Choh Laahngbaandang: to have a cold reception (lit. to sit on a cool bench)Many emperors in different dynasties honored Confucius. His house was converted into a grand mansion, and his eldest descendants were installed as high officials. During the Ming dynasty, one of the female descendants married the emperor and became queen. At that time, the prime minister Yihm Sung committed a crime. He went to the Confucius mansion hoping to bribe the queen and have her speak well of him. Instead, he got … [Read more...]
Wulung- Adapt for Success
May 14, 2012 8 Comments
Wulung: muddled Confucius' grandson Ji Si didn't allow his son to mourn his dead mother because she had divorced Ji Si. When asked about this change in custom, he replied, "A virtuous man will take it seriously (i.e. to luhng). But as for me, I'm not that virtuous, so I just take it casually (i.e. to Wu)." Such flexibility can lead to confusion, so wulung became known as "muddled." Confusion often occurs during major turning points in our lives. In modern day, different generations seem to … [Read more...]
Wan Jaugung- What Do You Dream About?
May 12, 2012 8 Comments
Wan Jaugung: go to bedConfucius admired Jaugung (or the Duke of Chou, circa 1122 B.C.), who established rules and customs for the people in the Chou dynasty. Even as he slept, Confucius dreamed about Jaugung. Therefore, the expression wan Jaugung means "to go to bed." Dreams are the unconscious windows into our soul, according to Carl Jung. My recent ones center around stress. A recurring dream involves returning to college unprepared. I panic as I wrestle with an exam, my mind blank. In … [Read more...]
