Above image is Figure 1-1 from the Chinese-language edition of Just XSL,
one of my tech books. For the translation, see this page.
Recently, I received an email from a friend and distant relative, a trained hypnotherapist, counsellor, and general all-round wellness therapist. (The Missus and I once ordered a couple of self-help CDs from her, one on smoking cessation and one — not coincidentally — on weight loss.)
The email, obviously distributed to her professional mailing list, describes some steps you can take to calm your fears in jittery times like these. Early on, it includes this passage:
The Chinese symbol for CRISIS has two parts: one represents danger and the other represents opportunity. It’s a beautiful symbol of how every event in life is really an invitation to practice choice.
Wow, I thought, what a cool thing to know about the Chinese language. Just one more example, as if we needed more, of the wisdom of the Orient. I could easily envision dropping this little tidbit into conversations.
But then I started to wonder: what is the “Chinese symbol for CRISIS”? So, unsurprisingly, I turned to the Web. And, unsurprisingly, as with a lot of Web-based research, I found a muddled story:
