The Art of Deception and Adrian's Tale Chapter 3

I read Chinese history and found many loopholes. I felt that the success and failure of the Twenty-Four Histories and the judgments of the historians were completely opposite. It was also inconsistent with the principles of the sages. I was very surprised and thought that the successful people in ancient times must have a special secret that was beyond the historians and sages. I tried hard to find the secret, but I couldn't find it. Later, I happened to think about the people in the Three Kingdoms period, and suddenly I realized that the secret of the ancients' success was nothing more than being thick-skinned and black-hearted.

From this, the rise and fall of the twenty-four histories can be fully covered by these four words. So I wrote a humorous text titled "Houhei Xue", which is divided into three volumes: Volume 1 "Houhei Xue", Volume 2 "Houhei Jing", and Volume 3 "Houhei Chuan Xi Lu". In March of the first year of the Republic of China, it was disclosed in Chengdu's "Gonglun Daily". At that time, this kind of discussion was considered very novel, and readers were shocked. Before the second volume was finished, I stopped it at the advice of my friends. Unexpectedly, from then on, the three words "Houhei Xue" became popular in Sichuan and became a common noun. When I went to a place, someone asked me to talk about "Houhei Xue", and I would describe it in detail from the beginning. The listeners all nodded in understanding, and often sighed: "I failed in something because I didn't talk about the art of thick black." Others said: "So-and-so's reputation is due to his good research on the art of thick black." Sometimes when I meet a stranger and ask each other's names, he will ask me in a very surprised tone: "Are you Li who invented the art of thick black?" Or someone else will introduce him: "He is Adrian Li who invented the art of thick black." What's even more ridiculous is that students actually use this term when doing Chinese, so you can imagine how widely it is spread.

Originally, this was a playful text, but I didn't expect it to have such an impact. I was also very surprised. I thought that this kind of discussion was so popular that it must have something to do with psychology. So I continued to study it and found that the Thick Black School was derived from the theory of human nature being evil, which was the same as Wang Yangming's "reaching the conscience" being derived from the theory of human nature being good. The ancients said: "Benevolence and righteousness are inherent in nature." I said: "Thick Black is inherent in nature." Yangming said: "Seeing the father naturally knows filial piety, seeing the elder brother naturally knows the younger brother." What he said was very logical and unshakable. I said: "When a child sees the cake in his mother's mouth, he will naturally take it and put it in his own mouth. When he is eating in his mother's arms, he will naturally push and hit his elder brother when he sees him coming." What he said was also very logical and unshakable. Yangming's lectures were popular among the general public, so "The Thick Black School" was also popular among the general public.

Mencius's theory of human nature is good, and Xunzi's theory of human nature is evil to counter it. Wang Yangming's "seeking knowledge and goodness" can also counter it. I really want to study how human nature is formed. I found some books on teaching in the Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties, and found that most of the theories they talked about were fragmented and far-fetched, tortuous and difficult to understand, which made me feel bored. So I put these books aside and used the methods of studying physics to study psychology. Only then did I realize that psychology and mechanics are connected. When we study human nature, we cannot determine whether it is good or evil, just like studying the nature of water and fire, we cannot determine whether it is good or evil.

Mencius's theory of human nature being good and Xunzi's theory of human nature being evil are both biased views. The "Thick Black Theory" I am talking about is naturally more biased, and its degree of bias is exactly the same as Wang Yangming's theory of "seeking knowledge and goodness". If readers do not understand this principle, they will eventually fail if they seriously practice thick black. The reason can be understood by reading my book "Psychology and Mechanics". However, although we do not want to practice thick black, we must guard against people practicing thick black in our name, so we must know their magic.

Thick Black Studies

Ever since I learned to read, I have wanted to be a hero. I have searched the Four Books and the Five Classics, but found nothing. I have searched the various schools of thought and the Twenty-Four Histories, but still found nothing. I thought that the heroes of the ancient times must have some secrets that were not passed down, but I am stupid by nature and cannot find them. I have been searching for years, forgetting to sleep and eat, and this has been going on for years. Once I happened to think of a few characters from the Three Kingdoms period, and suddenly I realized: I got it, I got it. The heroes of the ancient times were just thick-skinned and black-hearted.

