Summary+for+Foreword,+The+How+of+Pooh?,+and+The+Tao+of+Who?

__Summary For The Foreword, The How of Pooh?, and The Tao of Who? __
Olivia Edwards, Albert Joo



The foreword to //The Tao Of Pooh// is an informative one. It starts by introducing us to our main character, Pooh. He serves as the audience in the book, looking into the hidden meaning. The author looks at Taoism in the first section, about the three vinegar tasters. One man, Confucius, looks at the vinegar he tastes with a sour face. This demonstrates that the Confucian outlook on life is sour and needs to be fixed with the tough Confucian laws. Buddha looks at the vinegar with a bitter look. This represents the Buddhists' bitter view of life. They believe everything on the earth will cause suffering and the only way to get out of it is resist all temptations and traps. This state is called Nirvana. Once they have reached enlightenment, they no longer need to worry about things like vinegar. Finally, the Taoist looks at the vinegar with a smile. This outlines the idea that Taoism looks at life in a happy and positive way. Taoists believe in being simple-minded, looking at life with the knowledge that everything on earth is harmonious and good.

He goes on to talk about the meaning of the uncarved block. The uncarved block is simple, like Pooh. He doesn't have any complex thoughts. This is what makes him special. The author says that the uncarved block contains a natural power that only it has that allows it to accomplish things. This is represented when Rabbit, Pooh, and Piglet try to find a way home. Rabbit, being intelligent, leads the group but eventually leads them around in circles. However, Pooh's straightforward view of "home calling his name" eventually leads him back to his house, showing that a simple mind accomplishes the most. Therefore, by the end of the chapter, we deduce that Pooh is the un-carved block, while his friends represent the complications of the mind.