il Giardino Romantico

[The Tao of Pooh] [The Te of Piglet]

It is undeniably difficult to write a book that is at least half-decent.  It is ten times more difficult to write a sequel to a book that has reached the first level of decency.   The Tao of Poohwas a success because the analogy between a simple, childish character of Winnie-the-Pooh and the fundamental teachings of Taoism was original, and more importantly, appropriate.  Thus when the opportunity came for the purchasing of The Te of Piglet, I did not hesitate.  The analogy made sense to me even before having read the book.

Using The Tao of Pooh as an introduction to Taoism as a philosophy, this time Benjamin Hoff goes a little deeper into the same subject, but scrutinizing and actually criticizing his society and the whole of the so-called civilized world.  But first of all, let's understand why such a puny little character is chosen.  My question to you is: Why Not?  If Pooh were to represent the masculinity of Taoism, why wouldn't little Piglet represent the femininity of Taoism?  That is to say, Pooh represent the 'yang' 陽 and Piglet the 'ying' 陰.  Pooh is larger in size and popularity, whereas Piglet is small and whose voice and opinion is often ignored or unheard.  This is not to say that Piglet is docile and that Pooh is violent.  They are different.  However, they are not the antithesis of one another.  It is the harmonious combination of their qualities and virtues that makes this Taoist idea complete.  The 'tao' 道 and the 'te' 德 must both be realized, appreciated, and practiced.  The 'te', however, like Piglet, is often ignored or unheard by the majority.  It is understandable for such a small detail to be neglected.  However, paradoxically these neglected small details often are of great importance.

[Piglet throwing out a message in a bottle]

Christianity - one of the major religions of the world, is the pedestal for countless works of art, songs, and poems of western civilization.  From Chaucer to Shakespeare, from Milton to Blake, from old English to modern English, almost every work of the arts conceived in the western world involved the basic teachings, stories, and history of this popular religion.  Today, we continue to witness its impact through bestselling novels and blockbuster films.


Two movies that link very tightly to the traditions and legends of the Christian world are Kingdom of Heaven and King Arthur.  The former is a fictitious story built around true historical happenings in Jerusalem.  The latter is the Hollywood portrayal and interpretation of the almost too popular legend of King Arthur.  Intelligent readers as you all are, may have already surmised that it is Kingdom of Heaven that I see more value in.