--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We hear more about dignity and “pensive…" description: "\"“We hear more about dignity and “pensive luster” from cultures where the patina of age is highly valued, from the shutaku (soil from handling) in Chine..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/911/sarah-lewis-16690_chinese-culture_we-hear-more-about-dignity-and-pensive-l_2608319.jpg" --- # We hear more about dignity and “pensive luster” from… ![“We hear more about dignity and “pensive luster” from cultures where the patina of age is highly valued, from the shutaku (soil from handling) in Chinese culture or the Japanese concept of nare that garners a reverence over “shallow brilliance,” objects with too much finish. 12 In France, low…” quote by Sarah Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/911/sarah-lewis-16690_chinese-culture_we-hear-more-about-dignity-and-pensive-l_2608319.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/911/sarah-lewis-16690_chinese-culture_we-hear-more-about-dignity-and-pensive-l_2608319.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/911/sarah-lewis-16690_chinese-culture_we-hear-more-about-dignity-and-pensive-l_2608319.jpg) > ““We hear more about dignity and “pensive luster” from cultures where the patina of age is highly valued, from the shutaku (soil from handling) in Chinese culture or the Japanese concept of nare that garners a reverence over “shallow brilliance,” objects with too much finish. 12 In France, low radiance, the mere shine off a coin, was once enough to mark the start and end of the workday in winter, it was “the moment when there was not enough light to distinguish a denier \[a small coin\] of Tours from a denier of Paris.” 13 The light that begins and ends these uncommon journeys requires a similar sensitivity to their sheen. It often takes a blaze to see things anew. So age upon age has had its icons who went unsung during their lifetime. When Herman Melville died as a customs agent at the Port of New York in 1891, his widow complained that the copyright of White Jacket (1850) and Moby-Dick (1851) had no worth; they “give no income and have no market value.” 14 It took nearly seventy years for Moby-Dick to receive its critical acclaim. In the final months of writing the book, Melville suspected as much, and acrimoniously foretold his fate: “though I wrote the Gospels in this century, I should die in the gutter.” 15 Our lodestars often shine a few foot-candles below the level we are prepared to see.”” [Sarah Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-lewis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The passage explores how cultures value subtle, aged beauty over bright, new finishes, noting that true insight often requires time and sensitivity, like a dim light revealing hidden details. **In simple terms:** Some cultures cherish subtle, aged beauty over bright newness. Key Takeaway Cultivate patience and sensitivity to appreciate nuanced value. Themes culture aesthetics time perception legacy Mood reflective appreciative Type analytical inspirational When to use this quote - museum curation - historical research - personal introspection - creative projects - education curricula Key Concepts philosophy cultural studies art history psychology Questions to Reflect On - How does age affect perceived value in art? - What can we learn from cultures that honor subtlety? 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But I know on an emotional level what it means to be of the Chinese culture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-tan/i-am-an-american-steeped-in-american-values-but-i-know-on-an/) [Amy Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-tan/) > [“In the same way, current Chinese growth has nothing to do with Chinese values or changes in Chinese culture; it results from a process…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daron-acemo-lu/in-the-same-way-current-chinese-growth-has-nothing-to-do-with-chinese/) [Daron Acemoğlu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daron-acemo-lu/) > [Chinese culture is already telling children to work hard. That's not growth mindset because they're working hard for the product, not for the growth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-s-dweck/chinese-culture-is-already-telling-children-to-work-hard-that-s-not/) [Carol S. Dweck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-s-dweck/) > [Chinese culture in general is not very religious. Confucianism is more a code of ethics than a religion, and ancestor worship is a way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-henry-hwang/chinese-culture-in-general-is-not-very-religious-confucianism-is-more/) [David Henry Hwang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-henry-hwang/) > [Because of the Chinese culture of obedience, you don't ask questions... You follow and obey.