A Mountain Is Still A Mountain ~ 見山還是山

求知若飢，虛懷若愚
~ 史蒂夫·喬布斯

Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish
~ Steve Jobs

Some of my 5-month-old

Not too long ago, I learned something very interesting from a good friend regarding the Zen (禪) perspective of the different stages of learning:

Stage 1: A mountain is a mountain (見山是山)

This is the beginning level where we simply use our senses to experience the things around us. There is no profound feel for the subject matter (the mountain). This is the state of mind of the layman.


Stage 2: A mountain is not a mountain (見山不是山) 

This is the next level where we use our logic to analyse the subject matter. We see multiple perspectives and dissect the subject into smaller parts to analyse. The mountain is no longer just a mountain as we examine the streams, the birds and the animals within. This is the state of mind of the scholar who studies the subject earnestly.


Stage 3: A mountain is still a mountain (見山還是山)

In this level, we no longer use psychological projection to label things. We see the streams, the trees and the animals as part of the whole that makes up the mountain again. The mountain has not changed, but what has been changed is a more refined sensual feel of the mountain. This realm of feel (心境) cannot be expressed with words. This is the state of mind of the enlightened. 

In the discipline of art, it is this "feel" that we should aspire to nurture. The same recipe followed by different cooks will not make the same quality of dish; the same teacher giving equal attention to his class will not have equal quality of work from his students. There is nothing wrong with the recipe or the teacher, the deterministic factor is just ourselves.

While I have yet to attain the realm of feel to fully appreciate the profound teachings of Zen, I strongly believe that the basis of learning anything really well is to first master the fundamentals. Without setting the basics right, it is just a matter of time that things will fall apart. We would be wasting our energies going round and round and nowhere else, just like a hamster on the tread wheel. 

The other key aspect of learning as I have always emphasized, is to be truly objective and humble to see our own faults. If we think we are perfect then there is no more room for improvement. The worst case will be to think that we are already in the higher levels of learning but in actual fact, still grappling with the basics. Such will be destined to be stagnated on the same spot like treading hamsters. In our local slang, it is known as "hentakaki" ;-)

Failures & Successes ~ 成敗得失

子曰: 知之為知之,不知為不知,是知也。

Knowledge is knowing what you know and knowing what that you do not know.
~ Confucius

It's been 3 months since my first Ranchu spawn for the year 2014. This year there are more fishes meeting my personal expectations. I am also extremely happy to have overcome a couple of major hurdles that have been puzzling me for years. 

Passion Fruits

Making Ranchu is very much like making crops in agriculture - even if we are prepared to work very hard and are equipped with the best tools and techniques, there is always a major element we cannot control - the weather. I reckon it is nature's way of telling us to stay humble even at times when things are looking good. The law of nature is ever ready to make a fool of any complacent man.

How easy it is for us to be enslaved by our own egos if we are afraid to admit our ignorance and only desire for others to see our successes? The fact is, experiences are gained through failures. 

I know not if I can do better next year, but common sense tells me that not everyday is Sunday ;-)

Water Change ~ 水換

精工慢養
Slower Growth for Refinement
~ An idiom in Chinese Goldfish aquaculture

Spawn C

Mandatory water change everyday is a misconception of keeping the Japanese Ranchu for as far as I can remember.  If grooming Ranchus means feeding them heavily and performing water changes everyday to stimulate growth and upkeep the water quality, then we are better off keeping commercial food fishes.  

Spawn C 2014

Even for young Ranchus that require ample feeding to grow and develop into strong adults, sometimes, we have to slow down to regulate their development so as to achieve overall balance of head, body and tail.

Skilled Chinese Goldfish masters also embarked on the technique of slower paced growth at certain juncture to fine tune the development of their fishes. The technique is called 蹲魚 (dun yu) which literally means "squat the fish". 

A hobby is meant to relax and should not become a chore. At times, there maybe no choice but to do more frequent water changes, but it should not be a normal routine. Control feeding and stocking to achieve good development of Ranchu with a manageable water change regime becomes more relaxing both for us and the fishes. Another good reason, especially for our local hobbyists now is to conserve water in the midst of this horrible dry spell.