In their contemporary interpretation, these wisdoms of life on the one hand embody individual coping strategies for dealing with conflicts, failure, grief and feelings of powerlessness. They are particularly present in popular proverbs that often – as it suits Chinese philosophy - dialectically oppose wisdom to foolishness, and clarity to muddledness. Far from merely representing ancient philosophical wisdom, these philosophies of life are still very popular in contemporary society. In Confucianism, (pretended) foolishness or ignorance can be used to express modesty and tolerance in social relations, and is as such considered a moral virtue that is part of one’s self-cultivation. The philosophical foundations of this inclination emphasize the virtue of being emotionally and rationally indifferent, with the Daoist sage fool as its prominent example.
The wisdom of (pretended) foolishness: from the Daoist sage to Confucian self-cultivationĪncient Chinese philosophy displays a strong inclination to, and even an appreciation of, an ignorant, foolish or muddled attitude in life.
