To be precise, it has been over half a year since I last wrote a grand strategy-level piece. The main reason is simply that on our side, there have not been any particularly noteworthy events worth discussing.
Of course, the various influencers who specialize in international geopolitics always find clever ways to turn minor topics into something dramatic. But anyone with clear eyes knows it is nothing more than blowing small things out of proportion for clicks.
Student Question
Master Chi, greetings. Since joining the community, I’ve gained a great deal.
I’ve recently been seconded to a department within my bureau. In my day-to-day writing, I keep making small errors in the details. When I review a document I’ve just drafted, it looks fine to me — and I do consider myself a capable reader. But once my supervisor goes through it, they always find problems and things that need correcting.
First, a reader’s letter:
Dear Master Chi, I am a young person who has been following you for two years. I’m reaching out because I’ve noticed that nearly every article you write about life touches on the topic of marriage.
I can’t help but wonder — is marriage really that important for a person?
To be honest, I’m a girl from Jiangxi making my way in Shanghai, and I’m absolutely the hardworking type. Beyond my day job, I’ve taken your guidance to heart: in the evenings I work on building my personal brand and take on small interior design projects. Life feels full and satisfying.
After so much anticipation, it has finally arrived. The official Chinese zodiac annual fortune cycle (liúnián yùnshì) reading for the Guimao Year is now released.
I can say with full confidence: this is the most systematic, most professional, and most detailed zodiac annual fortune analysis available anywhere right now.
For you, this is an extraordinarily important article to start the year.
Because this year is clearly going to be a pivotal turning point for many people. This Spring Festival in particular carried an unmistakable undercurrent — a quiet but potent energy of something gathering, something on the verge of breaking through.
Tonight should be a joyful night — full of vitality and anticipation.
As for everything that came with the Renyin year, let us set that aside for now — not to forget it, but because there is something more important I want to say to you.
And that is this: I have a few heartfelt blessings I’d like to offer you.
First and foremost, above all else, my very first wish is for your health. I hope your health means a body that is comfortable and free from illness — that you eat well, sleep soundly, feel full of energy, and carry a light heart.
Student Question
Hello Master, in a small city where house prices have shown little to no long-term growth, is it better to buy with a mortgage or pay in full? (I do have the means to pay in full.) Doing a rough calculation, the annual mortgage interest is quite significant — much higher than what a bank deposit would earn. Please advise. Thank you.
Master Chi’s Response
If house prices aren’t going up long-term, buying in full means you’re continuously losing money — it’s no different from just holding cash.
The holiday is almost here. I was already thinking about taking a break when something jolted me awake: there are still a few important things I haven’t reminded my brothers and sisters about!
I have to tell you — because if you handle these few small things properly, every single one of them can help your fortune run smoothly for an entire year.
So I sat down and carefully wrote out these suggestions:
End of year — I’d rather not write something overly complicated. Everyone’s getting ready for the New Year; who wants to strain their brain over dense, cryptic content?
But this Year of the Water Rabbit (Gui Mao, 2023) — it truly matters.
As the crossroads between breaking down and building anew after the great pandemic, it will mark a turning point in the destiny of many. Years from now, when you’ve made something of yourself, you’ll find yourself suddenly realizing: the year your fortunes turned was right here, right now — 2023, the Year of the Water Rabbit.
Student Question
Hello Master, I’m thinking about creating self-media content by “picking up bottles” (generating side income). My family has a middle school physics teacher and a middle school math teacher. What do you think about doing analysis videos for high school entrance exam (中考) questions? Each video covers one problem, about ten minutes long, published across Douyin, WeChat Video, and Kuaishou simultaneously. Please advise.
Master Chi’s Response
This type of tutoring and education content is under strict restrictions.
These past couple of days have brought unexpected matters that needed handling — unavoidably disrupting my usual writing schedule. I hope you’ll bear with me.
But just now, in a spontaneous moment, I sat down and wrote this short piece — a warm bowl of winter soup, sent to you with care.
It isn’t long, but it comes from the heart. I hope you enjoy it and find something of value in it.