Talking About Chinese Classics Through Numbers (Part I)

An insightful talk on Chinese classics through numbers, exploring Wang Guowei's Three Realms of achievement and Feng Youlan's Four Realms of Life. Song Shiqiang shares reflections on Chinese philosophy, poetry, aesthetics, and personal growth through traditional cultural wisdom.
Friends of the Zhike Study Club, good evening! This is a feast of thoughts, a temple of scholarship. This is a dojo for communication, a place for growth. First, I want to thank Teacher Huang and Teacher Yujiang for providing this platform, giving me the opportunity to share with everyone.

Image: https://www.kinghelm.net/upload/photo/202602/wps49-2.jpg

Song Shiqiang, General Manager of Shenzhen Kinghelm Electronics Co., Ltd.

I am Song Shiqiang, General Manager of Shenzhen Kinghelm Electronics Co., Ltd. Our company is a leader in the Beidou ecosystem (www.kinghelm.net [https://www.kinghelm.net/]). Another project I am involved with is silicon carbide power devices; I am a well-known expert in the silicon carbide industry (www.slkoric.com [https://www.slkoric.com/]).

I once had two wishes: one was to find a wife, because I used to be too poor, and the second was to teach at a university, because I love reading too much. The first wish was fulfilled very early; the second is gradually coming closer. Today is such an opportunity, and unconsciously, I've already talked about the second one. Today, what I want to talk about is "Talking About Chinese Classics Through Numbers" , a collection of my life experiences.

Let's officially begin:

Wang Guowei's Three Realms of Achieving Great Things:

Wang Guowei was a famous modern Chinese scholar with international reputation. My favorite work of his is Renjian Cihua ( Remarks on Poetry ). Wang Guowei extracted several famous lines from the works of several Song Dynasty ci poets to illustrate the three realms of scholarly or worldly achievements. The original poetic meaning mostly depicts the private emotions of human beings. Yet Wang Guowei skillfully applied them to explain the realms of scholarship and achievement in a very profound way. I believe that anyone seeking to achieve great things, online or offline, in ancient or modern times, must go through these mental journeys (for example, Jack Ma and Liu Qiangdong, who are online business figures, must have gone through similar processes).

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Wang Guowei

First Realm: Set Ambitions and Make a Vow (Setting a goal in management terms)

"Last night the west wind withered the green trees; alone I ascend the high tower, gazing at the road to the horizon." - from Yan Shu of the Northern Song Dynasty, Die Lian Hua: Chrysanthemums by the railing grieve in smoke, orchids weep in dew (the ci style Die Lian Hua is also known as Que Ta Zhi ).

This poem originally expresses sleepless nights missing a woman at home. The phrase "gazing at the road to the horizon" arises from a sleepless night; "the west wind withers the green trees" describes not only what one sees from climbing the tower but also the memory of lying awake all night listening to the wind and fallen leaves. Yet the poet also expresses an infinite and vast realm: "alone I ascend the high tower, gazing at the road to the horizon." There is a feeling of vastness from a high vantage point, an emptiness in not seeing the object of longing, yet within that vastness lies anticipation. Though the three lines contain sorrow from separation, they are neither despairing nor destructive; from grief and indignation, one sees ambition; from desolation, one sees grandeur. This is the first realm, a stage of life's confusion and solitude, uncertain of the path ahead, yet still with confidence to persevere. For me personally, when I shifted to electronics in 2010, it was this state: "drawing my sword, looking around, feeling bewildered" , not knowing where to start, yet still determined to pursue the path of entrepreneurship.

Second Realm: Persist in Effort, Unyielding Despite Hardships

From Liu Yong's Die Lian Hua: Leaning by the tower, the wind whispers : "Though my belt grows loose, I regret nothing; for her I waste away."

Earlier in the poem, the poet expresses worries of "spring melancholy," essentially meaning "lovesickness." Reaching this line, we understand that the persistent sorrow cannot be dispelled, not because he resents it, but because he willingly endures it, even as it gradually weakens and emaciates him, he regrets nothing. The second realm is having a goal and pursuing it with unwavering commitment, describing the state of becoming emaciated in the pursuit yet continuing without regret. It represents persistence, firm belief, and confidence to continue despite repeated setbacks. Reflecting on my own experience a few years ago, it felt like Xin Jiaxuan's "by lamplight in drunkenness I examine my sword; in dreams I hear the bugles of the army" -confusing, somewhat painful, sometimes needing a little alcohol to relax or encourage oneself, until one sighs at the "pity of white hair." He talks of white hair; I talk of hair loss. As you can see, I now have very little hair.

