Have you ever considered how your unique skills and talents might hold different values depending on the setting or context in which they are used?
Today, we dive into a thought-provoking tale by the ancient Chinese Taoist Master Zhuangzi.
His parable of “The Ointment of No-Chapping Hands” offers a profound lesson on recognizing and utilizing value in unexpected places.
Just as a masterful talent might go unrecognized in one field but celebrated in another, sometimes our true potential can only be unleashed when we find the right environment.
Let’s get started.
I. The Parable
The “Useless” Giant Gourd
One day, Hui Shi was bragging to Zhuangzi about a giant gourd he grew: “King Wei gave me the seeds of a giant gourd. I planted them, and they grew into a gourd that could hold five bushels of water.”
Zhuangzi said: “That was wonderful! Why are you not happy about it?”
Hui Shi explained: “Because it was so heavy that it could not even lift itself. Moreover, if I cut it open to make a ladle, then the gourd would have no capacity to hold anything.”
Hui Shi concluded: “Hence, although it is very large, I smashed it because it was useless.”
Zhuangzi laughed: “You really don’t know how to make use of something large. Let me tell you a story about an ointment preventing hand chapping.”
Zhuangzi: The Ointment of No-Chapping Hands
Zhuangzi started to tell the story:
“There is a family in Song state who are experts at making an ointment that prevents hands from chapping. This was a craft passed down through generations in his family.
Consequently, the family had been making their living in the laundry business, as the ointment could protect their hands to wash clothes for a long time without chapping.
However, this craft could provide a living, but never made the family significant wealth.
A visitor heard about it and offered a hundred gold for the ointment recipe.
The family discussed and decided to sell the recipe: ‘For generations we have been washing clothes, and all that made together was only several gold. Now we’re offer a total hundred gold–why not trade it? We would no longer need to wash a single clothes anymore.’
Then, the visitor made the No-Chapping Ointment a gift to the King of Wu, who then in return appointed the visitor as a general of Wu.
During a winter campaign, he led a naval battle against the people from Yue state. With the help of the ointment, he defeated the Yue people greatly, as Wu people’s hands were well protected in the naval battle.
As a result, the victory earned him land and title. “
The Use of The Gourd
After telling the story, Zhuangzi said to Hui Shi:
“The ability to prevent chapping is the same, yet it led to different uses: one to nobility and the other stuck in poverty.
You have a gourd that can hold five bushels. How amazing! Why not think of making it into a large barrel and float it across the rivers and lakes, instead of worrying about it having no space to accommodate? It seems you still possess a narrow mind!”
II. Taoist Perspective
1. Relativity
Zhuangzi’s story illustrates how the same item—or by extension, any skill or ability—can have vastly different applications and values depending on how and where it’s used.
Everything is relative. The utility and value of things are contextual. The same formula, when used for laundry, merely sustains a livelihood, but when applied in a military context, it becomes a secret weapon that can defeat enemies, transforming its value dramatically.
This shift in perspective challenges us to think about our abilities and the contexts in which they can best be utilized.
2. Modern Implication
In our lives, many of us feel like the giant gourd or the simple burn-preventing ointment, underutilized or misplaced.
In modern society, this parable underscores the importance of the platform.
Zhuangzi encourages us to look beyond conventional uses and value assessments. What might seem ordinary or useless in one context could be extraordinary in another.
For example, the same social skills, in a confined local area, might only make someone popular. However, on a larger stage, these skills could be pivotal in integrating resources to accomplish great things and potentially change the world.
While we diligently work to enhance our skills, we must also learn to look up and assess our surroundings, adept at seizing opportunities and relocating to environments that better suit our potential.
It’s a call to adaptability and innovation—to think outside the box about how we can apply our talents in ways we never considered. Like a fish in water or a tiger in the mountains, we thrive best in conditions that suit our inherent abilities.
III. Conclusion: Embracing Potential in All Forms
Zhuangzi’s parable of “The Ointment of No-Chapping Hands” teaches us that circumstances define utility.
Our challenge is to remain open to opportunities that allow us to apply our skills in new and valuable ways.
Whether it’s a personal talent, a professional skill, or simply a new way of thinking, sometimes all it takes to find profound success is a shift in perspective.
Let’s carry this wisdom into our daily lives, continually seeking to find and create environments where our unique capabilities can truly shine.
