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“Emotion” has different connotations. Generally speaking, “emotion” refers to feelings such as familial love, friendship, and romantic love. However, the seven emotions of humans do not refer to feelings but rather to moods. Everyone has their own unique emotions, as all animals have emotions, and humans, as advanced beings, possess a richer emotional spectrum. The seven commonly recognized emotions are: joy (喜, xǐ), anger (怒, nù), worry (忧, yōu), contemplation (思, sī), sadness (悲, bēi), fear (恐, kǒng), and shock (惊, jīng).
(1) Joy (喜, xǐ).
This is an emotion that everyone enjoys. As the saying goes, “A smile can make you ten years younger; a frown can turn your hair white.” It is very important to maintain a cheerful mood every day. “When one encounters joyful events, their spirit is uplifted,” which is easy to achieve. However, maintaining a joyful mood even in the face of adversity is much more challenging.
(2) Anger (怒, nù).
This is the emotion experienced when one is angry. The saying goes, “Anger harms the body,” and “Being angry punishes oneself for others’ mistakes.” These sayings hold much truth. It is easier said than done to remain calm in the face of challenges. My perspective is to be grateful to those who make me angry, as they teach me resilience and happiness.
(3) Worry (忧, yōu).
This is the emotion of concern. The saying goes, “Nine out of ten matters do not go as planned.” There are countless reasons to worry every day, but that is not advisable. Worrying does not solve any problems, and no good outcome can arise from it. My approach to avoiding worry is to “consider the worst and strive for the best.” Regardless of the outcome, it will always be better than the worst I initially imagined, thus I have no worries.
(4) Contemplation (思, sī).
This is the emotion of missing someone or thinking deeply about matters. Confucius said, “Think thrice before acting.” It is encouraged to think and reflect, but obsessive thoughts or daydreaming should be avoided.
(5) Sadness (悲, bēi).
This is the painful emotion experienced during sorrowful events. The saying goes, “A man does not shed tears lightly.” When a loved one passes away, one naturally feels sorrowful. However, it is important to remember that death is a part of life, and sometimes it is better to leave this world than to suffer in it. Thus, some say that death is the happiness of the deceased and the pain of the living.
(6) Fear (恐, kǒng).
This is the emotion experienced in the face of fear. The saying goes, “Do not fear falling leaves; they will not harm you,” indicating that such fear is unnecessary. However, maintaining a mindset of “safety first” is essential, as it encourages caution and vigilance to prevent accidents. One should be cautious of traffic accidents when going out, of infidelity when making friends, and of corruption in relationships, etc. A healthy amount of fear is beneficial.
(7) Shock (惊, jīng).
This is the emotion of fear experienced in sudden situations. The saying goes, “If you do not do anything wrong, you need not fear the ghost knocking at your door.” A true gentleman should remain calm and composed in the face of challenges.
The World Health Organization’s “Victoria Declaration” states that the sixteen-character mantra for health is: “Balanced diet, moderate exercise, quit smoking and limit alcohol, and maintain psychological balance.” The psychological balance primarily refers to emotional equilibrium, with more joy and less anger, worry, sadness, and shock, which leads to better health and a happier life.
What Are the Six Desires?
Everyone has their own desires for survival and life, which is a natural human condition. However, people may have different opinions on what these desires are. I summarize the six desires of humans as: appetite (食欲, shí yù), sexual desire (色欲, sè yù), desire for knowledge (求知欲, qiú zhī yù), desire for activity (活动欲, huó dòng yù), desire for leadership (领袖欲, lǐng xiù yù), and desire for possession (占有欲, zhàn yǒu yù).
(1) Appetite (食欲, shí yù).
This is also known as the desire for survival, which is the desire to live. In situations like earthquakes or mining accidents, those trapped underground most desire to survive and need food and water. Therefore, improving people’s living standards primarily revolves around ensuring that the food they consume is safe and palatable. The rising prices that concern the public are primarily related to food costs. Meeting people’s dietary needs directly relates to their well-being, health, safety, longevity, and social stability.
(2) Sexual desire (色欲, sè yù).
This is also known as emotional desire. Confucius stated, “Food and sex are human nature,” indicating that appetite and sexual desire are the most basic physiological needs of humans. The six desires mentioned in Buddhism refer to the innate desires humans have for the opposite sex, including sexual desire, desire for physical appearance, desire for demeanor, desire for voice, desire for smoothness, and desire for human interaction.
(3) Desire for knowledge (求知欲, qiú zhī yù).
This is the curiosity to understand and know everything. Humans have an innate desire to understand, know, explore, research, develop, and innovate in the external world. Therefore, diligent study should stem from this intrinsic desire, and parents should find ways to stimulate their children’s desire to learn rather than impose pressure on them, as that approach will yield poor results.
(4) Desire for activity (活动欲, huó dòng yù).
This refers to the desire for expression. Activity primarily includes communication, labor, and exercise. From birth, humans have a desire for activity; the first cry signifies their arrival in this world. Everyone has the desire to share their experiences, thoughts, and feelings with others and to gain recognition from them. There is also a desire for physical activity and labor, and even those who dislike work or exercise likely enjoy playing games. In summary, the desire for activity is universal.
(5) Desire for leadership (领袖欲, lǐng xiù yù).
This is also known as the desire for recognition, which is the desire to excel in a group, to showcase one’s uniqueness and authority, and to gain respect and obedience from others. This is understandable.
(6) Desire for possession (占有欲, zhàn yǒu yù).
This is well-known. Everyone wants to acquire more wealth to purchase luxurious villas, high-end cars, and exquisite clothing, thereby enhancing their comfort in life. This desire is also the root motivation for corruption. The higher one’s position and power, the stronger the desire for possession. To curb the spread of corruption, efforts should focus on reducing the desire for possession among leaders, implementing measures to regularly disclose the income and assets of officials through relevant departments, creating an environment where “those who reach out will be caught,” otherwise, there will be no good results.
Among the six desires of humans, some are healthy while others are unhealthy. We should find ways to enhance the healthy desires and restrain the unhealthy ones, which can lead to a more pleasant mood and a happier life.
