Dance of Two Dragons
– Taoism’s introspective spirit and Confucianism’s extrospective virtues
Two dragons reside within me presenting a quest for self-discovery and life’s mission, mirroring the symbolic dance of dragons, each embodying distinct facets of Eastern ancient wisdom.
Life unfolds as a journey, a quest for the authentic self, a constant evolution toward purpose. This expedition takes diverse paths, mirroring two directions of ancient philosophical teachings. Some people lead this journey in an introspective voyage into the inner spiritual realm, such as Laozi advocated in Taoism. Laozi whispers the art of “wu-wei,” urging us to embrace life’s flow effortlessly but focus on cultivating inner enlightenment. He teaches that sometimes, the greatest strength lies in non-action. Some people lead this journey in an extroverted way by acting in the secular world, such as Confucious advocated in Confucianism. Championing a dynamic role in the secular realm, Confucious’ philosophy echoes through the call to wisely engage in virtuous deeds, emphasizing that true victories are achieved by doing good for humanity and society. These two ancient schools, while oversimplified here, offer distinct guidance: one turns inward, the other outward.
As an advocate and disciple of ancient wisdom, an avid seeker armed with diverse humanities studies and research, and an entrepreneur who explored different industries, I advocate for a harmonious synthesis of Confucian and Taoist wisdom. While Confucianism propels us towards societal contributions and achievements, Taoism provides the foundation for the inner strength and resilience necessary to navigate life’s battlefield. This integration, I believe, is pivotal for anyone aspiring to lead a meaningful and fulfilling life while accomplishing their life’s purpose in today’s world. In the face of life’s challenges, a harmonious blend of Confucian and Taoist wisdom is key to leading a meaningful and fulfilling life. Confucian ideals guide societal contributions and personal success, while Taoism provides inner strength amidst stress and turmoil. This synthesis empowers individuals to navigate life’s complexities and accomplish their life’s purpose with resilience and purpose. With overlapping and conflicting values and practices, the two schools of doctrine are like two dragons dancing and fighting within, leaving the person who embraces two dragons a never-ending and painstaking task: training and mastering the two dragons.
This is not an easy task in the journey of life. Well, there is no such thing as a happy, effortless, peaceful life on earth anyway. There might be a period of effortless or happy time, but the notion of effortless and happy life is a sheer illusion. Life is always filled with ups, downs, changes, and unexpected events, that’s the notion of nature. To many of us, it seems easy for the monks to meditate all day long in the temples. But not many of us know the monks cannot achieve true enlightenment without arduous work and sacrifices of lives. The media only gives us the chance to see glamorous and illuminating facets of successful and happy lives, not many people have the chance to probe into these journeys of sacrifices, disciplines, and painstakings. That being said, any honest achievement, in both the inner world and external world, takes an enormous amount of effort, iron determination, and laser focus. Then, we cannot expect a lifetime task of training the mastering the two dragons within an easy job.
In the intricate tapestry of life, the two dragons engaged in a perpetual ballet, creating a dynamic dance within the soul. The fusion of Confucian ideals and Taoist wisdom is not only individual learning and beliefs but serves as guiding principles for the pursuit of societal contributions and personal success.
Within me, these dragons coexist, and their interactions present a profound challenge — an ongoing and intricate task of training and mastering them. At times, I guide them deliberately, steering their movements with my intention. On other occasions, external circumstances take the lead, shaping the trajectory of their dances. There are moments of harmony, where the dragons complement and nurture each other, and moments of conflict, where their clashes leave scars on the fabric of my being. The dominance of one over the other significantly influences the direction of my life and the shape of my performance.
I’ve learned that handling these dragons rests on my shoulders, I cannot simply “follow the flow” and let any of these dragons take me where they want to lead or circumstances that force them. I’m the conductor of this life orchestra, the moment I took the two dragons into my small universe of values of spirits, I was tasked with training, riding, leading, and nurturing these forces of knowledge and courage. I cannot let any of the dragons steer my path blindly by any purportless forces or factors, or even worse, by circumstances and events formed by ill will, vicious purpose, and stupidity.
I’ve learned that training and nurturing my two dragons is a personal journey, a self-discovery and resilience quest, drawing wisdom from life, people, nature, and the vast universe. This isn’t a walk in the park; it demands effort and commitment. For a mortal, the achievement isn’t a gift but the result of persistent labour. To master the two dragons—the inner world steeped in Taoist principles and the external world influenced by Confucian ideals—is like the battles in HBO’s Dance of the Dragons. It’s a fight both internally, as a hermit wrestling with the self, and externally, as a warrior facing the challenges of the spiritual and secular world.
I’ve learned that my two dragons, with their conflicting yet complementary dance, have become the architects of my journey. In this symphony of conflicting forces, I have become both conductor and warrior, navigating the balance between inner enlightenment and external achievement. The dance of two dragons unfolds as a testament to the resilience and tenacity required for a harmonious existence of principles of Taoism and Confucianism in life’s ever-evolving narrative. The drive and forces from my two dragons can benefit, propel, and empower me in all life events and tasks, yet they can also damage, confuse, and weaken me. Mastering them demands unwavering guidance from wise and virtuous people and intentional efforts from myself. In this continuous and powerful dance, every step is a life choice. The path is not predestined but it’s always changing and evolving; the person who chose this path is always creating and conducting stories, music, and dance.
In my personal odyssey, a life balance hinges on navigating the dance of these two dragons—the internal and external, ancient wisdom and modern pursuits. Through conscious effort, resilience, and unwavering commitment, I aspire to harmonize these forces and direct them for meaningful achievement. I am becoming a hermit warrior, creating a unique and evolving narrative in the unfolding saga of my existence in the theatre of life.
