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The old man lost his horse

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Through the introductory and concluding sentences it is made clear that the parable shows only a small part of an infinite sequence: before the loss of the horse there were other lucky/unlucky situations and after fending off the barbarians, there will be others. E.g. the farmer can't use his injured
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While in the original version the son loses his horse and the father comments, in recent (Western) versions a more direct view is found: The father himself is the horse's owner and directly comments on his situation. Most of these versions are longer and dramatically embellished, but the brevity and
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The wisdom in the parable does not come from a teacher, a monk or a king, and it is not discussed at length. It comes from a simple, old man who shows this wisdom in very short sentences - repetitions, since there is nothing to add. This indicates that the knowledge of Dào is accessible to everyone.
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The parable tells the story of a farmer who lives with his father close to the border with the barbarian territories. Without his fault and without being able to influence them, the farmer goes through various situations which all have important consequences for him:
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When the barbarians attack the borderland, the injured farmer is not drafted and does not have to join the battle to help with the defense - whereby he and his father survive and escape death.
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These events are spontaneously judged by the neighbors, but the farmer's old father relativizes these judgments of the situations with his knowledge of Dào (i.e.
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Starting from the original parable, different versions of the story have been written, which are described in books and on the internet under titles such as
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the parable was modified and is frequently used in philosophical or religious texts or in books dealing with management or psychological strategies.
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After weeks, his horse finds its way back and brings along other horses from the barbarian territories, thus increasing the farmer's property.
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features the story during the celebration of news of the Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan, near the end of the film. CIA agent
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Trying to ride one of the wild horses, the farmer falls and breaks his leg - which reduces his physical capacities.
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Misery is what happiness rests upon. Happiness is what misery lurks beneath. Who knows where it ends?
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Wellsbaum.blog: "Alan Watts: The Story of the Chinese Farmer", with reference to Alan Watts
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In most of these proverbs, the hopeful perspective points 'in the direction of good luck'.
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leg properly and will depend on his old father to help and support him – and so on.
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Western parallels – not referring to the parable – can be found in the following
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Meine Psychose, mein Fahrrad und ich - Zur Selbstorganisation der Verrücktheit
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Meine Psychose, mein Fahrrad und ich: zur Selbstorganisation der Verrücktheit
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told this story during talks about Eastern Wisdom and modern life (1960–1969)
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The English text is mostly based on the translation by Claude Larre et al.
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could be described as the culmination of seemingly lucky/unlucky events.
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conciseness of the original text has the advantage of a simpler insight.
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His horse, a considerable part of his property and livelihood, runs away.
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A similar sentiment to the parable is expressed in chapter 58 of the
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shares the story as a cautionary tale, while ascribing it to a "
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Claude Larre, Isabelle Robinet, Elisabeth Rochet de la Vallée:
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The old man lost his horse, but it all turned out for the best.
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The old man lost his horse (but it all turned out for the best)
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Video: Donna Quesada's lecture on daoism (The Daoist Farmer)
