Chenmou Wu
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| Chenmou Wu |
Space and time shift; stars revolve and change their positions. The universe transforms, things remain constant, yet people themselves are different. Reflecting on half a century of upheaval, I often ask: What is the true meaning of life? Looking back on the years that have passed, I continue to ponder: What is the real value of human existence?
Since arriving in the United States as a visiting scholar more than a decade ago, I have endured the pain of separation from loved ones and the loss of family members in my hometown. At times, I have felt more guilt than comfort in familial affection. Gradually, however, my reflections on the difference between “fallen leaves returning to their roots” and “fallen seeds taking root” have eased my homesickness and brought a measure of peace to my heart.
Over the course of this long journey, my understanding of life has continued to evolve. In childhood, I enthusiastically participated in ancestor worship and visited rural temples. In my youth, I immersed myself in Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism, traveling to renowned sacred sites and visiting respected monks and priests. After moving to North America, I spent seven years reflecting, observing, comparing, and seeking understanding. Eventually, I was baptized and became a Christian. In my experience, Christianity’s emphasis on earthly responsibility, ultimate meaning, family duty, social participation, universal love, and forgiveness deeply resonated with my heart.
Life in the suburbs of North America differs greatly from that of East Asian villages. Immigrants from all over the world live side by side, yet language barriers and profound cultural differences often limit daily interaction. This distance creates more space for solitude and reflection. After more than a decade of relative seclusion, I gradually gained deeper insight into faith and cultural roots, often feeling an increasing desire to write.
Wishing to share my reflections with friends and family in mainland China, I began writing essays on faith, cultural reflection, family history, and poetry, publishing them on domestic websites. After several years, I had completed dozens of pieces. Later, I selected works with similar themes and compiled them into a book titled God Speaks Chinese: A Root-Seeking Collection of Homesickness, which has since been published.
As the saying goes, “All men are created equal.” Yet in reality, people live unequal lives. Equality at birth refers to equal legal status and human dignity, but families, genetic inheritance, backgrounds, talents, temperament, fortune, and social relationships differ greatly. As a result, life paths vary. Different causes often lead to different outcomes.
For this reason, some people develop faith while others do not; some hold sincere beliefs, while others fall into superstition. Those with faith experience a rich spiritual life, while those without it may remain confined to the material realm. Over time, these distinctions shape profoundly different trajectories.
In traditional Chinese culture, God is known by many names and is often referred to as “Heaven.” To many Chinese people, however, God remains a distant or unfamiliar concept. Yet faith, to me, represents a close and living reality—an ultimate source of meaning. Just as people breathe without consciously noticing the oxygen that sustains them, spiritual awareness often goes unrecognized until it is absent.
Human beings consist of both body and spirit. Those with faith consciously cultivate their inner life, while others may neglect it. Although the physical body eventually perishes, many traditions maintain that the spiritual dimension endures beyond death. Such beliefs shape how individuals understand mortality, purpose, and legacy.
Many people believe in karma. While the concept of cause and effect carries moral insight, without love and forgiveness it can create a closed cycle of retribution rather than reconciliation. Without higher ethical grounding, it may even become a justification for retaliation. In this sense, violence committed in the name of karma is no less tragic than violence committed in the name of morality.
Returning to the theme of my anthology: Why does “God speak Chinese”? God, in my understanding, is neither Western nor Eastern but belongs to all humanity. Archaeological research suggests that ancient Chinese civilization possessed profound spiritual awareness. Early Chinese thought, such as the symbolic system of the Eight Trigrams in the I Ching, reflects a deep engagement with natural law and cosmic order.
More than three thousand years ago, during the transition from the Shang to the Zhou dynasty, Chinese civilization developed sophisticated philosophical and political systems. Over centuries, both Eastern and Western civilizations have experienced periods of advancement, stagnation, reform, and renewal. Cultural leadership has shifted across regions according to historical conditions and human agency.
Modern Chinese transformation was deeply influenced by contact with Western learning. Missionaries and scholars introduced new educational institutions and intellectual traditions. While some historical movements reflected resistance or xenophobia, cross-cultural exchange ultimately contributed to social reform and modernization. Integrating valuable elements from different civilizations can generate renewed cultural vitality.
Just as a seed grows according to its genetic pattern, the future of a nation depends on its cultural foundations. Revitalizing civilization requires long-term cultivation. It demands reflection, reform, and renewal across generations.
Faith in God differs from the veneration of sages or ancestors. While honoring historical figures has cultural value, ultimate faith seeks a deeper source beyond human exemplars. To seek the origin of all life is, in my view, to seek the ultimate root.
Genealogical lines eventually trace back to humanity’s earliest ancestors. Rather than limiting reverence to a particular lineage, one may seek a universal spiritual origin. In that sense, reverence for God represents a broader form of filial respect.
In contemporary society, many families maintain ancestral traditions, yet divisions and inequalities persist. Expanding moral vision beyond clan and lineage may help cultivate unity and shared dignity.
If people today, regardless of surname or background, move beyond narrow identity and seek higher spiritual understanding, they may attain deeper freedom, moral equality, and renewed cultural vitality.
Of course, my small book, God Speaks Chinese: A Root-Seeking Collection of Homesickness, cannot accomplish such a grand mission. If it can inspire readers even slightly toward reflection and reconciliation, that is more than enough.
If so, it would indeed be a blessing.
Chenmou Wu
07/20//2024
