Konsten att njuta av livet

by Lin Yutang

Is it really a philosophy book if it has a section entitled "The Importance of Loafing"? Harvard scholar, Taoist, and modernist Lin Yutang wrote The Importance of Living to express his highly subjective, personal feelings after years of studying ancient Chinese texts, and created a wonderfully slow-going yet radiantly clear guide to the simple life. Taking walks, drinking tea, long talks with friends are all important to Lin, whose stories and retellings of Taoist classics meander away from his points, find new ones, and remind us to enjoy the life that's all around us without needless worry.

Lin's prose is gentle, like the conversation of a favorite lazy uncle who is more at home sipping lemonade on the back porch than gulping lattes between meetings. The sincerity of his humility is surprising to a reader used to postmodern writers who seem to pride themselves on their self-abasement. Though Lin deliberately avoided fame and notoriety, correctly observing that it only leads to troubles, one can only hope that his wisdom, timelier than ever, finds a wider audience among today's too-busy-to-breathe global culture. His philosophy, more practical and enjoyable than the usual Western writings on the subject, reminds us all of the vital importance of simply living. --Rob Lightner

Genres: Philosophy, Nonfiction, China, Self Help, Classics, Spirituality, Essays

357 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1937

About the author

Prolific writer of a wide variety of works in Chinese 林语堂 and English; in the 1930s he founded several Chinese magazines specializing in social satire and Western-style journalism.

Lin, the son of a Chinese Presbyterian minister, was educated for the ministry but renounced Christianity in his early 20s and became a professor of English. He traveled to the United States and Europe for advanced study; on his return to China, he taught, edited several English-language journals, and contributed essays to Chinese literary magazines.

In 1932 Lin established the Lunyu banyuekan (“Analects Fortnightly”), a type of Western-style satirical magazine totally new to China at that time. It was highly successful, and he soon introduced two more publications. In 1935 Lin published the first of his many English-language books, My Country and My People. It was widely translated and for years was regarded as a standard text on China. The following year he moved to New York City to meet the popular demand for his historical accounts and novels. In 1939 he published his renowned English novel Moment in Peking. The Wisdom of China and India appeared in 1942.

Although he returned to China briefly in 1943 and again in 1954, Lin both times became involved in disputes stemming from his stand in favour of literature as self-expression rather than as propaganda and social education. In addition to writing books on Chinese history and philosophy, he made highly acclaimed English translations of Chinese literary masterpieces, such as Famous Chinese Short Stories Retold (1952).

Reviews

[Diane Barnes]

I am going to bail on this book. I have been reading a few pages at a time for about 4 months now, and while it's a nice, calming book about different philosophies in China and other countries around the world, with the view that people should slow down and enjoy their world, apparently this advice is just for men. In his opinion, women MUST be mothers to be happy, because it's their reason for existence. Women MUST be married, to create a family and home to take pressure off the husband trying to support them. The final straw was reading today about the joys of conversation with friends. And I quote: "There is no question but we need the presence of women in a cultured conversation, to give it the necessary frivolity."
And this: "Conversation is always pleasantly stimulated when there are a few ladies who know how to listen and look sweetly pensive."

Sorry, that did it for me. He wrote this book in 1933, and I am too much a modern women to agree with outdated views. Not going to rate it, but I will count it as a finished book since I read over half of it.

[Vikram Karve · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE FEAST OF LIFE
A book that enriched my life and taught me the art of living
By
VIKRAM KARVE


There is one book you will never find in my bookcase – you will always find it by my bedside near my pillow. At night, just before I go to sleep, I open this book to any random page, and read on till I drift off to blissful idyllic sleep.

The name of this book, which has had a profound defining effect on me, maybe even subconsciously shaped my philosophy of life, is called: The Importance of Living written in 1937 by the Chinese philosopher Lin Yutang.

But first, let me tell you a story, maybe apocryphal, about a scholar who had thoroughly studied the Bhagavad Gita for many years, considered himself an expert, traveled far and wide delivering discourses on the teachings of the Gita and was widely acknowledged as an authority on the subject. His ultimate desire was to deliver a discourse on the Bhagavad Gita at Benares , which was the sanctum sanctorum of learning.

So he went to Benares , and impressed by the scholar’s erudition and fame, the King of Benares invited the scholar to deliver a discourse on the Bhagavad Gita in his court. All the wise men of Benares assembled to hear the Scholar, but just as he began to speak the King interrupted him and told him to read the Bhagavad Gita one more time in the evening and deliver his discourse the next day. The Scholar was furious but he had no choice but to comply with the king’s wishes.

As he read the Bhagavad Gita with full concentration in the evening, he realized some new meanings and updated his speech accordingly. Next day the same thing happened – the moment the scholar began to speak the King interrupted him and told him to read the Gita once more and then come the next day to give his lecture. And again as the Scholar read the Gita he comprehended some new wisdom – something he hadn’t perceived before. So he incorporated his new findings and proceeded to deliver his talk.

Again the same thing happened – the king interrupted him and told him to again read the Gita once more before he gave his discourse. And again the scholar discovered some new wisdom in the Gita. This cycle went on for days and days till the scholar realized how ignorant he was and how much more there was to learn from the Bhagavad Gita that he gave up the idea of delivering the discourse and decided to totally devote his entire efforts to the study of the Bhagavad Gita.

Days passed, and suddenly one morning, when the scholar was deeply immersed in his study, the King went to the scholar’s house, sat before him with folded hands and requested the scholar to enlighten him about the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita.

It’s the same with any great book. Every time you read it, something new emerges, and you realize you have so much more to learn from it. I have read The Importance of Living innumerable times, again and again, with renewed pleasure, and every time I read it I imbibe a special different philosophical flavor, and grasp new wisdom, which delves on all aspects of the art of living, and I have realized that there is more significance and value in Lin Yutang’s magnum opus than I am capable of appreciating. So let me not be as presumptuous as to attempt to evaluate this classic treatise – I’ll just try to gently pilot you along in random vignettes to give you a flavor of this delightful philosophical gem.

Let’s open this delightful book to a few random pages, read some lines to give you glimpse into the wisdom on the art of living contained in this masterpiece. In the section on Leisure and Friendship are these words: “Only those who take leisurely what the people of the world are busy about can be busy about what the people of the world take leisurely”. Reflect on this, let these words perambulate in your mind for some time. There is nothing that man enjoys more than leisure. The highest value of time is when you are doing what you love and want to do. During leisure you are free to choose what you want to do and enjoy doing. Leisure enables you to realize the highest value of your time!

Tell me, why do you work? Is it for job satisfaction? Or is it to earn money so that you can enjoy satisfaction off the job? In fact, most of us work for our leisure, because there is nothing we enjoy more than leisure. Elaborating on a theory of leisure the book says: “Time is useful because it is not being used. Leisure is like unoccupied floor space in a room…it is that unoccupied space which makes a room habitable, as it is our leisure hours which make our life endurable”. Those who are wise won’t be busy, and those who are too busy can’t be wise.

