The origin of my pseudonym: 侧成峰

题西林壁 （Written on the Wall of West Forest） by 苏轼（Su Shi）

横看成岭侧成峰，
远近高低各不同。
不识庐山真面目，
只缘身在此山中。

Seen from the side, it forms a ridge; from the end, a peak,
Far, near, high, low — all appear distinct.
I cannot know the true face of Mount Lu,
Only because I am within these mountains.

For me, this poetry has a profound philosophy, in the sense that every phrase is well crafted and very tasteful. The main interpretation could be us, modern people, as:

1. The difficulty of catching the micro tendency and the hardship of touching the macro tendency.

2. Different perspectives of angle define different views or extend them: Different perspectives of angle define different arguments and opinions.

3. The truth is frequently camouflaged.

4. Insiders struggle to find the fact when it is inside of the fact. As another classical chinese phrase, 当局者迷，旁观者清（The person involved is confused, while the bystander sees clearly）.

In fact, our modern society is like the electrical wire system of a giant metropolis, constantly increasing and each time topologically more difficult to get a clear understanding. Such a quantity of knowledge and specialization, so much division of work, financial market, production cycle, logistic chain, interaction between nations, world wide web, etc ……. We are confused.

That’s why I am amazed by a poet who wrote this nearly 1000 years ago: a contemplation based on the scene of a famous Chinese mountain, which could still be used as a metaphor to describe so much things happening in the modernity. And since then, I chose 侧成峰 as a pseudonym.