[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]

Piglet is not the only subject being discussed and analogized.  The gloomy, pessimistic Eeyore is also one of the characters used as an archetype, if you will.  It is sad to say, but true, that there are many of Eeyore's ilk present amongst us.  These Eeyores see nothing good, does nothing cheerful, and feels no happiness whatsoever.  The news media is the perfect example of an Eeyore.   Here, Hoff quotes from Thoreau's Walden:

'II am sure that I never read any memorable news in a newspaper. If we read of one man robbed, or murdered, or killed by accident, or one house burned, or one vessel wrecked, or one steamboat blown up, or one cow run over on the Western Railroad, or one mad dog killed, or one lot of grasshoppers in the winter — we never need read of another. One is enough.'

So true.

[Gloomy Eeyore]

Rest assure that no pessimistic every-occassion bloopers are liked, company enjoyed, nor loved.  But what about an over-active Tigger archetype?  Taoism promotes balance and harmony.  Perhaps that is the reason why you will find Pooh and Piglet together more often than any other combination of characters.  If Eeyore is 0 on a scale of happiness, then Tigger is a 10.  From our daily lessons of life, we know that too much of anything, even good things, can't be good.  Tiggers will never be able to appreciate anything that requires patience or savory.  Chinese tea, for instance, is an art that involves both.  First, you wait for the water to boil.  Then you wait a couple of minutes for the leaves to open up after pouring in the boiled water.  Then you pour that out to warm the cups.  Not for drinking.  Then, you pour in some more boiled water and wait another couple of minutes.  Then once the tea is poured into a long thing china cup, you pour that into a shorter, wider china cup for drinking.  But before drinking, you sniff the thin cup and let the aroma arouse your sense of smell.  Now, you take one tiny sip, and let your senses work simultaneously for the savoring of the tea. 

'Nonesense!' Tiggers would say.

They'd drink the tea a second right after the first pouring of boiled water and burn their tongue.  Straight from the teapot too, probably. 

[Tigger falling off a tree]

However well the sequel may be, there are still some minute details to which I have difficulty concurring with.  For instance, Hoff claims that Eeyore Amazon type feminists who insist on politically alter certain terminology is nonsensical.  If these words were to come out of a woman's mind, then I might stop for a moment and really consider the significance of it.  However, I do not believe that any male, however intelligent or wise, will ever truly understand why we insist on such trivial matter.  When we refer to the human race as merely 'men', it is as though women have never existed.  Either that, or we fail to qualify to fall into the same category.  Therefore, I do insist the change.  Language is flexible, thus liable to change. 

Another detail worth noticing is the author's inclination towards oriental, or more accurately, Chinese educational ideals.  I assume that being where Taoism originated, he believed that our part of the world would definitely value childhood more than they do in the west.  We, who live on the eastern hemisphere would know that he has been deceived.  I, myself, being fortunate enough to be brought up both the traditional Chinese way and profoundly influenced by western education can proof this through my own experience.  I remember well that it was not until the beginning of my western education that I really come to understand what childhood is really about.  While our peers back in Taiwan suffered tremendous pressure from endless exams and after-school cram school sessions, we played and had fun.  Even with an extra hour of English lessons every school day, my siblings and I were given the chance to enjoy a genuine childhood.  Our childhood consisted of raising pets, overnight parties, bicycle rides, and non-training swimming sessions.  Trips to the countryside, fresh air, and bonfire celebrations remain, to this day, memory as clear as crystal. 

Hoff is not to be blamed.  For idealistically, had Taoism not been suppressed, it would be a better alternative to anything we have right now.

Despite the disagreements, I still recommend the reading of this book.  It has substance more sophisticated than many other books on the best-selling rack.  Or, you could go on being the Eeyore or Tigger and ignore some of the most important things in the world, just because they are as little a size as Piglet.





For further reading:

Afterthoughts on [The Tao of Pooh] at Celeste's Scrapblog
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