Enunciating the distinction between Buddhism and Taoism: “The goal of the Buddhist is that he shall not want anything, while the goal of the Taoist is that he shall not be wanted at all”, the author describes the tremendous advantages of obscurity, and deduces that only he who is not wanted by the public can be a carefree individual. It is true isn’t it – only he who is a carefree individual can be a happy human being? Lin Yutang deliberates delightfully on his philosophical view: “Nothing matters to a man who says nothing matters”.

“How are we to live? How shall we enjoy life, and who can best enjoy life?” The feast of life is before us; the only question is what appetite we have for it. The appetite is vital, not the feast. This delightful treatise gives us insights on how to develop, enhance and refine our appetites in order to enjoy various facets of living. The capacity for true enjoyment comes from an inner richness in a man who loves the simple ways of life. There is always plenty of life to enjoy for a man who is determined to enjoy it.

You may find some of the author’s views a bit passé – “mere relationship between man and woman is not sufficient; the relationship must result in babies, or it is incomplete” or “woman reaches her noblest status only as a mother, and that wife who by choice refuses to become a mother… loses a great part of her dignity…and stands in danger of becoming a plaything” or “a natural man loves his children, but a cultured man loves his parents” or “The art of attaining happiness consists in keeping your pleasures mild” or “It is against the will of God to eat delicate food hastily, to pass gorgeous views hurriedly, to express deep sentiments superficially, to pass a beautiful day steeped on food and drink, and to enjoy your wealth steeped in luxuries” – think about it, reflect a bit, and you may detect a iota of authenticity in these nuggets.

The book has fourteen chapters, embellished with epigrams, teaching stories, ancient wisdom and wit, on various aspects of the importance and enjoyment of living and once you start reading it this book is indeed so engrossing that it is truly unputdownable. The Importance of Loafing, The Enjoyment of the Home, Nature, Travel, Culture, The Arts of Thinking, Eating, Reading , Writing, Loving, Happiness – the range and variety of topics covered indeed make fascinating reading.

Reading is the greatest of all joys. Extolling the virtues and charm of reading, Lin Yutang says: “The man who has not the habit of reading is imprisoned in his immediate world…the reader is always carried away into a world of thought and reflection”, and on writing: “a writing is always better when it is one’s own, and a woman is always lovelier when she is somebody else’s wife”. “He who is afraid to use an ‘I’ in his writing will never make a good writer” and “anyone who reads a book with a sense of obligation does not understand the art of reading… to be thoroughly enjoyed, reading must be entirely spontaneous…you can leave the books that you don’t like alone, and let other people read them!”

The best way to read The Importance of Living is to open any page and browse whatever appeals to you, randomly, in an unstructured and haphazard manner. Think of yourself as a traveler in the philosophical or spiritual domain. The essence of travel is to have no destination.A good traveler is one who does not know where he is going to; a perfect traveler does not know where he came from! A true traveler is always a vagabond – he travels to see nothing, to see nobody, with plenty of time and leisure, with the true motive to become lost and unknown.

Are you the ambitious competitive go-getter obsessed with an overpowering desire for achieving quick success – craving for power, wealth, fame, and the status and money-oriented aspects of life? Do you value material possessions more than peace of mind? Is external achievement more important than inner tranquility?

If your answer to any of these questions is “Yes”, then please don’t bother to read this book now, as you may be too “busy” in your own competitive rat race of your own making and probably you don’t have any time to “waste” on anything that doesn’t give you something tangible in return – a solid material ROI (Return on Investment) for investing your valuable time and effort reading this book.

But please don’t forget to read The Importance of Living after you’ve burned out, had a heart attack or suffered a nervous breakdown – when you’ll have plenty of time and, perhaps, the inclination, to reflect, contemplate, and delve more deeply upon the more intangible philosophical aspects of life – and ruminate on how you could have obviated that stressful burn-out, agonizing heart attack or traumatic nervous breakdown. Maybe then you will better understand Lin Yutang’s wisdom: “Those who are wise won’t be busy, and those who are too busy can’t be wise.”

If you are happy here and now, wherever you are, in whatever state you are, and you are truly content with what you have, you place living above thinking, and are interested in savouring the feast of life and its joys, then this witty philosophical treatise on the art of living in its entirety is the book for you.

The Importance of Living presents an uncomplicated approach to living life to its fullest in today's rapidly changing, fast paced, competitive, ambition dominated, money and status oriented, commercialized world, enabling each one of us to enjoy inner peace and happiness.

Sometimes, it is a great pity to read a good book too early in life. The first impression is the one that counts. Young people should be careful in their reading, as old people in eating their food. They should not eat too much. They should chew it well. Like you should eat gourmet food only when you are ready for it, you should read a good book only when you are ready for it. Mature wisdom cannot be appreciated until one becomes mature.

But The Importance of Living is a book for all ages. Of 1937 vintage, an ancestor and precursor of modern "self-help" books, it is a delightful philosophical treatise, which advocates a humorous and vagabond attitude towards life and deals with a variety of topics encompassing the art of living. Is such a happy and carefree philosophy of life relevant today?

Why don’t you give it a try and see for yourself! Slowly, relaxingly, thoroughly, peruse this classic masterpiece, absorb the witty wisdom, reflect, try out, practice and incorporate whatever appeals to you in your daily life, ruminate, experiment, enjoy yourself, have a laugh, change your lifestyle, enhance your quality of life, elevate your plane of living, and maybe your entire way of life may change forever.

Dear Reader, I commend this delightfully illuminating book. Though enunciated with a touch of humor, the thoughts are profound. Do get a copy of The Importance of Living and read it leisurely.

Here are the details of the book:

Title: THE IMPORTANCE OF LIVING
Author: LIN YUTANG
Published: 1937 ( New York , USA ), Indian Edition: 1960 JAICO Mumbai
ISBN: 81-7224-829

I am sure you will find a copy at your nearest bookstore or in your library.

And don’t forget to tell us how you liked it, and did it change your life for the better.

VIKRAM KARVE

Copyright © Vikram Karve 2010
Vikram Karve has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work.

http://vikramkarve.sulekha.com

http://www.linkedin.com/in/karve

vikramkarve@sify.com

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All the Best – Do savour the feast of life to the fullest.

[Dr X · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is like sitting around with your grandfather while he shares his thoughts about everything under the sun, so long as your father is a witty, erudite, philosophically inclined Chinese man. I received this book as a gift. It has an irresistible table of contents, with chapter headings like On Having a Stomach, On Being Wayward and Incalculable, The Problem of Happiness, The Cult of the Idle Life, Celibacy a Freak of Civilization, On Lying in Bed, On Sitting in Chairs, On Rocks and Trees, On Going About and Seeing Things, The Art of Reading, Why I am a Pagan, and Be Reasonable. How could you resist that?