Among the heroes of the Three Kingdoms, Cao Cao is the most famous. His specialty is his evil heart: he killed Lü Bushe, Kong Rong, Yang Xiu, Dong Cheng and Fu Wan, and also killed the queen and the princes, without caring about anything. He even said blatantly: "I would rather betray others than be betrayed by others." His evil heart was really extreme. With such ability, he is of course called the hero of the world.

The second is Liu Bei. His specialty is thick-skinned. He relied on Cao Cao, Lu Bu, Liu Biao, Sun Quan, and Yuan Shao. He moved around and lived under other people's roofs. He was not ashamed, and he was good at crying. The author of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms made him even more vivid. When he encountered something he couldn't solve, he cried bitterly to others and immediately turned defeat into victory. Therefore, there is a saying: "Liu Bei's kingdom was won by crying." This is also a skill. He and Cao Cao can be called the two best. When they were drinking and talking about heroes, one had the darkest heart and the other had the thickest face. When they met, you couldn't help me, and I couldn't help you. Looking around at Yuan Benchu   and others, they were despicable and insignificant, so Cao Cao said: "The heroes in the world are only you and me."

There is also Sun Quan, who is an ally of Liu Bei and a relative of his father's uncle. He suddenly seized Jingzhou and killed Guan Yu. His heart was as evil as Cao Cao, but he could not be completely evil. Then he asked for peace with Shu. His degree of evil was slightly less than Cao Cao. He was as powerful as Cao Cao, and he was equal to him. Suddenly he became a vassal under Prime Minister Cao. His face was as thick as Liu Bei, but he could not be completely thick. Then he broke off relations with Wei. His degree of thickness was slightly less than Liu Bei. Although he was not as evil as Cao, and not as thick as Bei, he had both qualities and could not be considered a hero. The three of them used their abilities. You could not conquer me, and I could not conquer you. At that time, the world had to be divided into three parts.

Later, Cao Cao, Liu Bei and Sun Quan died one after another, and Sima Yi and his son rose to power. Sima Yi was influenced by Cao and Liu and mastered the art of being thick-skinned. He could bully widows and orphans, and his heart was as dark as Cao Cao's. He could endure humiliation by women, and his face was even thicker than Liu Bei's. When I read the history about Sima Yi being humiliated by women, I couldn't help but slam the table and shout, "The world belongs to the Sima family!" So at this time, the world had to be unified. This was all "inevitable and reasonable."

Zhuge Wuhou, a genius in the world, was the best person in the three dynasties. However, he had no way out when he met Sima Yi. He made up his mind to "devote himself to the cause until his death", but in the end he could not gain any territory in the Central Plains and even died of vomiting blood. It can be seen that even a talented person like Wang Zuo was no match for the famous master of thick black.

I have repeatedly studied the stories of several of his characters and discovered this secret that has never been passed down through the ages. The Twenty-Four Histories all have one consistent theme: "It's just thick and dark." I will cite the Han Dynasty to prove this.

Xiang Yu was a man who could move mountains and conquer the world. He was a powerful warrior who could sweep through thousands of troops, but why did he die in Dongcheng and become a laughing stock of the world? The reason for his failure is what Han Xin said: "Women's kindness and common man's courage". Women's kindness is that they cannot bear to see something, and the root of the problem is that they are not black-hearted; common man's courage is that they cannot bear to be humiliated, and the root of the problem is that they are not thick-skinned. At the Hongmen Banquet, Xiang Yu and Liu Bang sat at the same table. Xiang Zhuang had already taken out his sword. He only needed to scratch Liu Bang's neck to hang up the sign of "Emperor Taigao". However, he hesitated and could not bear it, and Liu Bang escaped. If they had crossed the Wujiang River and made a comeback after the defeat at Gaixia, who would have won? He went on to say, "I and eight thousand Jiangdong young men crossed the river to the west, but now no one has returned. Even if the fathers and brothers of Jiangdong pity me and miss me, how can I face them? Even if they don't say anything, won't I feel guilty?" These words are really wrong! He said, "I can't face people"; then, "I feel guilty." How did the great man's face grow, how did the great man's heart grow? Without even a little investigation, he said, "This is God's will, not the fault of war." I'm afraid God cannot be blamed.

