Lin Yutang
Lin Yutang
Lin Yutangwas a Chinese writer, translator, linguist and inventor. His informal but polished style in both Chinese and English made him one of the most influential writers of his generation, and his compilations and translations of classic Chinese texts into English were bestsellers in the West...
NationalityChinese
ProfessionAuthor
Date of Birth10 October 1895
CountryChina
kindness believe simple
Today we are afraid of simple words like goodness and mercy and kindness. We don't believe in the good old words because we don't believe in good old values anymore. And that's why the world is sick.
simple light age
The age calls for simple statements and restatements of simple truths. The prophets of doom are involved, those who would bring light must be clear.
wisdom simple simplicity
The wisdom of life consists in the elimination of non-essentials.
weekend men order
The question that faces every man born into this world is not what should be his purpose, which he should set about to achieve, but just what to do with life? The answer, that he should order his life so that he can find the greatest happiness in it, is more a practical question, similar to that of how a man should spend his weekend, then a metaphysical proposition as to what is the mystic purpose of his life in the scheme of the universe.
christian wise teaching
The only part of Christian teachings which will be truly accepted by the Chinese people is Christ's injunction to be "harmless as doves" but "wise as serpents.
art thinking play
Art is both creation and recreation. Of the two ideas, I think art as recreation or as sheer play of the human spirit is more important.
people society impossible
We should not expect people to be good, but should make it impossible for them to be bad.
simplicity depth signs-and-symbols
Simplicity is the outward sign and symbol of depth of thought.
mean behavior uncomfortable
Best behavior means the same thing as the most uncomfortable behavior.
thinking neckties clear
I have a hankering to go back to the Orient and discard my necktie. Neckties strangle clear thinking.
wise men hair
O wise humanity, terribly wise humanity! How inscrutable is the civilization where men toil and work and worry their hair gray to get a living and forget to play!
play reason characteristics
Now it is characteristic of play that one plays without reason and there must be no reason for it. Play is its own good reason.
hero mean men
After all the allowances are made for the necessity of having a few supermen in our midst - explorers, conquerors, great inventors, great presidents, heroes who change the course of history - the happiest man is still the man of the middle class who has earned a slight means of economic independence, who has done a little, but just a little, for mankind and who is slightly distinguished in his community, but not too distinguished.
husband father moving
Once Confucius was walking on the mountains and he came across a woman weeping by a grave. He asked the woman what here sorrow was, and she replied, We are a family of hunters. My father was eaten by a tiger. My husband was bitten by a tiger and died. And now my only son! Why don't you move down and live in the valley? Why do you continue to live up here? asked Confucius. And the woman replied, But sir, there are no tax collectors here! Confucius added to his disciples, You see, a bad government is more to be feared than tigers.