about this video
Potter's Wisdom Quenches Village's Thirst for Change
Once, in a land of abundant resources and industrious folk, there was a village that lay in the shadow of a great mountain. In this village lived a humble potter named Koan, known for his wisdom and his exquisite pottery. The village was governed by a council of the most affluent and well-connected members of society, who were known for their elaborate lifestyles and opulent gatherings, rather than their concerns for the welfare of the villagers.
The council prided themselves on their elite lineage, their accumulated wealth, and their ability to control the village’s affairs. They levied taxes without understanding the burden they placed on the villagers, they passed laws without considering their impact, and they made decisions about the village’s future without the consent of those whose lives would be most affected.
One year, the rainfall was sparse, and the crops that sustained the village began to fail. The villagers, once able to live off the land, found themselves in dire need. They approached the council for aid, asking for a reduction in taxes and for the council to release some of their stockpiled grain to the people.
In response, the council held a grand feast to discuss the matter. They ate, they drank, and they marveled at the fine china on which their food was served, oblivious to the plight of the villagers. They concluded that the hardship was a result of the villagers’ own failings and not the burden of the elite.
Distressed, the villagers sought the counsel of Koan, the potter. “Koan, the council does not listen,” they lamented. “They sit in their high halls, blind to our suffering. What can be done?”
Koan, with the gleam of an idea in his eye, invited the council to his humble abode for tea, promising to discuss a solution to the village’s woes. The council, intrigued by the wisdom of the potter and enticed by the promise of his famed pottery, accepted the invitation.
They gathered in Koan’s simple dwelling, sipping tea from his plain yet perfectly crafted teacups. “You see,” began Koan, gesturing to the teacups, “these teacups are admired for their beauty and functionality. Each one is like a member of our village, unique and valuable. You admire my work, but fail to see the hands that mold and shape it.”
Koan continued, “You are the potters of our society, shaping policies and futures. But unlike these teacups, your decisions have not held water. They crack under the slightest pressure, spilling hardship onto those you are meant to serve.”
The council fell silent, reflecting upon Koan’s words. The potter concluded, “The true art of governance is recognizing that, like a delicate teapot, it requires the input of skilled hands, both humble and elite, working in harmony. For a potter without clay is powerless, as is a council without the support of its people.”
Moved by Koan’s parable and the humbling experience, the council set forth to work alongside the villagers. Together, they found ways to overcome the drought, and brought prosperity back to the village.
In the years that followed, the once incompetent council was remembered not for their failures, but for their ability to listen to a humble potter’s tale, put aside their egos, and learn the importance of serving with wisdom and compassion.