Let's study Liu Bang's ability. History records: Xiang Yu asked the King of Han: "The world has been in turmoil for several years, but it's just because of us two. I am willing to challenge the King of Han to see who is the better." The King of Han smiled and thanked him, saying: "I would rather fight with wisdom than with strength." Where did the words "smile and thank" come from? When Liu Bang met Li Sheng, he asked two women to wash his feet. Li Sheng blamed him for being arrogant to the elders, and he immediately stopped and thanked him. His own father was at the table, and he wanted to have a share of the pie; his own children, Xiaohui and Lu Yuan, were chased by the Chu soldiers, and he was able to push them off the car to escape; later he killed Han Xin and Peng Yue, and the bow was put away after the birds were killed, and the dogs were cooked after the rabbits died. What was the state of Liu Bang's heart? How could Xiang Yu, who was "female-hearted and brave" think of it? In the Records of the Grand Historian, only Liu Bang was said to have a long face and Xiang Yu had double pupils, but there was no mention of the thickness of their faces and the black and white of their hearts, which was unworthy of the title of a good historian.

Liu Bang's face and heart are very different from others. He can be called "a saint born with natural talent". Liu Bang's use of black characters is really "living in harmony and doing what one wants without going beyond the rules". As for thick characters, he also added some academic qualifications. His master is Zhang Liang, one of the three heroes. Zhang Liang's master is the old man on the bridge. Their true inheritance is clearly verifiable. In the matter of receiving books on the bridge, the old man's various actions were nothing more than teaching Zhang Liang to be thick-skinned. This principle is clearly stated in Wesley Su's "Liu Hou Lun". Zhang Liang was a person with predestined roots. Once he was pointed out, he suddenly realized what he said, so the old man expected him to be a king's teacher. This supreme method is definitely not something that people with dull roots can understand, so the historical record says: "Liang said to others, but they all didn't understand, only Pei Gong was good at it. Liang said, Pei Gong was probably gifted by heaven." It can be seen that this kind of knowledge is all about qualifications. It is rare to find a wise teacher, and it is not easy to find a good disciple. When Han Xin asked to be made the King of Qi, Liu Bang refused and almost missed the task. It was all thanks to his teacher Zhang Liang who was there to give him guidance. It was like a teacher correcting a student's homework in school. With Liu Bang's talent, he sometimes made mistakes. This shows how profound his knowledge was.

Liu Bang was a man of great talent and education. He broke the five relationships of ruler and subject, father and son, brother, husband and wife, and friend, and swept away all the propriety, righteousness, integrity, and shame. That’s why he was able to defeat all the heroes and unify the country. It took more than 400 years for his thick and dark energy to be eliminated. The Han system was thus severed.

During the Chu-Han period, there was a man who had the thickest skin and a clean heart, but he still failed. Who was he? It was Han Xin, who everyone knows. He could endure the humiliation of being kicked in the crotch, and his level of thick skin was not inferior to that of Liu Bang. Unfortunately, he did not study the word "black" enough. When he was the King of Qi, it would have been invaluable if he had listened to Kuai Tong. However, he was obsessed with Liu Bang's kindness of giving him clothes and food, and said rashly: "Those who wear other people's clothes have other people's worries; those who eat other people's food have other people's affairs." Later, he was beheaded in the bell room of Changle, and his nine clans were exterminated. He really brought this upon himself. He ridiculed Xiang Yu for being too soft-hearted, which shows that even if one's heart is not clean, one will still fail. He knew this principle, but he failed here, and Han Xin could not be blamed.

