MANY are the East-West differences, and none so revealing as the different attitudes towards how to keep fit.

Typifying this difference is a mellow Chinese practicing tai chi in a park, while a Westerner sweats it out at a gym.

In maintaining health, traditional Chinese emphasis is on conserving the qi, the mysterious vital energy circulating through the body, so the idea is to induce a slowdown in metabolism.

By contrast, the Western view is to consume the energy, the more the better, in the belief that overworking the body will enable it to function better.

The Chinese take a holistic view of body health, so in assessing the state of well being, we aspire to a state of inner serenity in harmony with nature and free from anxiety, avarice, and disturbances.

The Western emphasis is more on acquiring desirable external physical attributes that generally fall into two categories: gaining or losing flesh.

This same Western emphasis on change and achievement leads to their aspiration to success, which translates into fame, recognition, and, most important of all, wealth. Today one's power to consume can be a reliable indicator of success.

The merit with the Chinese (Oriental) view is that it is noncompetitive, as everyone can achieve inner peace without having to refer to an external measurement.

In Confucius's "Great Learning," he observed that no correct conduct can be expected from he who is under the influence of passion, under the influence of terror, under the influence of fond regard, or under the influence of sorrow and distress. Hence his doctrine of moral emulation.

In his "Tao Te Ching," Lao Tzu went so far as to warn of emulation even in the moral sphere.

He pointed out that "If we stop looking for 'persons of superior morality' to put in power, there will be no more jealousy among the people. If we cease to set store by products that are hard to get, there will be no more thieves. If the people never see such things as excite desire, their hearts will remain placid and undisturbed."

The modern Western view, by contrast, is exactly to excite the desires for ever more material stuff, and thus is essentially competitive, for behind every successful person (the one with the most wealth), there are millions of failures trailing far behind.

One of the assumed merit of the Western outlook is that the fear of lagging behind put everyone in a constant haste, and when everyone in the society is busy doing something, it is definitely conducive to a spectacle of vigor and prosperity.

The single-handed pursuit of efficiency leads to the enshrinement of GDP, as a measurement of the degree of restlessness on a national scale. A higher GDP is a cause for congratulation, jealous emulation, and further exertions.

Restlessness

For thousands of years, under the influence of Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism, the Chinese have been a people who find easy contentment in life. Nearly all literate persons have celebrated their contentment with life in poetry, a literary genre highly regarded for more than 2,000 years.

But a sea change has taken placed since Western invention of the standard of living.

It seems impossible for some Westerners to conceive of decent life without modern amenities, least of all an apartment without modern plumbing, air-conditioning, or washing machines.

The ever longer list of must-haves now includes private cars, iPads, overseas tourist destinations - there is actually no end to this pursuit of higher standard of living.

While we are doggedly in pursuit of standard of living, and flattered on our progress, we often have little time to reflect on our loss of clean air, water, and serenity.

Thus, the spirit of restlessness prevails.

Most got trapped in the illusory consolation that "the moment I get reasonably well off, I will immediately get out of the ratrace and enjoy the life for what it offers." If you look around, that never happens - least of all with the "successful."

In her "Finding Peace: Letting Go and Liking It," author Paula Peisner Coxe tries to cure this now pandemic restlessness by pointing out that peace is the feeling of serenity and confidence with which you approach life.

Instead of exploring the roots of this modern malaise, the author prescribes some useful tips, with coming to terms with one's past as the one initial step toward peace.

"Peace of mind reflects coming to terms with all that you've been, all that you are and all that you will become," the book explains.

The keys to understanding your past include: childhood, parents, mistakes, forgiveness, acceptance, purpose and understanding.

Obviously, this process to accept who you expects to free you from the temptation to compare yourself to others. Such comparison is unnecessary because you are unique, as shaped by your parents, your upbringing, the zeitgeist and myriad other elements beyond human control.

Reconciliation with your past will enable you to accept you for what you are. As the author points out, if you fully live your life in the present, you will experience greater personal growth and peace of mind.

You would enjoy each moment for what it offers and enjoy your work for the doing of it, without thought of rewards. Ironically, experience shows that state of mind generally leads to better results.

Coxe also identifies the four pillars of peace as faith, other-directedness (reaching out to others), balance (be flexible) and loss. Remember that everyone starts and leaves life with nothing, and loss is an inevitable component of life.

Cult of success

To achieve peace of mind, it is important to resist the temptations to seek external rewards that essentially come from the urge to try to please others. Remember, no one is perfect.

It was reported that on April 6, 40-year-old Wang Qinggen, a principal software engineer at Paypal, committed suicide in the United States, leaving behind his wife and two children.

Born in a poor family in Jiangsu Province, Wang had been a local hero after winning the gold medal of the International Chemistry Olympiad in 1990. While Wang was believed to have been suffering from depression for a long time, his pursuit of perfection and the tremendous stress from work may have contributed to his death.

One commentary observes that "as everyone is watching how high you fly, no one knows how tired you are flying so high."

Sympathies with one's self might lead to more permissive attitude towards others. Don't judge others harshly or expect perfection from them. Open your heart and be tolerant to others. As the author cautions, "understanding builds bridges. Judgment divides."

Some of these tips might not seem to be original, though they could have been informed by ancient philosophies and outlooks.

In this glorious age of reason, there have been ever greater incentives to acquire greater wealth and knowledge, sometimes not unlike a Faust-like quest. Be warned that knowledge sometimes turns out to be ignorance, and clear vision, blindness.

That quest should be humanized by an understanding of the inadequacy of human intellect in a universe that is beyond human ken and control.

Awareness of these limitations may help us properly prioritize, and allow us some downtime we so deserve.