Parts of the book are highly engaging, funny, and thought-provoking. Much of the book focuses on differences between Chinese and Western thought and customs, and many of the themes will be very familiar to people who have read other books on similar topics. The rest of the book is highly personal, and Yutang provides prescriptions for a life well-lived, prescriptions that cover virtually everything you could imagine, as the small subset of chapter headings above suggests.

So, why only 3 stars? I didn't love this book as much as I anticipated from the chapters, and even when I did enjoy it, it often seemed long-winded. My book isn't the paperback copy suggested by this entry, but an old hardback that clocks in at 459 pages. This from the guy who, at the end of the book, chides Westerners from relying too much on words and who quotes Chinese scholars who say that sages never speak.

I read this book in little bits over a long period of time (and the book is perfectly suitable for that). Parts I loved, and parts were just ok. Obviously, each person will find some aspects of the book that really resonate (Yes, you should lie about in bed!), and other parts that seem less agreeable (Do you really mean to say that about women? About having children?) If you come across the book, why not pick it up? It will look great on your shelf, and you can pick it up occasionally and read the chapters that sound appealing.

[Mary Karpel-Jergic · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting and quirky read. I had seen a couple of quotes from this author and this had prompted me to read a book written by him. Written in 1936 it is historically embedded in its time so some of his views appear somewhat anachronistic, especially around women, but that aside the book offers a philosophy of life that is in contrast to the Western way of life which values efficiency, punctuality and a desire for achievement and success. It is a book that extols the Chinese way of life and I for one certainly welcomed this alternative perspective on ways to enjoy life fully.

For Yutang, it requires a certain detachment from the temptations of wealth, fame and achievement and an ability to take things as they are. This in turn provides a sense of freedom and nonchalance that can lead to a keen and intense joy of living. It is not when we are in our office working hard but when we are lying idle in the sand that our soul utters 'life is beautiful'. He suggests that the Western inability to loaf comes directly from the desire to do things and place action above meaning.

Human dignity, is what distinguishes humans from animals and this possesses four facts: (1) A playful curiosity and natural genius for exploring knowledge; (2) Dreams and lofty idealism; (3) A sense of humour that keeps the idealism in check; and (4) The ability to not react to the environment in a mechanistic or uniform manner but to individually determine and choose the response.

In discussing the human mind he notes that it "is charming in its unreasonableness, its inveterate prejudices, and its waywardness and unpredictability. If we haven't learned this truth, we have learned nothing from the century of human psychology. In other words, our minds still retain the aimless, fumbling quality of simian intelligence" Instead of the Western aim of developing a critical thinking mind in dealing with human affairs, Yutang suggests that we should cultivate a "spirit of reasonableness", educating our senses and our emotions rather than our ideas.

I do like his unpretentious view of philosophy. "Anyone who refuses to take the entire panorama of reality on its surface value, or refuses to believe every word that appears in a newspaper, is more or less a philosopher. He is a fellow who refuses to be taken in."

What is clear from this book is the view that striving for outside rewards is not the route to happiness. We should not necessarily be seeking a purpose (and if we did have a purpose why should it be so puzzling and vague and difficult to find out?)instead we might take the words of Walt Whitman to heart "I am sufficient as I am". The feast of life is before us; the only question is what appetite we have for it.

Naturally, his view on ageing reflects the Chinese respect for old people. "We love old cathedrals, old furniture, old silver, old dictionaries and old prints, but we have entirely forgotten about the beauty of old people. I think an appreciation of that kind of beauty is essential to our life, for beauty, it seems to me, is what is old and mellow and well smoked". In the attitude toward age the difference is absolute; the East and the West take exactly opposite points of view.

Another interesting aspect and one which resonates with my discontent with the Western model of medicine is the Chinese holistic view towards good health. There is no clear distinction between food and medicine. I would love to see medical understanding extending to prevention of disease by diet rather than cure by drugs.

What would be agreed by anyone who is a regular reader is his assumption that a person who has not the habit of reading is imprisoned in their immediate world in respect to time and space. The change of mental environment is very similar to travel in its psychological effects.

In reading this book I am reminded of the Danny Kaye song about the inch worm.
Inchworm, Inchworm,
Measuring the marigolds,
You and your arithmetic
Will probably go far.
Inchworm, Inchworm,
Measuring the marigolds,
Seems to me you'd stop and see
How beautiful they are.

I guess it's all about getting the balance right. I sure enjoy slowing down, smelling the coffee and taking time to appreciate the simpler things. Whatever we are striving for and whatever we achieve finally has to be let go of anyway.

"The democracy of death is seldom appreciated"

[David Beckwith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lin Yutang, Rumi, Martin Buber, Lao T'se, Jesus, Buddha, Rabindranath Tagore, Gandhi...these are the words that can heal our troubled world. In a sensationalized world, the reader of Lin Yutang's great classic will learn how to enjoy merely sitting, lying in bed, reading, writing, walking, and nearly everything one can do that harms no other or self.

For my money, the most important part of "The Importance of Living" is where he discusses, at some length, the non-soldier, and all the good and necessary qualities contained therein. Not exactly a non-soldier, but a scamp, and a "wayward and incalculable" scamp as he lovingly calls it, is, an essential spice in life, and, he argues, to be particularly treasured. As Erich Fromm once said: "Civilization began with an act of disobedience, and is likely to end in an act of obedience."
Lin Yutang, Rumi, Martin Buber, Lao T'se, Jesus, Buddha, Rabindranath Tagore, Gandhi. Where is the soldier? Where the follower?
Libraries and bookstores are filled with books praising soldiers and dutiful followers. I needn't add to it, lest future generations think that is all there is. One mustn't forget the lowly but wise huckfins of the world, for they are the flowers that get mowed down, but surrender their scent and beauty even as they die.

Dr. Yuyang's words are as if spoken to you by a trusted friend. I'd even say that his style might well serve as an excellent alternative to the hateful spew emitted daily on really bad radio stations like WBT, who fill the air with Rush and other serial prevaricators.

You will not regret having purchases this book, and you will probably never part with it either...especially now that China is playing a larger and larger role in our present and future. Have at it. Enjoy your transformation.

[Alice Poon · Rating 5 out of 5]

On a recent trip to Hong Kong (my home city), I discovered a collection of essays written by Lin Yutang (1895 - 1976), the prolific writer and liberal thinker of the 20th century, who described himself as "a person with a Western mind and a Chinese soul". Before that, I had had a first taste of his writing through a poem he wrote in honour of Li Xiangjun, a well-known Qinhuai beauty and kunqu opera singer, whom the classic play The Peach Blossom Fan immortalized. Having read that anthology of essays, I was more intrigued about Lin and so borrowed The Importance of Living (first published in 1937) from the library.

This book has affirmed my earlier speculation that Lin Yutang might be a genius. Indeed he was a genius of his times.

