It was just ten days ago that I blogged on depression in China and now here is another prominent story on the growing problem among college students:

The problem of suicide attempts in China is growing. Between May and July,
three Peking University students killed themselves by jumping from buildings.

Shanghai’s education bureau reported a rate of 5.4 suicides per 100,000
university students in 2002 and 2003.

   Of course, in light of Party control of the Chinese media, if the story is making it into China Daily, the problem is likely worse than the numbers suggest.

     As I mentioned in my first post on the subject, depression is obviously a complex medical issue  But to the extent that modern stress (which I am feeling right now as I simultaneously blog, get ready for class, prepare for an afternoon meeting, think about various household duties, and mull another writing project…) is a part of the problem, that good old Taoist "leave it alone" message sure seems like part of the solution.  Here is passage #48 from the Tao Te Ching, which sounds good to me:

To work at learning brings more each day.
To work at Way brings less each day.

less and less still
until you are doing nothing yourself.
And when you’re doing nothing yourself, there’s nothing you don’t do.

To grasp all beneath heaven, leave it along.
Leave it alone, that’s all,
and nothing in all beneath heaven will elude you.