Yoga and Tai Chi, Love Across Spaces & Distances (Tao Te Ching)
第十四课：卓恩 & 廖中宇：
瑜伽与太极的穿时空之恋（《道德经》）
The girl and boy being introduced in this lesson are not real "true lovers" —— indeed, they have not met each other so far. One practises yoga and the other the Tai Chi, both of whom are teachers of English training centres; one is a mother, and the other is a father, both of whom are the so-called "90's". I've been looking forward to seeing them become good partners in the near future…
本课与其它课文文体不同，名为瑜伽与太极之恋，两位修习瑜伽和太极的男女青年却并非情侣——同为90后，或为人母，或为人父，少年老成，虽历万苦，却自强不息。通过此文，他们或将成为好搭档，此为后话。
Part One: Nicco：A Yoga Trainer With Everlasting Striving
第一部分：卓恩：新生代瑜珈导师的自强不息
I interviewed Nicco two years ago, and I recorded an audio program on “Hugo's Radio: Wechat English” after that. Back to then, Nicco ran a training centre with a team of young beautiful girls, providing Yoga classes, in which she specialised. They did teach English too, however, no matter how hard they struggled, she just found that she was on the verge of flunking out. Out of desperation, she got back home and practised some yoga. Such absolutely was not my story for her, neither two years ago nor the present day. What made her one of the presentative of “the Chinese Spirit” was her specific identity as a single mother and her persistence and strong character revealed out while carrying her baby to do her job, and “Mother”, out of question, wins my admiration and draws my attention to write her story.
During her exchange trip in Bali
卓恩在巴厘岛交流期间
两年前我就采访过卓恩，在“笑哥微信英语励志电台”上有一期关于她的节目就是采访后录的。那段时间，她经营一家培训中心，除了培训她所喜爱的瑜伽课程，也还有英语课程。她的整个团队就是清一色的美少女，活脱脱一支现代版的“红色娘子军”，而她是个头儿。然而这些并不足以诠释她作为“微信英语励志人物”的真正内涵。让我佩服的，是她晋升为妈妈，背着半岁的女儿工作的那股坚强、百折不挠的精神。和“母亲”这个角色比起来，其它角色还重要吗？
Single parents and their kids can flourish, and if you don't believe it, I can show you plenty of examples to prove it. Here is a list of single parents -- or children raised by a single parent -- whose stories inspire you, and refer to them when you're having rough day:
As Sima Qian wrote in Shiji (the Book of Historical Records), Confucius's father Hé died when he was still a baby;
Mencius, whose father died when he was three years old. His mother moved three times to settle down with him so that he could have a better environment to grow up, which had been passed hundreds of generations by Chinese people as a model of “good mother”;
American president Obama (though soon he is not), who was raised by his single mom;
The former American president Clinton, who was brought up primarily by his mom......
Nicco wrote with love: She (Nicco's daughter) is the youngest and most concentrated student.
通常单亲家庭里多出有出息的子弟，我来举出一些例子：
《史记·孔子世家》记载：“纥与颜氏女野合而生孔子……丘生而叔梁纥死。”孔子在刚出生后不久就成了孤儿；
孟子三岁丧父，“孟母三迁”的故事代代相传，孟母成为天下良母的典范；
美国总统奥巴马（虽然很快就卸任），是由单身妈妈带大的；
美国前总统克林顿，主要就是由妈妈带大的……
As any of us could have imagined, being a single mother at a young age was not easy at all! Nicco makes a living far away from her hometown while her relatives are not around her. This means she has to take care of her baby by herself —— usually the old generation love to do this job for their children. We men can never tell how hard the task is to balance these two sides. Although she has been a “superwoman” in many friends' eyes, and many of them suggest her not be a workaholic, however, as she doesn't want to be the burden of her family and is used to living independently, she takes her baby to travel and study. Better or worse, that's not the case, whether being together is. Her daughter gradually turns to be a cute, lovely girl, and she is smart. Nicco has comfort herself in this way and it seems that this young single mother has figured out a special “tactic” of baby-sitting.
