Tenet 5 - Abundance.

Prosperity grows when it’s shared

In the province of Liyang, nestled between green hills and open plains, there existed a legendary orchard known as the Golden Grove. It was said that the fruit of the trees there was unlike any other, shimmering like gold in the sunlight and tasting sweeter than honey. Stories of its bounty spread far and wide, and many envied the fortune of Liyang’s people, for the grove provided them with great wealth.

Yet, despite the grove's beauty and abundance, the villagers of Liyang lived in a state of quiet unease. They were known for their strict boundaries, allowing no outsiders to enter the grove. The orchard was watched day and night by a rotating guard of villagers who treated its fruit as sacred treasure. Each family took only enough for themselves, wary of depleting the grove’s bounty.

One year, a great drought came to Liyang. The rivers dried, the fields withered, and the villagers grew desperate. Yet, the Golden Grove remained untouched, its fruit gleaming as brightly as ever. The villagers saw this as a sign of their prudence, believing their careful stewardship had preserved their treasure.

But as weeks turned into months, rumors began to spread of strangers wandering the outskirts of the village—travelers, merchants, and farmers from distant lands, seeking food and water. Some knocked on the doors of Liyang’s homes, begging for even a single piece of fruit.

The village elders gathered to discuss the matter. "We have only just enough for ourselves," they said. "If we open the gates of the Golden Grove, its bounty will surely vanish. Let the outsiders fend for themselves." And so, the gates remained shut, and the guards turned away all who approached.

One evening, a young girl named Mei stood by the gates of the grove, watching as a family of travelers was sent away, their faces gaunt with hunger. Mei felt a pang in her chest. She had grown up hearing tales of the grove’s abundance, yet she saw how tightly her people clung to its fruit, as though it were always on the verge of disappearing.

Unable to sleep that night, Mei slipped out of her house and into the grove. She wandered among the trees, their golden fruit glowing faintly in the moonlight. In the center of the grove stood the largest tree of all, its branches heavy with fruit. Mei knelt beneath it and whispered to the tree.

Mei: "Why is it that you bear so much fruit if we are too afraid to share it? What good is your abundance if it only serves to divide us from others?"

To her astonishment, the tree seemed to sigh, and its leaves rustled as though in response. Mei felt compelled to reach for one of its fruits. As she plucked it from the branch, the ground beneath her feet trembled slightly, and the faint glow of the grove grew brighter.

The next day, Mei made her way to the outskirts of the village and gave the fruit to a starving child from the travelers’ camp. The child’s eyes lit up, and their family fell to their knees in gratitude. Word of her act spread quickly, and the elders summoned Mei to account for what she had done.

Elder Jin: "You have defied the village's wisdom! If we allow others to take from the grove, it will surely be destroyed. What have you to say for yourself?"

Mei stood before them, her voice steady.

Mei: "The grove bears more fruit than we can ever eat. Yet, we hoard it as though it were a dwindling flame. I believe its abundance is a gift meant to be shared, not hidden behind gates."

The elders dismissed her words, warning her of dire consequences. But Mei was undeterred. That night, she gathered baskets of fruit and left them at the travelers’ camp, asking for nothing in return. To her surprise, the next morning, the travelers returned—not to take more, but to give. They brought seeds from distant lands, tools for the villagers’ fields, and even stories that brightened the hearts of the people.

As the days passed, more villagers began to follow Mei’s example, cautiously sharing the grove’s fruit with those in need. Yet, some among them grew fearful. One villager named Ren, known for his sharp tongue, warned that the grove would soon wither under the weight of such generosity.

One night, Ren decided to prove his point. He crept into the grove and began plucking as much fruit as he could carry, determined to stockpile it for himself. But as he reached for the fruit of the central tree, a sudden gust of wind swept through the grove. The tree’s branches shook violently, and its fruit began to fall—not into Ren’s hands, but onto the ground, where it quickly turned to ash. Terrified, Ren fled, leaving the grove silent once more.

The next morning, the villagers discovered what had happened. Mei stood beneath the central tree, which now bore fruit brighter than ever. She turned to the crowd and spoke.

Mei: "The grove does not thrive on fear or greed. It thrives because it gives without hesitation. When we hoard its gifts, we dishonor its nature. But when we share, the grove answers with greater abundance."

From that day forward, the gates of the Golden Grove were opened. Travelers came and went, carrying stories of the village’s generosity to distant lands. In turn, they brought gifts, seeds, and knowledge that helped Liyang prosper in ways the villagers had never imagined. The grove itself grew even more vibrant, its fruit more plentiful, as though it rejoiced in the sharing of its gifts.

And so, the people of Liyang came to understand a simple truth: prosperity, like the fruit of the Golden Grove, grows only when it is shared freely, without fear or hesitation.