3 Chinese fables to reflect on

Most traditional Chinese fables were created several centuries ago. They have remained current because they are an ideal formula to transmit values ​​and make people reflect.from generation to generation, in a very didactic way.

Almost all of these Chinese fables talk about the world rural. They refer to peasant life and values ​​such as work, humility and respect. A good part of them take kings, wise men and common men as a point of reference. However, despite the age of these stories, most of them have a teaching that can be applied to today’s world. Therefore, today we have brought three of those traditional Chinese fables with great morals.

1. A surprising find

The first of the Chinese fables tells us that there was once a very hard-working man in a peasant village. It had fertile lands and, however, it was limited by a serious problem : it did not have a well. The water was very far from his territory and this meant great difficulties for him.

Every night I had to walk more than three kilometers to go to the nearest well. She would return very late at night, with vessels full of water. This allowed her to provide for his basic needs and feed the land, but it was too exhausting. His neighbors did not help him.

Fed up with this situation, the man decided to dig a well. It was too hard a job for one person, but he had no alternative. He spent more than a month on this task and finally achieved it: he now had a well from which fabulous water came out. A curious neighbor asked him about the task and the farmer replied: “I dug a well and at the bottom I found a man”.

The news spread quickly to all corners. It caused such a commotion that the king of those lands himself sent for the peasant to explain what happened. “My Sir“, He said. “Before I had the well, my arms were always busy carrying and fetching water. Now my arms are free to work the land: I have recovered a man that I am”.

2. The sprouts that did not grow, one of the Chinese fables

The second of the Chinese fables tells us that there was a small village, in a very remote place on earth. There was a man, somewhat greedy, who lived with his family in relative harmony. He was prosperous in his crops, although he was never satisfied with what he obtained.

On one occasion, he sowed the field with particular care. He wanted to harvest a special wheat seed that had been brought to him from distant lands.. They claimed that this was a higher quality wheat, with thicker ears and a great flavor. Therefore, the man occupied all his lands with that crop and began to make great plans for the future. He would make a lot of profits and, who knows, he might be able to buy more land and live in greater luxury.

However, weeks passed and the seeds had barely bloomed. There were a few sprouts and, despite the care, they grew very slowly. Seeing this, the man began to despair. He couldn’t last that long. That’s why he decided to do something. What occurred to him was to go and pull the small plants that were emerging. He thought this would help them grow.

The next morning, all the sprouts turned up dead. The man overlooked the fact that it was a special seed and that it needed a longer time to grow. I didn’t know that everything has its time and that altering the processes of nature only leads to failure.

3. The prince and the doves

This was a kingdom in which a very noble and wise prince lived. The third of the Chinese fables tells that in those lands there was great harmony. Everyone loved their rulers and they always responded with just laws and help so they could prosper. In that place there was a very particular ritual. Whenever it was New Year, the peasants gave pigeons to the prince..

Just around that time, a stranger passed by. The stranger was curious about this strange ritual. He witnessed how people came from all over with the doves for the prince. He stayed there for a while, because he was intrigued to know what the sovereign did with those very particular gifts. This is how he witnessed the moment when the prince gathered all the pigeons in a cage and then released them. Those present applauded and bowed.

However, on that occasion an old man pushed his way through the crowd and respectfully asked permission to speak. The prince listened carefully. The old man asked him how many pigeons he had managed to gather. The prince indicated that about 200.

The old man replied: “To bring you these 200 pigeons, the men went hunting and killed about 600. What merit does it have now for you to free those that were left alive?” The prince understood his mistake and forbade the ritual. The stranger took a great lesson from those lands.

Definitely, These Chinese fables make us reflect and, at times, invite us to question the vision we have of the world, of society and of ourselves in general. Of course, without forgetting that each person will receive the message in a specific way.

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