Chinese Philosopher Laozi

This image of the famous ancient Chinese philosopher Laozi (aka Lao Tzu) dates to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), and shows the semi-legendary Lao Tzu as an old man, peacefully riding atop a bull. It is a fitting image for one of the most famous figures in the history of Doaism/Taoism, which emphasizes cultivating an ability to adapt to whatever environment one finds oneself in, even if it is as tempestuous as a giant bull.

One of the most well-known stories illustrating this philosophy is that of the old Chinese farmer whose life is dealt a series of challenges that appear to be positive or negative, but turn out to have a liquid quality which the farmer successfully navigates by his openness to change.

It goes something like this: there was an old Chinese farmer with only one son and one horse, and one day his horse ran away. The neighbors came by to give the man their condolences, but the farmer replied “you never know,” to their expressions of sympathy. A week later, the horse returned, and this time it brought in its wake a beautiful stallion. When the neighbors came by to congratulate the farmer on his good fortune, he said again “you never know.” Well, a week went by, and the man’s only son fell while trying to break in the new horse and crushed his leg, permanently disabling him. And of course, when the neighbors rushed in with pity, the farmer responded with the same “you never know.” Finally, not a month had gone by, and all of China went to war. Every able-bodied man was conscripted to fight – leaving safe the old farmer’s only son. And you, of course, know what the old man told them — “you never know.” This story is retold by Alan Watts, link below.