I don't begin to know how to write a review of the book. Perhaps the best way is to quote certain passages that I loved and let readers decide for themselves whether the book would be of interest to them.

"In food, as in death, we feel the essential brotherhood of mankind."

"I am such a humanist that saints without sins don't interest me. But we are charming in our irrationality, our inconsistencies, our follies, our sprees and holiday gaieties, our prejudices, bigotry and forgetfulness."

"Human fallibility is the very essence of the color of life, as the upsets are the very color and interest of a steeplechase."

"Nature is itself always a sanatorium. If it can cure nothing else, it can cure man of megalomania."

"I regard the discovery of one's favorite author as the most critical event in one's intellectual development. There is such a thing as the affinity of spirits; and among the authors of ancient and modern times, one must try to find an author whose spirit is akin with his own. Only in this way can one get any real good out of reading. One has to be independent and search out his masters."

"Style is a compound of language, thought and personality."

"A man's style is always colored by his 'literary lover'. He grows to be like him more and more in ways of thinking and methods of expression."

"Genuine literature is but a sense of wonder at the universe and at human life."

"Human wisdom cannot be merely the adding up of specialized knowledge or obtained by a study of statistical averages; it can be achieved only by insight, by the general prevalence of more common sense, more wit and more plain, but subtle, intuition."

"The logical man is always self-righteous and therefore inhuman and therefore wrong, while the reasonable man suspects that perhaps he is wrong and is therefore always right."

"The reasonable spirit humanizes all our thinking, and makes us less sure of our own correctness. Its tendency is to round out our ideas and tone down the angularities of our conduct. The opposite of the reasonable spirit is fanaticism and dogmatism of all sorts in thought and behavior, in our individual life, national life, marriage, religion and politics. I claim that we have less intellectual fanaticism and dogmatism in China."

[Nathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having just finished this book, I would say that this is probably one of the most beautiful books I've read. Lin Yutang has the soul of an artist and the taste of a connoisseur and through his strongly subjective, yet entirely 'reasonable' opinions and style of writing, I found myself very easily carried away into his points of view on life, the arts, philosophy and the love of pleasure. I cannot imagine everyone would feel the same way, but I feel that reading this book has greatly benefited and enriched my life. So far, if there were any book I'd recommend for the thinker, the artist and the romantic, it would be this. I don't agree with everything he says, but the fact that it is so unashamedly subjective makes it all the more beautiful. I've learned a lot from this book.

[Dũng Trần · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mình có duyên với quyển này thiệt. Bắt đầu đọc quyển này là hôm con bạn dẫn mình tham gia khóa thiền của thầy Minh Niệm. Nhưng mình chẳng hiểu tại sao lại bỏ dở từ đó đến giờ. Mấy bữa về quê vào vườn ở quên, chiều chiều gió mát thổi, tiếng lá của cây sao xào xạc làm mình nhớ đến những bài văn, bài thơ tiểu học ngôn ngữ tượng thanh, tượng hình và hàm xúc; bất giác mình nghĩ: 'những cảm xúc nên thơ lạ không chỉ có ở trong thơ văn' (sắp già tới nơi cmn rồi :D). Vậy nên lại lấy quyển này ra tiếp tục đọc.
Phong cách văn đặc sắc nhờ cái tính cách cá nhân của tác giả được phơi bày không giấu giếm. Lúc nhập tâm giống như mình đang nghe một ông lão kể cho mình nghe về chuyện đời của ông. Các triết gia thì trừu tượng hóa cuộc sống thành triết lý. Tác giả thì làm điều ngược lại. Tác giả là người đề cao chủ nghĩa cá nhân, xem trọng tình cảm gia đình, thích cuộc sống nhàn tản, hưởng đời trong nhiều cái thú xoay quanh chữ "NHÀN": ăn uống, nhàn đàm, uống rượu, ngâm thơ, trà đạo, du lịch, đọc sách, viết văn... nhiều không kể xiết. Muốn hưởng đời, chỉ cần có dũng khí là đủ. Quyển này nhẹ nhàng hài hước: "Đau thì có thể chịu được. Ngứa thì không chịu được". Đọc xong thấy tâm hồn thư thái, yêu đời hẳn. Giờ mình chỉ muốn đi dạo ngay và luôn. :D

[Nick Klagge · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Those who are wise won't be busy, and those who are too busy can't be wise." -Lin Yutang

This is a lovely old book that I discovered due to Robert Wringham quoting it, with high commendation, in his book _Escape Everything!_ Mr. Lin, who was born in China in 1895 and published _The Importance of Living_ in 1937 shortly after moving to America, has an outlook on life that will be familiar to anyone who has read Wringham's publication, The New Escapologist: deeply interested in exploring how we live our lives and why we do it the way we do, but at the same time, suffused with a sense of lightheartedness and of love for fellow humans.

In many ways, this book is reminiscent of Montaigne's _Essays_. It's a wide-ranging treatment of a variety of subjects, and while Lin tries a bit more to be comprehensive than Montaigne, he certainly doesn't try to develop any kind of overarching intellectual structure--that would be anathema. The closest he has to a thesis is probably, "be reasonable." I can trace a line from Montaigne through Lin to Wil Wheaton's admonishment, "Don't be a dick."

Lin was a popularizer of Chinese thought and culture to Americans, and a fair amount of this book is framed as "explaining how the Chinese mind sees things." I take this with a very large grain of salt and mostly chalk it up to a successful publicity angle; I fully believe that the Chinese figures Lin cites said and thought what he conveys, but it seems clear to me that it is his own idiosyncratic set of intellectual influences--which is fine by me, and even preferable, to any more objective attempt to characterize "the" point of view of such a huge and ancient civilization.

Lin is an arch-humanist, and a kindred spirit to Epicurus and Baloo the Bear. I don't think he ever mentions it, but I think he would heartily agree with Terence's line, "Nothing human is alien to me." One of my most-quoted lines from the book is about how the happiest a person can be is after a morning poop. He is exceedingly cynical about the rat race and man's vain strivings, but at the same time, he is utterly compassionate and exhorts us over and over to bear in mind and to accept warmly that we are flawed creatures. Although, as I said, he is not trying to build a philosophical edifice, I appreciate that he starts not from the premise that we are rational minds, but that we are embodied creatures who get hungry, die, and so forth. This to me seems like a much better starting point for an outlook that will result in a happy life.

My only real knock against the book is for Lin's misogynistic streak. It's of a fairly mild variety that isn't too surprising given his time and place--an othering of women that goes hand in hand with saying how wonderful they are. (Although, perhaps not as "of his time and place" as I'd prefer to think: "Women are to be championed and revered, not objectified"--Paul Ryan, 2016.)

[Gnuehc Ecnerwal · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this book off of the shelf labeled 'Philosophy' at my local bookstore, (where it was correctly placed.)