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The World of the Swahili: An African Mercantile Civilization
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are some of the many titles given to one of the most famous
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For no reason, his horse ran off into barbarian territory.
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Every ill-luck is good for something in a wise man's hand.
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Bad luck brings good luck, and good luck brings bad luck
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Eastern Wisdom, Modern Life: Collected Talks: 1960-1969
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Insup Taylor, M. Martin Taylor, Maurice Martin Taylor:
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Nothing is so bad in which there is not something good.
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his horse came back with a group of barbarian horses.
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The Luck Factor: Change Your Luck and Change Your Life
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Potential origin, chengyu, proverbs, and delimitations
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Writing and Literacy in Chinese, Korean, and Japanese
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The first known version of the story is found in the
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Adult men strung up their bows and went into battle.
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This parable does not have a title in the Huainanzi.
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Simon tells this story in his book 691:how to know (if this is) fortuitous or not? 689:The old man on the frontier lost (his) horse 121:; 'Master of Huainan'), chapter 18 ( 1039:. John Benjamins Publishing Company, 1995, 1015:. Hong Kong University Press. p. 192. 307:and the son mounted with joy/loved riding. 96: 18:The Old Man on the Frontier Loses His Horse 817:used a variation of the story in his book 686:塞翁失馬 焉知非福 (Sài Wēng Shī Mǎ Yān Zhī Fēi Fú) 355:the barbarians invaded across the border. 754:It is an ill wind that blows no one good. 712:the horse of the old man on the frontier 650:The horse of the old man on the frontier 194:Good luck and bad luck create each other 72:Learn how and when to remove this message 668: 608: 541:from the 6th to 4th century BC, namely, 175: 972: 707:인간만사 새옹지마 (In Gan Man Sa Sae Ong Ji Ma) 216:A righteous man lived near the border. 177: 142:The story is well-known throughout the 824:Coral Chen wrote and illustrated the 751:No great loss without some small gain 551:, which was compiled around 139 BCE. 7: 1185:. Yale University Press. p. 1. 1083:Emanuel Strauss (12 November 2012). 1228:Video explaining the Chinese saying 1217:Wiktionary with English translation 1059:Wisdom Tales from Around the World 699:Tái ông thất mã, yên tri phi phúc 139:") and "misfortune" ("bad luck"). 25: 994:Principles in the World of Humans 779:The Father, His Son and the Horse 459:): Everything is an interplay of 402:Hence: Bad luck brings good luck 949:Les grands traités du Huainan zi 924:Charles Le Blanc, Mathieu Rémi: 739:Every cloud has a silver lining. 736:Bad luck often brings good luck. 299:Now his house is rich in horses 171:Les grands traités du Huainan zi 34: 1086:Dictionary of European Proverbs 1012:Chinese Discourses on Happiness 589:Sài wēng shī mǎ, yān zhī fēi fú 410:and good luck brings bad luck. 103:Bad luck? Good luck? Who knows? 1179:John Middleton (August 1994). 831:(2011) in English and Chinese. 829:The Old Man Who Lost His Horse 745:Every medal has its dark side. 584: 572: 563: 501: 487: 323:Everyone felt sorry for him. 235:Everyone felt sorry for him. 127: 122: 92: 43:This article needs editing to 1: 1062:. august house. p. 142. 275:Everyone congratulated him. 1089:. Routledge. pp. 49 f. 710:Everything in life (is like) 426:and nobody can estimate it. 315:He fell and broke his leg. 135:regarding "fortune" ("good 1284: 1114:, New World Library (2006) 942:Bibliothèque de la Pléiade 463:, of light and shadow, of 144:East Asian cultural sphere 1258:Chinese words and phrases 932:. Gallimard, Paris 2003, 837:used this subject in the 783:The Old Man Loses a Horse 709: 688: 649: 628: 418:This happens without end 118: 1152:Richard Wiseman (2003). 990:Teachings Concerning Man 898:in the season 4 episode 775:The Farmer and his Horse 529:Stone sculpture of Laozi 45:comply with Knowledge's 1125:Fritz B. Simon (2004). 1056:Heather Forest (1996). 951:. du Cerf, Paris 1993, 884:of the television show 869:In 14th episode of the 809:radical constructionism 748:Every tide has its ebb. 27:Ancient Chinese proverb 733:A blessing in disguise 626:塞翁失馬 (Sài Wēng Shī Mǎ) 530: 1209:Original text in the 961:Variétés sinologiques 887:The Last Man On Earth 658:塞翁が馬 (Sai Ou Ga Uma) 528: 259:Several months later 1211:Chinese Text Project 1131:. Carl-Auer-Verlag. 926:Philosophes taoïstes 849:Charlie Wilson's War 647:새옹지마 (Sae Ong Ji Ma) 639:2. Tái ông mất ngựa 173:, 1993, p. 208–209. 