--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: This is a concept that western culture…" description: "\"This is a concept that western culture has forgotten : everything is one! The idea of dichotomy is deeply wrong and nothing is better than a great symb..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ec/tiziano-terzani-21853_black_this-is-a-concept-that-western-culture-h_866400.png" --- # This is a concept that western culture has forgotten… ![“This is a concept that western culture has forgotten : everything is one! The idea of dichotomy is deeply wrong and nothing is better than a great symbol of China, the Tao, the wheel of yin and yang that represents life. The universe is the harmony of opposites, because there is no water without…” quote by Tiziano Terzani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ec/tiziano-terzani-21853_black_this-is-a-concept-that-western-culture-h_866400.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ec/tiziano-terzani-21853_black_this-is-a-concept-that-western-culture-h_866400.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ec/tiziano-terzani-21853_black_this-is-a-concept-that-western-culture-h_866400.png) > “This is a concept that western culture has forgotten : everything is one! The idea of dichotomy is deeply wrong and nothing is better than a great symbol of China, the Tao, the wheel of yin and yang that represents life. The universe is the harmony of opposites, because there is no water without fire, there is no female with no male, there is no night without day, there is no sun without the moon ... there is no good without evil! This symbol is perfect since the white and black are embracing each other; inside the white there is a black point and inside the black there is a white point.” [Tiziano Terzani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiziano-terzani/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote argues that dualistic thinking is a cultural mistake and that true reality is a harmonious unity of opposites, symbolized by the Taoist yin‑yang. **In simple terms:** Reality is a unified whole, not divided into opposing parts. Key Takeaway Embrace balance and see opposites as complementary. Themes philosophy culture spirituality unity Mood reflective inquisitive Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal growth - conflict resolution - intercultural dialogue - creative problem solving Key Concepts YinYang holism nondualism Questions to Reflect On - How can recognizing unity improve relationships? - When might dualistic thinking be useful? A Different Perspective It may oversimplify complex social and scientific distinctions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black/) [China](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/china/) [Concepts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/concepts/) [Culture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/culture/) [Dichotomy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dichotomy/) [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [Evil Symbol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil-symbol-906229/) [Female](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/female/) [Fire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fire/) [Forgotten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgotten/) [Harmony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harmony/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Males](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/males/) [Moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moon/) [Night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/night/) [Opposites](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opposites/) [Perfect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perfect/) [Sun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sun/) [Symbol China](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/symbol-china-906231/) [Symbols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/symbols/) [Tao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tao/) [Universe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/universe/) [Universe Harmony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/universe-harmony-906228/) [Water](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/water/) [Western](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/western/) [Western culture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/western-culture/) [Wheel Yin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wheel-yin-906230/) [Wheels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wheels/) [White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/white/) [Yang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/yang/) [Yin and yang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/yin-and-yang/) ## Related quotes > [All that is harmony for you, my Universe, is in harmony with me as well. Nothing that comes at the right time for you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/all-that-is-harmony-for-you-my-universe-is-in-harmony-with-me-as-well/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [When our universe is in harmony with man, the eternal, we know it as truth, we feel it as beauty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabindranath-tagore/when-our-universe-is-in-harmony-with-man-the-eternal-we-know-it-as/) [Rabindranath Tagore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabindranath-tagore/) > [I believe the common denominator of the universe is not harmony; but chaos, hostility and murder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/werner-herzog/i-believe-the-common-denominator-of-the-universe-is-not-harmony-but/) [Werner Herzog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/werner-herzog/) > [ “\[S\]een as a whole the universe is a harmony or symbiosis of patterns which cannot exist without each other.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-w-watts/s-een-as-a-whole-the-universe-is-a-harmony-or-symbiosis-of-patterns/) [Alan W. Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-w-watts/) > [“The most basic principle of Yin and Yang is that one cannot exist without the other,” I stated, stepping towards her. “There can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meka-james/the-most-basic-principle-of-yin-and-yang-is-that-one-cannot-exist/) [Meka James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meka-james/) > [“If it were me, I’d be flying off the handle and freaking out. But he’s not. He’s as calm as can be. We’re like yin and yang. Perfect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/courtney-cole/if-it-were-me-i-d-be-flying-off-the-handle-and-freaking-out-but-he-s/) [Courtney Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/courtney-cole/) > [The Pentacle - The ancients envisioned their world in two halves - masculine and feminine. Their gods and goddesses worked to keep a balance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-brown/the-pentacle-the-ancients-envisioned-their-world-in-two-halves/) [Dan Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-brown/) > [“Eastern mysticism embraced both the tangible and the intangible, through the yin and yang of duality. The god Shiva was both the creator and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-anderson/eastern-mysticism-embraced-both-the-tangible-and-the-intangible/) [Chris Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-anderson/) > [The Tao gives birth to One. One gives birth to yin and yang. Yin and yang give birth to all things... The complete whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/the-tao-gives-birth-to-one-one-gives-birth-to-yin-and-yang-yin-and/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [There is no life without death. That is the true meaning of yin and yang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-see/there-is-no-life-without-death-that-is-the-true-meaning-of-yin-and/) [Lisa See](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-see/) > [Whenever you're making a dark comedy, you're always looking for the yin and yang in an actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-babbit/whenever-you-re-making-a-dark-comedy-you-re-always-looking-for-the/) [Jamie Babbit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-babbit/) > [All of our punishment