It seems to me that quite a few people looked at the title on the cover and assumed that it is the kind of book that tells you how to live your life, like so many 'self-help' books and so many 'guru of meaningful living' books. To be honest, if you had to read a book, or have SOMEONE ELSE to tell you, how to live YOUR life, it is rather sad.

This is not that kind of book. It does not give you tips and things to do. It is not a 'how-to' book. It is an attempt to contrast the (traditional) Chinese and Western attitudes towards various aspects of living. The author tried to provide a comprehensive portrait of how the different facets of cultural and social life, especially in arts and literature, all pointed to a rather laissez faire outlook on life. The first chapter of the book pointed out that author felt that the Chinese attitude towards life is, in essence, very similar to that of the French.

Some of the author's opinion on social issues and scientific development are clearly dated, because the book was written in the 1930's. For some, this alone rendered the book not worthy of reading. However, if one would only read books that contain ideas that align with one's sentiments, or if historical context plays no part in how one processes information from reading, why bother to read at all? Just go to Pinterest and chat only with people that share your views.

Besides some of the dated social commentaries, there are places where the author went overboard with historical and literary references. In addition to being a prolific writer and social commentator, active member of the literary circles of his time, the author was a renown translator of prominent books from English to Chinese, and vice versa. His command of historical Chinese literature, as well as Western thoughts and culture made him a unique person to bridge the still wide chasm in understanding between the two sides of the globe. In his attempt to prove his points or to illustrate the similarities or differences between the cultures, at various parts of the book, he quoted rather extensive excerpts of translated Chinese literature, and he referred to a rather large swath of Chinese painters, poets, calligraphers, etc. The only problem was, while he demonstrated his encyclopedic knowledge of both cultures, that the readers could lose sight of the point he was making, while preoccupied with the details of his references.

Personally, I find the part about enjoying nature, conversation, friendship, food and wine less inspiring than his attitude regarding reading, writing, education, thinking (philosophy), religion. The latter list of topics revealed a highly progressive and humanistic mind, while the former list of topics spoke to an affinity to traditions that are considered quaint and 'exquisite'.

It is a very informative book, if you're not looking for exact behaviors to emulate (as in a how-to book). The information that you gain in this book falls along the line of maxims, cultural studies, humanism. If you want to know how to live YOUR life, this is not the book; but if you are curious about how other people live THEIR lives, and want to understand them via a humanistic lens, this book provides a fascinating perspective.

[Jennifer · Rating 1 out of 5]

Rather disappointingly,the majority of this book consisted of sweeping statements, sexist comments and outdated/inaccurate comparisons.

[Preili Pipar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ma sain selle läbi!!! Ja see oli super! Tegemist küll filosoofilise raamatuga, aga mitte sellisega, mis oleks raske ja keeruline lugeda. Mõnus, lihtne, tabav. Muidugi kõiges ma ei nõustunud autoriga :D, aga ka need kohad olid head lugeda. Kui tundub, et vähegi tahaks lugeda midagi filosoofilist, aga veidi kardad, siis see on alustuseks väga hea valik.
Ja seekord ma tsitaate välja ei toogi. Neid on nii palju, et raamat on kleepse täis :D Loe ja leia omad! Igal juhul soovitan!
Aitäh soovitajale ja aitäh kinkijale :)

[Ben Hammond · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'd wholly recommend this to anyone who feels like they need direction and quelling of their anxiety about life. The only reason I'm giving this 4 stars is because it is outdated in societal terms, particular in the views of women. As a person of principle I can't 'forgive' these views even if they are of a man of a previous generation. But the prose concerning beauty, nature and religion it is quintessentially Chinese and has really opened my eyes into reading more Chinese/East Asian literature. It follows a simple philosophy of helping one to merely love life through all its flaws.

[Patricia Welker]

My first book read after retiring was The Importance of Living by Lin Yutang. I enjoyed the easy going stories in the old Chinese scholar perspective. How to relax, smoke and make a proper pot of tea. I recommend this book for the point in life when slowing down is permissible and possible.

[Zulaikha · Rating 5 out of 5]

كتاب فلسفي ساحر وخلاّب جداااً.
لأول مرة في التاريخ أقرأ عن أهل الصين.
ياخي ما يختلفوا عننا غير انهم ياكلو الحشرات مدري ليه😖.
استمتعت بكل صفحة من صفحات هذا الكتاب.
ومنجد حزنت يوم وصلت لأخر صفحة وبديت أودّعه.
ممتع مممتع جداً.

[Sarita · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so Chinese

[Maril · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read it because of Will Schwalbe’s recommendation in Books for Living. I am glad I read it but it is long and sometimes rambling. However so much of it is timeless and makes you think. It was written in 1937.

[Talbot Hook · Rating 5 out of 5]

2021: A constant friend to me is Lin Yutang, and I profit daily from his wisdom and humor.

2018: This is one of those rare books which, even though one disagrees with several (if not many) of its constituent parts, triumphs as a unified whole, insofar as one gains an appreciation of the author's peculiar temperament, thoughts, opinions, purposes, and shortcomings. Because it is so wide-ranging, covering everything from paganism to tea-drinking, and from proper chair-sitting to the psychological importance of humor, one is truly able to bask in another person's mind and life. Lin Yutang writes so sensuously, so candidly, so reasonably, and so humorously that it becomes nearly impossible to dislike him, even given some rather retrograde views concerning smoking, women, and logic. The heights of his charm adumbrate all these shortcomings, especially because we come to know him as a man of reasonable change: that if we were to speak with him, he could explain himself, demonstrate his philosophy, and eventually come to a different view - and all the while with humor, grace, and charity. This is what it means to read into a man through his work.

And perhaps it is that I have simply fallen for one of Lin Yutang's central thoughts: that we can find those select authors with whom we become fast friends, though separated by mountains and the river of time. "There is therefore the matter of my obligations to these authors, especially my Chinese friends in spirit. I have for my collaborators in writing this book a company of genial souls, who I hope like me as much as I like them. For in a very real sense, these spirits have been with me, in the only form of spiritual communion that I recognize as real - when two men separated by the ages think the same thoughts and sense the same feelings and each perfectly understands the other." Put another way: "I regard the discovery of one's favorite author as the most critical event in one's intellectual development. There is such a thing as the affinity of spirits, and among the authors of ancient and modern times, one must try to find an author whose spirit is akin with his own. . . . It is like love at first sight. The reader cannot be told to love this one or that one, but when he has found the author he loves, he knows it himself by a kind of instinct. We have such famous cases of discoveries of authors. Scholars seem to have lived in different ages, separated by centuries, and yet their modes of thinking and feeling were so akin that their coming together across the pages of a book was like a person finding his own image. In Chinese phraseology, we speak of these kindred spirits as reincarnations of the same soul . . . ." I can only hope that Lin Yutang would like me as much as I like him.

