Chapter 306 - 170: Skills Passed Down Through Generations
In the myriad arts of the people, and the countless professions, he has his unique skills, and I have my means to earn a living.
If not for their own sons and daughters, these skills are seldom imparted to outsiders easily.
The art itself is easy to learn, but the knack is hard to grasp.
No matter the times, those with skills, barring their close kin, always keep a thin layer of mystery even between master and apprentice.
For an apprentice to take a master means climbing endless mountains and learning endless arts; for a master to take an apprentice, it’s equally mentally taxing, teaching while also considering one’s own future.
Some clever apprentices understand the principle of "spending three years to learn the craft, then using the craft to make money for three years." The spending here doesn’t just mean money but also includes daily service like greeting in mornings and evenings, offering tea and water.
Enduring countless hardships is necessary to earn half a genuine lesson from the master.
But this is just the beginning. A master, except for his own children, tends to hold back when teaching others, including their apprentices.
For instance, in stone carving of Buddha statues, the master taught the apprentice the craft, yet the apprentice couldn’t get the expression on the Buddha’s face right when working.
Was it because he didn’t learn well? Not really; it was the master holding back his best skills, not teaching the apprentice what he excelled at.
Another example is from ancient stories of the cat being the tiger’s master, where the cat taught the tiger everything except climbing trees.
Later, the tiger turned against his master, plotting to harm it in thoughts.