Third Realm: The Turning Point, Suddenly Enlightened

"I searched for her a thousand times in the crowd; suddenly, I turn and find her in the dim glow of the lanterns." - from Xin Qiji, Southern Song Dynasty, Qing Yu An: Lantern Festival Night .

This poem is widely recognized as the best depiction of the Lantern Festival. The situation is that after searching countless times, the target is found in a quiet, overlooked place. People are reveling in the festivities, yet she is outside the crowd. The more lively the lights, the more the person's aloofness is highlighted; the more people lose themselves, the more distinct her position in the world. It is somewhat like Lu You's idea that "the skill lies beyond the poem itself."

This is the third realm. It indicates that after sufficient accumulation, pursuit leads to transformation; unnoticeably, one has achieved the goal. It resonates with the poem by monk Guanxiu:

"Three thousand guests intoxicated among the flowers, one sword chills fourteen provinces."

At that time, Qiantang's Wang Qiumiao asked him to change it to "one sword chills forty provinces" , which would allow a meeting with him; he refused. There is an opportunity to expand on this story later. It is similar in meaning to Wang Anshi's "Do not fear floating clouds obscuring the eyes, for I am on the highest level."

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Monk Guanxiu

My entrepreneurial journey can be described through the sword I like: from "drawing my sword, looking around, feeling bewildered" , to "examining my sword by lamplight in drunkenness" , to now flourishing in the Beidou and silicon carbide industries. The company achieves dual-core growth, indeed giving the sense of "one sword chills fourteen provinces" , a strikingly similar experience.

Feng Youlan's Four Realms of Life:

Feng Youlan, from Tanghe County, Henan, was a famous contemporary Chinese philosopher and educator. His family produced many masters with great contributions to education. He described four life realms: the Natural Realm, the Utilitarian Realm, the Moral Realm, and the Heaven-and-Earth Realm. I personally think these correspond and interact with Maslow's hierarchy of needs.

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Feng Youlan

1. Natural Realm (Instinctive)

People at this level act according to instinct or societal customs. Some act like chicks or piglets seeking food or shelter-purely instinctive. For example, doting on children, as Gorky described a hen loving her chicks. Or like children and primitive humans, acting without much awareness. Their actions have little meaning for themselves, and even less for society.

2. Utilitarian Realm (Economic and Social)

A person may act for their own benefit. This does not necessarily mean immorality. Their actions may benefit others, but their motive is self-interest. This corresponds to Adam Smith in The Wealth of Nations : self-interest drives beneficial social acts, like a baker producing delicious bread for profit, or a barber doing good work-a state of "I for all, all for me."

3. Moral Realm (Spiritual)

Some people deeply understand social existence and recognize their societal significance. With this awareness, they act for social good. Confucius said such actions are to "right the righteousness, not seek profit." They are moral people, and their actions have ethical significance. Examples include Nathan Hale in the U.S., who said when facing execution: "My only regret is that I have but one life to give to my country" ; Tan Sitong of the Hundred Days' Reform, calmly facing danger, hoping to awaken the people with his blood; Lin Zexu's "If it benefits the country, I shall live or die accordingly" ; Lu Xun's "Frowning coldly at a thousand pointing fingers, bowing to serve the children" ; and traditional Western nobility, who would sacrifice personal gains or even life for national or ethnic interests.

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Tan Sitong's wall inscription in prison

4. Heaven-and-Earth Realm

One realizes that beyond society, there is a greater whole: the universe. One is not only a member of society but also a member of the cosmos, as Daoism calls "unity of heaven and man" , or Buddhism's "great thousand worlds." With this understanding, one acts for the universe's benefit. This knowledge structure constitutes the highest life realm, aligning with Northern Song scholar Zhang Hengqu's ambition: "Establish a mind for Heaven and Earth, a life for all beings, continue the work of past sages, bring peace to all generations." Examples include Nobel laureates, many modern environmental organizations, and Doctors Without Borders.

Below is a picture of Mother Teresa, considered by some as the most beautiful image in the world. On her weathered, wrinkled face, there is no sorrow or complaint, only love, compassion, endurance, and tolerance. Facing misunderstanding and criticism, she quietly continues her work. This is what our ancestors meant: "The earth is silent, silently enduring."

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Mother Teresa

We hope society will have more people with moral integrity and Heaven-and-Earth awareness, guiding and educating them step by step.

