《Caigentan (菜根譚) – Complete Works | Former Collection》 #8 [008]

《Caigentan (菜根譚) – Complete Works | Former Collection》#8 [008]

📜 Original Text

天地寂然不動, 而氣機無一息少停; 日月晝夜奔馳, 而貞明則萬古不易。故君子閒時要有喫緊的心思, 忙處要有悠閒的趣味。



📚 Translation

The heavens and earth seem still and unmoving, yet the flow of their vital energy never ceases for a single moment.

The sun and moon race through day and night without pause, yet their upright and luminous nature remains unchanged for all eternity.

Therefore, a gentleman should maintain a focused and diligent mindset even in times of leisure, and possess the enjoyment of ease even amidst busyness.



🪶 Character Explanations

•  天 (tiān): Sky, heaven.
•  地 (dì): Earth, ground.
•  天地 (tiāndì): Heaven and earth.
•  寂 (jí): Silent, still, lonely.
•  然 (rán): So, like this, a suffix indicating state.
• 寂然 (jí rán): Quiet and unmoving state.
• 不 (bù): Not, no.
•  動 (dòng): To move, to stir.
• 而 (ér): And, but, however.
• 氣 (qì): Vital energy, spirit.
• 機 (jī): Mechanism, key point, function.
• 氣機 (qìjī): The functioning of vital energy, the movement of life force.
• 無 (wú): To not have, without.
• 一 (yī): One.
• 息 (xī): To breathe, to rest, a moment.
• 無一息 (wú yī xī): Not a single moment.
• 少 (shǎo): Little, few, slightly.
• 停 (tíng): To stop, to cease, to stay.
• 少停 (shǎo tíng): To stop for a short while.
• 日 (rì): Sun, day.
• 月 (yuè): Moon, month.
• 日月 (rìyuè): Sun and moon, time.
• 晝 (zhòu): Daytime.
• 夜 (yè): Night.
• 晝夜 (zhòuyè): Day and night.
• 奔 (bēn): To run, to rush.
• 馳 (chí): To gallop, to speed.
• 奔馳 (bēnchí): To run, to move busily.
• 貞 (zhēn): Upright, chaste, constant.
• 明 (míng): Bright, clear.
• 貞明 (zhēnmíng): Upright and bright, or the constant brightness of the sun and moon.
• 則 (zé): Then, in that case, a rule.
• 萬 (wàn): Ten thousand, myriad.
• 古 (gǔ): Ancient, old.
• 萬古 (wàn gǔ): Eternal ages.
• 不 (bù): Not, no.
• 易 (yì): To change, to exchange.
• 不易 (bùyì): Unchanging.
• 故 (gù): Therefore, hence.
• 君 (jūn): Lord, ruler, gentleman.
• 子 (zǐ): Son, a suffix for a person (here, referring to a gentleman).
• 君子 (jūnzǐ): A person of noble character, an ideal human being.
• 閒 (xián): Leisurely, idle.
• 時 (shí): Time, when.
• 閒時 (xián shí): Leisure time.
• 要 (yào): To need, must, should.
• 有 (yǒu): To have.
• 喫 (chī): To eat (here, meaning 'to firmly resolve' or 'to take to heart').
• 緊 (jǐn): Tight, urgent, important.
• 喫緊 (chī jǐn): Urgent, critical, to take seriously.
• 的 (de): A possessive or descriptive particle (used in modern Chinese grammar).
• 心 (xīn): Heart, mind.
• 思 (sī): To think, thought.
• 心思 (xīnsī): Mindset, thoughts.
• 忙 (máng): Busy.
• 處 (chù): Place, situation, time.
• 忙處 (máng chù): Busy situation.
• 悠 (yōu): Leisurely, long.
• 閒 (xián): Leisurely, idle.
• 悠閒 (yōuxián): Leisurely and relaxed.
• 趣 (qù): Interest, taste, enjoyment.
• 味 (wèi): Taste, flavor.
• 趣味 (qùwèi): Taste, enjoyment, interest.



🔍 Commentary

This passage draws on the principles of nature to illustrate the ideal attitude a gentleman should maintain in life.

The heavens and earth appear still on the surface, but within them, vital energy (氣機) moves without rest. Similarly, it says that a gentleman, even in leisure, should not be lazy or careless, but rather maintain a mindset of tension and focus (喫緊的心思), cultivating their inner self and not neglecting preparation for what is to come.

Furthermore, the sun and moon move constantly day and night, yet their original upright and bright nature remains unchanged. Likewise, even in busy situations, one should not become anxious or lose their original self, but maintain inner peace and ease, preserving their fundamental stance.

In conclusion, this passage offers a lesson on finding balance in life through the contrasting aspects of nature: movement and stillness, change and constancy.

To prepare and discipline oneself during leisure, and to maintain inner ease and hold one's center during busyness – this is the wise attitude towards life that a gentleman should pursue.



📌 One-Sentence Summary

Just as nature’s essence flows beneath both stillness and motion, a gentleman, too, should embody the balance of calm and resolve.