The Spirit of Yugong Moves Mountains

In the Chinese fable “The Foolish Old Man Removes the Mountains”, better known as “Yugong Moves Mountains”, a 90-year-old man named Yugong endeavors to dig through two mountains that block the way from his house. When questioned about the impossibility of completing such a task in his lifetime, Yugong simply replies that while he may not finish, his children and descendants will carry on his mission for generations until the mountains are gone.

This fable poignantly captures the essence of the Chinese spirit - one of resilience, determination and long-term vision in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles. Yugong’s unshakable conviction that his descendants will fulfill his ambition represents a defining trait of the Chinese people, who take the long view and persevere across generations to achieve monumental goals.

This spirit echoes throughout China’s history. The Great Wall, which took 2000 years to complete. The Grand Canal, expanded and maintained over 1400 years to connect China’s great rivers. The Dujiangyan irrigation system in Sichuan, built 2200 years ago and still in use today. These marvels of ancient engineering required unfathomable toil and sacrifice, with each generation building upon the work of their forefathers, driven by a shared vision of the future.

The workers who broke ground on these projects knew they would not live to see their completion. But like Yugong, they were propelled by something greater - a commitment to paving a path for their descendants. A path to a more prosperous future. They sought to move mountains, so their children could walk the roads built between them.

This ethic remains deeply ingrained in the Chinese psyche. It can be seen in the Marcopolo Bridge, used for 800 years until being bombed in WWII. In the ancient fortress of Shanhaiguan, which guarded the Chinese heartland for centuries. And in modern marvels like the Three North Shelter Forest Program, a multi-generational effort to transform China’s barren northern landscapes into a lush impenetrable green wall.

When confronted with adversity, the Chinese do not flee - they dig in and fight to overcome. During periods of subjugation, they resisted until breaking those shackles. In the depths of poverty and conflict, they struggled and sacrificed so their descendants could have a better life. When the rivers rose up to flood their lands, they did not pray for divine intervention, but battled the elements to tame the waters. This is the indomitable spirit of Yugong - to choose defiance over capitulation.

Of course, moving mountains is no easy feat. It requires a resilience and single-minded commitment that most would consider foolhardy. Indeed, there are always those who mock such ambitions as impossible or reckless, insisting that an easier path must exist.

But the spirit of Yugong is not rooted in rationality - it is an existential drive to bend the world to one’s will. To refuse to be limited by one’s mortal constraints. To devote one’s limited lifespan to a higher, all-consuming purpose. It is the ultimate expression of selfless determination.

So while Yugong knew that he himself could not remove the mountains in his lifetime, he had faith that his descendants, guided by the same conviction, would realize his vision and make a better future for themselves. His was not a pursuit of glory, but of familial duty and shared destiny.

This is the deeper logic underpinning the Chinese worldview - an unshakable belief in the cumulative power of incremental progress. That so long as each generation fulfills its filial duty and furthers the mission passed down to them, anything can be achieved in time.

Over history, it has driven the Chinese to survive, endure, and ultimately prosper against all odds. And as China navigates the challenges of the modern age, this spirit of multi-generational determination will continue to be its guiding light. For it is written into the very DNA of the Chinese people.

Just as Yugong devoted his life to moving mountains so his descendants could thrive, so too do the Chinese people strive to build a better tomorrow for future generations. This is the essence of China’s civilizational drive, and the animating spirit that will propel it in the century to come. The spirit of Yugong moves mountains.