Tongwu Path: The Five Books of Harmony

Book 1: Tongwu’s Declaration of Harmony

On this rock, we build not just a city, but a creed, and a testament. Unborn generations shall stand upon towers erected on this rock and never know the darkness from their city lights. They will never know the darkness of The Calamity. They will never know how Feyim the Great and the First led us from our homes. They will never know how we learned to battle demons and angels in our hearts, minds, and bodies. They will never know the suffering of our diaspora nor the burdens of building their future. The die has been cast and the first tree felled to build shelter. Tonight I meditate under a fir tree on the snowy ground to ensure that future generations never know of the suffering of the calamity. We cannot build them a world without suffering; it is omnipresent. So we shall teach them the cessation of suffering.

On the Calamity’s History

What might be said of The Calamity? Perhaps the dance of the dragons will pass into legend. But it was a real legend to us. Tiamat betrayed Bahamut and cast him down from Celestia. Both Tiamat and Bahamut gave up large portions of their power to create other gods and soldiers to fight against the other. Constant war filled all of the planes. bloodshed and death were the standards. There was no love, there was no joy, there was no hope, only pain. Until a group of heroes rose under the name of "The Dawn" They were ordinary people who rose against the darkness showing compassion and care. When they aided the gods and their soldiers against the forces of darkness, Tiamat stood no chance. The gods who fought with Tiamat were removed from their cursed thrones in Celestia and were cast into the bowels of the planes as punishment, always looking for a moment to return and retake what is theirs. We mortals caught between the duel of the gods asked ourselves: Why must we be caught in this crossfire of eternal retribution.

The Valley Between Good and Evil

Our pilgrimage brings us to this land, but the physical journey is not our true one. The path we walk brings us to the valley between good and evil. The existence of evil will forever seek to triumph over good which is checked in place by the perpetual defense of the forces of good. Bahamut and Tiamat are all too real: thesis and antithesis. To understand the existence of good and evil in one’s mind practice this exercise in mindful meditation: Imagine you walk through a forest and see a fox chase a rabbit. Who is good and who is evil? The fox desires to bring death to the rabbit, yes, but only for survival. The fox suffers from the consequence of its birth. It is a killer, but cannot choose this life. It simply is. Should the rabbit be free the fox will certainly suffer and die of starvation? Does not the rabbit deserve life as well? It harms no one. But perhaps it harms the grass and the flowers of gardeners. This is the nature of the rabbit. Does it deserve to be free of suffering through death? Ponder these thoughts and many others in your meditation. We reject the mantras of good and evil and embrace mortal enlightenment. We choose to create a new force of nature. One that answers the question of good and evil. One that answers the questions of the fox and rabbit. We choose to create Harmony.

Truths of Harmony

To achieve Harmony as Feyim the Great and the First taught us, we must understand there are truths to harmony. Feyim paved the way for five simple truths to follow in a pattern repeated across The Path.

1. Two forces in opposition can only exist for so long before conflict arises.
2. Suffering is a natural, but maladaptive part of life.
3. Through self-reflection and meditation, one can find balance.
4. Harmony is created when the answer to the question of balance is found.
5. Harmony allows mortals to escape the shackles of the flesh and spirit.
6. Reflect upon these truths in meditation and you will see The Path laid before you.

Book 2: Zhao Qihana’s Edict of Ministry

Editor’'s Note: Zhao Qihana was the 3rd reincarnation of Feyim I The Great and is renowned for Spreading the Tongwo Path outside of Lo’shar and his travel accounts recorded in his autobiographical record, “Awakening the Sun”.

As I draw closer every moment to the end of my 3rd life cycle, I find it necessary to lay forward the path for when I return to this plane. The flesh I incorporate, just as all flesh does, will resist the path to Harmony. So as not to fall to the vice of material urge, I have spent my elongated life searching for the perfect balance of life. Life is a gift that must be measured delicately to make the best use of it. Imbalance in one’s life could lead to the toppling of it’s Harmony. Imagine your life laid out as a set of stones balanced precariously upon each other. The stones are each devoted to one aspect of your life and each a vocation. The perfect balance in life, from my conclusions is thus:

The First Stone: Studentry

The first and shortest part of one’s life should be dedicated to learning. A baby must learn to walk before it can run and babble before it may speak anything of substance. Learn the basics of Tongwu Path first, and they shall pave your path.

The Second Stone: Observation

How can you see with closed eyes? To find Harmony, we must find where it is not. Harmony is within oneself and the natural opposite of within is without. The longest and thinnest balancing stone must be spent seeing the world and learning from it’s errors just as the Feyim and Tongwu of past cycles have done.

The Third Stone: Teaching

A teacher oft learns from the student as the student learns from the teacher. In the reincarnation cycle I have witnessed this far more literally. This stone is thin for you have already learned the lessons you will teach. But by teaching, you bring others closer to Harmony and thus yourself as well. To teach is to learn the same lesson differently. But one must teach longer than studying.

The Fourth Stone: Meditation and Rectification

The longest stone and widest stone of your life should be dedicated to meditation and righting the wrongs you have committed. When you have searched inward to find every trace of imbalance you brought to the world and rooted it out like a weed in the garden of your life, you are ready for the final stone.

The Fifth Stone: Silence

When you have said and done all to calm the ripples of imbalance you have caused, the remainder of your life should be devoted to existing in perfect Harmony. This state may only be achieved by true masters of The Path. By existing in silence and complete decorum your life speaks for itself as a record of your journey. You will be as the wind, ebbing and flowing in the natural world at peace.

Book 3: Aphorisms and Parables by Wongyu

Authors Note: Wongyu was the 6th reincarnation of Tongwu although he never claimed to be such himself.

