People Are Categorized Into Nine Classes

Differences in memory, comprehension, and reaction speed are innate.

Differences acquired later are like differences in educational resources: Ming Cult disciples can learn the Great Shift of the Universe, Wudang disciples can learn Tai Chi, but what’s there for disciples of the Haisha Sect or the Giant Whale Gang to learn, even if you have some talent?

Even with equal resource investment, there’s still the matter of attitude—which breaks down into tiers. The Dao is not transmitted lightly, nor is it sold cheaply; a doctor does not knock on a door uninvited, and a teacher does not make special detours for students.

But how does one “ask”? Suppose both Zhang San and Li Si are sick—they both know they need to see a doctor, yet their willingness to seek help differs.

Zhang San’s attitude is merely: “I know I should see a doctor, take the prescribed medicine on time, that’s it.” After leaving the clinic, he resumes heavy drinking, stays up late, binges short dramas, and plays video games as usual. Li Si, on the other hand, not only knows he must take his medicine but also understands he needs to follow the doctor’s treatment plan, eat lightly, drink plenty of water, and get ample rest.

A week later, Li Si recovers while Zhang San’s illness lingers. Whose fault do you think it is?

A student’s attitude determines both whether the teacher’s instruction succeeds and how much the student actually absorbs. On this point, whether Liu Bei or Yang Shi, both were clear-headed. Standing in the snow at Cheng Men and visiting Zhuge Liang three times—it’s not about offending people. Even if the teacher doesn’t care about your sincerity and would teach you regardless, when you lack sincerity, your learning outcome and absorption drop significantly, even to nothing. This nuance is something many unsuccessful people simply fail to grasp.

Unsuccessful people understand the world only at the level of: “If I respect the teacher a bit more, they’ll teach me wholeheartedly; if I’m disrespectful, I’ll offend them.”

“Teachers don’t make special detours” doesn’t mean the teacher is putting on airs; it means if you let yourself be carried along and indulged, without upright mind and genuine intention, you won’t absorb anything.

And here, the tiers reappear.

Some people simply obey—their respect for the teacher stems from compliance, a sort of superficial reverence that knows what is but not why. Others actively seek out teaching on their own.

At the core, people are fundamentally different.