Harmony

“Harmony” is an important category of thought in traditional Chinese culture. Although the concept initially came from philosophy， it stands for a stable and integrated social life. It directly influences Chinese peoples way of thinking and dealing with the world.

In the ancient classic works of China，“harmony” can， in essence， be understood as being harmonious. Ancient people stressed the harmony of the universe and the natural environment， the harmony between humans and nature， and what is more， the harmony between people. Chinese philosopher Confucius emphasized this when he said that“in the exercise of decorum it is harmony that is of value.” Chinese philosopher Mencius advanced this idea when he wrote that “a favorable climate is not as good as topographical advantage， but topographical advantage is not as good as unity and coordination among people.” “Harmony” is not only a measure of value， but also the goal of peoples associations.

Traditionally， Chinese people take the principle as a way of life and try their best to have friendly and harmonious relations. In order to reach “harmony，” people treat one another with sincerity， tolerance and affection and do not interfere in other peoples business. As the saying goes， “Well water does not intrude into river water”； so non-interference in other peoples business means there would be fewer problems. When people are on good terms but hold different opinions， they should seek common ground and preserve their differences. To seek common ground between two conflicting groups makes for harmonious relations. In sum， to value harmony is to effectively avoid extreme attitudes and confrontational actions and reduce conflicts between people and the sources of social friction. This is beneficial to Chinese society because it enriches peoples relationships by adding a human touch and promotes stability.

Since Confucians promoted the value of harmony between people， the Chinese people feel strongly about it and “harmony is of value” serves as an advisory or caution in their philosophy of life. People find pleasure in one another as relatives and friends， treating one another with affection regardless of differences in social status and class.

There is also the harmony between humans and nature. In ancient times， many scholars identified “three cold weather friends” – the pine， bamboo and plum； they even spoke of the“plum blossom” as the wife， and the “pine” as a son. There are countless poems that describe the harmony between humans and nature， all forming perfect images of the relationship.

In his book Shen Yan （Prudent Words）， Wang Tingxiang， a Confucian thinker of the Ming Dynasty （1368-1644）， often mentions the importance of harmony. One such comment is， “If the monarch and his officials are on good terms， national affairs will be peaceful. If the nation is peaceful， its people will live a happy life. Therefore， harmony is the way of managing a country.”

From this we learn that a harmonious life is a healthy life； a harmonious nature is a beautiful nature； a harmonious society is a safe society； and a harmonious country is a strong country. The value of harmony is its benefit for the individual， the family and the country.“Harmony is of value” imparts an attitude with which to deal with the world around you and an idea about life itself. People with this attitude should be happy and cheerful. On the other hand， if you are obsessed with narrow personal gain and loss， you will be deeply distressed and anxious； you will feel persecuted by an endless number of worries and can never enjoy or taste happiness in life.