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bai-ling/because-of-the-chinese-culture-of-obedience-you-don-t-ask-questions/) [Bai Ling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bai-ling/) > [There's nothing in Chinese culture that is an equivalent of the geisha. It's so different, so special to Japan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-s-nothing-in-chinese-culture-that-is-an-equivalent-of-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Its a wonderful thing to see a segment of our population that is open and eager to learn more about Chinese culture. It has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-chang/its-a-wonderful-thing-to-see-a-segment-of-our-population-that-is-open/) [Iris Chang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-chang/) > [I need to talk about Chinese culture. We have deep, strong philosophy and culture. I want to share some information, tell the worldwide audience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jet-li/i-need-to-talk-about-chinese-culture-we-have-deep-strong-philosophy/) [Jet Li](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jet-li/) > ['Shan shui' you can literally translate as 'mountain and water.' In traditional Chinese culture, there are a lot of paintings about shan shui, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ma-yansong/shan-shui-you-can-literally-translate-as-mountain-and-water-in/) [Ma Yansong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ma-yansong/) > [In Chinese culture, it wouldn't occur to kids to question or talk back to their parents. In American culture, kids in books, TV shows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-chua/in-chinese-culture-it-wouldn-t-occur-to-kids-to-question-or-talk-back/) [Amy Chua](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-chua/) > [Putting our ecosystem in great peril is certainly not a part of Chinese culture that I know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yao-ming/putting-our-ecosystem-in-great-peril-is-certainly-not-a-part-of/) [Yao Ming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yao-ming/) > [Well, if I use Hispanic culture I get corruption and really good salsa music. 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The ceilings were impossibly high, held up by slender red pillars with gilded dragons snaking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-lim/the-chamber-was-possibly-the-grandest-she-d-ever-entered-the-ceilings/) [Elizabeth Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-lim/) [Browse all 40 Chinese culture quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chinese-culture/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“We hear more about dignity and “pensive luster” from cultures where the patina of age is highly valued, from the shutaku (soil from handling) in Chinese culture or the Japanese concept of nare that garners a reverence over “shallow brilliance,” objects with too much finish. 12 In France, low radiance, the mere shine off a coin, was once enough to mark the start and end of the workday in winter, it was “the moment when there was not enough light to distinguish a denier [a small coin] of Tours from a denier of Paris.” 13 The light that begins and ends these uncommon journeys requires a similar sensitivity to their sheen. It often takes a blaze to see things anew. So age upon age has had its icons who went unsung during their lifetime. When Herman Melville died as a customs agent at the Port of New York in 1891, his widow complained that the copyright of White Jacket (1850) and Moby-Dick (1851) had no worth; they “give no income and have no market value.” 14 It took nearly seventy years for Moby-Dick to receive its critical acclaim. In the final months of writing the book, Melville suspected as much, and acrimoniously foretold his fate: “though I wrote the Gospels in this century, I should die in the gutter.” 15 Our lodestars often shine a few foot-candles below the level we are prepared to see.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sarah Lewis" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-lewis/we-hear-more-about-dignity-and-pensive-luster-from-cultures-where-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Chinese culture" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-lewis/we-hear-more-about-dignity-and-pensive-luster-from-cultures-where-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/911/sarah-lewis-16690_chinese-culture_we-hear-more-about-dignity-and-pensive-l_2608319.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/911/sarah-lewis-16690_chinese-culture_we-hear-more-about-dignity-and-pensive-l_2608319.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/911/sarah-lewis-16690_chinese-culture_we-hear-more-about-dignity-and-pensive-l_2608319.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We hear more about dignity and “pensive luster” from cultures where the patina of age is highly valued, from…” — Sarah Lewis", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Sarah Lewis", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-lewis/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“We hear more about dignity and...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-lewis/we-hear-more-about-dignity-and-pensive-luster-from-cultures-where-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-lewis/we-hear-more-about-dignity-and-pensive-luster-from-cultures-where-the/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```