In my estimation, I have achieved this kindred bond with only three authors (and count myself fortunate beyond measure for having had the opportunity to meet minds): Tolkien, Palinurus (Cyril Connolly), and Lin Yutang. I have kept several quotes of this last author in my mind for the past six years, and they have become guiding principles in my life - having something of the flavor of the religious mantra. These are authors with whom I have a natural consonance of mind, sentiment, and temperament, and to whose works I can continually return with deep and lasting satisfaction. What higher praise can be given an author? And what more beautiful gift can be given a reader?

[Steph · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked up an old edition of this book for £2 at a vintage bookshop in Johannesburg and couldn't put it down for the rest of the holiday.

Someone in the comments described this as listening to the rambling of a grandfather! I thought that was very accurate! Though much like any out of touch grandfather I didn't agreed with all Yutang's ramblings it was nevertheless fascinating. But the stronger appeal for me was with his way of looking at things.

[Aidan Reid · Rating 2 out of 5]

Initially enjoyed this but there was so much meandering about mundane subjects (flowers, rocks, tea...), that it became a slog half-way through. Didn't pick up nearer end.

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Somewhat unexpectedly hilarious and thought-provoking. The book begins with a disclaimer that it's not really a book on philosophy, just a collection of the author's thoughts, and it is very true to that disclaimer. Certain parts I completely disregarded because they were outdated or just not relevant to me, but there was a lot of content that I found fascinating and I loved the emphasis on simplicity and not overcomplicating things.

One of my favourite passages in the book:
"But the essential fact remains that human life has got too complicated and the matter of merely feeding ourselves, directly or indirectly, is occupying well over ninety per cent of our human activities. Civilization is largely a matter of seeking food, while progress is that development which makes food more and more difficult to get. If it had not been made so difficult for man to obtain his food, there would be absolutely no reason why humanity should work so hard. The danger is that we get over-civilized and that we come to a point, as indeed we have already done, when the work of getting food is so strenuous that we lose our appetite for food in the process of getting it."

[Di · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sách cụ Nguyễn Hiến Lê dịch, tôi không thích tựa này lẫn tựa cuốn Đắc nhân tâm, nội dung ổn nhưng tựa sách vào tay cụ thành ra mĩ miều.

https://latsbookstore.wordpress.com/2...

Được biết khi cuốn sách ra đời, sức ảnh hưởng của nó rất lớn với người dân Mĩ lúc bấy giờ (best-seller ở Mĩ suốt mười một tháng liền, mặc dù tôi không thích từ best-seller dùng cho sách nhưng đành chấp nhận đây là một thông tin để đánh giá mức độ ảnh hưởng), tôi có một suy đoán khá chủ quan, cảm thấy cuốn sách văn học tôi đã đọc của tác giả người Mĩ có thể cũng chịu ảnh hưởng từ cuốn này? Cách thức tác giả xây dựng hình tượng nhân vật, cho anh ta cái quyền lan man bàn luận mọi thứ nó rất khớp với cách đặt vấn đề của cuốn này... 😭

[Tuyen Tran · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quan điểm sống như vậy là đẹp, quá đẹp.

[Abbey Kramer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Validates me for being lazy sack of shit

[Pedro Picapiedra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Llegué a este libro después de que me llegase recomendado por gente con mucho criterio y vías muy distintas.

Sin duda creo que es un ensayo de necesaria lectura, no tanto porque nos acerque a una forma de ver el mundo más orientalizada que se aleja de los canones filosóficos de occidente, sino porque de verdad considero que cualquier ser humano en su sano juició estaría de acuerdo en el contenido de gran parte de sus páginas. Al fin y al cabo, lo que el libro nos recuerda capítulo tras capítulo, es que las claves de una vida satisfactoria son mucho más prosaicas y elementales, de fácil alcance, que los laberintos en los que la filosofía en sus excesivos tecnicismos o la sociedad en su carrera por el éxito se empeñan en frustrarse reiteradamente.

Hay que recordar que ya casi dista un siglo desde la escritura de este libro, que confiere también un sabor especial a su contenido. En particular el capítulo del 'goce del hogar' causa hasta sonrojo y estupefacción en las reflexiones de la figura de la mujer, totalmente legítimas por otra parte, y pone de manifiesto cómo afortunadamente la sociedad occidental ha avanzado con el empoderamiento de la mujer. De una forma similar, la tesis que recoge el autor de que la unidad biológica es la familia y que la felicidad se construye satisfaciendo las apetecencias de esa unidad biológica me parece desacertada e inconsistente con el resto del libro.
Por otro lado, el libro se escribió poco antes de la segunda guerra mundial, cuando el mundo se estaba armando, y llama la atención cómo el autor con una visión lúcida ya se anticipaba a los acontecimientos y no se dejaba arrastrar por los panfletos de la época.

He de señalar también una visión compartida, a la que por pura coincidiencia, estuve reflexionando varios días antes de verla reflejada en la novela. Se trata de la figura que el autor denomina 'bribón', que, ajeno a la sociedad y sus convecciones, se convierte en un elemento clave y necesario para la salud precisamente de las sociedades, que siempre corren el riesgo de homogeneizar a sus individuos y con ello el riesgo de perder una visión saludable y rica de la vida.


Algunas de las citas que considero claves:

El filósofo chino sueña con un ojo abierto, considera la vida con amor y dulce ironía, mezcla su cinismo con una bondadosa tolerancia, y alternativamente despierta del sueño de la vida y vuelve a adormecerse, pues se siente con más vida cuando está soñando que cuando está despierto, con lo cual inviste a su vida en vela de una cualidad de mundo de ensueños. Ve con un ojo cerrado y otro abierto la inutilidad de mucho de lo que ocurre a su rededor y de sus propias empresas, pero conserva suficiente sentido de la realidad para decidirse a seguir adelante. Rara vez se desilusiona, porque no tiene ilusiones, y rara vez se decepciona, porque nunca ha tenido esperanzas extravagantes. De esta manera está emancipado su espíritu.

El más alto ideal de la cultura china ha sido siempre un hombre con un sentido de desapego (takuan) hacia la vida, basado en un sentido de sabio desencanto. De este desapego viene el alto espíritu (k'uanghuai), un alto espíritu que nos permite ir por la vida con tolerante ironía y escapar a las tentaciones de fama y riqueza y logro, y eventualmente nos hace aceptar lo que venga. Y de ese desapego surge también un sentido de libertad, un amor por el vagabundeo y el orgullo y la despreocupación. Sólo con este sentido de libertad yesta despreocupación llega uno eventualmente a la aguda, a la intensa alegría de vivir.

[...] que proclame al mundo que le gusta hacerlo así cuando le gusta; que no es mientras trabaja en su oficina. sino mientras está tendido en la arena, cuando su alma pronuncia: "La vida es hermosa".


[...] la sabiduría, o el más alto tipo de pensamiento, consiste en atenuar nuestros sueños o idealismo con un buen sentido del humor, apoyado por la realidad misma.

[...] creo muy bajo el papel de la facultad racional en asuntos humanos

[...] en China, la filosofía está enlazada con la poesía más que con la ciencia, o sea. al revés de Occidente.

