The Meaning of Plants (16)

木秀于林，风必摧之 wind always harm the outstanding tree among a forest. It means to say, that public opinion always find fault of big names. The story stared from the time of the Three Kingdoms (220-265). 李康 (196-265) from魏kingdom wrote the article《运命论》’discussing fortune’ it said, ：“故木秀於林，风必摧之；堆出於岸，流必湍之；行高於人，众必非之。前鉴不远，覆车继轨。” So, wind always harm the outstanding tree among a forest. The river water always washing and eroding the convex bank. (Note, he made a mistake for the river water always washing and eroding the concave bank.) Moral integrity higher above others, people will find fault of you. The formal track of a wheel is still there, the later vehicle follow that example.

疾风知劲草Only the toughest grass can stand strong winds. The story is from the Han Dynasty 202BC-220AD. We have said that today China has around 400 surnames. In Chinese history each dynasty had one surname as the royal family. During Han Dynasty 刘 is the royal surname. Yet during the year 8-23AD a man with the surname of 王 usurped the power. The 刘’s family called upon people to overthrow the 王’s rule. At the beginning, the
rebels was very weak but a man named王霸 followed the rebel emperor steadily ignoring many people escaped from this new power. When the new emperor seized power he told to others that 王霸 as only the toughest grass can stand strong winds.