The intelligence of the Chinese people

    Cleverness is the opposite of foolishness. Zheng Banqiao said, "It's rare to be foolish." "Cleverness is difficult, but transitioning from cleverness to foolishness is even more difficult." This is an absolutely clever statement, containing the subtle philosophy of life of the Chinese. The proverb "Cleverness can backfire" conveys the same idea. Chen Meigong said, "Only the contented sleep soundly until dawn. Only the idle remain foolish until old age." This is also an extremely clever statement. Therefore, in China, cleverness and foolishness are intertwined, and the only use of cleverness is feigning foolishness.

    The Chinese are one of the most intelligent people in the world, which seems to require little further proof. The invention of mahjong and the Kowloon game can probably be considered a sign of a clever nation. The fact that Chinese students consistently rank at the top of their class in European and American university exams is clear evidence.

    However, the most remarkable aspect of Chinese cleverness, which is unmatched by the West, is the cleverness of using cleverness to negate cleverness itself. The theory of the unity of cleverness and foolishness is an extremely clever theory. It is only seen in our country, not in the West. This kind of worship of "muddled thinking," or Daoist thought, originated from Laozi and Zhuangzi. Laozi and Zhuangzi were undoubtedly among the most intelligent people in history, and the five thousand words of the *Tao Te Ching* are among the most brilliant philosophies in the world. However, such intelligence borders on the philosophy of cunning and treacherousness. Without being the first in the world, one can never be defeated—this is undoubtedly the philosophy of cunning and treacherousness. When Chinese intelligence reaches its zenith, the harm of cleverness becomes apparent, leading to a retreat to feigned ignorance and concealment to preserve oneself. Furthermore, because of this supreme intelligence, one sees through everything, knowing that there is no difference between "doing" and "not doing," and that it is better to do nothing to sustain life than to act in vain. It is precisely because of this one move that Chinese civilization shifted from movement to stillness, emphasizing retreat, preservation, contentment, and satisfaction, becoming a civilization that values longevity over advancement, and peace over war.

    This principle has its merits. When this concept permeates the minds of ordinary people, harmony and humility become social virtues. The saying, "Do not exhaust your blessings, do not abuse your power," is also a very subtle principle.

    I fear that the Chinese, though clever, are adept at feigning ignorance, and will ultimately be misled by this very cleverness. China's weakness stems from excessive cleverness. Whether the foolish, the clever, or those who transition from cleverness to foolishness ultimately benefit is difficult to say. The defeat at Rehe was due to foolishness. However, viewed through the lens of clever foolishness, the loss at Rehe is insignificant. This is the perspective of the monk Shide, "Wait a few years, then you'll see." The retreat from Jinzhou was a mistake born of cleverness. If a foolish white person were in the same predicament, even knowing their forces were outnumbered, they would still fight to the death, preferring to perish rather than surrender, to fight the Japanese. "Perish rather than surrender" is a foolish notion, and even with Zhang Xueliang's cleverness, he did not do it. So, is cleverness or foolishness the answer? Are the Chinese clever, or are the white people clever? I dare not say. What I know is that the Chinese, having invented the cleverness of feigning ignorance, often suffer the consequences of this very cleverness. They are overly adept at calculating personal gain and self-preservation, yet rarely find a fool willing to take on responsibilities, thus hindering national affairs. The act of "carving a square into a circle," avoiding hurt feelings, failing to distinguish right from wrong, and drifting with the tide, can indeed produce a cunning and treacherous individual. For personal gain, this is certainly advantageous, but for the sake of society and the nation, is it cleverness or foolishness? It's not easy to say. Every time China gains more insightful and progressive individuals, it means the world loses one more capable person. Every time there are more clever compatriots, it means the nation is entering a darker, more dreary state. If the whole nation sleeps soundly until dawn, remaining foolish until old age; if the whole nation believes in the sages that retreat is the best of the thirty-six stratagems, yet there is not a single foolish man who makes a miscalculation; if the whole nation is a hero who refuses to suffer immediate losses, yet there is not a single weakling willing to accept defeat, is this a blessing or a misfortune for the nation?

    However, despite their exceptional intelligence, the Chinese, in the end, are often misled by their own cleverness. Alas, where can I find a foolish giant to admire?