institutions, including jails, laws, church confessionals, and so forth, are systems of illusion. The order of the universe, the infinite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michio-kushi/all-of-our-punishment-institutions-including-jails-laws-church/) [Michio Kushi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michio-kushi/) > [Often, the truly great and valuable lessons we learn in life are learned through pain. That's why they call it "growing pains." It's all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-drescher/often-the-truly-great-and-valuable-lessons-we-learn-in-life-are/) [Fran Drescher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-drescher/) > [“All in the eye of the beholder - Some of the most destructive forces in the world (Fire & Water), can also have the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-r-lemieux/all-in-the-eye-of-the-beholder-some-of-the-most-destructive-forces-in/) [Martin R. Lemieux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-r-lemieux/) > [It's kind of the yin and yang that fascinate me. That for all the evil men do, there are also people who work obnoxiously…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-gardner/it-s-kind-of-the-yin-and-yang-that-fascinate-me-that-for-all-the-evil/) [Lisa Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-gardner/) ## More by Tiziano Terzani > [“Great material progress has not been matched by great spiritual progress. Quite the opposite. Indeed, from this point of view perhaps man has never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiziano-terzani/great-material-progress-has-not-been-matched-by-great-spiritual/) [Tiziano Terzani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiziano-terzani/) > [Every place is a goldmine. You have only to give yourself time, sit in a teahouse watching the passers-by, stand in a corner of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiziano-terzani/every-place-is-a-goldmine-you-have-only-to-give-yourself-time-sit-in/) [Tiziano Terzani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiziano-terzani/) > [“Ah yes, the facts. I've spent my whole life running after them, convinced that if I found demonstrable, incontrovertible facts I would also find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiziano-terzani/ah-yes-the-facts-i-ve-spent-my-whole-life-running-after-them/) [Tiziano Terzani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiziano-terzani/) > [“Only if we manage to see the universe as a single entity, in which every part reflects the whole and whose great beauty lies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiziano-terzani/only-if-we-manage-to-see-the-universe-as-a-single-entity-in-which/) [Tiziano Terzani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiziano-terzani/) > [I wonder how long this word will last, governed exclusively by the merciless, inhuman and immoral criteria of global economy. Seeing the shadow of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiziano-terzani/i-wonder-how-long-this-word-will-last-governed-exclusively-by-the/) [Tiziano Terzani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiziano-terzani/) > [“Quando sei a un bivio e trovi una strada che va in su e una che va in giù, piglia quella che va in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiziano-terzani/quando-sei-a-un-bivio-e-trovi-una-strada-che-va-in-su-e-una-che-va-in/) [Tiziano Terzani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiziano-terzani/) [Explore all 7 Tiziano Terzani quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiziano-terzani/) ## More Black quotes > [I wanted to write about voodoo tradition that I feel has been very important to survival of black people here: people of the African…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesmyn-ward/i-wanted-to-write-about-voodoo-tradition-that-i-feel-has-been-very/) [Jesmyn Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesmyn-ward/) > [When you go to a club it's not about being black or white or heavy or thick. I'm shaking my ass because I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miley-cyrus/when-you-go-to-a-club-it-s-not-about-being-black-or-white-or-heavy-or/) [Miley Cyrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miley-cyrus/) > [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [When you're scared - and I mean really scared, not just hearing a noise in the night, or standing toe to toe with someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/when-you-re-scared-and-i-mean-really-scared-not-just-hearing-a-noise/) [Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/) > [The term "black metal" has become a lot looser, or can include a larger range of sounds and extra-musical aesthetics, not just Satan and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-marston/the-term-black-metal-has-become-a-lot-looser-or-can-include-a-larger/) [Colin Marston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-marston/) > [How can you be more subject; black woman in a white man's world?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-duffy/how-can-you-be-more-subject-black-woman-in-a-white-man-s-world/) [Maureen Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-duffy/) > [We have to build our own power. We have to win every single political office we can, where we have a majority of black…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-lou-hamer/we-have-to-build-our-own-power-we-have-to-win-every-single-political/) [Fannie Lou Hamer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-lou-hamer/) > [There is only one party in the United States, the Property Party...and it has two right wings: Republican and Democrat. Republicans are a bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/there-is-only-one-party-in-the-united-states-the-property-party-and/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [Black music has always known, and not been afraid to acknowledge just how high the stakes of Black thought are. To summarize the final…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-b-wilderson-iii/black-music-has-always-known-and-not-been-afraid-to-acknowledge-just/) [Frank B. Wilderson III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-b-wilderson-iii/) > [I know how hard it is to be a woman, especially a black woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/i-know-how-hard-it-is-to-be-a-woman-especially-a-black-woman/) [Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) > [If soot stains your tunic, dye it black. This is vengeance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-scott-bakker/if-soot-stains-your-tunic-dye-it-black-this-is-vengeance/) [R. Scott Bakker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-scott-bakker/) > [Hollywood is so fixated on keeping it that way because it's generating the buzz, but that representation isn't right. I definitely feel like it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boyega/hollywood-is-so-fixated-on-keeping-it-that-way-because-it-s/) [John Boyega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boyega/) > [Nowadays most people wear black most of the time anyway: go to a literary party and one would imagine everyone there was in perpetual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fay-weldon/nowadays-most-people-wear-black-most-of-the-time-anyway-go-to-a/) [Fay Weldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fay-weldon/) > [There ain't no such thing as black Muslims. That's how they tried to cut off all my brothers in the rest of the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/there-ain-t-no-such-thing-as-black-muslims-that-s-how-they-tried-to/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [We do not want to be reminded that it is we, the indigenous people, who are poor and exploited in the land of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-biko/we-do-not-want-to-be-reminded-that-it-is-we-the-indigenous-people-who/) [Steven Biko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-biko/) [Browse all 11,655 Black quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "This is a concept that western culture has forgotten : everything is one! The idea of dichotomy is deeply wrong and nothing is better than a great symbol of China, the Tao, the wheel of yin and yang that represents life. 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