在异地谋生，没有亲人在身边帮衬，宝宝没人照看，因此卓恩只好亲自带娃。彼时，独立女性要想事业和育儿两不误，背后所需要付出的努力和劳累大概是男性难以想象的。尽管她早就是他人眼中的“superwoman”，许多人也劝她不要那么累，可她不想成为家里的负担 ，更习惯了独立自主的生活。 她带着宝宝一起出去学习、一起成长、一起经历工作和生活中的点点滴滴。你还别说，她真的就摸索出了一套只属于她自己的育儿法门，她的女儿逐渐成长为一位活泼可爱，灵性十足的小精灵。
Each girl in the world used to dream about becoming a princess who has all the favour granted by God and lives happily with her prince. Nicco is not the chic of the God, though she has a lovely appearance, her dimples on both cheeks become her sign, full of positive energy. Hidden from this appearance, there is an unbeatable heart. She was not born to be like that, but naturally evolved to what she was now, as she suffered from the nightmare-like facts over and over again. As a teenager, she was sexually harassed. It is surely not so easy to admit and tell the public according to the Chinese culture and I need her consent to write this. As she found that among her students there were many female victims who had the similar past but hesitated to tell any others because they abased themselves. By “letting the past go” she has escaped from that and by practising yoga and meditating she has entered into a comfortable zone, so the experiences become her teaching materials. With the hope of helping all those victims out, she teaches them yoga and her unique skills. “Yoga is just like my soul mate. ” Nicco says about Yoga, which does moisturise her life and keep her awakened, supporting her with everlasting energy. The process, she says, when she teaches yoga, is full of satisfaction, holiness, “and I can feel my responsibility and mission to keep it going. ”
每个女孩都曾渴望自己就是童话里集万千宠爱于一身的公主，幻想能够获得王子的爱情，过上幸福快乐的生活。可上天却不曾温柔的善待卓恩，虽然看上去她总是一副笑容可掬的样子，露出两个酒窝——这是她的标志，也让她正能量十足。她有着外柔内刚的性格，擅于化悲痛为力量，这让她的每一次磨砺都成了她成长的见证，成了她孜孜不倦教授瑜伽的“材料”。她曾在青春期遭遇过性骚扰——她毫不忌讳地诉说着这些经历，是因为她知道如何用瑜珈的方式面对、放下这些生活中不可预知的困境，并希望通过瑜伽去激励、帮助其她有各种不幸遭遇的女性同胞。据她了解，她的学员中有不少女性有过类似的遭遇而感到自卑，甚至有些到了年近四十仍然无法释怀。她教授的瑜伽课程不单单是体式，更多的是通过课程帮助学员追寻自我、疗愈心灵隐埋的“毒瘤”，展开新生。她说，瑜伽就是她的伴侣，无孔不入的浸润她的生活，使她保持觉知，不离不弃给予她源源不断的能量，她传播瑜伽是满足的、喜乐的，是有责任感和使命感的。
Nicco practices yoga
卓恩在练习瑜伽
That "You" of the past has disappeared; that "You" of the future has not come yet; and you, at this moment, are changing in every second; Where on earth is the exact "You"?
—— Translated from Khenpo Sodargye's Words
“过去的你，已经消失了；未来的你，还没有出现；现在的你，刹那都在变化。真正的你，到底在哪里？”
——索达吉堪布
As a young girl, she holds a strong mind in the pursuit of true love. She chose her love, and hide her pregnancy from her family, though it came expectedly, she gave birth to the baby for the sake of belief. Nine days after her parturition, the infant had a brain fever and was almost dying, as the medical staff was phoney. Those days and night suffered from the loneliness and worries when she prayed and accompanied her daughter were filled with pains that words never expressed. “Mother”, as a word she had never felt so severe, entered her life ever since. And misfortune never comes single, her father died of cancer soon. What a considerable blow! The most sorrowful experiences in the world, is no more than “The tree want to still but the wind never stops; when a son wants to be filial piety, his parents are gone. ” There would not be any more sufferings worse than that! With such a burden and her regret, she thought so. During that period, she wept as if she would never weep again in the future. However, life goes on, and to strive constantly is the best illustration to her.
