In the Tao Te Ching, Chapter 41, the next sentence of the phrase "The elephant is invisible" was "The Tao is hidden and nameless". It meant that the function of the " Dao " was very great, but it presented the opposite form. It was nameless and formless. With human intelligence, there was no way to judge it, evaluate it, or find it. The " Dao " did not strive for a name and form for itself.
The next phrase of " the elephant is invisible " was " the Dao is hidden and nameless ". It meant that the function of "Dao" was very great, but it presented a nameless and formless state. We could only use the word "great" to describe "Dao". The Tao is extremely vast, and everything depends on it to grow. However, with our intelligence, we can't judge, evaluate, or find it at all. It also doesn't fight for its own name and form. It is the source of all things, the original state, the ancestor of all things, and the creator of all things. Although it has great functions, it is still nameless and invisible. We can only know its existence through our knowledge system and infer its existence and operation through our ideas and thoughts.
The next sentence of 'Shapeless Elephant' was 'Nameless Dao'.
The meaning of " elephant formless " was to turn intention into unintention, to accommodate all kinds of things, not to be overly assertive, and not to reveal deliberate intentions. It originated from the Tao Te Ching, and its original meaning was that grand scenes often had no definite shape. It was also often used to describe a person's deep inner cultivation. His wisdom and ability were not revealed on the surface, but hidden deep in his heart and only revealed at the critical moment. Such a person was like an elephant, whose strength and wisdom were not directly displayed on the surface. This kind of person was knowledgeable, understanding, approachable, but distant. They could achieve the same frequency with people of different levels, interact with people without prejudice, and freely switch between right and wrong in the secular world without discrimination or obsession.
" Great music is silent, and the elephant is invisible." It meant that the most beautiful music sounded lonely and silent, and the grand image could not see its shape. This concept came from the Tao Te Ching and expressed an extremely high realm. For example, grand imposing scenes often had no fixed form. They were intentional and unintentional, compatible with all kinds of situations, and did not deliberately reveal or advocate. There was no such thing as a " silent elephant ".
" Late-bloomed " meant that the largest or most powerful objects needed a long time to develop and train before they could be formed. Later, it was also used to describe people who could take on heavy responsibilities had to go through long-term learning and training, so they would achieve their achievements later. 'Elephant formless' meant that the bigger the image, the more formless it was. This was the highest realm of Dao. Now, it was also extended to not be overly assertive towards people and things, but to be tolerant of all kinds of things.
When the elephant was used to describe a person, it meant that the person's ability and achievements were very grand. It also meant that the person was grand but did not reveal his intention or show off. He was able to accommodate all kinds of situations and make people feel that he was grand. For example, Marshal Zhu De's military ability and prestige were extremely high, but he was generous, had no airs, took the lead, had a strong sense of the overall situation, endured humiliation, was good at communication, and handled matters as if they were light. His superb level of leading troops was grand and friendly, mighty but ordinary, just like the realm expressed by the invisible elephant. Those folk artists who had real skills but seemed ordinary and mixed in with the ordinary people could also be seen as the embodiment of the invisible elephant.
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"The elephant is invisible" came from the Tao Te Ching, Chapter 41.
" The Invisible Elephant " was a crime mystery novel. It was based on a documentary crime case and delved into the complexity of human nature. In terms of plot, the book showed the game between a high-IQ criminal and a detective, such as the confrontation between an elephant and a red ghost. The contest between them was not only a confrontation of wisdom, but also reflected the struggle between good and evil of human nature. In this process, countless ordinary people's lives were involved, revealing the tragic experiences of the neglected vulnerable groups behind the crime, such as the street children and the fringe people who were used and killed. Thematically, the novel makes the reader think about the boundary between good and evil. It pointed out that good and bad were not distinct, but like a scene under a zoom lens, from nothingness to concrete, blurry. " No one is a bad person, just an ordinary person who has done bad things." This sentence deeply reflected this theme. The characters in the book, whether they were the main characters or supporting characters, all existed in the gray area of human nature. Their actions were driven by desire, such as the seven deadly sins of gluttony, greed, and laziness. This reflected the dark side of human nature when there was no social ethics or legal moral constraints. In terms of reading experience, the novel had a strong appeal. From the beginning, when the cover touched the heartstrings, to immersing in the game of the characters in the book, to the deep thoughts after the book was closed, it all showed that this book could arouse readers to think deeply about human nature, social phenomena, and many other aspects. It made readers feel the complexity of human nature and the contrast between good and evil.