Harmony (June 1998)

According to the Chung Yung, “once chung and ho are established, heaven and earth maintain their proper positions, and all creatures are nourished.”

Chung is the “just rightness” of things, while ho is everything in proper proportion. The person with moderate emotions and desires can be satisfied, and so achieves a state of inner and interpersonal harmony. Since all parts of the universe mirror one another, harmony among people is mirrored in heaven and in nature. Therefore, the character for ho shows a “mouth” next to “grain” ripe and heavy enough to make it bend at the top.

The Spirit of the Chinese Character: Gifts From the Heart, Barbara Aria with Russell Eng Gon, Chronicle Books, San Francisco, 1992.