年轻的她对于爱情的追寻也是坚定的。不顾父亲的反对，仍然选择了她的所爱，后对家人隐瞒自己意外怀孕的情况，出于自己的信仰，她决定留下宝宝！然而，在她产后9天，新生儿却由于没有资质的“医护人员”的过失患上了脑膜炎，几近与宝宝阴阳两隔。那些独自祈祷新生命挺过来的孤独、煎熬的日日夜夜和她对亲身骨肉生离死别的担忧，每分每秒都让她如坐针毡、刀刮心头肉——对她而言“母亲”二字一夜之间，有了别样的沉重！然而，祸不单行，她的父亲被查出肠癌，次年过世，这给她带来巨大的打击！世界上，最大的痛苦莫过于“树欲静而风不止，子欲孝而亲不在”！内心无法承受之重、和懊悔之痛，让她以为这辈子不会有比这些还痛的感受了，那段日子，她流光了一辈子的泪水……可生活还在继续，自强不息才是对她的最好诠释。
Each time she failed she found the reality bitter. Last summer, I met her in Changsha at YouClub. I have engaged in the educational field for more than 15 years, except for writing and teaching, I love to share my resources to those young fellows who are keen in educational businesses. As one of them, she must have had some problems and difficulties -- capital raising, social resources, capability to make cash flow, which are all fatal. I heard that she closed down her training centre as she had to look after all the household chores related to her father. Her disadvantages in running a business is obvious, as the training centres rely on the capital and social connections, and hence, she needs a better team.
去年夏天我们在长沙今朝会又见过一回，出于希望她在瑜伽培训领域做得更好的念想，我当时介绍一些资源给她。我自己从事培训行业十几年，对这个行业很多年轻的掌门人有苦难言的一些苦衷，我约摸可以估算到一些。而替他们排忧解难，成了近几年里除写作和讲课之外我最热衷的事情。年轻的创业者最需要的不仅是资金、社会资源，还有创造现金流的能力。一旦任何一个方面出一点问题，年轻的创业者更有可能一筹莫展。后得知卓恩的培训中心因她回老家安顿父亲而关闭。这也是管理上的弊端。培训行业很依赖个人的资本和人脉，而团队的整体能力也是至关紧要的。
God help those who help themselves. Nicco is admitted to Zhejiang University, and this time, the campus is adorned by her as she is “going school” with her little baby. To someone who starts practising yoga since 2006, a yoga master degree adds great value. Nicco also learns from exchanges she has made in Hongkong, Thailand and Bali in this period.
天道酬勤。自2006年开始修习瑜珈的卓恩被浙江大学录取，进修硕士学位，她的研究方向正是瑜伽学。她利用这段时间充电学习，期间还多次在香港、泰国、巴厘岛交流和学习。一边带娃一边学习，这也算是一道校园的风景线。
Nicco is still taking her Master course in Zhejiang University now
卓恩仍在浙大攻读硕士学位
“A series of accidents drove my life to a blind alley. Once again, I fell in the slump, I felt dull, and my body was full of pains as if it was a to-be-decomposed body... Such a toughest period, and I survived by reciting the BHAGAVAD-GITA and the YOGA SUTRAS, word by word, slowly and slowly, to awaken my inner strength bit by bit and gather the energy little by little. ”
“一系列的突发事件将我精神再一次逼向绝境，面对人生又一次低谷，我思绪停滞，全身剧痛，如同一具快要腐烂的尸体……最艰难的这段时间，支撑我活过来的，就是在清醒的时候重复阅读《薄伽梵歌》和《瑜伽经》，逐字逐句，细细咀嚼。一点点唤醒内心的力量、一滴滴召唤能量向身心集聚。”
She wrote this in an essay.
在一篇论文中，她这么写到。
“Recently, a 'close friend' I've known for six years and her husband sucked me into a whole racket so I became a victim of 'Ponzi Game'. Duped and dumped, and I was placed under house arrest and was threatened. Hateful, wronged, regretful... No sound could I sound, no food could I swallow, no sleep could I fall. I was so scared of seeing any faces, so scared of hearing any sounds -- I wanted to die! I imagined which way I would take to suicide, how would it feel if jumping off a tall building?”
