How to Read “Ginseng can both save people and kill people”
にんじんよくひとをいかし、よくひとをころす
Meaning of “Ginseng can both save people and kill people”
This proverb warns us that things can either help or harm people depending on how we use them.
It teaches that excellent tools, knowledge, power, and talent are all good things in themselves. But the results they produce can be completely opposite depending on how we use them.
For example, a kitchen knife is a tool that feeds people by preparing meals. But if used incorrectly, it becomes a weapon that can hurt people.
Knowledge works the same way. When used to help others, it enriches society. But when misused, it becomes a means to deceive people.
This proverb reminds us that when we gain something powerful, we need to think about more than just its strength. We must also remember the weight of responsibility that comes with using it.
In modern times, we’re surrounded by powerful things like technology, information, and money. Used correctly, they enrich our lives.
But used incorrectly, they can hurt ourselves and others. This proverb asks us to think carefully about our attitude when we hold something powerful.
Origin and Etymology
The “ginseng” in this proverb doesn’t refer to the orange vegetable carrot. It refers to Korean ginseng, which has been treasured as a medicinal herb.
Korean ginseng has long been known in China and Japan as a top-quality medicinal plant. People have used it for health and treating illnesses.
Clear written records about this proverb’s origin are limited. But it likely emerged under the influence of Chinese medical thought.
In traditional Chinese medicine, an old idea exists: even the best medicine becomes poison if used incorrectly.
Ginseng has especially powerful medicinal effects. Used properly, it can restore weakened people to health.
But used in ways that don’t match someone’s constitution or symptoms, it can actually worsen their condition.
This lesson expanded beyond just medicine. It spread as a universal warning that all things can become good or bad depending on how we use them.
By using the specific example of ginseng, the proverb makes an abstract lesson easy to understand.
It contains a deep insight from our ancestors: the more excellent something is, the greater its power, and therefore the greater the danger when handled incorrectly.
Usage Examples
- SNS is like “Ginseng can both save people and kill people” – how you use it can change your life
- He gained power, but as they say “Ginseng can both save people and kill people,” so he must handle it carefully
Universal Wisdom
The truth this proverb speaks is that power itself has no good or evil. The human heart and judgment that wield it determine the outcome.
Looking back at human history, fire, writing, and science have all become either blessings or disasters depending on the user’s intentions.
Why has this proverb been passed down for so long? Because humans have always been fascinated by power while also being controlled by it.
When we obtain something excellent, we easily fall into a sense of omnipotence. But what truly matters is the choices we make after gaining that power.
What’s interesting is that this proverb uses the specific example of ginseng as medicine.
Medicine was created to cure illness. But if the amount or method is wrong, it becomes poison.
This means even things created with good intentions can cause harm depending on how they’re handled. A deeper warning lies within.
The essential human weakness is that when we gain power, we become arrogant and forget its dual nature.
Our ancestors saw through this. That’s why they used the example of the most excellent medicine as a warning to those with power.
This is timeless wisdom based on a deep understanding of human nature.
When AI Hears This
The dual nature of ginseng is a classic example of the dose-response curve in toxicology.
This curve plots dosage on the horizontal axis and biological response on the vertical axis. Many substances work stimulatingly at low doses and suppressively at high doses, creating an inverted U-shape.
Take saponin, a component in ginseng, as an example. In small amounts, it activates immunity and improves blood flow.
But excessive intake causes hemolytic action that destroys red blood cells. The existence of this turning point is crucial.
Even water, essential for life in proper amounts, causes water intoxication and death if you drink more than six liters in a short time.
What’s interesting is that this dose dependency isn’t linear. It reverses sharply the moment it crosses a certain threshold.
The boundary between “a bit much” and “dangerous” is surprisingly narrow. For ginseng, about three grams per day provides medicinal benefits.
But reports show that exceeding ten grams causes side effects like insomnia and palpitations.
Ancient people detected this subtle boundary line through experience, without scientific measuring instruments.
What they observed wasn’t the good or evil of the substance itself. It was the phenomenon of qualitative transformation caused by the variable of quantity.
This perfectly matches the principles of dosage design in modern precision medicine.
Lessons for Today
What this proverb teaches you today is the weight of choosing “how to use” something when you obtain it.
Smartphones, money, knowledge, influence – powerful tools surround us. Used correctly, they enrich life and bring happiness to people around us.
What matters is stopping to think when you gain power. Who will I use this power for? Is this truly a necessary use?
Am I judging based only on my own convenience? Such questions guide your choices in the right direction.
In modern society, information and technology are easily obtained. That’s exactly why our attitude in handling them is being tested.
Just as a chef who knows the sharpness of a knife handles it carefully, you should be aware of the magnitude of your own power.
When you hold something powerful, you can choose to use it in a way that saves people.
The accumulation of those choices determines the quality of your own life. Remember that power comes with responsibility, and treasure each choice you make.
Comments