simply because the positive dominates  the scene of becoming
in its measurable  quantity.  It would simply go against the
grain of scientific  methodology  to introduce  unobservable
aspects  of being and becoming.  This view however  has been
challenged  in  contemporary   particle  physics  as  stated
earlier.  Nevertheless, the average person goes on living in
the  realm  of  positive  and  tangible  quantities, without
regret  or remorse, since there is hardly any visible  cause
for concern. And if damage were done, it would be attributed
to the malfunction  of the quantities  in that  realm, while
the non-positive and
 
　　　　　　　　　　  P.370
 
non-tangible  quantities  will  continue  to  remain  in the
background.   The   sense   or  spirit   of  regarding   for
non-positive  and  non-tangible  quantities  of  being  is a
crucial point here.  To the dogmatist  or cynic who does not
believe in the presence and function of the non-positive and
non-tangible  quantities, there  is  no  answer.  But  to  a
curious skeptic who wishes to explore and fulfill his or her
life in novel  ways that  will result  in wholesomeness  and
harmony, there is hope and possibility.
   Generally  speaking, the Chinese mind was largely  molded
by  the   great   systems   of  Confucianism   and   Taoism.
Confucianism  crystallized  the concept of humanity (仁)and
its implications  to such profound  depths  that the Chinese
could no longer  dismiss  it from their daily consciousness.
For a single concept to be so powerful and dominant in human
consciousness  is so rare that it would  have to be held not
only in wonder and awe but also as a singular achievement of
mankind.  Much of this achievement  however is unappreciated
or simply lost because of humanity's  non-tangible  quality.
Confucianism  naturally  came up with cognate and supportive
human virtues, such as, propriety  (礼), righteousness (义),
trustworthiness (信), wisdom (智), altruism (恕) and loyalty
(忠)  to  bolster  and  propagate  the  nature  of  humanity
but these  virtues, like all other  human virtues  are again
non-tangible, which easily  flash across one's consciousness
without  any  penetrating  and  sustaining  force.  Yet, the
overall triadic metaphysical  framework  of heaven-earth-man
together  with  the infrastructural  relationship  from  the
emperor down to the nuclear family, the latter of which with
its own mini infrastructure, had kept the Chinese mind alert
and alive  to the actualization  of the profound  nature  of
humanity and other virtues surrounding it.
   Taoism, in a word, provided  the Chinese with an attitude
toward life  which  is  extremely  natural  and  simple  but
profound.   To be a Taoist  recluse in search  of  truth  of
existence was but an  example of the  length  to  which  the
Taoist  taught  on  achieving  naturalness.  In  this,  they
ridiculed   the   Confucian   formalism,   conformism　　 and
objectivism   in  regard  to  general  learning  and  social
behavior.  In  the  final  analysis,  though, Taoism  served
beautifully as a
 
　　　　　　　　　　  P.371
 
vital complement  to Confucian humanism with its emphasis on
the basic naturally flexible and soft ingredient  in the way
of life.
   It  was  of  course  the  Chinese  genius  to incorporate
Buddhist  doctrines  within their already  ennobled  life of
Confucianism  and Taoism.  Where on earth  could  one find a
highly civilized  people  with a well developed  way of life
gradually  giving  way  to a foreign  ideology  and, in  the
process, come up with an appreciably  greater  understanding