*The Chinese section of this article is the transcript of the podcast episode 《数字里的世界：中国哲学与文化（上）》. For the full experience, please visit the episode in English and in Chinese.
大家好，我是小月，欢迎来到今天的节目。今天我们的话题是：数字。
Hello, I’m Xiaoyue. Welcome to today’s episode. Today, we’re going to talk about numbers.
你可能已经听说过，中国人有时候对数字非常敏感。
You may have heard that Chinese people can be quite sensitive about numbers.
比如，很多人喜欢数字8，因为8听起来和“发财”的“发”很像，是一个很吉利的数字。一个著名的例子是，2008年中国举办的奥运会就是8月8日晚上8点整正式开幕的。
For example, many people like the number 8 because it sounds similar to “fa” , which means “to get rich.” So 8 is considered a lucky number. One famous example is the 2008 Beijing Olympics, which officially opened at 8p.m. on August 8, 2008.
又比如，很多人不喜欢数字4，因为4和“死亡”的“死”发音相似，所以一些人在选择电话号码、车牌号的时候会尽力避开这个数字。
On the other hand, many people don’t like the number 4 because it sounds similar to “si,” which means “death.” So when choosing phone numbers or license plates, some people try to avoid 4.
这些是我们非常容易看到的数字文化。不过，今天，我们想聊一个更有意思的问题，那就是数字中蕴含的中国人对世界的看法。
These are the most common examples of Chinese number culture. But today, we want to talk about something even more interesting: how Chinese people see the world through numbers.
"The Tao produced One; One produced Two; Two produced Three; Three produced All things." (James Legge version)
So, are One, Two and Three simply numbers here?
我们先从“一”开始。
Let’s start with “One.”
这里的“一”指的是一种整体、统一的状态。在世界被分成很多不同的部分以前，可以先把它看成一个整体。然后，世界才慢慢出现区别。
Here, “One” refers to a state of wholeness and unity. Before the world was divided into many different parts, we can first see it as one whole. Then, differences slowly appeared.
这个想法在中国文化里其实非常常见。比如我们会说：天人合一。意思是自然和人合在一起，成为一个整体。同样还有“知行合一”，也是在说知识和行动是一个统一的整体。
This idea is actually quite common in Chinese culture. For example, we have the expression “tian ren he yi,” which means The unity of nature and the human being . We also have “zhi xing he yi,” which means the unity of knowing and doing.
从这里我们可以看到，中国文化中，“整体”的概念是很重要的，在我们考虑单独的“个体”之前，往往会先考虑“集体”、“整体”。这也就是为什么很多人说西方更偏向于个人主义、重视个人的发展，而中国则更偏向于集体主义，集体的利益是更重要的。
From this, we can see that the idea of a “unity” is important in Chinese culture. Before thinking about the individual, we often think about the group or the whole. This is also why people often say that Western cultures are more individualistic and place more importance on individual development, while Chinese culture is more collectivist, with
greater importance placed on the interests of the group.
好了，现在，世界整体这个“一”已经有了，那么接下来呢？“一生二”，从“一”当中，“二”诞生了。
Okay, so we have this whole world, this “One.” Now the “Two” comes next.
这里的“二”，指的是区别。比如：天和地，男和女，阴和阳。
Here, “Two” means difference. For example: heaven and earth, male and female, yin and yang.
然而，它又不只是区别，而是对立和统一的关系。比如阴和阳。我们不能简单地说，阴是坏的，阳是好的。相反，它们需要彼此，就像有黑夜，我们才知道什么是白天。
But it is not only about difference. It is also about the relationship between the opposite parts. Take yin and yang for example. We cannot simply say that yin is bad and yang is good. Instead, they need each other. Just like we need night to know what day is.
这种思维方式也体现在非常普通的词中。我们经常用两个意思相对的词来表示一个更大的概念。
This way of thinking can also be seen in very ordinary Chinese words. We often put two opposite ideas together to express a larger concept.
比如：大小。到底是大还是小？其实，它的意思是尺寸。 又比如：来往。到底是来还是往？其实，它说的是人和人之间的联系和交往。
For example, 大小,“big and small.” Is it big or small? Actually, it means size. Another example is 来往, “coming and going.” Is it coming or going? Actually, it refers to the
connection and interaction between people.
