Speech 4: Bu Dao Chang Cheng, Fei Hao Han

Bu Dao Chang Cheng, Fei Hao Han

"Bu Dao Chang Cheng, Fei Hao Han". "If you have not been to the Great Wall, you are not a real man"

This quote is famous in China, and was spoken by Mao Ze Dong in the 1950's.

I attended the vision and leadership seminar this weekend, and this quote came to mind as I listened to the presentations. I started to see a connection between what Mao was saying and what the speakers were saying.

"If you have not been to the Great Wall, you are not a real man"

In preparing tonight's talk, I began to see that perhaps Mao was speaking metaphorically. And I thought it would be interesting to relate my journey to the Great Wall of China to my pursuit of my own personal Vision.

Where did it begin?

My vision began to take form in the year 2000.

I was in Ottawa, imprisoned as an engineer. I was spending minimum 8 hours a day locked in a 6x8 cube. Like a chicken penned in one of a hundred tiny cages. Surrounded by gray. Experiencing some bizarre combination of claustrophobia and agoraphobia.

I was depressed. But more than that, I was frustrated. I felt, in my core, that there was something more I could be doing. You see, I felt I was just consuming from society. Not giving. I wanted to give. But all I did was take.

I happened to be practicing kungfu. My teacher taught me concepts that were so different and demonstrated to me how little I knew of Chinese culture. But he inspired me to learn more. China was an unknown. I felt like it was hidden behind a big iron wall. and I wanted to peak over that wall, see what was on the other side.

My teacher made me started to think of becoming a teacher myself, but I was terrified of speaking in front of people. In my youth, my confidence had been destroyed. I hated myself, my appearance, everything about myself. I was too scared to try something so different.

I was surrounded by huge, impenetrable walls. Yet, just as I knew I needed to see over the iron wall of china, I knew I needed to climb over the walls I had built within myself.

Interestingly, it would take a trip to an even bigger wall to make this possible.

What was the journey?

Shortly after arriving in China in 2002, I traveled to the Great Wall. In Chinese it is called Chang Cheng – long wall. And indeed it is – in total, it is over 8000 kms long.

I went to a section of the wall called Mutianyu. It was only 80km northeast of Beijing, but it took over 2 hours by bus to get there.

What I saw as I approached the Wall blew my mind. The mountains the wall traversed were gnarled and jagged, like shards of glass that had been haphazardly glued together. Though it was early spring, the terrain was stark and dry. It seemed as though rain had not fallen in many years.

The sheer ruggedness of the wall harkened to the brutal challenges I faced as a teacher; the barren landscape resembled the confidence that had been razed in my youth.

Every day I was terrified to stand in front of people. My body felt as though I was being dragged along the tortuous spine of the wall. Every day was like walking on that wall, never knowing what was over the edge, never sure that the I wouldn't fall and break my neck on the next loose brick.

The chaos of the city of Beijing and the bizarre and aggressive language fueled my self-destructive thinking.

I can't do this, I kept telling myself. I've been to the Great Wall, but I'm not a real man.

But I had failed to notice that I was actually making my vision a reality!

Where did I get to?

I, Dave Brown, from the tiny sea village of Campbell River had broken past the iron wall of Communist China. I had a look on the other side. I was walking on one of the Wonders of the World! I was walking on the Great Wall of China.

As I walked on the Wall, I approached the side. In the distance I could see gentle rolling hills and peaceful vales. It was quiet on the wall. Not many tourists came to this section.

Unfortunately for me, the mental journey was not as easy as the physical one. I could not see internal peace. I could see not see sage brush trailing off into the distance. A thick fog rolled in to surround me. And now I was stranded on the Wall. But I continued my journey; to trip and struggle and fall, but still I climb because the stairs are crumbling behind me. I can't see where I'm going, but I know I must go up!

What did I feel about the vision?

My vision persists; however, it is becoming something different now. It's not as clear as it used to be – that fog has shrouded the destination.

But China taught me about another great Chinese figure said, Lao Zi. I try to keep his words in my mind now. He said,

A journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step.

Conclusion – what is next?

I imagine that as Mao contemplated his own vision, he must have seen the parallels with the Great Wall. He must have looked to history and realized the magnitude of effort required to build the Great Wall and it must have seemed very similar to the momentous challenge he faced in leading a country in revolution.

"If you have not been to the Great Wall, you are not a real man"

I think he may have meant that we all need to have our own Visions – our own great walls to see, to build and even to take down.

I'd like to make a slight change to the standard translation of this quote. Instead I'd like to say – If you have not seen your vision, You are not a COMPLETE person.

I encourage you to consider the words of LaoZi and MaoZeDong. Begin your own thousand mile journey towards finding your Vision.

All it takes is one step.

~Dave Brown, January 26, 2011