dao resolution

resolution Footsteps in the sand Quickly washed away: The seashore mind. Going to the beach means walking in fresh air, listening to the sound of waves, feeling the grit of sand beneath our feet. The narrow ribbon between land and ocean is a perfect place to understand the mind of wisdom. Just as there is a dynamic balance between sand and water, so too is there a dynamic equilibrium between the quiescent and active sides of our minds. Just as the sand is constantly being washed, so too should we keep our minds free of lingering impressions. We often let thoughts, regrets, and doubts from past activities carry over into the present. This leads us to conflict. Instead of allowing this to happen, we should act without leaving consequences. This requires great thoroughness. Such completeness is challenging, but to succeed is to live perfectly. By resolving the problems of each day to our utmost satisfaction, we attain the sublime purity of a beach constantly washed by waves. resolution 365 Tao daily meditations Deng Ming-Dao (author) ISBN 0-06-250223-9 The Emperor Qianlong in his study (Before 1767) Artist: attributed to Giuseppe Castiglione (1688-1766) and Jin Tingbiao (active at Court 1757-1767) Ink on paper 100.2 x 63 cm. Height: 3’ 8 ¾”; Width: 8’ Splendors of China’s Forbidden City: The Glorious Reign of Emperor Qianlong Splendors of China’s Forbidden City is devoted to the long reign of Emperor Qianlong (1736-1795). The exhibition concentrates on Qianlong’s 18th-century period, the last grand era of the Chinese empire. During his long reign, Emperor Qianlong became the epitome of a great Chinese ruler, at once all-powerful and civilized. The Chinese empire reached its largest geographic spread under his rule, while life in China was both peaceful and prosperous. The exhibition investigates how Qianlong achieved this magnificent level. Politically adept, he recognized and supported all facets of Chinese civilization. Although he was a Manchu and remained proud of his nomad forebears, he cultivated the Han Chinese, who formed the majority of the Chinese people. Like his predecessors, the Kangxi and Yongzheng emperors, Qianlong carried out a balancing act between his Manchu heritage and the culture of Han China, which the Manchu Qing dynasty had conquered. (continued from the Curator’s essay: about the exhibit and the art we will continue to see here:) To fully explore the ways in which the emperor’s various roles, interests and his careful balancing of power were expressed in the artworks of his time, the exhibition curators have laid out the exhibition in five themes that unfold as the visitor moves from room to room. The grouped works display the immense range of cultural activities over which Qianlong presided. Since it is based on the vast collections of the Palace Museum in the Forbidden City, there is a very rich selection of imperial objects. The Dallas Museum of Art has chosen to display this exhibition as a series of fine art works. Although the layout generally follows the themes of the exhibition as planned by the Palace Museum and the Field Museum, the flow of works in the sections has been slightly changed to highlight significant works for individual contemplation and appreciation. The rooms devoted to the exhibition are large and space is given to major works, and a palette of light, bright colors is used in the exhibition rooms, to echo the light, color and grandeur of the Forbidden City. (note: we have limited access to the exhibit — online resources only) Opening the first section on symbols of imperial power is “Ten Thousand Envoys Come to Pay Tribute,” a 126 3/4-inch-by-43 3/8-inch painting by an anonymous artist. The work offers a bird’s eye view of the southern gate of the Forbidden City and the Hall of Supreme Harmony. The panoramic sweep of the painting dwarfs the human figures of tribute-bringers, palace eunuchs and officials. The palace, which appears in detailed grandeur in the foreground, but dims in the misty distance, is presented as both the symbol and the setting of power. The tribute-bringers include Europeans and different types of Asians, including a group of Thai emissaries on elephants, to emphasize the universal rule of the Chinese monarch. The combination of realistic narrative of a politically significant event combined with more traditional Chinese ways of depicting the imperial palace reflects the way monumental painting developed in the Qianlong period. T A O t e C H I N G t e n Embracing the Way, you become embraced; Breathing gently, you become newborn; Clearing your mind, you become clear; Nurturing your children, you become impartial; Opening your heart, you become accepted; Accepting the world, you embrace the Way. Bearing and nurturing, Creating but not owning, Giving without demanding, This is harmony. literature on Daoism purchased from Amazon.com through our Associates program will assist the work of duckdaotsu. To help, start your search from the many resources at http://www.duckdaotsu.org/dao_books.html 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