The saying of the ancients, "Wealth is in the sky, wealth is in the nose, and you are rich in the eyes" may seem illogical and unreasonable on the surface. However, to think that this is a feudal superstition is to misunderstand the profound wisdom contained in this statement.
Modern people may feel fatalistic about the phrase "wealth in the sky", believing that fate and wealth are already predestined, and efforts are futile. This perception makes it seem as if the individual has to lie in bed and wait for destiny to come, because the rich are destined to be rich, and the poor cannot escape poverty no matter how hard they try.
However, the origin of this sentence from the Analects of Yan Yuan reveals the deeper meaning of wealth in heaven. In Yan Yuan's story, although he is talented and virtuous, he is poor all his life due to the difficult situation. The "heaven" here does not refer to God, but Zhou Tianzi, in the feudal period, this Zhou Tianzi was powerless to stop the country, and allowed the nobles to fight for power and profit for personal interests, causing Yan Yuan to lose the opportunity to display his talents. This "heaven" refers more to the social environment and system of the feudal era.
The context of this sentence is the dialogue between Sima Niu and Zixia, emphasizing that "life and death are fate, wealth is in the sky", which means that in the face of difficulties, people should treat the affairs in hand with a firm and serious attitude, whether rich or poor, everyone can become brothers. The "sky" here is a broad and chic category, representing a heroic feeling of "all brothers in the four seas", rather than a passive and waiting view of fate.
In "Rich look at the nose, expensive look at the eyes", the pursuit above "rich" is "expensive", and the shape of the eyes is regarded as a factor that determines whether a person has nobility. In physiognomy, the nose is considered to be the part of wealth and health, and its position in the five elements belongs to the earth, the earth is born, and it is related to wealth. The eyes are regarded as the window to the soul, and the eyes are firm and clear, representing confidence and perseverance, which helps to win the favor of others.
On a deeper level, "expensive eyes" emphasizes eye color, which refers to a person's ability to identify the right person and seize opportunities. In ancient times, businessmen needed a keen sense of smell to respond to market changes, and today, everyone should have the ability to sift through information and accurately judge favorable information. The color of the eye, including the sharpness of the eye, is closely related to the individual's ability to seize opportunities.
Therefore, this ancient saying is not a feudal superstition, but contains the wisdom of the ancients, reminding people to face their fate with a positive attitude in life, and at the same time pay attention to their own conduct and grasp opportunities.