The Image of the Mother (Mu Xiang)

Understanding the mother's care for the orphan

The mother here is the resource line that feeds the day master, and the orphan is the weak self that depends on it. When the care is properly placed — enough nourishment without smothering — the line continues and flourishes across generations. The chapter is short because the point is simple: read the resource by asking whether it is actually bringing the child up, or merely holding it.