But the following story rejects the idea of aligning with nature’s flow. It values obedience and discipline and comes from the Chinese classic, the Art of War. The military general claimed he could turn anyone into a soldier. So the king asked him to turn his concubines into an army. The general accepted the challenge and asked the women to stand in a straight line. Those who disobeyed would pay with their life. The women giggled at his demand, for they were the king’s favourites. The general repeated his instruction: stand in a straight line, or pay with your life for disobedience. The women once again refused to do as he asked. So the general picked up the king’s sword and beheaded the king’s favourite concubine, and repeated his instruction. This time the women stood in a straight line, ready to do what he told them to do.

Chinese stories were designed to help people cope with a tough world. There is one story of the warrior who spent years studying how to slay a dragon only to realise later no one on earth had actually ever seen a dragon though everyone spoke about it. In another story, a family made a special ointment that kept people from freezing in water. A passing merchant realised its value and sold the formula to a king, and became rich. The family that manufactured it remained clueless about its potential. While most cultures give a lot of value to life in the hereafter, Chinese culture is far more pragmatic and focuses on the present. And that’s what makes Chinese stories unique. 

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The author writes and lectures on the relevance of mythology in modern times. Reach him at devdutt.pattanaik@mid-day.com