You may spend your life chasing wealth and power, but will success bring happiness to your life?
In reality, when ambition exceeds your abilities or character, it often invites misfortune. As the Tao Te Ching warns:
“Gold and jade fill the halls, but no one can guard them. Wealth and pride bring disaster.”
A house overflowing with treasures may seem like a dream, but without the strength and virtue to manage it, those riches can quickly turn into a burden. True contentment isn’t found in gold or titles — it lies in living a calm and steady life.
What every parent truly hopes for
The Song Dynasty poet Su Shi once wrote a poem that speaks directly to the heart of every parent:
“Everyone raises children hoping they’ll be clever. I was harmed by my own cleverness. I only hope my child is dull and clumsy, to live without disaster and rise safely to high office.”
The words are simple, yet profound. While most parents wish for their children to be brilliant and accomplished, Su Shi — himself a celebrated genius — longed only for his child to live without hardship.
Why? Because Su Shi’s own life was filled with setbacks. He endured political demotions, lived through multiple exiles, and rarely enjoyed peace.
His wish reflects a more profound wisdom: that a quiet, uneventful life is far more precious than brilliance that invites trouble. Chasing fame or showing off one’s talents often leads to the fate of the tall tree in the forest — first to be struck by the wind.
Even royalty long for ordinary lives
Some might ask: Is a peaceful life really such a high aspiration?
Consider this: even kings and princes often fail to achieve it.
During the Liu Song Dynasty, a young prince named Liu Zi Luan was beloved by his father, Emperor Liu Jun. But his older brother, Crown Prince Liu Zi Ye, saw him as a threat. After Emperor Liu Jun died, the crown prince took the throne — and immediately ordered Liu Zi Luan’s execution.
The boy was just nine years old. Before he died, he said: “May I never be born into a royal family again.”
His final wish was to be born as an ordinary person, free from the dangers of court life. Even someone born into unimaginable privilege longed for the simplicity and safety that most of us take for granted.
The more you have, the greater the risk
So why is it that elites and rulers can’t enjoy peaceful lives?
The answer is simple: the higher your position, the greater the risk. The top is cold, and those who stand out too much often become targets. As the Chinese saying goes: “The tallest tree in the forest is the first to be cut down.”
Desire also plays a role. The more you want, the more others see you as competition. When everyone fights for the same interests, conflict becomes inevitable. And the more enemies you have, the more fragile your life becomes.
From the outside, it may seem that the wealthy and powerful live in comfort. But behind the scenes, they often walk a razor’s edge.
A quiet life is the true treasure
Some may mistake a peaceful life for a dull or wasted one. But real peace is not about giving up — it’s about living with stability, harmony, and freedom from disaster.
To live a full life doesn’t require luxury or status. It simply requires calm, contentment, and the ability to go with the flow — like water, which nourishes all things without seeking recognition.
In the end, this gentle path is the greatest blessing of all.
Translated by Cecilia
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