In the previous chapter, we discussed that the masses chase vanity all day long, while those who align with the Dao remain calm inside, detached from worldly chaos and rooted in their original nature.Many people raise a question: without relying on fame or public recognition, where does the inner peace of such calm self-possession come from? The Dao cannot be seen or touched; why is it worthy of lifelong devotion?Chapter Twenty-One is Laozi’s answer: first distinguish the fundamental relationship between the Dao and virtue, then thoroughly explain the thoughts we ought to let go of and the pursuit of the Dao we need not abandon.Original Text (Wang Bi’s Version)The virtue of complete emptiness follows only the Dao.The Dao as an entity is indistinct and elusive.Elusive and indistinct, within it are forms; indistinct and elusive, within it are substances.Deep and obscure, within it is essence; its essence is utterly real, and within it is constant trust.From ancient times to the present, its name never fades, through it we observe the origin of all things.How do I know the origin of all things? By this.I. The Virtue of Complete Emptiness Follows Only the Dao“Kong” means empty and uncluttered; “Rong” refers to one’s entire state of mind, words and deeds.True profound virtue is not deliberate kindness or forced compromise to please others, nor self-cultivation performed for show. Every thought and action follows the inherent laws of heaven and earth, unbound by mortal standards of fame and gain.Most worldly virtue is rooted in craving desires: studying Laozi and Zhuangzi to brand oneself a master of Taoism, seeking admiration by broadcasting one’s insights, practicing forbearance only to win praise. These are the delusional thoughts Laozi urges us to release.The innate aspiration to seek the Dao need not be discarded, yet the selfish desire to leverage the Dao for fame and reputation must be purged. False obsessions linger, and the true Dao will forever remain obscured.Take Yan Junping of the Western Han Dynasty as a historical example:Yan Junping lived in seclusion in the downtown of Chengdu, earning a living by divination. Each day, once he gained a hundred coins for basic sustenance, he would pack up his stall, stay indoors to read the Tao Te Ching and write commentaries. He never took official office nor traveled widely to lecture for renown. Wealthy merchants offered him carriages, horses and money, all of which he declined; government officials summoned him to court repeatedly, yet he avoided them all.He delved into the Tao Te Ching for decades and penned Commentaries on Laozi. He only sorted out his own inner understanding, never intending to become famous or recruit disciples through his scholarship. Most townsfolk only knew him as a street diviner, unaware of his profound wisdom.Other scholars strove for public fame and noble patronage; Yan Junping pursued the Dao sincerely, caring nothing for whether others knew him. This is the genuine manifestation of “the virtue of complete emptiness follows only the Dao”.He neither idled away his life nor gave up his pursuit. He sorted out Daoist principles every day without curating an image for attention. This is exactly what Laozi means by non-action: no reckless craving for external gains, yet steadfast adherence to the duty of inner truth-seeking.II. The Dao as an Entity Is Indistinct and Elusive. Elusive and indistinct, within it are forms; indistinct and elusive, within it are substancesTwo common misunderstandings persist: first, that elusiveness refers to a muddled human mind; second, that the Dao itself is chaotic and disordered. Both are wrong.The sense of indistinctness stems entirely from the level of human cognitive dimension. The Dao operates by fixed rules: the alternation of four seasons, the birth and withering of all creatures never deviate, and the Dao itself is never confused. Humans are wrapped up in desires for fame and profit, only able to perceive tangible gains. Trapped by limited perception and separated by a medium, they cannot penetrate invisible origins, thus feeling the Dao vague and elusive.Elusiveness merely describes that the Dao has no fixed physical form, ungraspable by human senses, yet far from empty nothingness:Amid its elusiveness lie the outlines and constant frameworks governing all worldly operations—these are “forms”;Within these frameworks emerge all tangible substances under heaven and earth, mountains, rivers, human affairs alike—these are “substances”.Take Liezi as another example: Lie Yukou lived in seclusion in Zheng State for forty years, content with poverty and aligned with the Dao. He refused official positions and wandering lectures to preach his views, devoting himself to comprehending the Dao. Ordinary people chased wealth and power all their lives, blind to the invisible cycles of fortune and misfortune beneath worldly events; Liezi calmed his heart to observe, seeing the constant frameworks beneath fleeting mortal affairs, which others only perceived as erratic chaos.III. Deep and obscure, within it is essence; its essence is utterly real, and within it is constant trustWhen we observe the subtle, profound depths, the Dao holds the vital essence that births all creation. This essence is completely real, bound by unchanging eternal laws—this is “trust”.Artificial mortal rules are fleeting: platform traffic, matching schemes from intermediaries, worldly fame all vanish with time. Only the Dao endures from antiquity till now. The cycle of growth in spring, flourishing in summer, harvest in autumn and storage in winter has never erred for thousands of years; this inherent unchanging reliability is the Dao’s trust.Sun Simiao of the Tang Dynasty embodied this truth: he lived in seclusion in mountains all his life, practicing medicine and cultivating the Dao. Imperial summons for official titles were all rejected. He spent his entire life studying the vital energy of heaven, earth and human bodies, never craving court fame, only clinging to his duty to observe the subtle essence of creation. The medicinal properties of plants and the circulation of human qi and blood he witnessed were the Dao’s inner essence, proven consistent year after year—this is “its essence is utterly real, and within it is constant trust”.He did not seek universal recognition, only steadfastly pursued the origins of heaven and earth, never abandoning his studies for lack of praise, matching the virtue of this chapter.IV. From ancient times to the present, its name never fades, through it we observe the origin of all things. How do I know the origin of all things? By this.The Dao has existed eternally since ancient times, never dissipating. Only through the Dao can we perceive the birth, growth and demise of all creation.Laozi poses a self-answering question: How do I perceive the origins of all heaven and earth? Not through books or others’ praise, only through personal comprehension of this eternal, real Dao, unrelated to mortal fame or status.Yin Xi, the minor gatekeeper of Hangu Pass, was overlooked by the world. He did not scheme for official advancement or reputation, only observing celestial weather daily to seek traces of the Dao. When he met Laozi, he sincerely begged for the Five-Thousand Character Classic, then