The most awkward thing about writing is the fear that you won’t understand.
Because if you lack that spark of intuition, it’s simply fated — you will be unable to grasp the key threads I’ve carefully hidden within each article.
This is also why, after every piece I write, reader reactions split sharply into two poles. But I never blame that small minority who can’t follow along — there’s no need. Life is such that progressing from “a mountain is just a mountain” to “a mountain is not simply a mountain” requires an enormous amount of knowledge and the accumulated weight of history.
So Master Chi has never recommended that “straightforward” readers study my articles closely. Wouldn’t that same time be much better spent gaming or scrolling through videos? Half-grasping too many things isn’t necessarily a good thing either.
My important articles, on the contrary, have always been written exclusively for those who care about the affairs of the nation and the currents of the era. If you belong to this group, you will inevitably be able to read the foreshadowing woven into every word and sentence. Likewise, today’s article — every point in it matters enormously, touching on the world at large and on each of us.
1
2022 has genuinely not been easy — but thankfully, it is finally drawing to a close, and it will surely carry with it its unique and deeply meaningful character, gradually fading into the haze of memory.
At the same time, I have an extremely strong premonition — a firm belief — that once this year passes, the climate will grow increasingly comfortable and favorable.
This conviction isn’t some aimless optimism. It stems from understanding that, within the rhythm of history, this is the development that the odds overwhelmingly point to.
You must understand: 2022 was truly extraordinary. Never before have so many momentous events converged in a single year in such a “still waters run deep” fashion — it has simply never happened before.
So if you can grasp the meaning of “still waters run deep,” you can grasp the special nature of 2022. And if you can understand why 2022 was so special, you will see that whoever can endure through the hardships of this phase will find that all subsequent problems are, in truth, nothing to worry about.
Of course, I know many will disagree with this view — that’s perfectly normal.
Just as I said before that things would warm up after the Spring Festival and into March, many didn’t believe it at the time — yet the news of warming actually arrived ahead of schedule. This is precisely the difference between those who can read history and those who have grasped the fundamental rules of five thousand years of civilization.
Guó tài mín ān — “the nation prospers and the people dwell in peace.” The order and structure of this phrase alone is enough to say everything.
2
Sometimes words are crystal clear, and other times they are deliberately blurred. Whether you can distill clarity from the blur depends entirely on your own intuition and perception.
You may remember my last paid article — throughout it, I spared no effort in pointing you toward the concept of “when the family is in harmony, everything prospers.” And combined with the timing of that piece, a perceptive reader would immediately grasp both the weight of that concept and the significance of events unfolding in those days.
But there were also a handful of rather “endearing” readers who were left scratching their heads, asking me: if you really meant to address the family-and-nation relationship, why did you only write about the family — and a single household at that?
There’s no need to explain further. If a person cannot on their own intuit the connection between the individual household and the broader collective, what they lack is not a line or two of clarification — they lack a complete, macro-level systemic logic.
It’s like a small child suddenly showing up in a university lecture hall. No matter how eager to learn, they simply can’t keep up. The only solution is to go back and build a solid foundation first — only then is there a basis for genuine discussion.
I believe that when a few short years have passed and we look back on today, those of a simpler, more ground-level perspective will mostly recall the practical hardships of daily life this year. But those of deeper insight and intuition will more likely experience a sudden moment of clarity — realizing that this was the year we tried so hard, scaled mountains of difficulty, and crossed treacherous chasms.
And what did we rely upon to overcome them?
I think nothing captures it more precisely than two words: unity. As for how to interpret those two words — in all directions, up and down, left and right — I’ll leave that entirely to you.
3
There’s a classic line from the film The Godfather: “Never hate your enemies. It affects your judgment.”
I have long upheld this line as one of the few guiding principles of my life. Because when I was young and hot-blooded, I too let a head full of rising heat drive me into actions that felt, at the time, like satisfying justice.
But later I realized — there is no such thing as truly satisfying justice in this world. Every act of “righteous revenge” only sprouts new branches of conflict and contradiction, ultimately generating endless trouble and entanglements that can follow you for life.
The way to truly solve problems — and solve them once and for all — is always to turn swords into silk, transform deadly enemies into close allies, and convert opposition into cooperation.
This guiding philosophy has brought me enormous benefit and helped me avoid enormous risk in my adult years. Though I’m well aware that certain people will always harbor grievances against me, at the very least I no longer put that fire on the table and turn minor matters into escalating new conflicts.
Of course, the one exception is when certain circumstances require just that small spark to bring a larger situation to fruition — in that case, under controlled conditions, a faint whiff of gunpowder isn’t entirely off the table.
Beyond that, true prosperity and development must ultimately be built on positive competition without drawn blades. And this trend is becoming increasingly clear — especially since the winds of Bali became the first warm current of spring, many things were already set on a relatively promising trajectory for the industry. Of course, intense competition and tight cooperation will require concessions — but at minimum, we’ve entered a healthy state of “if you do well, I intend to do better.” Very good indeed.
Now, how does this relate to the rest of us?
Simply put: all industries that need to and can achieve domestic substitution will become a major national goal that will not let up for at least the next decade — especially, especially semiconductors and chips.
Don’t be misled by how this sector is currently mired in turbulence due to multi-party rivalry. The goal of achieving basic substitution capability is absolutely non-negotiable. Can’t crack the high end? Capture the low end first, then nurture it with a vast domestic market to eventually surpass from behind — this is already an ironclad, nailed-down national objective.