152:blessing in disguise 842:Chinesische Legende 637:1. Tái ông thất mã 331:His father spoke : 283:His father spoke : 243:His father spoke : 54:improve the content 865:In popular culture 531: 433:Plot and statement 159:Western literature 1248:Taoist philosophy 1192:978-0-300-06080-5 1165:978-0-7126-2388-9 1138:978-3-89670-461-0 1096:978-1-134-86460-7 1069:978-0-87483-479-6 1022:978-988-8455-72-0 875:Northern Exposure 771:The Taoist Farmer 724: 723: 662: 661: 430: 429: 99: 82: 81: 74: 16:(Redirected from 1275: 1263:Chinese proverbs 1233:Nachum Ish Gamzu 1197: 1196: 1176: 1170: 1169: 1158:. Random House. 1149: 1143: 1142: 1122: 1116: 1107: 1101: 1100: 1080: 1074: 1073: 1053: 1047: 1033: 1027: 1026: 1006: 997: 986: 980: 977: 678:Literal meaning 669: 618:Literal meaning 609: 586: 574: 565: 503: 494: 176: 129: 124: 120: 100: 97: 94: 77: 70: 66: 63: 57: 38: 37: 30: 21: 1283: 1282: 1278: 1277: 1276: 1274: 1273: 1272: 1238: 1237: 1205: 1200: 1193: 1178: 1177: 1173: 1166: 1151: 1150: 1146: 1139: 1124: 1123: 1119: 1108: 1104: 1097: 1082: 1081: 1077: 1070: 1055: 1054: 1050: 1043:sai weng shi ma 1034: 1030: 1023: 1008: 1007: 1000: 987: 983: 978: 974: 970: 921: 896:deus ex machina 867: 826:children's book 819:The Luck Factor 815:Richard Wiseman 767: 711: 690: 638: 597:The meaning is 523: 435: 377: 347:One year later 167: 78: 67: 61: 58: 51: 47:Manual of Style 39: 35: 28: 23: 22: 15: 12: 11: 5: 1281: 1279: 1271: 1270: 1265: 1260: 1255: 1250: 1240: 1239: 1236: 1235: 1230: 1225: 1219: 1214: 1204: 1203:External links 1201: 1199: 1198: 1191: 1171: 1164: 1144: 1137: 1117: 1102: 1095: 1075: 1068: 1048: 1028: 1021: 998: 981: 971: 969: 966: 965: 964: 945: 920: 917: 866: 863: 862: 861: 854:Gust Avrakotos 845: 832: 822: 812: 805:systems theory 797: 766: 763: 759: 758: 755: 752: 749: 746: 743: 740: 737: 734: 722: 721: 718: 714: 713: 708: 705: 701: 700: 697: 693: 692: 687: 684: 680: 679: 676: 673: 667: 666: 660: 659: 656: 652: 651: 648: 645: 641: 640: 635: 631: 630: 627: 624: 620: 619: 616: 613: 607: 606: 605:Short versions 602: 601: 595: 590: 587: 522: 519: 453: 452: 449: 446: 443: 434: 431: 428: 427: 424: 420: 419: 416: 412: 411: 408: 404: 403: 400: 396: 395: 393: 390: 389: 386: 382: 381: 378: 373: 372: 369: 365: 364: 361: 357: 356: 353: 349: 348: 345: 341: 340: 337: 333: 332: 329: 325: 324: 321: 317: 316: 313: 309: 308: 305: 301: 300: 297: 293: 292: 289: 285: 284: 281: 277: 276: 273: 269: 268: 265: 261: 260: 257: 253: 252: 249: 245: 244: 241: 237: 236: 233: 226: 225: 222: 218: 217: 214: 210: 209: 207: 204: 203: 200: 196: 195: 192: 184: 183: 180: 179:塞翁失馬 (Chinese) 166: 163: 80: 79: 42: 40: 33: 26: 24: 14: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1280: 1269: 1266: 1264: 1261: 1259: 1256: 1254: 1251: 1249: 1246: 1245: 1243: 1234: 1231: 1229: 1226: 1223: 1220: 1218: 1215: 1213: 1212: 1207: 1206: 1202: 1194: 1188: 1184: 1183: 1175: 1172: 1167: 1161: 1157: 1156: 1148: 1145: 1140: 1134: 1130: 1129: 1121: 1118: 1115: 1113: 1106: 1103: 1098: 1092: 1088: 1087: 1079: 1076: 1071: 1065: 1061: 1060: 1052: 1049: 1046: 1044: 1038: 1032: 1029: 1024: 1018: 1014: 1013: 1005: 1003: 999: 995: 991: 985: 982: 976: 973: 967: 962: 958: 957:2-204-04652-3 954: 950: 946: 943: 939: 938:2-07-011424-4 935: 931: 927: 923: 922: 918: 916: 914: 910: 909: 903: 901: 900:Hamilton/Berg 897: 893: 892:Alma Martinez 889: 888: 883: 878: 876: 872: 864: 859: 855: 851: 850: 846: 843: 840: 836: 835:Mascha Kaléko 833: 830: 827: 823: 820: 816: 813: 810: 806: 802: 798: 795: 792: 791: 790: 786: 784: 780: 776: 772: 764: 762: 756: 753: 750: 747: 744: 741: 738: 735: 732: 731: 730: 729: 719: 716: 715: 706: 703: 702: 698: 695: 694: 685: 682: 681: 677: 674: 671: 670: 665:Long versions 664: 663: 657: 654: 653: 646: 643: 642: 636: 633: 632: 625: 622: 621: 617: 614: 611: 610: 604: 603: 600: 596: 594: 591: 588: 582: 579: 578: 577: 575: 569: 561: 557: 552: 550: 545: 544: 540: 536: 527: 520: 518: 514: 510: 508: 504: 498: 493: 490: 485: 481: 477: 474: 470: 466: 462: 458: 457:The Right Way 450: 447: 444: 441: 440: 439: 432: 425: 422: 421: 417: 414: 413: 409: 406: 405: 401: 398: 397: 394: 392: 391: 387: 384: 383: 379: 375: 374: 370: 367: 366: 362: 359: 358: 354: 351: 350: 346: 343: 342: 338: 335: 334: 330: 327: 326: 322: 319: 318: 314: 311: 310: 306: 303: 302: 298: 295: 294: 290: 287: 286: 282: 279: 278: 274: 271: 270: 266: 263: 262: 258: 255: 254: 250: 247: 246: 242: 239: 238: 234: 232: 228: 227: 223: 220: 219: 215: 212: 211: 208: 206: 205: 201: 198: 197: 193: 190: 186: 185: 181: 178: 174: 172: 164: 162: 160: 155: 153: 149: 148:silver lining 145: 140: 138: 134: 130: 116: 112: 108: 104: 90: 86: 76: 73: 65: 55: 50: 48: 41: 32: 31: 19: 1253:Taoist texts 1210: 1181: 1174: 1154: 1147: 1127: 1120: 1111: 1105: 1085: 1078: 1058: 1051: 1042: 1036: 1031: 1011: 993: 989: 984: 975: 960: 948: 941: 929: 928:. 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Index

The Old Man on the Frontier Loses His Horse
Manual of Style
improve the content
Learn how and when to remove this message
Chinese
parables
Huainanzi
Taoism
luck
East Asian cultural sphere
silver lining
blessing in disguise
Western literature
Yin and Yang
happiness
unhappiness
stoic
equanimity
wu wei
Chinese


pinyin
apathy

Tao Te Ching
Laozi
Huainanzi
chengyu
Chinese

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