secluded himself to cultivate and write The Book of Guan Yin. He never broadcast his own cultivation to the outside world.The masses fixate on universal recognition, trapped by the desire “to be known by all”; Yin Xi only sought glimpses of the Dao, indifferent to worldly fame. This is releasing the delusional craving for external gains while retaining the innate heart to seek truth.Three Common Misinterpretations of This ChapterMisunderstanding: Complete emptiness means endless compromise and being an unprincipled doormatCorrection: Profound virtue centers on emptying selfishness and following natural laws, not deliberately catering to the world. Hold fast to proper boundaries, neither chasing conflict nor feigning weakness; following nature is aligning with the Dao. Yan Junping refused to attach himself to nobles yet never deliberately pandered to the public, clear proof of this truth.Misunderstanding: Indistinct and elusive means hollow nihilism, the Dao is an illusionCorrection: Elusiveness is merely a sensory limitation born from humanity’s low dimensional perspective. Within the Dao lie unchanging laws, tangible creations, vital essence and eternal principles. All things emerge from the Dao; it is real and verifiable, never empty fantasy.Misunderstanding: Cultivation requires erasing all thoughts, even the desire to comprehend the DaoCorrection: Laozi only urges us to release delusional cravings for fame, admiration or supernatural powers through the Dao. He never tells us to abandon the innate heart to seek truth and origins. The obsession to become universally recognized through Dao study is a delusion to let go; simply sorting out scriptures and exploring natural laws is a pursuit we may retain without suppression.Personal InsightsWhat is the Dao? The Dao exists both visible and invisible. What we see or fail to see depends entirely on the cognitive dimension of each individual.Take air as an analogy: Air wraps around us constantly, yet ordinary eyes cannot perceive it—not that air does not exist, but human senses and cognition belong to a dimension mismatched with this medium. Those observing from a higher dimension may perceive airflow and seasonal temperature shifts; those trapped in a lower dimension only see physical flesh and tangible objects, deeming the Dao empty and elusive.Heaven and earth operate with clear, orderly cycles, never chaotic. The “indistinct and elusive” described in the text never refers to chaos in heaven and earth; it arises solely from humanity’s insufficient dimension, separated by a medium that blocks full perception of the origin.All things exist across different dimensional layers: beings of higher dimension than humans, and creatures of lower dimension such as insects, fish, birds and beasts. We cannot define their exact boundaries today, yet one truth remains clear: every corner of heaven and earth bears the Dao. Humans are born from the Dao, yet the Dao far exceeds humanity alone.The masses wander endlessly asking “Where is the Dao?” searching outward in vain, traveling far yet missing what lies near. It resembles children chasing spring, asking “Where is spring?” Spring dwells in wind, flowers, warm sunlight, everywhere, no need to hunt blindly. Likewise, the Dao permeates grass, trees, birds, beasts, day and night, every corner of existence. The universe holds its own constant operating order—this is the Dao.Many laws summarized by humanity derive from the Dao, yet their sequence and direction are skewed to serve mortal selfish desires. They cannot be said to separate entirely from the Dao, yet they deviate from its original balance.Take online platforms and mortal social circles for example: all are artificially constructed barriers of supply and demand, splitting naturally connected resources to profit from both sides, stoking anxiety and relying on manipulative schemes. These fleeting artificial constructs fade with time; the Dao is an eternal original law. No curation or performance is needed to align with it. We need not crave recognition or praise from others; abiding by our innate true nature is the most straightforward way to understand this chapter.Humans can never fully fathom the Dao, no matter how hard we strive. The Dao encompasses everything: every thought humanity can conceive, plus infinite unknown realms beyond all imagination. Humans are infinitesimally tiny within the universe, smaller than a speck of dust—and this only covers the scope our minds can imagine. Countless existences and laws in the cosmos lie far beyond human comprehension. To grasp the complete original appearance of the Dao with limited flesh and thought is itself a heavy obsession. All we may do is peel away delusional cravings for fame and external gains, catch faint glimpses of the Dao’s traces within our own dimensional limits, understanding as much as we can without forcing complete enlightenment.True alignment with the Dao needs no obsessive search or posturing as a Taoist master. Simply purge selfish cravings for external fame and gain, abide by our innate duties, act in accordance with our original nature, neither reckless overaction nor lazy idleness, and we will gradually perceive the true face of the Dao.Closing ParagraphAll mortal vanity fades in an instant; only the Dao that births all creation remains eternal and real. Purge selfish desires for worldly renown, care not whether the world knows you, and hold fast to your innate heart of seeking truth—this is the core self-cultivation lesson Chapter Twenty-One leaves for humanity.This series interprets the Tao Te Ching chapter by chapter; read and comprehend as much as you will, all encounters are by chance.I live by writing, seek peace and blessings Support My Son of the Dao Translation Work If you enjoy my interpretations of Son of the Dao and ancient natural philosophy, you can support my continuous creation through PayPal. Go to PayPal Donation
Hello everyone, I'm Dao Yingzi.We have reached Chapter 20 of the Tao Te Ching before we know it. Thank you to all friends who keep following my interpretations. I will keep dissecting the scripture until I finish explaining the whole Tao Te Ching.Let’s briefly review Chapter 19 first. It presents practical methods for cultivating the mind, proposing three renunciations to clear greed, hypocrisy and crafty scheming hidden in people’s hearts, centering on the core spiritual practice: retain simplicity, embrace authenticity, reduce selfish desires, and abandon worldly sophistry to free oneself from worries.Chapter 19 teaches us to simplify our minds and eliminate delusions and selfish cravings. Now, once we purify our inner thoughts, what state of mind shall we maintain when living among the mortal world? Chapter 20 answers this question thoroughly.Text from the Mawangdui Silk ManuscriptAn approving murmur and a sharp rebuke—how vast is the gap between them?Beauty and ugliness—how far apart are they in essence?What all men dread, one cannot help but dread too.Boundless and endless, the stream of human prejudice flows on without cease.The masses bustle with delight, as if feasting on grand sacrificial meats or climbing terraces to greet spring.I stay calm, showing no stirrings of desire, like an infant who has not yet learned to cry. Wandering aimlessly, I seem to