is a classic work that conveys the traditional wisdom of self-cultivation. The book combines Confucianism's responsibility for worldly affairs, Taoism's natural inaction, and Buddhism's Zen detachment. The content covers multiple dimensions such as self-cultivation, making friends, serving as an official, studying, and treating others. The writing is concise and timeless. It not only lacks the transparent mood of "not being surprised by favors and humiliations, watching the flowers bloom and fall in front of the court", but also has the low-key character of "staying simple and humble, the way of dealing with the world", and also emphasizes the perseverance of the personality of "preferring to be ignorant and overthrowing the clever, leaving some righteousness to return to heaven and earth". It does not focus on systematic discussion, but each few words directly touches people's hearts. It integrates profound philosophy into daily insights. It is not only suitable for calm introspection when you are impetuous, but also provides practical guidance for life. It is a treasure of wisdom that can still nourish the soul after a hundred years.