“近期，认识6年的‘闺蜜’和她老公的有意加害，使我卷入‘庞氏骗局’。一瞬间，众叛亲离。我被投资人软禁和胁迫。憎恨、委屈、愧歉……凡此种种，充斥着我的身心，我嗓子发不出声、咽不下食、睡不着觉。我害怕见到一切熟悉和陌生的面孔，害怕听到一切声响——多想离开这个复杂而且残酷的世界！我想象各种自杀的办法，幻想从高楼跳下的感受……”
“As soon as I keep practising the meditation and reciting the classics, I find the energy flow together to me. I wake up in the morning with a better look and voice, I am awakened and my inner sound tells me:
'You are not afraid of dying, then what may horrify you? You are benevolent and kind, why do you make yourself suffer? who make you suffer? You have the strength to do everything and anything, you are capable of creating the life you want, you have the energy to become that YOU you want to be...'
“随着冥想的练习和经典的诵读，我逐渐感受到能量向身体中心慢慢地汇集。早晨起床后更有精神，说话慢慢的更有气力，内在的潜意识逐步唤醒，并召唤着我。内心的声音在告诉我：
‘你连死都不怕了，你还恐惧什么？你的本性那么慈悲、善良，为什么要让你自己受苦？是谁让你受苦？你有力量做任何事，你有能力创造你想要的生活，你有能量成为你想成就的那个你……’”
BHAGAVAD-GITA YOGA SUTRAS
《薄伽梵歌》 《瑜伽经》
黑暗不能驱走黑暗，只有光明才能做到；仇恨不能驱走仇恨，只有爱心才能做到。”
——马丁·路德金
“Weakness causes all the misery in the world, weakness is one of the main reasons to sufferings... When there's nothing weaken us, there'll be no death, no pains. It is illusion what makes us pain. Let go of it, and all will be disappeared.”
---- Translated from the “Veda”
“软弱导致了世界上所有的不幸，软弱是受苦的原因之一……当没有什么可以削弱我们时，就不会死亡，也没有痛苦。是错觉让我们痛苦。放弃它，一切都消失了。”
——《吠陀经》
Nicco and her daughter learned yoga from V. Srinivasan and S. Sridharan at KYM, INDIA
卓恩与女儿师从印度克里希那玛查亚瑜伽院专家斯里尼瓦森及斯达仁两位先生
“On the road of self healing and self redemption, there are no secrets but the persistance and struggle. As Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche says, ' The only barrier of meditation is laziness. There is not a barrier but being lazy, as other barriers may become our supplementary.” Words from the classics teach us the truth, what we need is the courage to face the “blood” (quoted from the Chinese writer Luxun). Nicco demostrated the yoga in “Mantra” style two years ago, how I wondered where her energy came from, yet I neglected her pain. In terms of yoga, this can be illustrated like this, allow me to borrow once again her own words,
“Shri Krishna illustrated yoga as this, 'The supreme holiness beyond our sense can be only attained with wisdom. Once you have had it, you will never walk away from the holiness... He who abtains such holiness needs nothing else. By dwelling in the holiness, pains will no longer disturb you... The science of breaking the connection to pain is the so-called yoga. Practise yoga with persistance and concentration...' What an illustration! My body and experiences have proved his words about the scientificity in yoga. As the holiness flows to my whole body...Now it is my great pleasure to share this with you, my friends, and I have painted this oil painting in the holiness, the Dwell in Holiness.”