have nowhere to settle.All people abound in possessions, yet I seem to lack everything. My heart holds the simplicity of a fool, dim and unworldly.Ordinary folks shine with sharp discernment; only I appear dull and muddled.Ordinary men judge others harshly and sharply; only I stay mild and lenient.My mind stretches vast as the sea, boundless with no final shore.Every man pursues a purpose and gain; only I seem stubborn and plain.I alone choose to stand apart from the crowd, for I cherish nourishing myself from the Mother—the eternal Tao.Section-by-section InterpretationPart 1: Distinctions of right and wrong stem entirely from human mental division"An approving murmur" means compliant flattery, while "a sharp rebuke" means harsh criticism. Humans artificially divide the world into beauty and ugliness, right and wrong, high and low, honor and disgrace, yet the lines between these opposites are blurry and unfixed.Everyone fears others’ judgment and chases things admired by the multitudes. This obsession with division has persisted endlessly through all ages.Nothing in the world carries inherent absolute good or evil. All prejudice and obsession are yardsticks imposed by acquired human thoughts. Clinging to binary judgment breeds endless comparison and contention—the root of the inner thieves we must clear, as discussed in Chapter 19.Part 2: Two ways of living in the mortal worldThe masses bustle with delight, as if feasting on grand sacrificial meats or climbing terraces to greet spring.Ordinary people wandering the world crave constant external gains. They chase pleasure, fame and glory, prioritizing maximum personal profit in every deed. Dragged by desires, their spirits never find peace. This is worldly engagement wrapped in selfish cravings, filled with scattered delusions and endless internal friction.I stay calm, showing no stirrings of desire, like an infant who has not yet learned to cry. Wandering aimlessly, I seem to have nowhere to settle.Those who abide by the Tao dwell fully among mortal beings, never fleeing worldly affairs or cutting off contact with people. They keep tranquil hearts, free from greed or covetous longing. Their spirits resemble newborn infants, free of scheming and craving, never relying on fame or wealth to find inner belonging.A critical clarification here: Laozi never advocates seclusion from the world. No one can fully escape mortal chaos, carnal allure and fame. Mere evasion only addresses superficial symptoms, not the source of delusions. True cultivation lies in facing all worldly phenomena and reforming one’s inner thoughts.Take a plain example: viewing human body paintings. The artwork itself carries no vulgarity. If greedy, lustful thoughts arise in one’s heart, everything seen will appear obscene. If one observes purely to appreciate physical form and artistic vitality, the heart remains pure, free from filthy delusions. The outer sight never changes; good and evil arise solely from a single fleeting thought. The "inner thieves" never exist outside us—their root lies in our own selfish cravings.Part 3: Worldly cleverness versus the profound simplicity of the TaoAll people abound in possessions, yet I seem to lack everything. My heart holds the simplicity of a fool, dim and unworldly.Ordinary folks shine with sharp discernment; only I appear dull and muddled.Ordinary men judge others harshly and sharply; only I stay mild and lenient.My mind stretches vast as the sea, boundless with no final shore.Every man pursues a purpose and gain; only I seem stubborn and plain.Worldly people flaunt their cleverness, nitpick every detail, hoard wealth and reputation, and calculate gains in every action. Though they seem sharp and insightful, they are trapped by trivial disputes, their spirits narrow and confined.Those who walk the Tao seem slow and muddled, never competing for advantage or hoarding excess belongings. They treat others with tolerance, never fixating on faults to criticize harshly. Their inner world is as vast as the ocean, embracing all things without being split by trivial delusions. While others act out of calculated self-interest, they uphold unadorned authenticity, refusing speculation or conforming to the worldly pursuit of profit.The "dullness, muddle and foolishness" mentioned here do not mean genuine ignorance or stupidity. They represent a voluntary release from calculating division, drawing back the spirit that chases external gains, and stopping the exhaustion brought by worldly petty cleverness.Part 4: Core theme of the whole chapter — standing apart from the crowd, nourishing oneself from the MotherI alone choose to stand apart from the crowd, for I cherish nourishing myself from the Mother."The Mother" refers to the eternal Tao, the origin of all creation. My true difference from the masses does not lie in abandoning mortal life, but in this: the world chases fleeting glory and gain outward, while I root myself inward in the Tao, nurturing my spirit through it.Chapter 19 teaches us to clear greed, hypocrisy and craftiness from our hearts—the process of spiritual cultivation. "Cherishing the Mother" here is the ultimate destination of all practice. Eliminating delusions is never the goal; abiding by the Tao with a pure heart to engage fully with the mortal world is the complete path of self-cultivation and conduct laid out by Laozi.Correcting long-standing misinterpretationsMisinterpretation 1: Laozi advocates retreat and seclusion from societyThe whole text elaborates on interpersonal conduct and worldly observation, with no words advising people to flee into mountains and cut off human contact. Seclusion only evades temptation and cannot temper one’s mind. True cultivation is dwelling among mortal chaos while keeping one’s spirit unshackled by desires, engaging with the world while abiding by the Tao.Misinterpretation 2: "Standing apart from the crowd" means deliberately rebelling against the worldTo stand apart does not mean actively opposing other people. It simply means freeing the heart from worldly fame, gain and superficial judgment as the sole standard of measure. One coexists with others, each following their own inner truth, neither forcing conformity nor deliberate alienation. When the heart returns to the Tao, one naturally separates from the masses chasing selfish gains.Misinterpretation 3: Reducing desires means abandoning basic living needsMinimizing desires means letting go of excessive greed, scheming and covetous possession, not abandoning livelihood or normal human bonds. Living in peace, earning an honest living, and harboring no extravagant cravings aligns with the Tao.Chapter SummaryChapter 18 explains that artificial rituals of benevolence and righteousness emerge once the natural Tao fades from people’s hearts. Chapter 19 delivers methods to sweep away inner delusions. Chapter 20 fully depicts the state of living in the mortal world after purifying one’s mind.There is no need to deliberately shun all worldly sights and chaos. Merely guard a pure inner heart, root out selfish inner thieves, refuse to follow the crowd’s chase for profit, and anchor all thoughts in the origin of the Tao. Dwelling among humanity while keeping one’s spirit unconfused is the profound wisdom of self-cultivation that the Tao Te Ching leaves for all people.I live by writing, seek peace and blessings Support My Son of the Dao Translation Work If you enjoy my interpretations of Son of the Dao and ancient natural philosophy, you can support my continuous creation through PayPal. Go to PayPal Donation