I suppose I shall soon enter the final portion of my life and shall exist in perfect Harmony. I think that perhaps my master in his 3rd life foresaw my form in this cycle and designed a way to keep me quiet once and for all. Or perhaps I am not Tongwu at all, but simply a fat old man who people look to for guidance. It matters not. A vow of silence is not broken by a smile or a laugh that causes my belly to grow sore, and so nothing is truly lost in this state. Still, I see it important to pass on the lessons I have taught and learned and learned and taught in this life. The children with whom I spend my days playing with and teaching seem to grow more every day as I wither. But as the messy hair of the boys grow to long beards and the women grow to be strong matriarchs, they sight my little sayings and aphorisms as powerful inspirations. The men and women I have seen grown up are good people. People who understand The Path of Tongwu better than I ever will. So I shall share these aphorisms here. And perhaps you shall share them with your children and your children's children. In this way, reincarnation or not, silence or speaking, I shall live and teach for an eternity. Meditate on these questions and sayings and perhaps this old man may give you directions on your journey. Is a leaf’s only purpose to fall?
A closed mind is like a tea kettle with no spout.
A cupped hand carries more water than an open palm.
Who were you before you were born? Children seem to know the answer that adults often forget.
To understand truth one must understand falsehood just as one must understand darkness to know light.
One million deaths will not be enough for someone who seeks the death of one person.
From the top of a mountain, you cannot see the mountain.
I always get to where I am going by going away from where I have been.
There is no more terrible moment of enlightenment than the one in which you discover your father is a man made of flesh and blood.
Greatness is an impermanent myth. You must reflect greatness back upon those who thrust it upon you.
Nothing has ever come from nothing, but something has always come from something.
You are only judged by the sum total of what you despise.
True strength lies in the moment of delay between desire for a thing and the act of reaching out to grab it.
Logic is not law, but law must always be logical
Plan your future but do so in chalk.
To stay awake all night is to add a day to your life.
If wishes were given freely none of us would have what we desire.
What are you but an extension of your parents? What is your wisdom, but the extension of that which you learn from others?
We borrow all energy from other living beings. Do not waste their gift idley.
Happiness is a garden. You cannot reap the benefits without first planting seeds of it in others.
We accept love we think we deserve.
Flowers can always be found by those who go looking.
The trouble is you think you have time.
Let go of all illusions that things could be any different.
Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like bananas.

Book 4: Modesty of the Monk

Editor's Note: The Rules of modesty that govern the life of a monk were dictated by Guru Sakempdi Baharaj The 8th Reincarnation of Feyim the Great.
Followers of the Path shall never engage combat. However, they may defend the life of other beings and should train their body and mind to perform this sacred duty effectively.
Followers of the Path shall abstain from romantic love. To regard all love for only one being prevents a monk from devoting their life to open their heart to all living beings.
Followers of the Path shall abstain from consuming flesh of animals. However, it is acceptable to accept the kindness of others on pilgrimage so as not to offend their way of life.
Followers of the Path will respect all ways and cultures of life. Ours is one path among many towards happiness. It is not the place of the monk to judge the lifestyle of others.
Followers of the Path have a duty to serve all people in need of help. We are servants to the world first; the difference between seeking enlightenment and serving others is lateral.
Followers of the Path must follow The Path of Stones I have laid out in my 3rd past life.
Followers of the Path must adopt a modest lifestyle. They need not adopt a conforming appearance as our path adopts those of all races. But they shall make a habit to dress plainly, have simple hair, and simple amenities.
Followers of the Path must have concerns that are global. We must reject absolutely revenge, aggression, and retaliation. The foundation of such a method is Iove.”
Followers of the Path must only have faith in themselves. What is simply is. And our Path simply is; so long as we pave it ourselves.

Book 5: Book of Songs and List of Life Cycles

Editor’s Note: Loan Nhung Binh was the 9th Reincarnation of Tongwu and Recorded the history of Tongwu and Feyim’s Life Cycles. It should be noted that the Book of Songs has been included in this version as well, but Loan Nhung Binh could not read or write and thus her songs are impossible to decipher in text form. The glyphs she drew were mnemonic devices to help her remember the songs that are said to have healed the sick and wounded in many miraculous ways. She was also a wealth of oral history and recorded many histories in this way. Her list of reincarnations is updated here for Current life cycles of the prophets.

Song of Birds

Song of Rivers

Song of The Breeze

Song of Chi

The Life Cycles

Editor’s Note: The updated Life Cycles are bolded. As the nature of Feyim and Tongwu is that of a fluctuating student-teacher relationship their lives are marked with their initials.

Feyim I The Great (F.1)

Tongwu The PathFinder (T.1)

Feyim II The Student (F.2)

Konala Sayavong (T.2)

Zhao Qihana The Traveller (F.3)

Tetsu Yueh (T.3)

Wushu Komei The Builder(F.4)

Ritsushima Chikao (T.4)

Hassan Khashem (F.5)

Alexei Fairagroves (T.5)

Dukong of the Waves (F.6)

“Laughing” Wongyu (T.6)

Opali Bujarr (F.7)

Dulcinea Aloñoso (T.7)

Guru Sakempdi Baharaj (F.8)

Priyanka kopali (t.8)

Loan Nhung Binh (F.9)

Ginger ophelian of the Tea Leaves (T.9)

Acrelius of the South (F.10)

Douglas Carlsson The Bold (T.10)

Ishima I (F.11)

CURRENTLY UNFOUND

Ishima II

THAT’S OUR SON, BASIL!

I have seen thousands of flowers bloom, but none as breathtaking as you, my little petunia - Basil

Type

Religious, Monastic Order

Leader

Wongyu