“在自我疗愈、自我救赎的路上，除了坚持、努力，没有秘诀，正如咏给·明就仁波切所言：修禅唯一的障碍是惰性。除了惰性，对修禅来说，是没有任何障碍的了。因为一切的障碍，都能够成为你修禅的辅助。”
经典中的每句话都能直指人心，真理就在那里，只要你有勇气去正视“淋漓的鲜血”（鲁迅语）！卓恩两年前就向我示范过她随印度瑜伽大师习得的唱诵瑜伽，我那时仅仅是诧异于她澎湃的积极动力，却不觉知她曾经历过的痛楚。以练习瑜伽的专业术语来解释这样的现象，我不得不再次引用她自己的语言：
“克里希纳是这么诠释瑜伽的：‘那超越感官的至上喜乐，只有智力才能把握。一旦获得它，他便稳稳地扎根在这喜乐中，绝不会离开……获得这种喜乐，他就再没有优于此的东西需要获得了。一旦安住在这种喜乐中，即便是巨大的悲伤也不能干扰他……断绝与痛苦的联结之科学，就是所谓‘瑜伽’。要决心坚定、毫不分心地修习瑜伽……’贴切、深入、简单明了的诠释，我的身体、经验一次次应证了其对瑜伽的科学性的诠释，喜乐流动心间，遍布全身……现在，我也乐意将它分享给我的学员及有缘之人。感恩我的恩师们！Namaskar！心怀喜乐，我创作了油画《安住喜乐》。”
Dwell in Holiness by Nicco, Oil Paiting
《安住喜乐》，油画，卓恩作
Part Two:
Leon: Integrate Chinese and English, Link the Past and Future
第二部分：
廖中宇：中西合璧，承前启后
Leon posted a Moment after he had his TESOL CERTIFICATE in 2015
廖中宇在2015年获得国际英语教师证之后发表的朋友圈
"Would you like to know how a boy of disabled parents finally could have made English speeches in front of hundreds of people?
Would you like to know the secret of how he could have made his high school English score increase dramatically from 38 to 120 in just one month?
Would you like to know the secret of how he could have changed his poor English into 'near-native' so he could have had his TESOL CERTIFICATE?
And his students are even better… many many more wonderful stories about this.
Come to me, and I am right here.
I'm Leon, a father of an American boy, who will share his secrets of learning English with you guys…"
I write Leon's inspirational stories here for I have witnessed a boy who is rising as a brand new star in English training, though his family is poor, to a specific group here in China are being the so-called "90's", whose stories are significant with the plot of carrying his family on his should as a father and a son.
In the end of 2014, after I finished the training of TCSOL for Chinese teachers, I started to write this book. Then one day, when I dubbed for one of my previous books with my American friend Don on the beach, I found in my Wechat contacts a new friend, who soon after bought two books of mine from me. This boy was Leon.
By that time, I focused on training both the TCSOL and TESOL teachers, rather than teaching students English, as the two books, as a package, provided English learners the basic concept of listening, speaking, reading and writing, I had no necessity to give more training to intensive learners. All of this becomes the foundation of LAN CHINESE & ENGLISH RESEARCH INSTITUTE, founded in 2016.
At first, Leon and I communicated on Wechat, and sometimes we spoke English. As what I had done long long ago, I pointed out his advantages and disadvantages in language, based on which I helped him with a learning scheme. Normally good chances existed with small details, he who could have paid his attention to the details might also have the chances. And about this, Leon had set a great example.
我写Leon（我习惯了这么去称呼他）的励志故事，是因为我在过去三年的时间里见证了一个出身农村、家境贫苦的有志青年逐步蜕变为一代英语培训新星的经历，同时见证了他从男孩到男人的过渡，如今他是"上有老，下有小"的男子汉大丈夫，对于"90后"这个特殊的群体来说，他的蜕变过程有着非同一般的意义。
在2014年年尾，在湖南结束一期国际汉语教师认证班（TCSOL）后，我开始创作本书。有一天在大海边，我和美国朋友Don为《给力英语读写宝典》配完音，我的微信上收到一条好友验证的申请，通过微信他找我购买了一套《给力英语》的听说读写系列教材，这个人就是廖中宇。其实那段时间我已经不教英语学生，我把培养的目标锁定在教师这个群体，希望培养更多国际的汉语和英语教师——这为三年后的今天已经成熟的兰氏国学英语研究院打下了基础。
我们陆续有了一些微信上的语音交流，有时也说英语，像对待任何其他勤奋、好学的书友一样，我会指出一些语言上的特征，再提出一系列的意见。有悟性的人会十分珍惜这个过程，通过它创造一些更好的学习机会。而Leon完全做到了。
Leon has his teaching practise in Liannan
廖老师在连南的教学实践
The next year, ejWON (one of my companies) signed a contract with CAT-TESOL as the general agent of China mainland except Shanghai ( which is the headquarter of CAT-TESOL China located ), and Leon signed up as one of the 10 candidates in the 1st Offline Class of English Teacher Training. On my trip driving from Guangdong to Hunan as Esther, one of the 10 candidates, I chose to take a break halfway in Chenzhou, at where Leon set his English training centre. That became our first meet.
