Definition essay

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The phrase be like water

Introduction "Be like water " is a widely used but unfortunately usually misinterpreted expression . Many novices at single combat often use it trying to show that they are clued-up . And they can 't be accused of it as the phrase has an impressive sounding and in any case represents also impressive , though partial , understanding of Eastern way of thinking Many such beginners think that this way was formed by Bruce Lee However , a great martial arts actor and instructor

just quoted the Eastern philosophy created much earlier (Wishop 2

The wrong usage of the phrase

I became interested in this expression having read the case about one man who said that he wanted to learn martial arts because he wanted to be like water . This phrase seems interesting but its sense is very doubtful and I guess that this man understood it very superficially (Loeb 18 . The question is if we can call the wish to be like water a feasible purpose . If to consider the strict sense of a phrase , every person who wants to `be like water ' should lay on the ground and try to flow like a stream , because we can 't be `like water ' when we stand (Loeb 18

The real meaning and the cause of misunderstanding

So , what does it really mean to be like water ? It must be related to the Taoist philosophy and its idea about five equal elements . They are wood , metal...