Author: Dao YingziIn Chapter Eighteen, we uncovered the root of worldly troubles: after the Great Dao declined, benevolence, filial piety, compassion and loyal ministers all became acquired remedies to mend cracks in human hearts. The more loudly a virtue is propagandized, the more it is lacking in the world; artificially glorified morality breeds endless hypocrisy and pretension.Chapter Eighteen is a diagnosis that lays bare the vanity and falsity of human nature, while Chapter Nineteen delivers Laozi’s fundamental mental cultivation remedy for curing such ills. The full text below is collated based on the combined comparison of the A and B silk manuscripts of Mawangdui:Abandon sagehood and discard cleverness, and the people will benefit a hundredfold;Abandon benevolence and discard righteousness, and the people will return to filial piety and compassion;Abandon craftiness and discard profit, and bandits and thieves will disappear entirely.These three maxims alone are insufficient as written guidance, so here is what they must align with: Embrace the unadorned and uphold simplicity; lessen selfishness and reduce desires; abandon superficial learning and be free from worry.I. Dispelling Three Common One-Sided Misinterpretations and Upholding the Core of "Preserving Authenticity"Rigid Bias of Confucian ScholarsMany Confucian readings claim that Laozi rejects human ethics and holds a world-weary, passive attitude through "abandon sagehood and discard cleverness, abandon benevolence and discard righteousness". Such interpretations sever the logical coherence of the full text and ignore the chaotic moral landscape of the Spring and Autumn Period.What Laozi renounces is never the innate filial piety and kindness springing from human hearts, but performative benevolence wielded by nobles and lords to fish for fame and bind common people. Treating artificially constructed moral shackles as the origin of the Great Dao reverses root and branch.Extreme Distortions by Later CultivatorsMany later readers quote passages out of context and conclude that "lessen selfishness and reduce desires" means cutting off livelihoods, abandoning wealth and ceasing all thinking, choosing only to retreat from the world and sit in stagnant meditation.This strays entirely from Laozi’s original intent. Laozi never rejects stable, abundant material wealth. Honest living, rational life planning and positive contemplation to perceive the Dao are all faultless. What he restrains is the warped thoughts arising when humans interact with external things, not wealth or human relationships themselves.Superficial Reading by Ordinary PeopleAverage readers only fixate on literal meaning, believing that casting aside scheming and dismissing material gains alone can eradicate theft in society. Yet most apply these standards to judge others rather than reflect inwardly. They only criticize the world outside without purging greed, vanity and calculation from their own hearts, thus merely addressing symptoms rather than the root cause.II. Line-by-Line Analysis of the Three Abandonments, Centered on the Thieves Within the HeartAbandon sagehood and discard cleverness, and the people will benefit a hundredfoldHere, "sagehood" refers to the hollow reputations of sages admired by the world and artificially crafted noble personas. "Cleverness" does not mean genuine wisdom that penetrates and observes the Dao, but utilitarian trickery used to manipulate others and seize power, echoing Chapter Eighteen’s line: "When wisdom emerges, great hypocrisy follows."The Chongzhen Emperor serves as a perfect historical example. Convinced he mastered political stratagems to control his ministers, he lived in constant suspicion of all officials, frequently replacing grand secretaries and executing generals, his mind filled with petty calculating tactics for balance. Every official lived in fear and dared not take responsibility, the imperial court fractured and divided, and the dynasty ultimately fell. A mind consumed by political scheming harbors an inner thief: though seemingly in full control, it drains the people and destroys one’s own foundation, which perfectly validates this line. Let go of false cleverness used to manipulate others, eliminate internal strife and mutual suppression between superiors and subordinates, and the people can live in peace.During the Spring and Autumn Period, feudal lords vied to proclaim themselves sagacious, strategists exhausted stratagems to plot against one another, those in power exploited common folk through craftiness, and the lower classes followed suit with opportunistic schemes. Everyone was trapped in mutual calculating friction.Abandon the pursuit of external sage reputations, discard scheming petty cleverness, cease mutual harm through crafted personas and mental trickery, and the people no longer need to conform to various hypocritical indoctrinations to live in peace. Laozi opposes hollow sagehood and false wisdom that chase fame and gain, yet never rejects true insight that perceives heaven and earth.Abandon benevolence and discard righteousness, and the people will return to filial piety and compassionThis follows the previous chapter’s line: "When the Great Dao fades, benevolence and righteousness arise." When human innate authenticity is veiled by selfish desires, benevolent rituals and codes of righteousness are forcibly established as restraints. Countless people practice filial piety and good deeds solely to win reputations as gentlemen or dutiful sons, reducing kinship and goodwill to tools for social prestige.Duke Huan of Qin from the Spring and Autumn Period is a typical case. He swore treaties of trust with the State of Jin, yet secretly allied with other states to ambush his ally for personal gain. His constant talk of morality and righteousness was merely a cover for plunder. Such performative morality dissolves genuine human affection. If everyone lets go of the urge to exploit benevolence for profit, heartfelt care, filial piety and compassion will naturally return.Cease using benevolence and righteousness as shackles to bind others or cloaks for profit; stop forcing oneself to stage displays of goodness. Freed from pretense, innate familial care and original kindness will revive. Laozi rejects utilitarian, performative benevolence and righteousness, while heartfelt filial piety and compassion are the natural state of the Great Dao.Abandon craftiness and discard profit, and bandits and thieves will disappear — the core of the whole text: thieves dwell within the heart, not outsideMost readers interpret this line only in terms of visible robbers and thieves on the streets, missing Laozi’s profound true meaning: thieves never lurk in alleys, but are rooted within human consciousness as inner heart thieves.What are heart thieves? The obsessive drive to chase fame and fortune in all matters, the mindset of acting only for profit and maximizing personal gain, the constant tallying of one’s own advantages and losses — this greedy, self-centered