Parenthetically, I need add Esther's story into this part. Esther is from Liannan, an autonomous county of the Yao nationality in Qingyuan, Guangdong. In a time when she started to work, she met a retired Singaporean English teacher, who encouraged and sponsored Esther to return to a teacher training institute. Such a great lady played a great role in her life and meant a lot to all Esther's families. Now as her wish, that someday if Esther could become a qualified TESOL English teacher, all her contribution to this Yao girl would be full of significances, and to put this significance to this way, if only Esther would teach the younger generations English well. Wow, such a wonderful significant contribution to Liannan!
Then one day, when Esther worked as an English trainer in Crazy English, she read my first published book, "I O U, YEAH" from her colleague Rocky, who used to follow me and worked at ejWON, dropping out of the university he studied at. For any reason of taking that book with him he might have had, which I was not sure, perhaps as a comfort or souvenir, as he was merely being inspired by a speech I made before he had made such a decision, I have been appreciated for that. On the cover of the book, Esther saw the "TESOL", and as if there was a doorway to realising her eternal life goal, she walked though it and she seized the chance.
In this speech in 2013, Rocky decides to drop out and follows my team
2013年的这场演讲，湛赠有了辍学加入我团队的决定
次年，在英国剑桥翻译学会（CAMBRIDGE ACADEMY OF TRANSLATION, UK ）多年来对英语语言教学与翻译的研究成果中，一教网对教师培训项目情有独钟，因此有幸成为TESOL这个国际级的师资培训体系在上海地区外全国的总代理。Leon成为我主培的第一期线下班的十名学员之一。而我和他的第一次见面，却是在从广东连南瑶族自治县驱车前往湖南长沙时，途中选择的一次"小憩"。那是在郴州。车上有另一位TESOL学员，瑶妹子沈文祯。
说起中宇的蜕变，就要从TESOL这期认证班开始说起；说起TESOL，也要提到文祯。文祯是通过我的第一本书《给力英语听说宝典》与我结缘的，而那本书她却是湛赠那儿看到的——当时他们俩都在广州疯狂英语带班。或许是作为某种特别的纪念，赠把我的书带在身边，造就了这么深的缘分。用文祯自己的话来讲，TESOL是她从教十几年以来最后未了的情结——她走上社会工作后，得蒙一位新加坡的退休英语教师的鼓励和资助又考取师范，并设定以英语教学作为一生的事业。当后来成为她干妈的这位资助人告诉她在这个领域里，TESOL是最权威的认证时，文祯心里豁然明朗了，而在书上赫然呈现出的"TESOL系列培训教材"字样，使得她心里的通往世界的大门立刻敞开来。
We went to Esther's hometown for the Teaching Practise, where there lived kids of pure hearts, as pure as the mineral water in the mountains. Teachers, in my opinion, are those who know his students well and set different methods for different individuals. As a restrict teacher trainer, I treated them fairly at first but in steps, according to their attitude and altitude, I had different methods. Up till now, there have been a few candidates who haven't graduated. A teacher, without possessing the characteristics of modesty, diligence, persistence, his being famous in the world or the darling of the chic means no differences from the peacocks prance and strut upon the stage.
