The river does not fight the stone; it flows over it

Philosophical Summary

A 'stone' (an obstacle) is rigid and heavy, but the 'river' (time/gentleness) is fluid and persistent. By refusing to meet the stone with direct 'fire' (violence/hardness), the river eventually covers, smooths, and bypasses the obstacle without losing its own nature. It teaches that the one who can adapt and endure through 'soft' persistence will always outlast the one who is merely hard.