[...] el fin de la vida no es alguna entidad metafísica, sino tan sólo vivir.

[...] en China, comparada con el Occidente, el hombre vive una vida más cercana a la naturaleza y más cercana a la infancia,buna vida en que se da libre juego a los instintos y las emociones, y se les acentúa contra la vida del intelecto, con una extraña combinación de devoción a la carne y arrogancia del espíritu, de profunda sabiduría y alocada alegría, de suma ponderación e infantil candidez.

La dignidad humana debe estar asociada con la idea de un bribón y no con la de un soldado obediente, disciplinado y regimentado. [...] En esta edad nuestra de amenazas a la democracia y a la libertad individual, probablemente sólo el bribón y el espíritu del bribón nos salvarán de vernos
perdidos, como unidades numeradas en serie, en las masas de "coolíes" disciplinados, obedientes, regimentados y uniformados. El bribón será el último y el más formidable enemigo de las dictaduras. Será el campeón de la dignidad humana y de la libertad individual, y será el último en ser conquistado. Toda la civilización moderna depende enteramente de él.

[...] solamente una filosofía alegre es filosofía profunda; las graves filosofías de Occidente no han empezado siquiera a comprender qué es la vida. Para mí, personalmente, la única función de la filosofía es la de enseñarnos a tomar la vida con más ligereza y alegría que el común hombre de negocios.

El hombre moderno toma la vida demasiado en serio, y porque es demasiado serio, el mundo está lleno de preocupaciones.

[...] el chino toma una actitud que puede resumirse en la frase: "Seamos razonables" [...] si se vive razonablemente, según las mejores luces de cada uno, no se tiene nada que temer; que la paz de la conciencia es el más grande de todos los dones.


"Un hombre puede poseer mil acres de tierra, pero duerme en una cama de dos metros".

Me indignaría ver un mundo en que todos fuéramos seres perfectamente racionales. ¿Desconfío del progreso científico? No, desconfío de la santidad. [...] No habría literatura porque no existiría pecado alguno, ni mal comportamiento, ni debilidades humanas, ni pasiones violentas, ni prejuicios, ni irregularidades ni, lo peor de todo, sorpresa alguna. [...] Si todos fuéramos seres completamente racionales, veríamos entonces que, en lugar de elevarnos a una perfecta sabiduría, degeneraríamos hasta ser autómatas.

Esta dignidad humana, como ya he apuntado al comienzo de este libro, consiste en las cuatro características del pillo, que ha sido glorificado por la literatura china. Son: una juguetona curiosidad, una capacidad para el ensueño, un sentido del humor para corregir esos sueños y, finalmente, cierta indocilidad e impredictibilidad de comportamiento.

Por esta razón es que odio a los censores y a todas las reparticiones y formas de gobierno que tratan de controlar nuestros pensamientos. [...] Si la libertad de ideas es la más alta actividad de la mente humana, entonces la supresión de esa actividad debe ser lo más degradante para nosotros como seres humanos. Eurípides definió como esclavo al hombre que ha perdido su libertad de pensar o de opinar.

sólo el que maneja ligeramente sus ideas es dueño de sus ideas, y sólo el que es dueño de sus ideas no se ve esclavizado por ellas.

Hay una conveniente expresión norteamericana que combina estos tres embelecos (Fama, Riqueza y Poder) en Un Gran Embeleco: Success.

"Esta religión, desgraciadamente, cesó hace mucho tiempo de ser sabiduría expresada en fantasía, para convertirse en superstición recargada de razonamiento."

Este culto del ocio estaba ligado siempre, pues, a una vida de calma interior, un sentido de despreocupada irresponsabilidad y un goce intenso y pleno de la vida de la naturaleza. Los poetas y los estudiosos se- han dado siempre nombres raros, como "El Huésped de Ríos y Lagos" (Tu Fu) ; "El Recluso de la Colina Oriental" (Su Tungp'o) ; "El Hombre Despreocupado de un Lago Nebuloso", y "El Anciano de la Torre Envuelta en Niebla", etcétera.

[...] la verdadera paz de espíritu proviene de la aceptación de lo peor.

La filosofía china puede ser definida brevemente como una preocupación por el conocimiento de la vida más que por el conocimiento de la verdad.

Por ende, la distinción entre budismo y taoísmo es ésta: la meta del budista es que no va a necesitar nada, en tanto que la meta del taoísta es que no va a ser necesitado para nada. Sólo quien no es necesitado por el público puede ser un individuo despreocupado, y sólo quien es un individuo despreocupado puede considerarse un ser humano feliz. Tschuangtsé, el más grande y mejor dotado entre los filósofos taoístas, nos advierte continuamente que no seamos demasiado prominentes, demasiado útiles y demasiado serviciales.

Los tres grandes vicios norteamericanos parecen ser: eficiencia, puntualidad y el deseo
de la realización y el triunfo. [...] aparte del noble arte de lograr que se hagan las cosas, existe el más noble arte de dejar las cosas sin hacer.

[...] los chinos son sumamente puntuales, siempre que se les dé abundante tiempo para hacer una cosa. Siempre terminan las cosas a horario, con tal de que el horario sea bastante largo.

¿No es suficiente que los viejos sean algo? ¿Es necesario que siempre tengan que estar haciendo
algo? La pérdida de la capacidad para la holganza ya es mala en los hombres de edad madura, pero esa misma pérdida en la ancianidad es un crimen que se comete contra la naturaleza humana.

Con la excepción del explorador del Ártico o el hombre de ciencia que está en su laboratorio, dedicado a la labor de descubrimiento, creo que lo mejor que podemos esperar es que nos guste nuestro trabajo, que nos sea llevadero.

Un poeta chino nos ha advertido ya que la fuente de la juventud es un engaño, que nadie puede "atar un cordel al sol" y detener su carrera. [...] Si de nada vale librar una lucha sin esperanzas contra la ancianidad y las canas, ¿por qué no decir entonces que las canas son hermosas?


"El agua corre hacia abajo y no hacia arriba", dicen siempre los chinos, y por lo tanto el afecto por los padres y abuelos es algo que tiene más necesidad de ser enseñado por la cultura. Un hombre natural' ama a sus hijos, pero un hombre culto ama a sus padres.

¿qué derecho tienen los jóvenes de abrir la boca cuando los viejos pueden decir: "He cruzado más puentes que calles has cruzado tú"?

Nadie puede dejar de envejecer; sólo puede hacerse la trampa de no admitir que se envejece. Y como de nada vale luchar contra la naturaleza, bien podríamos envejecer graciosamente. La sinfonía de la vida debería terminar con un gran final de paz y serenidad y comodidad material y contento espiritual, y no con el estampido de un tambor que se rompe o un címbalo que se quiebra.