obsession is the thief dwelling deep in one’s soul. Once such covetous thoughts take root, people will readily resort to unscrupulous means: crafty extortion, deception and calculation follow.Negative Historical Cases: Deeply Rooted Heart Thieves Lead to Isolation and RuinDuke Yu of the State of Yu (the story of borrowing a path to attack Guo): Presented with fine jade and fine horses by the State of Jin, Duke Yu coveted immediate gains and ignored the interdependence of lips and teeth. He allowed foreign troops passage to attack his ally, eventually losing his kingdom and all treasures. A heart consumed by greed for profit betrays one’s homeland, making its ruler the greatest thief of all.Lü Bu betrayed his lords for gain: He abandoned two adoptive fathers in succession for the Red Hare steed and high official titles, seeing nothing but profit and lacking all faithfulness. All feudal lords feared and guarded against him, leaving him isolated at White Gate Tower to face execution. Without eradicating the inner thief of profit, one will never have reliable companions in life.Shi Chong of the Western Jin Dynasty amassed immense wealth by robbing merchants while governing Jingzhou. He indulged in rare crafty treasures to flaunt and compete with others, chasing vanity and wealth his whole life, only to be killed for his riches. A lifetime spent pursuing profit ultimately leads to destruction by profit.The worldly pursuit of fancy crafted goods and shortcuts to huge profits only amplifies public greed as external inducements. The real root of chaos lies in every person’s inner urge to covet wealth and fame beyond their due share.Laozi’s words on abandoning craftiness and profit superficially aim to eliminate theft across society, yet their fundamental purpose is to sweep away inner thieves of greed and self-interest. Do not obsess over opportunistic tricks, nor cling to delusional cravings for unlimited gains, and eradicate covetous thoughts at their source.III. The Three Abandonments Are Merely External Restraints; Mental Cultivation Fundamentally Relies on the Six-Character Mental FormulaLaozi states clearly that the above three standards for rejecting vanity are only superficial regulations, as "written words alone are insufficient". Relying merely on restraining outward behavior cannot fully restore alignment with the Great Dao. Hence he established the ultimate foundation for all self-cultivation and worldly conduct: Embrace the unadorned and uphold simplicity; lessen selfishness and reduce desires; abandon superficial learning and be free from worry.Embrace the unadorned and uphold simplicity: Preserve the authentic state of one’s original heartSu means undyed white cloth; pu means uncarved raw timber, representing the innate original heart unmodified by external forces. Interact with others and handle affairs with pure, unmasked authenticity, guarding one’s natural inner truth. Do not deliberately glorify oneself or pretend to possess noble virtue, stripping away all acquired artificial adornment. This is the foundation for sweeping away heart thieves and cultivating the Dao, with the entire chapter centered on adhering to one’s "authenticity".Lessen selfishness and reduce desires: Eradicate thieving thoughts within the heartAll hypocrisy, contention and calculation stem from excessive selfishness and overflowing desires, which feed the thieves in the heart.Lessen selfishness: Reduce the one-sided obsession of prioritizing only oneself in everything, rather than refusing to plan stable livelihoods for oneself and one’s family.Reduce desires: Cut down boundless, excessive cravings, rather than embracing ascetic hardship and rejecting all wealth and resources.This mental formula carries clear boundaries: Seek wealth without unscrupulous hoarding; practice filial piety without performative displays for fame. All conduct follows one’s genuine heart, unled astray by illusory cravings. Reducing desires never means ceasing thought — positive contemplation to perceive the Dao and plan life remains fully intact; only crafty schemes to manipulate others and seize profit must be cast aside.Once greedy, self-centered inner thieves fade completely, one’s character becomes steady and profound.Positive Cases of Virtue: Free of Inner Greed, One Naturally Attracts Wealth and BlessingsPei Du returning lost treasure: Down and out in his early years, he found a nobleman’s jade belt and waited at the spot for its owner, refusing all generous rewards. He lived a just and pure life free of inner greed, later rising to prime minister, with his clan prospering for a thousand years and blessed with lasting fortune.Honest Huizhou merchants: Ancient Huizhou merchants ran businesses with genuine goods at fair prices, never shortchanging customers or engaging in opportunistic fraud. Whenever business opportunities arose, trustworthy merchants were the first choice of partners. Without scheming and chasing gains, customers and wealth gathered naturally — a demonstration that an inner heart free of thieves draws prosperity effortlessly.Yang Zhen rejecting gold under cover of night: A subordinate sent him gold after dark, claiming "no one will know". Yang Zhen sternly refused, stating "Heaven knows, Earth knows, you know, and I know". Harboring no covetous inner thoughts, his profound virtue was passed down through the ages.Abandon superficial learning and be free from worryThis phrase appears exclusively in the silk manuscripts yet was arbitrarily deleted from circulated editions, removing a core element of mental cultivation. The "learning" referenced here refers to complicated ritual dogma, power-strategic knowledge used to compete for status, and empty flowery rhetoric for judging others — not genuine wisdom that perceives the Dao of heaven and earth.People spend all day reciting moral standards and political stratagems, ranking others by rigid rules, their spirits constantly pulled by external things, giving rise to endless anxieties. Let go of superficial external learning that disturbs one’s original heart, cease binding oneself and demanding others by rigid standards, and with a pure mind, one attains peace without worry.IV. Two Profound Core Meanings of This Chapter: Cultivating Kun Virtue, the Precondition for Possessing Profound Virtue to Bear All ThingsFirst Layer: The full text emulates the virtue of the Kun TrigramThe I Ching states of the Kun Trigram: "The earth’s momentum is Kun; the gentleman carries all things with profound virtue." Every tenet of this chapter perfectly aligns with Kun’s virtue:Embracing the unadorned and upholding simplicity mirrors the earth’s natural, uncarved, unostentatious essence;Lessening selfishness and reducing desires mirrors the earth nurturing all creation without claiming merit, free of fame-chasing greed;Abandoning sagehood, cleverness, craftiness and profit mirrors Kun’s quiet, tolerant nature that does not flaunt wisdom or reputations outwardly.Qian Dao manifests outwardly, advancing and employing cleverness; Kun Dao preserves authenticity inwardly, harboring profound virtue with leniency. Laozi’s words in this chapter urge people to abandon vain external pursuits, cultivate the plain, lenient Kun virtue within, and deepen the capacity of one’s character to hold the