In "Xiao Gang Du Zhe," the Qing Dynasty writer Zhou Rong recorded that in the winter of the seventh year of the Shunzhi Emperor's reign, he traveled from Xiao Gang to Zhenhai County. He instructed his young attendant to carry a large stack of books. As the sun was setting and they were still about two li from the county, he asked a ferryman, "Will the South Gate still be open by the time we arrive?" The ferryman glanced at the young attendant and replied, "If you walk slowly, the gate will remain open; if you rush, it may already be closed." Feeling insulted, Zhou Rong thought the ferryman was mocking him. The two quickened their pace, but as the South Gate came into sight, the young attendant tripped while rushing, scattering the books everywhere. By the time they had gathered and re-bundled the books, the gate had already closed. Life has a natural rhythm that should not be disrupted; once that pace is lost, life can quickly fall into chaos.