[...] sospecho que un hombre a quien no satisface una luna se cansará también de una docena [...] Si no satisface a un hombre la variedad del tiempo y el cambio de colores en el cielo, el exquisito sabor de las frutas que aparecen por rotación en estaciones diferentes, y las flores que se abren por rotación en los distintos meses, ese hombre haría mejor en suicidarse y no tratar de seguir la inútil caza de un Cielo imposible, que acaso satisfaga a Dios pero nunca satisfará al hombre.

[...] los chinos suponen que un viaje a la montaña surte efecto catártico, pues limpia el pecho de una cantidad de tontas ambiciones y de preocupaciones innecesarias.

La idea básica es que las rocas son enormes, fuertes, y sugieren la eternidad. Son silenciosas, inmóviles y tienen fuerza de carácter, como los grandes héroes, y son independientes y separadas de la vida como sabios en retiro. Son invariablemente antiguas, y los chinos aman todo lo viejo. [...] todo lo que crece es siempre más hermoso que lo que se construye.

Laotsé dice: "La naturaleza no habla"[...] Como un viejo sabio, comprende todo, pero no habla, y en ello radica su misterio y su grandeza.

El verdadero viajero es siempre un vagabundo, con las alegrías, las tentaciones, y el sentido de aventura que tiene el vagabundo. Viajar es "vagabundear" o no es viajar. Un buen viajero es el que no sabe adonde va, y un viajero perfecto es el que no sabe de dónde viene. No sabe siquiera su nombre y apellido.

[...] el arte de lograr la felicidad consiste en tener placeres apacibles.

[...] si Dios me ama apenas la mitad de lo que me ama mi madre, no me enviará al Infierno.

La filosofía, que debería estar junto al pecho y a la actividad de los hombres, es lo que se ha alejado más de la vida.

[...] el mundo no es un silogismo o un argumento, es un ser: el universo no habla, vive; no discute: llega, y nada más.

Nadie puede ser perfecto; sólo se puede tender a constituir un ser agradable, razonable.

[James Jr.]

Interesting book from a Chinese perspective . Didn't finish it though.

[Moisès · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quoting, Lin Yutang, "there are no books in this world that everybody must read, but only books that a person must read at a certain time in a given place under given circumstances and at a given period of his life."

As all these special circumstances have been coming together every now and then, in a span of near four years, this book became somehow suited for me.

I picked it up after reading "The Tao is Silent", and decided to read another one "Tao for Dummies" just to get a little more from Yutang’s book.

In the book one finds contrasts between Chinese and Western view of the World from a "pagan" Chinese guy living in the USA, in a historical context in which Hitler and other dictators of the like where “ruling" Europe. It's also rich in references to cultural and social relevant personalities of the time (many thanks to Wikipedia)

The main subject of the book, as far as I have understood, is the reminder of what does really matter in life: all those quotidian things most of us give for granted, from the animated evening talk with some friends to the contemplation of our insignificance in front of a mountain. One of my favorites was “On lying in Bed”, the first section of chapter nine “The enjoyment of Living”. After reading this chapter, and for some nights in a row, I was able to profoundly sleep for the first time in months. Another one was the “The Art of Reading” in chapter twelve “The Enjoyment of Culture”, where you can find the quote at the beginning of this comment. Had I still a Twitter account, I would have kept tweeting sentences from Yuang in the last years.

The book has, always from my perspective, it's not-so-enjoyable side, and you must restrain yourself of being too judgmental, for example, on the clearly male-centered style. There are sections, like the one about the enjoy of smoking, that I could hardly stand.

In the aftermaths, the book has enriched me so much that I can’t but set it five stars, and I keep a number of bookmarks to reread. I would not dare to recommend it right now, though, to any of my acquaintances. If you are one of them, you have been warned.

[Erika RS · Rating 1 out of 5]

The Importance of Living is a number of essays about the importance of enjoying life and ways to do so. In some ways, the author's ideas are kind of silly, but they are presented in such a non-pushy way that they the unpleasant ideas are easy to forget. However, his attitudes towards women are infuriating. At one point the author talks about how it is best for people to be natural... and women require lipstick to be natural. At another point, he makes this statement

Is it merely because woman is more charming and more graceful in a chiffon dress than in a business jacket, or is it merely my imagination? The gist of the matter seems to lie in the fact that women at home are like fish in water. Clothe women in business jackets and men will regard them as coworkers with the right to criticize, but let them float about in georgette or chiffon one out of the seven office hours in the day and men will give up any idea of competing with them, and will merely sit back and wonder and gasp.

This book may have been first published in 1937, but I still find the attitude towards women in this book excessively condescending.

Still, the general message of the book was nice, although not particularly noteworthy or inspiring. I agree that it is good to take things easily and to notice the world around us and appreciate nature and each other. It is good to make sure one's truths are consistent with human nature as well as with logic.

[Steven Malone · Rating 5 out of 5]

I regard the discovery of one’s favorite author as the most critical event in one’s intellectual development.
-Lin Yutang

My exposure to Chinese culture and philosophy comes, these days, through my experiences with Tai Chi Chuan and various other martial arts and Qigong. This study brings me close to many Chinese and Taiwanese people. None are more gracious, accepting, and friendly. I appreciate how their culture blends into ours so seamlessly.

Lin Yutang’s The Importance of Living is, to me, the best exploration of this blending and this contrast between our two peoples.

He is an essayist, writer, philosopher, linguist, and a cultural critic, among other many talents. And, The Importance of Living deserves to be on your bookshelf. From his table of contents get a quick feel of what you will experience: Approach to Life, Spirit and Flesh, On Being Mortal, On Having a Mind, On Human Dignity, On the Sense of Humor, How About Human Pleasure, On Growing Old Gracefully, On Conversation, The Art of Reading, The Art of Writing, and last but not least, The Return to Common Sense…

The best peek at this work is the blurb on the book’s cover:

‘The Classic Bestseller that Introduced Millions to the Noble Art of Leaving Things Undone.’

You will laugh. You will cry. You will wonder what in the heck you have done with your life.

[Yolanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is pretty dated and sexist, but I did enjoy the following:

",,,we sweat and labor and go through life, living not for ourselves in accordance with our true instincts, but for the approval of society, like "old spinsters working with their needles to make wedding dresses for other women," as the Chinese saying goes (pg 105).

The great Taoist philosopher Liehtse gave the famous parable of the Old Man At the Fort:

"An old man was living with his son at an abandoned fort on the top of a hill, and one day he lost a horse. The neighbors came to express their sympathy for this misfortune, and the Old Man asked "How do you know this is bad luck?" A few days afterwards, his horse returned with a number of wild horses, and his neighbors came again to congratulate him on this stroke of fortune, and the Old Man replied, "How do you know this is good luck?" With so many horses around, his son began to take to riding, and one day he broke his leg. Again the neighbors came around to express their sympathy, and the old man replied, "How do you know this is bad luck?" The next year, there was a war, and because the Old man's son was crippled, he did not have to go to the front.