这种思维方式也体现我们的日常生活中。你可能会注意到，当一个中国人发表观点时，很少会说“这个好”或者“这个不好”，而常常会说：“这个的好处是……但是它也有坏处……” 一个欧洲人听到了，很可能会觉得，中国人说话也太不直接了，总是弯弯绕绕的，让人没法了解他们的真实想法。
This way of thinking can also be seen in everyday life. You may have noticed that when Chinese people express an opinion, they don’t often simply say, “This is good,” or “This is bad.” They may say, “The good thing about this is… but it also has some disadvantages…” A European person might hear this and think, “Why can’t Chinese people just say what they really think? Why do they always go around the point?”
但其实，同时看到事物的好处和坏处，看到好处以后也可能变成坏处，坏处以后也可能变成好处，不盲目做决定，探索更多的可能性，正是我们的真实想法。
But actually, seeing both the good and bad sides ofsomething, understanding that something good can sometimes become bad, and something bad can sometimes become good, avoiding quick decisions, and looking for more possibilities — this is exactly how we see things.
这种“二”所代表的差异以及差异之间对立统一的关系，正是中国文化中“和谐”这个概念的基础：和谐并不代表大家都一样，而是不同的东西可以共存，并且保持一种平衡。
This difference, and the relationship between opposites, is also an important basis for the idea of harmony in Chinese culture: harmony does not mean that everyone is the same. It means that different things can exist together while maintaining a certain balance.
接下来，让我们来看“三”。“二生三，三生万物。”
Now, let’s look at “Three.”
当两个不同的东西发生关系，新的东西就产生了。从一个整体，到出现区别，再到产生变化，最后变成我们今天看到的这个复杂世界。
When two different things interact, something new is created. We move from one whole, to differences, and then to change. Finally, we get the complex world we see today.
而“三”就是产生的质的变化。
And “Three” is where a fundamental change happens.
有一个很有名的故事叫：三顾茅庐。
A famous story that shows this idea is “Three Visits to the Thatched Cottage.”
It comes from the Three Kingdoms period. There was a very talented man named Zhuge Liang. He lived in a very simple house called a maolu,a small house made of thatch. At the time, Liu Bei, the ruler of Shu, really wanted Zhuge Liang to help him, so he went to visit him. He went three times, and Zhuge Liang finally saw his sincerity and agreed to help him. So, on the third visit, the situation changed in a fundamental way.
现在，我们用这个词表示为了请一个人做事情，反复去邀请，非常有诚意。这里的三就不是真的三的意思了，而是表示很多。
Today, we use this expression to describe repeatedly inviting someone to do something and showing great sincerity. Here, “Three” does not really mean the exact number three. It means many times.
中文里很多其他的词也用“三”来表示很多。
There are many other Chinese expressions that also use“Three” to mean many.
比如，三思而后行。字面意思是，在行动之前，先想三次。也就是在行动之前要多想一想，认真考虑。又比如，三人行，必有我师。字面意思是三个人走在一起，其中一定有我的老师。也就是说几个人一起走，其中一定有人有值得我学习的地方。这里的三都不是精确的数字，而是表示“次数很多”或者“数量不少”。
For example, 三思而后行, “think three times before you act.” Literally, it means to think three times before taking action. In other words, think carefully before you act. Another
example is 三人行，必有我师,” Literally, it means when three people walk together, one of them must be my teacher.” In other words, when several people are together, there is always someone we can learn from. Here, “Three” is not an exact number. It means “many times” or “several people.”
从这里也可以看到中国文化中的长期主义。我们觉得坚持非常重要，只要坚持，就会有成果。同样，相比眼前的利益，我们也更愿意为了长期的发展而放弃短期的利益。
From this, we can also see the idea of long-term thinking in Chinese culture. We believe that persistence is important, and that if we keep going, we will eventually see results. In the same way, compared with immediate benefits, we are often more willing to give up short-term benefits for long-term development.
总结一下，在中国哲学中，一代表整体，二代表对立统一，三代表变化。从这些看世界的方法中，我们也更能理解中国人的集体主义、对和谐的追求和长期主义。
So, to sum up, in Chinese philosophy, One represents wholeness, Two represents opposites and their unity, and Three represents change. By looking at these different ways of understanding the world, we can also better understand Chinese collectivism, the value placed on harmony, and Long-term orientation.