Dao and all worldly things.Emperor Taizong of the Zhenguan Period exemplified emulating Kun virtue in governance: He rejected fancy luxury crafts, lightened corvée and taxes, ruled with simplicity, and guided people to live in honest livelihoods, avoiding political trickery and performative righteousness at court. Historical records note that during the Zhenguan era, lost items were left untouched on roads and doors remained unlocked at night, with visible thieves vanishing across society. The root cause lay in the reduction of greed, craftiness and profit-seeking from top to bottom, returning human hearts to simplicity.Second Layer: Only after sweeping away inner heart thieves can one possess profound virtue to bear all thingsPeople often speak of profound virtue bearing all things, yet few understand that pure, unhypocritical inner authenticity is its foundation.If inner heart thieves dwell within a person — one who chases profit above all, calculates every exchange, and stages performative goodness — their character is shallow. Even temporary wealth and power cannot be sustained, for their virtue cannot uphold such external possessions, and fame and fortune will ultimately slip away. The fates of Duke Yu, Lü Bu and Shi Chong serve as warnings: until greedy thoughts are eliminated, all wealth and power are fleeting mist.Only by preserving plain, authentic original nature, easing excessive selfishness and cravings, and sweeping away inner covetousness for fame and gain can one gradually cultivate a lenient, pure character — the starting point of profound virtue.Laozi never urges people to reject material abundance; instead, he recognizes stable resources as the foundation of a secure life. Those with hearts free of thieves who act justly and trustworthily need not scramble desperately for business opportunities, as others will actively seek them for cooperation, bringing smooth wealth naturally. This is the modern principle of establishing oneself through integrity.In contrast, those consumed by inner thieves and obsessed with profit calculate and harm others in every interaction, eroding trust until no one wishes to associate with them, cutting off all sources of prosperity.When one’s original heart aligns with heaven’s Dao, prioritizing collective interests over personal gains, a positive natural attraction forms, bringing wealth and blessings unsought. This is the true meaning of profound virtue bearing all things.In-Depth Interpretation through the Three Ancient Systems of ChangesWe may distinguish shallow worldly perspectives from Laozi’s grand Dao vision using two thought models from the ancient Three Changes, thoroughly explaining the origin of inner heart thieves and the logic of worldly conduct.Ordinary people’s views of gain and loss and cooperation are trapped within the two-dimensional linear framework of the Lianshan Changes, fixated solely on their own immediate benefits. Greedy inner thieves dwell in every heart, fostering mutual suspicion and distrust. Long-term estrangement spawns a mode of interaction reliant on written contracts rather than personal integrity. External regulations only resolve superficial conflicts, unable to eradicate the root of inner covetousness.The Dao passed down by Laozi relies on the three-dimensional complex system of nested trigrams and interwoven transformations within the Zhouyi, centered on bearing all things through the Dao. The Zhouyi evaluates events by balancing seasonal timing, human hearts and long-term fortune, transcending individual gains and losses to seek win-win outcomes for all parties. Through inward cultivation of embracing the unadorned, upholding simplicity, lessening selfishness and reducing desires, inner greedy delusions are fully eliminated.When hearts are free of thieves and virtue profound, people interact with sincere trust without strict contractual safeguards. Flaunting superficial cleverness and relying on written restraints represents shallow two-dimensional wisdom from the Lianshan Changes; plain, uncompetitive coexistence rooted in virtue embodies the three-dimensional heaven-aligned great wisdom of the Zhouyi. Outer appearances never equal inner essence.V. Interpreting against the Spring and Autumn Historical Background to Avoid Out-of-Context DistortionLaozi lived in the late Spring and Autumn Period, an era of collapsed ritual order: feudal lords launched wars under the guise of benevolence and righteousness, strategists sought power through clever schemes, noble clans chased rare treasures to compete in luxury, and filial piety and loyalty were merely tools to bind ministers. This chapter criticizes the fully alienated, utilitarian system of sagehood, benevolence, craftiness and profit of that age.Two clear boundaries must be drawn to avoid biased readings and controversy:What Laozi rejects: warped thoughts that exploit virtue and wealth to fish for fame;What Laozi affirms: innate heartfelt filial piety and compassion, stable legitimate wealth, and honest livelihood planning.Times past and present differ drastically. Positive human ethics, legal livelihoods and upright learning form the foundation of social stability today. When we study this classic, we reflect inwardly on our own vanity and greed, rather than abandoning normal social ethics and daily life.VI. Personal Insights from Practical CultivationReading Chapters Eighteen and Nineteen consecutively reveals a complete cycle of human character: when human hearts stray from the Dao, artificial moral standards arise to mend the rift; clinging to external standards breeds rampant hypocrisy and inner covetous thieves. Wang Yangming’s line — "It is easy to suppress bandits in the mountains, yet hard to conquer thieves within the heart" — perfectly captures the core of this chapter. Visible external robbers are mere surface phenomena; covetous, self-centered delusions dwelling in the heart are the root ailment.Many cultivators invert root and branch: restless and consumed by desires, they deliberately perform good deeds and recite moral texts to glorify themselves; envious of others who profit through smooth trickery, they seek to learn political stratagems everywhere; craving luxurious goods, they endlessly chase money and luxury items. Such actions pile on artificial outer adornment, nourishing inner heart thieves and drawing one further from the authentic Dao.True practice to return to the Dao lies in sustained inward subtraction: let go of the urge to glorify one’s own nobility, discard profit-chasing petty cleverness, release boundless cravings, and abandon the multitude of trivial dogmas used to compare and judge others.Uphold the single core of "authenticity": act with open, pure original thoughts, free of performance, greed and hypocrisy. Sweep away inner thieves that covet fame and fortune, cultivate the lenient Kun virtue within, and with a profound character, one can steadily bear wealth, human relationships and all blessings. This is the complete path of self-cultivation and worldly living left by Laozi in Chapter Nineteen.Preview of the Next ChapterHaving covered abandoning falsity to return to simplicity, sweeping away inner heart thieves, cultivating Kun virtue and nurturing profound virtue in this chapter, Chapter Twenty will contrast two entirely different spiritual states: the worldly masses chasing vanity, and Dao cultivators abiding by their authentic inner hearts. We will continue to unpack the original heart of the Dao based on the silk manuscript text.I analyze the Mawangdui Laozi chapter by chapter, delving into inward self-seeking interpretations free of vanity. Fellow practitioners who resonate with this perspective may offer voluntary support as they wish; no payment is required. May all people cast off inner covetous thieves and guard their plain, authentic original hearts.I live by writing, seek peace and blessings Support My Son of the Dao Translation Work If you enjoy my interpretations of Son of the Dao and ancient natural philosophy, you can support my continuous creation through PayPal. Go to PayPal Donation
