The butcher's knife and the tao | Ramblin' & Amblin' | Oct 27, 2026
Ramblin' & Amblin' Field Notes with Mike Hall (Staff Software Engineer)
Recorded on the move: engineering observations, systems architecture, and software craftsmanship reflections.
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Spoken Overview:
"The Importance of Understanding Translation from the Chinese by Lin Yutang, author of The Importance of Living. Born in 1895. This book was written sometime in the 60s...."
Recorded: October 27, 2026
The Interviewer
Mike Hall
Host, Ramblin' & Amblin'
Mike Hall
Host, Ramblin' & Amblin'
▶ Speaking
The Importance of Understanding
Translation from the Chinese by Lin Yutang, author of The
Importance of Living. Born in 1895. This book was written sometime in the 60s. I have a certain passage that I'm going to read out loud
here.
Mike Hall
Host, Ramblin' & Amblin'
▶ Speaking
From the Parables of Huang Se, The Butcher's Knife
Prince Huey's cook was cutting up a bullock. Every blow of his hand, every heave of his shoulders,
every tread of his foot, every thrust of his knee,
every wish of rent flesh, every chick of the chopper
was in perfect rhythm, like the dance of the mulberry grove
,
like the harmonious chords of Qing Xiao. Well done, cried the prince. Yours is skill indeed.
Mike Hall
Host, Ramblin' & Amblin'
▶ Speaking
Sire, replied the cook, laying down his chopper,
I have always devoted myself to the Tao,
which is higher than mere skill. When I first began to cut up bullocks,
I saw before me whole bullocks. After three years' practice,
I saw no more whole animals,
and now I work with my mind and not with my eye. My mind works along without the control of the senses.
Mike Hall
Host, Ramblin' & Amblin'
▶ Speaking
Falling back upon eternal principles,
I glide through such great joints or cavities as there may
be,
according to the natural constitution of the animal. I do not even attempt to cut through large bones. A good cook changes his chopper once a year because he cuts
,
an ordinary cook once a month because he hacks. But I had this chopper nineteen years,
and although I have cut up many thousand bullocks,
its edge is as if fresh from the whetstone.
Mike Hall
Host, Ramblin' & Amblin'
▶ Speaking
For, at the joint, there are always interstices. And the edge of a chopper, being without thickness,
it remains only to insert that which is without thickness
into such an interstice. Indeed, there is plenty of room for the blade to move about
. It is thus that I have kept my chopper for nineteen years,
as though fresh from the whetstone.
Mike Hall
Host, Ramblin' & Amblin'
▶ Speaking
Nevertheless, when I come upon a knotty part
which is difficult to tackle,
I am all caution. Fixing my eye on it,
I stay my hand
and gently apply my blade
until, with a wha,
the part yields like earth crumbling to the ground. Then I take out my chopper
and stand up and look around. And pause with an air of triumph.
Mike Hall
Host, Ramblin' & Amblin'
▶ Speaking
Then, wiping my chopper,
I put it carefully away. Bravo, cried the prince. From the words of this cook,
I have learned how to take care of my life. I almost got through it without getting choked up.
Mike Hall
Host, Ramblin' & Amblin'
▶ Speaking
I found this book. I was kind of in a dark place. Depressed, like usual. Because I'm trying to figure out how to get through to some
people
on things that I need them.
Mike Hall
Host, Ramblin' & Amblin'
▶ Speaking
At least I think I do. I think I need them to work with me on some severe concerns
. But, uh... They didn't understand.
Mike Hall
Host, Ramblin' & Amblin'
▶ Speaking
They didn't... And I had to really learn about
incentives and context
and the importance of understanding. I... I didn't...
Mike Hall
Host, Ramblin' & Amblin'
▶ Speaking
I'll get that in a sec. I didn't, um... I didn't seek this book out. I, uh...
Mike Hall
Host, Ramblin' & Amblin'
▶ Speaking
Again, it's one of those coincidence kind of thing. I was in a bookstore
and I was in the section looking for, I don't know,
Art of War or something like that. I was so frustrated trying to figure out how to get through
to people. And then, um...
Mike Hall
Host, Ramblin' & Amblin'
▶ Speaking
I saw this book
and it had a compelling cover. As you can see,
The Importance of Understanding. And, uh... I picked it up
and I flipped, flipped, flipped, flipped, flipped.
Mike Hall
Host, Ramblin' & Amblin'
▶ Speaking
And then that page opened up. Maybe the last owner of that book... Was it Half Price Books, by the way? Maybe the last owner of that book
happened to value that.
Mike Hall
Host, Ramblin' & Amblin'
▶ Speaking
But that is in a way... Um... So... It's so like the Dow.
Mike Hall
Host, Ramblin' & Amblin'
▶ Speaking
Um... You know, the, uh... I stood there in the bookstore. My wife was out
helping
my kids
find some clothes.
Mike Hall
Host, Ramblin' & Amblin'
▶ Speaking
She comes in and
I'm reading this
and I'm just like,
I have to get this book. And, um... Like, tears. Then I learned
that the Huangasei
is really funny.
Mike Hall
Host, Ramblin' & Amblin'
▶ Speaking
What a freaking card. He didn't give a shit. You think, uh... You think, uh...
Mike Hall
Host, Ramblin' & Amblin'
▶ Speaking
You think, uh... Oh my gosh. What is it? The Father of Sinistomites.
Mike Hall
Host, Ramblin' & Amblin'
▶ Speaking
Um... I can't... I'm not here. I'm looking at trees.
Mike Hall
Host, Ramblin' & Amblin'
▶ Speaking
I'm trying to think
and it's hard. Um... Because even here
I'm trying to force myself
to remember
something. And
because I'm trying
to force myself
I'm making it harder
for me to remember
uh...
Mike Hall
Host, Ramblin' & Amblin'
▶ Speaking
The thing
I'm trying
to remember
but he would
uh... This... This, um... There was a...
Mike Hall
Host, Ramblin' & Amblin'
▶ Speaking
There was this particular
Greek, um... Philosopher
who was also
very funny
and
there was a... And... And when I remember
the name
you're gonna be like
Oh my god, Mike!
Mike Hall
Host, Ramblin' & Amblin'
▶ Speaking
Uh... Like... Really? You couldn't remember
his name?
Mike Hall
Host, Ramblin' & Amblin'
▶ Speaking
Uh... Man... Don't pressure me. Uh...
Mike Hall
Host, Ramblin' & Amblin'
▶ Speaking
Uh... He... Uh... He...
Mike Hall
Host, Ramblin' & Amblin'
▶ Speaking
Uh... There's... Okay... I'm gonna...
Mike Hall
Host, Ramblin' & Amblin'
▶ Speaking
I'm gonna save this one
for another
um... Uh... Recording
because I'm gonna
just stick with
um... This parable
of Huang Sei
who's a Chinese
philosopher
very...
Mike Hall
Host, Ramblin' & Amblin'
▶ Speaking
Very funny
um... Thousands of years
ago
and uh... He just... He just thought
everything
was silly
It was great
Alright
Thanks, bye