The current top traders, the more critical the moment, the less they look at those glamorous business doctrines, and instead go back to read ancient dining texts from thousands of years ago.

When people hear "Tao Te Ching" or "Analects," they instinctively think it's just old scholars showing off their knowledge, mainly for self-cultivation, tea-drinking, and leisure talk, with little practical use for making money or building a career.

Honestly, I used to think these books were too far removed from reality, just empty philosophies. It wasn't until I experienced some setbacks in the workplace and business world that I suddenly realized how wrong I was.

These traditional classics that have lasted thousands of years are not outdated motivational stories; they are a set of underlying algorithms about human nature, strategic competition, and decision-making, validated through countless historical tests.

Think about it—why can people like Inamori Kazuo shortcut business success? Because when they read "The Art of War" or "Tao Te Ching," they are not just reading words but understanding the priorities of resource allocation and the ultimate laws behind competition. Looking at "Zizhi Tongjian" or "Guiguzi," on the surface, they tell historical stories and strategies, but in practice, they teach how to identify people and judge situations when leading a team, as well as survival strategies to protect oneself and strengthen control within complex networks of interests.

Technological updates are indeed rapid, but the essence of human nature hasn't changed for thousands of years. The "Diamond Sutra" and Wang Yangming's mind philosophy are meant to help you develop a resilient heart in this era of explosive anxiety.

Don't just see them as literary works—try to see them as cheat codes for passing through this complex game. That is the most hardcore truth our ancestors have given us.