Liannan, historian heritage of the Yao nationality
连南瑶族的历史遗产：千年瑶寨
我们去了连南几家幼儿园和小学做教学实习，孩子们纯净的心，和山里的泉水一样透亮。我向来主张因材施教，对每一个教师我都一视同仁，希望帮助他们定位到优点，精益求精。而缺点和不足却是漫长的修炼过程——"活到老，学到老"，如我自身，虽从教15年，作为TESOL教师培训师也有六七年了，我自己的缺点和不足的审视却从来没有少过。这是为师者必须要有的一种态度，因为即使是精益求精的过程，其实也是自己在找自己的麻烦，自己在给自己挑毛病，并不断去超越。我对他们都比较严格，所以到了今天，这一期里，仍有好几位学员没有获准毕业。一个老师没有谦虚的态度去学习，没有勤奋的行动来付出，没有打持久战的耐力，他就算现在已经是名扬天下的"中国好老师"，在我眼里，他也不过只是哗众取宠，浪得虚名罢了。
A volunteer teaching tour in Liannan, where Esther comes from，Esther, Leon, and me in the middle, Mr. Chen Mo on the right
文祯老家连南支教之旅，中：文祯、中宇和我；右一：陈墨先生
In the 6th century, Bodhidharma came to China from India to transmit the Chan Buddhism, a knowledgeable Chinese monk, Huike (483-593) came to Shaoshi Mountain to visit him with the willing to learn the Dharma. However Bodhidharma refused to resume teaching anything, but meditating in front of the wall. Huike inspired himself with the stories left behind by the wise, that there were wise men sacrificing their bodies for the Dharma —— donating blood to cure the thirsty; jumping off the cliff to feed the hungry tiger. One day, he had kept vigil for weeks in the deep snow outside of the monastery without realising the snow had reached his knees, which touched Bodhidharma's heart. Bodhidharma taught Huike, "All the supreme Dharma of the Buddha deserves practising with persistence and diligence with bodily hardships, to tolerate as no one else could do; those who pay tiny wisdom and intelligence, neglect and pride will gain nothing and all the struggle will be in vain." Hearing this, Huike cut off his left arm to demonstrate his sincerity. Seeing his blood, Bodhidharma was deeply moved, so he took Huike as his disciple and that's why Huike afterwards became the Second Patriarch of the Chan Buddhism —— Chinese Zen.
当年达摩从天竺来中国弘扬佛法，遇到对儒道两家深有研究并自小已出家的慧可（487-593）登门少室山求法。最初达摩只是面壁，并不理睬看似虔诚前来向他学习的慧可。慧可非但不气馁，反倒越发恭敬有加。他不时以前辈高人为法忘躯——刺血济饥，投崖饲虎的典故来激励自己。一日在雪地里久立，不觉积雪已没过他的膝盖。达摩这才寥寥赐上几语："诸佛无上妙道，旷劫精勤，难行能行，非忍而忍。岂以小德小智，轻心慢心，欲冀真乘，徒劳勤苦？" 告知诸佛所开示的无上妙道，须累劫精进勤苦地修行，行常人所不能行，忍常人所不能忍，方可证得；无上妙道绝非小德小智、轻心慢心所能到达，如此无异于痴人说梦，徒自勤苦，毫无结果。为表自己决心，行常人所不能行，慧可后来自断了左臂。鲜血淋漓时，达摩大受他感动，于是决定收他为徒。慧可后来即是禅宗二祖。
On the feast for Leon's son's full month in the beginning of 2016, Esther and I attend
Leon迎来了他儿子的满月喜宴， 我带文祯一同赴宴
On the feast to celebrating his son's full month, Esther and I were invited to attend. I met his parents once again and the occasion made me reconsider the definition of being a "teacher". What can I teach to my students who are already good teachers? What can I do to help them with better career development? As the only son of a disabled man, now a father of a baby who owns an American citizenship, Leon is not easy at all! What he needs the most is a platform which enables him to shine as a star.
Daily afternoon Chinese & English reading with kids in a garden
在小区里举行的国学英语午读
LAN CHINESE & ENGLISH INSTITUTE was founded in Chenzhou soon after, and Leon was the headmaster, while Esther was the vice headmaster. This September, LAN CHINESE & ENGLISH set a branch in Shenzhen, in association with Shenzhen TV and Shang Institute. Leon enjoyed each moment being together with his students and the audience. With the tailor-made tactics for him, he made himself more and more confident in the English Contests in Chenzhou and Shenzhen.
