So, we all know that the names and certain attributes of the Five Sects are effectively direct allusions to the Daoist WuXing, but I was thinking about MDZS recently (as you do) and I found myself wondering if the sect SYMBOLS and MOTTOS had similar allusions
First, the Yunmeng Jiang’s purple lotus. But first l, their motto - the infamous “Attempt the impossible”. Or more accurately “明知不可而为之” - “Do what you know cannot be done”
It is a variation on a famous part of the Analects of Confucius - “知其不可而为之” - having the same thing but being a bit harder to parse
Idiomatically, “知其不可而为之” is used when someone insists on doing something they know is futile - undertake a Sisyphean task, to use an English idiom.
As with most of the Analects, the idiom can be translated many different ways, of which some are positive : “not taking things lying down”, “persevering against all odds”, “to attempt something before writing it off as impossible”, etc. Thus: “attempt the impossible.” however…
The more conceptual meaning of the phrase gets lost with this direct translation.
In a more detail-oriented translation, 知其不可而为之 doesn’t mean you should insist on doing what you know you can’t achieve. Rather, in your actions, don’t ask yourself if you can, but if you should. It’s not about the result, but the journey—to have a clear conscience regardless of the outcome
“‘不可为’ is not necessarily that one is *unable* to do X but rather, that regular people view X as an impossibility, as wasted effort without reward (or even with negative repercussions), so they feel there’s no reason to do it. They act only after ensuring immediate results or personal benefits to them or their in-group are guaranteed. To act only to achieve merit or reward
In the eyes of Confucius, for the virtuous (“君子 “) man, the most important thing is morality, virtue, and justice. The achievement of merit is not placed over justice, but rather found in it’s pursuit
Actions that don’t align with morality and virtue may have brief benefits, but will ensure grave and deadly consequences. Individual or immediate benefits may not exist as a result of virtue, but enduring benefits to the whole will eventually come about
As you can see, the Jiang precept heavily relate to the actions of the Jiangs - JC and WWX in particular, but also Madam Yu.
WWX truly embodies the Jiang precept, as we are told. Again and again, he does good deeds because he believes he should, despite the lack of any personal gain, despite the unclear outcome
his actions are placed in stark contrast with how JC (as WWX’s foil) responds to the same situations.
This is best shown in the scene in the Xuanwu cave. WWX puts himself at risk by protecting JZX and LWJ, and again to distract the beast and allow everyone else the chance to escape. JC outright states later that he believes that WWX should have escaped, or kept his head down, not “played the hero”
Now, this doesn’t mean JC is evil. He does good - working tirelessly to save WWX - but only because WWX is a member of his immediate family, and likely wouldn’t have done so if someone he didn’t know that well - like LWJ or JZX - were trapped instead, because what do they have to do with him ?
He acts, and he acts righteously, but only when he and his have immediate, personal, benefits
This is why JC brings up the Jiang precept so bitterly regarding the Wens and WWX - because he knows his fault, and knows he would never be able to truly embody the motto the way WWX does (and also, you know, Daddy issues and Mommy issues and who knows what else)
Narratively, this is also why MXTX keeps the reveal of Lan Sizhui’s parentage from WWX to the very end - because the fact that WWX went into his second life thinking that all those he had tried to protect were dead, and nevertheless chose to do good and be good, without hope of reward or fear of loss, is the full realisation of the Jiang precept
(There’s also something to be said about how this relates to the Buddhist concept of renunciation of the self and worldly attachments, and of the ephemerality of gain and loss, but this post ain’t about that)
Also, not for nothing - all the Lan Sect’s rules start with “不可” (“should not”), and, well… 明知不可而为之. Is it any wonder he broke pretty much every rule the Lan Sect had ?