Hello everyone, I’m Dao Yingzi.Chapter 17 centered on inner emptiness and tranquility, sorting four tiers of worldly states ranging from harmony with the Dao to alienation from it. Those aligned with the Dao act effortlessly without ostentation; those distant from the Dao resort to benevolence to win praise, coercion to maintain control, and end up distrusted and scorned. Its core logic: the depth of one’s alignment with the Dao shapes how they interact with the world. This chapter builds on the hierarchical outlook of Chapter 17 to dig into the root cause of moral decline. Four parallel lines reveal the true nature of all publicly celebrated virtues: none are the natural state of heaven and earth. They are makeshift remedies created to mend fractured order once the primal Dao fades away. Chapter 17 describes outer tiers of conduct; Chapter 18 dissects the inner corruption of human hearts and the root chaos of the age. The two chapters form a complete whole, one manifest and one underlying.This entire commentary is solely based on the combined text of Mawangdui Silk Manuscripts of Tao Te Ching, with no reference to circulated standard editions.Silk Manuscript Original Text:Therefore when the great Dao falls away, benevolence and righteousness arise.When crafty wit comes forth, grand hypocrisy follows.When the six kin fall into discord, filial piety and parental compassion are exalted.When states and clans sink into chaos, loyal upright ministers appear.The character “an” serves as a conjunctive particle meaning “thus” or “then”, linking each clause logically and coherently to the message of the previous chapter.I. Mainstream Confucian InterpretationConfucian scholars throughout history centered their reading on civilizing humanity through benevolence, righteousness, rituals and ethics. When the world descends into turmoil, they argue that benevolence, filial piety and loyal service to rulers must be widely promoted to bind families and stabilize courts.This perspective acknowledges that virtues can patch up a broken world, yet it commits a fundamental reversal of root and branch. When the Dao prevails in peaceful eras, genuine kindness wells up naturally in people’s hearts with no need to preach benevolence everywhere. Only when the universal order collapses do artificial moral codes get enforced to correct human conduct. Confucians take makeshift remedies for chaotic times as the ultimate primordial Dao, clinging to deliberate worldly cultivation while blind to effortless natural authenticity.II. Interpretations from Traditional Daoist Schools of Later GenerationsTwo biased extremes emerged among later Daoists:Flatly rejecting benevolence and filial piety, claiming all public praise of ethics is hollow hypocrisy. They abandon all human relational boundaries, indulge personal desires and fall into passive recklessness.Treating this chapter as a manipulative stratagem. Seeing moral praise as a tool for gaining fame, they feign indifference to virtue in public yet scheme for private gain behind closed doors, spawning deeper hypocrisy under the guise of enlightenment.Both paths are one-sided. They fail to distinguish genuine heartfelt goodness from performative virtue crafted for acclaim, either dismissing all human ethics outright or exploiting morality for self-interest, straying far from Laozi’s true intent.III. Popular Lay InterpretationOrdinary readers reduce this passage to a worldly maxim: what a society lacks most is what it advertises loudest. In harmonious clans and peaceful eras, filial devotion and loyal officials require no public glorification. Only amid constant conflict and turbulent times do such virtues get endlessly advocated.Lay people grasp this superficial dialectic yet only use it to judge others, rarely reflecting inwardly. They overlook that clinging to forced good deeds and rigid moral standards itself stems from a fractured Dao within. Judging hypocrisy in others without refining one’s own heart keeps cultivation superficial, with no path back to primal stillness.IV. Line-by-Line Explanation of the Silk Manuscript TextTherefore when the great Dao falls away, benevolence and righteousness arise.When the great Dao prevails in its undivided wholeness, no separation exists between self and others. Kindness flows from innate nature without man-made labels of “benevolence” or “righteousness”. Once selfish divisions fragment the primal harmony — what the text calls “the great Dao falls away” — artificial codes of benevolence and righteousness are invented to restrain and correct humanity. Benevolence and righteousness are supplements for a world severed from the Dao, not its original natural state. The opening word “therefore” connects to Chapter 17’s discourse on broken inner integrity, proving manufactured virtue is an inevitable outcome once the Dao is lost.When crafty wit comes forth, grand hypocrisy follows.The “wit” referenced here refers to calculated scheming, weighing pros and cons for personal gain, not the genuine inner wisdom attained through emptiness and stillness. Once people train their minds to strategize and manipulate, widespread hypocrisy blooms. Rulers and scholars speak of virtue outwardly yet chase profit privately, creating a world of outward masks and inward deceit. Calculating discriminatory thought is the source of all hypocrisy; a tranquil mind free of stratagem naturally bears no pretense.When the six kin fall into discord, filial piety and parental compassion are exalted.Blood relatives naturally care for one another as a single vital unity when unbroken by strife. Only when disputes, suspicion and rivalry split clans — “the six kin fall into discord” — rituals of filial piety and parental tenderness are elevated as mandatory standards to bind family members together. Deliberate displays of filial devotion are merely substitutes for fractured familial harmony. Those fully aligned with the Dao treat loved ones with spontaneous care, without forced intentions to “practice filial piety”.When states and clans sink into chaos, loyal upright ministers appear.When the world abides by the Dao in peace, rulers and subjects each fulfill their natural roles without contention, with no division between loyal and treacherous officials. Only when courts crumble and realms descend into disorder do upright ministers who risk everything for justice become visible rarities. Loyal ministers are a product of chaotic ages; in times of unbroken Dao, no sacrificial loyalty is needed to