The Noble Rarely Appear

Xuefeng

There were three strange encounters that made me realize: the noble do not easily reveal themselves.

The first one was in March 1994, in the Qiaoqiaole area of Matabeland North Province in Zimbabwe. It was a quiet day, and I was driving my pickup truck along an abandoned path, venturing deeper into the jungle. As I reached a small hill, I turned off the engine and was about to get out when I suddenly saw a white deer on the hill. It turned its head and looked at me for just a few seconds before swiftly disappearing into the forest. I quickly got out of the car and chased after it, looking left and right, but I couldn't catch a glimpse of it again.

I had asked the local villagers if there were any white deer in the area, and they replied, "Never seen one."

I also asked many colleagues if they had ever seen a white deer, and they responded, "Nonsense! There are no white deer!"

The second time was in August 1995, but the specific location is now a fuzzy memory. We were drilling a well by a lush riverbank. It was a cold day when suddenly three cranes descended from the sky. Their bodies were gray, with long necks that turned white at the head, topped with red crowns. Their claws were also red. There were two larger cranes and one smaller crane. They landed about 30 meters away from us. I had seen this type of crane before in 1964 when I was herding sheep near the Yellow River. According to the elders, it is rare to encounter these cranes, and those who do are believed to have good luck and are likely to prosper financially. (I have now seen five of them but still haven't struck it rich.)

At that time, there were two Zimbabwean people who witnessed these three cranes with me. I asked them, "Do you often see this type of crane?" They replied, "This is actually the first time we've seen this kind of crane."

The third time was on a day in February 2003. The location was my residence at 46 Pendennis Road, Mount Pleasant, Harare. It was around six o'clock in the morning. Having lived in Harare for nearly eight years, I often observed birds in the early morning. I visited two bird parks and had seen dozens of bird species. However, what excited me was that particular morning when I encountered a peculiar bird. It was slightly larger than a sparrow, with a green head, black body, and a red tail. What stood out the most was its tail, which was vividly red and measured approximately 25 centimeters in length. It perched among the treetops for only about ten seconds before flying away.

The white deer, cranes, and exotic bird, what do they signify? They signify that the noble do not easily reveal themselves.

This leads me to think of the Emperor of Japan, who seldom appears in public because of their nobility. Diamonds are hard to find because they are precious. Reclusive hermits in the mountains do not easily emerge because of their nobility. Some households keep their extraordinary treasures hidden from the market because of their value.

This leads me to the realization that anything that is esteemed, rare, and of infinite value is not easily found.

This leads me to ponder, how many rare and precious things are yet undiscovered in this universe, in this world? How many wise and enlightened sages and immortals are hidden, like dragons and tigers lying in wait? Truly, the mysteries are boundless!

"Wise ministers choose their lord, while virtuous birds select their tree for perching." Tigers do not descend upon plains, and horses do not venture deep into mountains. "The phoenix does not land in a place devoid of treasures," and immortals do not associate with ordinary people. "Blinded by a single leaf, one cannot see Mount Tai," and without destiny, it is difficult for a person to encounter extraordinary experiences.

Indeed, the noble do not easily reveal themselves, and those who readily display themselves are not truly noble.