Zhang Zai, a great scholar in the Northern Song Dynasty, wrote a poem "Bajiao" using banana as a metaphor. His poem goes: "The heart of banana has spread out new branches, and the new volume and new heart have followed it secretly."
I am willing to learn new hearts and cultivate new virtues, and to follow the new leaves to gain new knowledge. ”
The heart in the middle of the banana is rolled, and when it is grown and opened, the leaves are flat. of. A branch and leaf unfolds, which means that a truth has been understood. "The banana heart is spreading new branches", which means that a truth has just been understood. "A new heart is wrapped in a new heart, and darkness has followed it." As soon as a branch and leaf is revealed, a new heart is rolled up inside. This rolled up part cannot be seen, and the reason is not clear, so it becomes dark. Just as I figured something out, new doubts arose. "I am willing to learn with a new heart and cultivate new virtues." I want to learn from Bajiao's new heart, to cultivate my new virtues, and to understand new principles. .
This is the "daily new" mentioned in "The Great Learning", "new every day, new every day, new every day." What is particularly important here is that Zhang Zai reversed the metaphor of banana. In fact, plantains and onions are often used in Buddhist imagery. After the onion tube is peeled off, it is empty inside. It is solid on the outside and empty on the inside, indicating that its essence is empty. The same is true for the heart of banana. The branches and leaves of banana are solid, but the heart inside is empty. The hollow is the foundation, and the solid branches and leaves are the end. So you see how powerful Zhang Zai is. When turned over, a Buddhist metaphor becomes a symbol of the principle of life emphasized by Confucianism. So this poem is not good, but it is really good.
I hope everyone will have time to read more of "Zhang Zai Ji", especially "Zheng Meng". Zhang Zai particularly emphasized "writing", which is a kind of skill. He has always believed that the heart and words are inseparable. If a person cannot make sense and has problems with his words, it must be because he has a problem with his heart. If there is nothing wrong with his heart, his words must be fine. This is his basic philosophy. This concept is very unique in the tradition of Neo-Confucianism in the Song and Ming Dynasties.
Even Cheng Hao said: ""Xi Ming" (written by Zhang Zai) has his meaning, but it does not have the writing power of Zihou (Zhang Zai Zihou)." Dachengzi also expressed the power of his words Can't reach it. He does not think that the lack of power of words is a matter of thought. Words and the heart are separated. On this point, what Zhang Zai said should be right. If we follow Zhang Zai's lineage, the debate between Zhu and Lu can be put to rest. Lu Jiuyuan's question of whether one should study to become a sage does not hold true here in Zhang Zai's case.