One life, two fortune, three feng shui, four accumulated virtue
First, what is fate? It’s whether you can handle it and how stable you are under pressure—that’s fate.
Some people perform exceptionally well during major exams; others, despite their best efforts, fall short by just a few points. That’s fate.
If Cao Cao had died just a few months earlier, Guan Yu wouldn’t have perished. He wouldn’t merely have shaken the land of Hua—it would have been a direct thrust toward the Central Plains. But here’s the thing: Cao Cao simply outlived him by those few months. He survived long enough to withstand Sun Quan’s sneak attack and eliminate Guan Yu before finally checking into the afterlife. Whether Cao Cao lived a few months longer or shorter determined whether his life was a success or a failure. That’s fate.
Some people try hard and succeed; others try hard and end up sick. That’s fate.
What is luck? It’s having no choice.
About twelve years ago, around 2010, a colleague and I were chatting. He told me about buying a house many years earlier. Back in 2004, he was young and didn’t have much savings. He didn’t want to take out a mortgage, but his wife insisted on buying one. They had married while renting, and by 2004 they had a child. His wife’s position was clear: if they didn’t buy a house soon, she’d take the kid back to her parents’ home and end the marriage. What do you call that? That’s having no choice. So he bought it—borrowed for the down payment and took out a loan. Six years later, when he reflected on it, he still couldn’t help but praise his wife.
“Fengshui” refers to the environment. You can’t change the macro environment, but you can shape the micro environment—for instance, your family. A harmonious household thrives in all matters; a discordant one fails at everything.
Hidden virtue (yin de).
“Yin de” has two meanings. First, “yin” can refer to the previous generation. In that sense, yin de is the accumulated virtue of one’s ancestors. Why does the moral character of the older generation affect the younger? It’s completely normal. When Chinese people meet a child, what’s the first question they ask? “Whose family are you from?” Exactly—“Whose family are you from?” That’s your innate tag. Everyone sees what kind of person your father is. They may not say it aloud, but they know in their hearts. Your father is your starting point. “Whose family you’re from” determines your starting point. If everyone speaks well of him, you’ll have it easy. Conversely, if everyone holds a grudge against him, you’d better brace yourself for people to trip you up.
One: fate. Two: luck. Three: fengshui. Four: accumulate hidden virtue. Five: education. Six: name/reputation. Seven: appearance. Eight: reverence for the divine. Nine: associate with beneficial people. Ten: maintain good health.
The last six—whether it’s studying, building your reputation, grooming your appearance, burning incense and praying to Buddha, cultivating a broad network, or taking care of your body—are all minor tactics meant to patch things up.
Patch up what? The deficiencies of the first four.