满月宴上，我再次见到了Leon的家人。他是家里唯一的儿子，所以"上有老，下有小"的压力会很明显，尤其是他父亲更是一位残疾人。这也是为何后来从湘南学院他突然辍学然后在郴州创业的原因之一。我就曾在他们郴州租住的房子里呆过两晚，我一直在思考一个"师者"的定义，我在教更多本来就优秀的老师走向世界，"传道"、"受（授）业"、"解惑"我要如何去诠释？对于Leon来说，他最需要的是事业平台，可以像我一样坚持十几年还乐在其中的事业平台。
随后不久，在郴州当地我们开设了第一家以兰氏命名的国学英语培训中心，Leon被任命为校长，与文祯联手经营。相对他早两年就在当地开设的自然英语培训来说，这家由他管理的培训中心位置要偏僻得多。然而，这仅仅是让他小试牛刀的第一步。通过我为他量身打造的TESOL教学法，他的主持和发音上的亮点得以在国学英语的教学体系中得以充分展现。在周围几里地范围，由他一手主持的双语电视大赛，也是深入人心，他的形象为家家户户的人们熟悉。九个月后，我们又进军深圳，与深圳广电集团丄学堂栏目组深入合作，Leon是先锋，带着小分队冲锋陷阵。
Chinese people carries a long tradition of respecting teachers. However, as a young teacher with older students, i.e. Esther, I do not have any advantages of seniority, and it is impossible to expect for manners which are as great as how they have been in the long tradition. That's why I prefer a modern system of management, the enterprise culture. My students, while working with me at the company, can be my partners. They have the chances to take control of new companies we may set together in a right time with a good location; they can be my co-writers of my next series of books, and make speeches worldwide. Generally speaking, risks and difficulties that I encountered in the past 15 years are not necessarily to be taken by my mates. Capital, human resource, business mode, all may cause the destruction.
中国人对"传道"和"受业"的师者向来是礼待的，这体现在诸多方面。对于我这样年龄还不足以"倚老卖老"的"老师"来说——文祯就要比我大上好几岁，要让学生对我过分尊崇，点头哈腰，像对待父母一样照顾有加，我觉得不太可能。为此我更倾向打造一种现代化的企业管理文化，我带着自己欣赏的学生共同成长。他们拥有期权和股份，并可以在时机成熟时在他们家乡作为控股一方将国学英语品牌继续发扬光大；他们将和我一起编写接下来一个又一个系列的国学英语教材，并在全球范围内巡回演讲。我在十多年间遇到过的经营上难题，资金、人手、运营模式，我不希望他们今后也要去体验一次——对于志向不坚的创业者来说，一次残酷一点的教训就足以毁灭一个人。
yǒu wù hún chéng ，xiān tiān dì shēng 。
有 物 混 成 ， 先 天 地 生 。
Something mysteriously formed, Born before heaven and Earth.
jì xī liáo xī ， dú lì bú gǎi ，
寂 兮 寥 兮， 独 立 不 改 ，
In the silence and the void, Standing alone and unchanging,
zhōu xíng ér bú dài ， kě yǐ wéi tiān xià mǔ 。
周 行 而 不 殆 ，可 以 为 天 下 母 。
Ever present and in motion. Perhaps it is the mother of all things.
wú bù zhī qí míng ， qiáng zì zhī yuē dào ，qiáng wèi zhī míng yuē dà 。
吾 不 知 其 名 ， 强 字 之 曰 道 ， 强 为 之 名 曰 大。
I do not know its name,Call it Tao. I call it greatness for lack of a better word.
dà yuē shì ，shì yuē yuǎn ， yuǎn yuē fǎn 。
大 曰 逝， 逝 曰 远 ， 远 曰 反。
Being great, it flows; It flows, so it goes far away; Having gone far, it returns.
gù dào dà ，tiān dà ， dì dà ，rén yì dà 。
故 道 大，天 大， 地 大，人 亦 大 。
Therefore, Tao is great; Heaven is great; Earth is great; The human are also great.
yù zhōng yǒu sì dà ， ér rén jū qí yī yān 。
域 中 有 四 大， 而 人 居 其 一 焉 。
There are four greatnesses in universe, And human is one of them.
rén fǎ dì ，dì fǎ tiān ， tiān fǎ dào ，dào fǎ zì rán 。
人 法 地，地 法 天 ，天 法 道 ， 道 法 自 然 。
Man follows earth. Earth follows heaven. Heaven follows the Tao. Tao is natural.
—— Quoted and Translated from Tao Te Ching
—— 摘译自《道德经》
