How to Read “亡羊の嘆”
Bōyō no tan
Meaning of “亡羊の嘆”
“Lost sheep’s lament” means lamenting the loss of truth or essence due to the overly diverse paths of learning.
This expression refers to the confusion and bewilderment that arises from having too much knowledge or information. Just as one cannot reach their destination because the roads branch out in countless directions, it describes a situation where academic and research fields have become too subdivided, leading one away from the truth they should originally seek. In modern terms, it is used to describe situations where specialization has become so highly subdivided that one loses sight of the big picture or turns away from essential problems. The reason for using this phrase is not to lament mere lack of knowledge, but rather to point out the harmful effects of having too many choices or too much information. It can be said to be a proverb expressing a universal problem that is still fully understandable today, as a situation that scholars and researchers tend to fall into.
Origin and Etymology
“Lost sheep’s lament” is a proverb derived from a historical tale recorded in the ancient Chinese classic “Liezi.” The protagonist of this story was Yang Zhu, a philosopher from ancient China.
One day, Yang Zhu’s neighbor lost a sheep. The neighbor gathered many people and went out to search for the sheep, but because the roads branched in many directions, they ultimately could not find the sheep and returned home. At this time, Yang Zhu deeply lamented and grieved.
His disciples found this strange and asked: “Why does the master grieve so much over the neighbor’s single sheep?” Yang Zhu replied: “Because the roads branch in many directions, the sheep was lost. Learning is the same. Because the roads branch in many directions, truth is lost.”
From this historical tale, the proverb “Lost sheep’s lament” was born. It is not simply the lament of losing a sheep, but a word expressing deep concern about losing truth or essence in the path of learning because there are too many fields and theories. It is a profound proverb imbued with Yang Zhu’s philosophical insight.
Usage Examples
- Many scholars probably feel Lost sheep’s lament as research fields have become too subdivided
- In our modern age overflowing with information, we need to be careful not to fall into Lost sheep’s lament
Modern Interpretation
In modern society, “Lost sheep’s lament” expresses exactly the serious problems we are facing. With the spread of the internet, we live in an era where we can access more information than ever before in human history. However, this abundance of information has made it more difficult to find truth and essence.
Countless opinions fly around on social media, and search engines return vast results. In specialized fields, large numbers of papers are published daily, and new theories and methods are constantly emerging. In such situations, determining what is truly important and what information is reliable can indeed be described as a state where “roads branch in many directions.”
Particularly in modern times, information fragmentation is advancing. Even complex problems are cut into short news pieces or posts, making it difficult to grasp the whole picture. Even experts tend to lose the big perspective by specializing too much in their narrow fields.
However, this phenomenon is not entirely negative. Having diverse perspectives and choices is also a source of creativity and innovation. What’s important is developing the ability to discern essence while having one’s own axis, without drowning in the sea of information.
When AI Hears This
The incident from 2,300 years ago, where Yang Zi’s disciples “lost their sheep because the paths branched too much,” bears a striking resemblance to the confusion modern people feel with smartphones in hand. As psychologist Barry Schwartz demonstrated in “The Paradox of Choice,” human decision-making ability drops dramatically when faced with more than seven options, ultimately leaving us unable to choose anything at all.
We modern people are surrounded daily by tens of thousands of search results, countless social media posts, and vast libraries of streaming content. Job sites offer thousands of listings, dating apps present infinite potential matches, and online stores display mountains of similar products. As a result, rather than finding “what we truly seek,” we’ve all experienced choice fatigue—scrolling for hours only to end up deciding nothing.
What’s particularly fascinating is that just as Yang Zi’s disciples lamented “not knowing which path was correct,” modern people also struggle to determine “what information is actually reliable” when overwhelmed with too much data. Take health advice alone: we’re faced with countless options like low-carb, Mediterranean, and ketogenic diets, each backed by expert opinions. Consequently, like those ancient shepherds, we find ourselves frozen in an information maze.
Lessons for Today
What “Lost sheep’s lament” teaches modern people is the wisdom to survive in an age of information overload. Having many choices is certainly not a bad thing, but being overwhelmed by them defeats the purpose.
What’s important is first clarifying what you seek and what you want to value. If your purpose is clear, no matter how many roads branch out, you won’t lose sight of the direction you should go. Also, you don’t need to try to know everything. Don’t seek perfection too much, and constantly ask yourself “What information do I need right now?”
In modern society, the ability to select and discard information is most important. Find reliable information sources and have the courage to let go of non-essential information. And sometimes, it’s important to create quiet time to think away from information.
When you feel lost, that is also a chance for growth. Having many choices also means being full of possibilities. Don’t rush, go at your own pace, and find what is truly important to you.
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