This story is about a man who has lived for a long time.
But essentially, it's not about eternal life.
It says protection.
During the Warring States Period, he guarded the name engraved on an arrow.
During the Han Dynasty, what he guarded was the ink mark on a piece of paper.
During the Tang Dynasty, he was guarding a single word in a sutra.
During the Song Dynasty, he guarded a route on a sea map.
During the Yuan Dynasty, he was guarding a box of books snatched from a fire.
In the Ming Dynasty, he guarded a building.
During the Qing Dynasty, he guarded a bibliography that was about to be burned.
In modern times, what he guards is the sum of all of these.
A person's life is limited. But the things a person protects can last much longer than his life.
It grows to two thousand one hundred years.
Last forever.
This is legalism.
Not a person's name.
It is a name shared by all those who bend down and pick up fire.