Understanding Beauty in Life and Common Misconceptions: The four levels of aesthetic appreciation, from bottom to top, are:

1. Gaudy (selective acceptance, taking the essence, discarding the dross)

As a child, I saw rural bright, patterned bed sheets; Northeast China's Errenzhuan, Shanxi's Errentai, Qinghai's Hua'er, Shanbei's Xintianyou. These are primitive aesthetics, raw and coarse, for entertainment, education, and energy release. For example, Wei Xiaobao formed his worldview listening to storytellers in teahouses. Of course, there were lowbrow elements, some being folk sexual education.

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2. Subtle (highly valued)

Examples: Tang poetry, Song ci, Chinese painting, Kunqu opera. Wang Wei's poem: "The bright moon shines between the pines, clear spring flows over the stones" -poetry in painting, painting in poetry, so beautiful! Calm, joyful, natural, and unforced.

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Also, Bai Juyi's "After countless calls, she finally appears, still holding the pipa half-covered" -vivid and unforgettable. Or Cangyang Gyatso's love poems: "Whether you come or not, I am here, facing the sea, spring blossoms" -quiet joy in the heart, truly beautiful.

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3. Pretentious (critical acceptance)

Examples: Picasso's paintings, the Pompidou Centre in France. Pretentiousness is often excessive, even "showy." Picasso, for instance, married many women, but in his later years painted very ugly women. Consider "Seated Woman" -anatomically incorrect. Others include "Woman Urinating" or "Woman Wearing a Turkish Hat."

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Picasso, Seated Woman

The Pompidou Centre, named after a French president, is still puzzling to me. I find at least three issues: (1) As a building, it is difficult to utilize, deviating from functional value; (2) As a public building, it fails to express cultural or aesthetic guidance-compare to Gaudi's Sagrada Familia or the Forbidden City; (3) Maintenance is unscientific and costly, with many external pipes, risky for workers.

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Pompidou Centre

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Sagrada Familia, Barcelona

4. Perverse (strictly forbidden)

Examples: Foot-binding in ancient China (three-inch golden lotus), pugs, goldfish.

Previously mentioned distorted beauty can be dangerous; some recognized as beautiful, yet they harm humans and hinder social progress. Foot-binding, for example, satisfied men's perverse desires but caused women extreme suffering. Similarly, facial tattoos among some Hainan minority women. We must resolutely oppose such practices.

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Three-inch Golden Lotus

Nowadays, people like to walk pugs of strange, varied shapes. Crossbred dogs may have genetic defects, diseases, infertility, developmental issues, or short lifespans. Yet some still like them. In the past, mules (donkey-horse hybrids) had advantages; now, bizarre is considered beautiful. We have no comment.

That concludes today's sharing. Until next time, I'll end my speech with a poem I wrote today:

Thanks to Professors Huang and Yu for building this platform, Bringing talented minds together from every corner of the world. A hundred flowers bloom and diverse voices resonate, As waves of insight and goodwill flow ever forward.

Thank you all, see you next time!

About the Author

Mr. Song Shiqiang serves as a popular science lecturer for the China Institute of Electronics and is a member of the Electronic Information Expert Database of the China Association for Science and Technology. He is also a columnist specializing in popular science writing and an expert in Huaqiangbei business research.

Mr. Song has invested in and operates two companies in Shenzhen: Slkor Semiconductor Co., Ltd. (www.slkoric.com [https://www.slkoric.com/]) and Kinghelm Electronics Co., Ltd. (www.kinghelm.net [https://www.kinghelm.net/]). The brands "SLKOR" and "Kinghelm" have garnered international recognition and a strong reputation.

Kinghelm, with its motto "Connecting the World," began by developing antennas for Beidou and GPS systems. The company has since expanded its product line to include microwave antennas, RF cables, and electrical signal connectors, embracing the era of intelligent connectivity where everything is interconnected.

Slkor, on the other hand, focuses on the research and development of power devices, sensors, and other semiconductor products. Together, these two companies provide services to over 20,000 customers worldwide.

Image: https://www.kinghelm.net/upload/photo/202602/20260224090754_1378_834.jpg

Mr. Song has consistently shown a keen interest in and conducted in-depth research on Huaqiangbei, actively advocating for its development. His research articles on Huaqiangbei, including "Research on Huaqiangbei," "The Transformation and Development of Huaqiangbei," and "A Refutation of Bloomberg's News on Huaqiangbei," have been reposted by major media outlets such as the People's Daily App, Xinhua News Agency, Associated Press, and Yahoo News.

With extensive experience in the electronics industry, Mr. Song enjoys widespread recognition and influence in the semiconductor and Beidou navigation fields. He has been tirelessly working to foster a more favorable business environment in Huaqiangbei, aspiring to establish it as a prominent emblem of China's Reform and Opening-up and a distinguished hallmark of Shenzhen's rapidly thriving economy.

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