The Thickness of Reading
Wang Yangming believed that reading is a way to accumulate the depth of life. Some people are empty inside, unable to contribute to the world or enrich their own lives.
Zhuangzi once said: “If water is not deep enough, it cannot carry a large boat; if the wind is not strong enough, it cannot lift great wings.” Those with grand ambitions must build the thickness of their reading. The more wisdom we gain from books, the more calmly we face life’s challenges.
Wang Yangming emphasized reading widely but not forcing memorization. Reading classics opens wisdom and nurtures the heart through reflection.
The English philosopher Francis Bacon wrote: “Histories make men wise; poets, witty; philosophy, deep; moral, grave; logic, able to contend.” Each kind of book offers its own gift.
Knowledge is like a boat that carries us through storms, or wings that lift us above confusion. When we build our lives with the thickness of reading, we move forward with ease—like sailing with the current or flying with the wind.