4
Something I personally feel is equally important: 2022 will serve as a watershed for economic development and personal growth — and this is a critical point every one of us must recognize clearly.
I’ll even make the somewhat irresponsible statement that if, between 2022 and 2024, you fail to undertake a thorough upgrade of your personal wealth and capabilities, then everything you’ve accumulated before has a real chance of being eroded again and again through successive waves of generational change — until only a remnant of value remains.
In other words: no matter how hard you work, if your efforts are pointed at the wrong target, you won’t gain a penny of wealth — and you may even end up harming yourself.
So what are the good and safe targets?
The answer is actually quite simple: real estate in core locations along major transportation arteries, within a handful of key cities.
Beyond that: pharmaceuticals, medical devices, precision manufacturing, the semiconductor sector that’s pushing hard, the upstream and downstream of new energy, and electric vehicles. If you truly can’t make your own judgment, index funds are worth considering — though this is merely a reference point, not financial advice.
There’s another point that’s particularly important right now: you absolutely must start building your personal brand. No more putting it off. Even if your work is purely technical, you can try posting your daily life and professional insights on various text and video platforms — stay as positive and sunlit in tone as possible.
Of course, don’t expect this to generate income right away. That would be missing the point entirely.
The reason to develop in this direction is that the greatest value of a personal brand is simply making you visible — or rather, helping others know you more fully and completely.
This has enormous benefits. For your career, for instance, others can watch a video and immediately see your personal strengths, capabilities, and natural talents.
A good friend of mine is an interior designer. Over two years, he published a large volume of design work on two different platforms, paired with thoughtful personal commentary and renovation tips. Before long, he had built a modest name for himself in Shanghai — and commissions for small renovations and young couples’ new homes started finding their way to his door.
Another friend of mine is a programmer — one of the technical leads at a gaming company. The gaming industry has been rough lately, but he isn’t lost at all. His earlier library of game development and programming case study content means he receives high-salary headhunter offers of all kinds nearly every week, all from major foreign firms. He’s currently agonizing over whether to go with the number-one or number-two company in his sector — a very enviable dilemma.
I hope you too can seize this direction. As the year draws to a close, approach it with a playful, exploratory mindset and simply give it a try.
A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Shoot one or two videos — it’ll start to feel natural. Write one or two articles — you’ll gradually find your groove.
5
By this point in the article, one would normally talk about the topic everyone’s curious about — the Great Cold (the pandemic). But this subject is genuinely delicate and far too prone to triggering unnecessary arguments. So I’ll say just a few more words, and whatever you can intuit from them is entirely up to you.
First of all: we’ve all fought the Great Cold so hard and so bravely for nearly three years now. The difficulty of those three years needs no elaboration from me — you know better than anyone how much you’ve endured.
But as time passes and the Great Cold itself continues to evolve and weaken, a gradual easing is inevitable. After all, it has already passed the test of life and death — what remains is largely a relatively mild illness.
So regardless of your personal views, being fully prepared is never wrong.
On one hand, I genuinely recommend preparing fully on the health and medical front — vaccines and various medicine supplies. Don’t delay; get them ready sooner rather than later.
On another front, prepare physically — make it a habit to exercise regularly, and strengthen your overall constitution and cardiopulmonary function.
And on yet another front, prepare economically. While short-term trends remain uncertain, don’t be blindly optimistic. Every household is different — what’s happening in the Eagle household or the Kimchi household can’t be directly mapped onto ours. So prudent saving and living within your means remains critically important.
That said, maintaining a healthy mindset is still essential. Truthfully, this situation isn’t so large as to warrant panic — especially now, with preparations moving forward in full force. Perhaps it’s time to put down the fear of the gun-shy bird, and face what’s ahead with courage instead.
6
Toward the end of this article, I’d like to offer a brief look ahead to 2023. I’ll keep this section as concise as possible — I hope you’ll be able to “read between the lines”:
2023 and the years that follow will, in all likelihood, be the starting point of an increasingly vibrant and fast-moving new chapter — a starting point of two legs moving in parallel, the whole body working in close coordination.
There will be many new landscapes and new directions worth exploring deeply.
Of course, there will inevitably be things that are difficult to understand at first, even prone to misinterpretation or pessimism — but overall, there’s no need to worry. Ultimately, it still comes down to: when the family is in harmony, everything prospers, and the waters are calm.
Now, there’s something else worth noting — has anyone else noticed that calls from financial institutions and banks, both official and unofficial, practically forcing money into your hands, have been increasing dramatically lately?
If you’re sharp, you’ll understand what that means.
Then consider the recently issued 16-point policy measures (a major stimulus package released in late 2022), paired with the special period following next year’s Spring Festival — I believe ample rainfall will surely nourish land that has long gone without a drop of sweet dew.
At that point, your position and how you’re standing will matter enormously. Will you stand in the rain and watch the water slide right off you — or will you hold out a basin to catch it?
That question, I’ll leave for you to answer. I believe you already know what it is.
7
I strongly dislike ending an article with you simply finishing it and moving on. What I truly hope is that after reading, you’ll also share your own thoughts and takeaways.
And if you happen to share your plans and intentions for the coming year, that would be even better. So today, I’d like to leave you with a piece of homework.
After reading this article, please share in the comments what your plans are going forward — career, wealth, life, family, all of it is fair game. I’ll also offer selective commentary as I see fit.
And if you feel the content you want to share touches on something private, there’s no need to go into detail — a general overview is more than enough.