At the same time, there was another person who was the most evil-hearted and had a thin skin. He also failed. This person is also known to everyone. His surname is Fan and his name is Zeng. Liu Bang broke through Xianyang, tied up Ziying, and returned to the army on the dam without harming anyone. Fan Zeng tried every means to put him to death. His heart was as evil as Liu Bang's; but he was thin-skinned and could not stand the humiliation. The Han Dynasty used Chen Ping's plan to alienate the King of Chu. Zeng became angry and asked to leave. When he returned to Pengcheng, he died of a carbuncle on his back. Generally speaking, people who do great things don't have reason to get angry easily? "If Zeng doesn't leave, Xiang Yu won't die." If he could be patient, Liu Bang would have many flaws and could attack at any time. He asked to leave in anger, and gave away his life and Xiang Yu's kingdom. Because of his intolerance, he ruined the big things. Wesley Su still called him a hero, which is a bit of an exaggeration.

According to the above research, the method of thick black learning is very simple, but it is very magical when used. It is effective when used in small amounts and very effective when used in large amounts. Liu Bang and Sima Yi learned it and unified the world; Cao Cao and Liu Bei each got one side, and they were able to claim to be alone and fight for supremacy; Han Xin and Fan Zeng also got one side, but unfortunately they were born at the wrong time and happened to be born at the same time as Liu Bang, who was both thick and black, so they all failed. However, when they were alive, they relied on their strengths in thick black to win the titles of kings, princes, generals and ministers, and became famous for a while. After their death, they also occupied a place in historical records. When later generations talked about their deeds, everyone talked about them with relish, which shows that thick black learning never failed people.

God created human beings, giving us a face, and thickness is in it; He gave us a heart, and darkness is in it. On the surface, it is not many inches wide, not big enough to fill a cup, and seems to be nothing special. However, if we examine it carefully, we will know that its thickness is infinite and its darkness is incomparable. All the fame, wealth, palaces, wives, Concub!nes, clothes, carriages and horses in the mortal world come from this small piece of land. The wonder of the creation of human beings is really incredible. Dull-minded beings have the greatest treasure in their bodies, but they discard it and do not use it. They can be said to be the greatest fools in the world.

Thick Black School consists of three steps. The first step is "Thick as a city wall, black as coal". At first, the skin is like a piece of paper. From a few points to an inch, from a foot to a foot, it is as thick as a city wall. At first, the color of the heart is milky white. From milky color to charcoal color, to blue-green, and then to black as coal. At this level, it can only be regarded as the initial stage of practice. Because although the city wall is thick, it is still possible to break it with cannons; although coal is black, the color is unpleasant and people don't want to get close to it. So it is only regarded as the initial stage of practice.

The second step is "thick and hard, black and bright". People who are deeply in the thick science will not be moved no matter how you attack them. Liu Bei is such a person, and even Cao Cao can't do anything to him. People who are deeply in the dark science are like a varnished signboard. The darker it is, the more buyers it has. Cao Cao is such a person. He is a famous black heart, but the celebrities in the Central Plains are devoted to him. It can be said that "the heart is dark, and the signboard is bright". Although he can reach the second step, it is a world of difference from the first step, but he still shows signs, with shape and color, so we can see Cao Cao's ability at a glance.

The third step is "thick but invisible, black but colorless". The thickest and blackest, the heavens and the future generations all think that it is neither thick nor black. This state is not easy to reach, so we can only seek it among the great saints and sages of the ancient times. Someone asked: "How can this kind of knowledge be so profound?" I said: "The Confucian doctrine of the mean can only be concluded when it reaches 'no sound and no smell'; those who study Buddhism must reach 'no Bodhi tree, no mirror stand' to be considered as the right result; not to mention that the thick and black school is a secret that has not been passed down for thousands of years, so of course it must be achieved when it reaches 'no shape and no color' to be considered the end."

In short, from Yao, Shun and Yu to the present day, there have been innumerable kings, princes, generals, heroes and sages, and all their achievements came from these books. The books are all there and the facts are hard to refute. If the readers can search for them themselves according to the path I have indicated, they will naturally be able to find the source and make sense of everything.