dao

decadence Powdered concubine dressed in rich silks— Feet bound, body soft, lips slack— Views lotuses through binoculars. A dragonfly alights on her motionless fan. How do you know when your own life verges on decadence? Certainly when the force of form becomes more important than the force of substance. When etiquette and morals become more important than understanding and righteousness. When procedure becomes more important than creativity. When gratifying your lust becomes more important than giving to others. When patriotism becomes more important than measured governing and enlightened treatment of other nations. When the act of eating becomes more important than considerations of nutrition. when the opera becomes more important than helping the poor and homeless. When one’s own comfort becomes more important than the suffering of loved ones. When ambition becomes more important than benevolence. When prestige becomes more important than charity. When the academy becomes more important than listening to others. When outrageousness becomes more important than simple acts. When style becomes more important than function. When books become more important than teachers. When expediency becomes more important than the elderly. When you smell these things happening, you are not far from decadence. decadence 365 Tao daily meditations Deng Ming-Dao (author) ISBN 0-06-250223-9 duckdaotsu.org tao hub support sustain http://www.duckdaotsu.org/11/decadence.html FU BAO SHI Say Good-Bye in the Water Pavilion 1945 look closely to see the pavillion at the bottom left or go to the site to view a larger perspective of this artwork! see FU BAO SHI for a complete biography of this artist and his work http://www.chinafinearts.com/ receive a full HTML copy of the daily meditation sent directly to your inbox, please send a note with the words "subscribe tao" in the subject line to duckdaotsu