>The Chinese think of the sage as reaching the maturity of his powers about the age of FIFTY, and living, through quietude and wisdom, to a century.
Oh good, that leaves me more than a decade to read more books!
At 15 I set my heart upon learning.
At 30, I had planted my feet firm upon the ground.
At 40, I no longer suffered from perplexities.
At 50, I knew what were the biddings of Heaven.
At 60, I heard them with docile ear.
At 70, I could follow the dictates of my own heart for what I desired no longer overstepped the boundaries of right.
―Confucius
>>24573685 (OP)I forgot which Greek it was who wrote about this, but the Greeks too thought that the first important differentiating event of a man’s life happens at 40. Socrates in the Republic says men under 30 should not pursue philosophy as they are "like young puppy dogs tearing to shreds anybody who comes near.”
>and living, through quietude and wisdom, to a century.
more likely dying of cancer in the following year
>>24573966>at 40Meant to say around the age of 40.
>>24573967Cancer is a modern disease desu
>>24573974well take it as a warning since we live in the modern era. don't count on living to the ripe 100s when you are eating, breathing and living garbage. \we are all getting cancer left and right. live your life to the fullest today and don't assume you're going to have that nice retirement
>>24573985The idea of sagehood has very little in common with the boomer ethos of enjoying retirement. The longevity in Chinese traditional medicine is seen as a direct function of living your life to the fullest (which only the sage is capable of).
>>24573966Probably the death of a parent