prop up crumbling governance.V. Integrated Cultivation Logic Linking Chapter 17 and 18Chapter 17 outlines four tiers of human conduct, sliding from effortless harmony with the Dao all the way to widespread distrust and contempt. The root of this decline is exactly the fading of the great Dao described in this silk manuscript chapter.A mind abiding in undivided emptiness and tranquility, free of stratagem and discrimination, requires no artificial benevolence to adorn conduct — this is the highest tier: “the people merely know he exists”.Minor fractures of the Dao give rise to craving for praise, driving deliberate practice of benevolence to win admiration — matching the second tier: “they love and praise him”.Severe erosion of the Dao lets selfish scheming run rampant; performative benevolence fails, leaving rulers reliant on intimidation to control others — the tier: “they fear him”.Complete loss of the Dao fills hearts with deceit and calculation. Words and deeds lack integrity, drawing universal scorn — the lowest tier: “they mock him”.Cause and effect bind the two chapters: an intact primal Dao within yields effortless natural conduct outwardly. A fractured inner Dao forces constant reliance on makeshift standards of benevolence, authority and loyalty, descending tier by tier.This logic applies equally to daily self-cultivation:Top practitioners guard an empty, tranquil heart, treating others gently and sincerely, with virtues flowing naturally without contrivance.Second-tier cultivators lack full alignment with the Dao, forcing themselves to practice kindness and filial piety while fixated on others’ opinions, cultivating artificial remedies for inner lack.Third-tier practitioners are trapped by heavy attachments, resorting to harsh control over those around them and losing innate gentleness.Lowest-tier cultivators dwell in deceit and calculation, speaking endlessly of morality while acting out of self-interest, breaking trust and alienating all others.Most people reverse root and branch: they chase external moral codes yet refuse to sweep away discriminatory scheming and return to the Dao. All celebrated outward virtues are merely patches for inner spiritual fragmentation. Only restoring the undivided primal Dao within allows all virtues to manifest spontaneously, with no need for artificial constraint.VI. Analysis of Laozi’s Historical Context, Distinction Between Ancient and Modern Times, and Personal Cultivation Insights(1) The Late Spring and Autumn Era Where Laozi Lived — To Avoid Out-of-Context MisinterpretationLaozi served as the royal archive keeper of the Zhou court, and all reflections and critiques in this silk manuscript chapter arise directly from the chaotic collapse of ritual and ethics of his age, which cannot be mechanically applied to modern society.In his time, the Zhou Son of Heaven’s authority crumbled entirely, and the centuries-old ritual and clan system of Western Zhou collapsed. Endless annexation wars raged between feudal lords; powerful ministers usurped their rulers; royal bloodlines fought brutal succession wars. Nobles competed for wealth and power in courtly suspicion; aristocratic clans turned against one another over land and fief inheritance. Wandering strategists traveled between states preaching benevolence yet plotting solely for personal fame and rank.During the stable Western Zhou period, virtue resided naturally in people’s hearts, requiring no widespread promotion. In Laozi’s chaotic age, selfish desire and cunning permeated all corners of society, spawning numerous schools of thought seeking to save the world. Confucius and his disciples traveled state to state propagating benevolent education to mend broken social order; strategists mastered manipulative wit to advance their careers. Clan strife and court turmoil became commonplace, making filial piety and upright loyalty rare, exceptional qualities.The four lines in the silk manuscript target performative, fame-chasing false virtue and manipulative cunning prevalent in the Spring and Autumn Period. They never reject genuine, unforced benevolence, filial piety and loyalty born from the heart. The world of 2,600 years ago and today differ vastly. Reading the silk manuscript requires strict separation of temporal context to avoid misinterpreting Laozi’s words through isolated excerpts.(2) Exclusive Personal Cultivation InsightsAfter studying all schools’ interpretations, examining the historical chaos of the Spring and Autumn Period, and cross-referencing years of my own seated inner observation and practice of emptiness and stillness, I have formed unique firsthand insights.Confucian, later Daoist and lay interpretations all fixate on external social relations, rarely digging into the root of human nature. The four lines of the silk manuscript describe both the chaos of Laozi’s age and a universal flaw in all human hearts: once the undivided inner Dao cracks, discriminatory and covetous thoughts emerge, birthing artificial moral benchmarks like benevolence, filial piety and loyal ministers to fill the void left by the fractured Dao.The benevolence praised by lords and scholars of the Spring and Autumn Period mostly served to build reputations, win popular support and seize territory and power. Many modern cultivators cling rigidly to ethics only to cover inner restlessness, selfishness and calculation. No matter how flawless outward conduct appears, it remains deliberate artificial practice, only treating symptoms without curing the root, as long as the inner Dao is broken.Daily good deeds, quiet cultivation and meditative guidance can only patch superficial spiritual flaws. To eliminate attachment, hypocrisy and division entirely, one must lay down acquired scheming, restrain all discriminatory thoughts, and persist long-term in cultivating utter emptiness and unwavering stillness, returning to the undivided primal unity of the Dao. Once the heart becomes whole and transparent, kindness, sincerity and integrity arise naturally without deliberate reminders to practice filial piety or loyalty. This is the core path of cultivation conveyed in this silk manuscript chapter of Tao Te Ching.We must also draw a clear line between ancient and modern contexts: today’s society maintains stable order, and filial human bonds and loyalty to the nation form the positive foundation of social stability. The silk manuscript criticizes performative, fame-driven false morality unique to the Spring and Autumn chaos, never denying positive human ethics and national loyalty of the present era, preventing readers from misinterpreting the text through decontextualized excerpts.This chapter’s commentary concludes here. The next chapter will follow this logic of “virtues arising as remedies when the Dao fades”, explaining methods to return to the Dao and abandon artificial contrivance, solely based on the silk manuscript text.Deciphering the silk manuscript of Tao Te Ching chapter by chapter consumes immense time and mental energy. We are still traveling the path of cultivation and far from complete enlightenment; mortal life requires daily sustenance. Fellow practitioners who recognize the value of this genuine sharing may offer voluntary donations as they wish, with no demands attached. May all seekers advance steadily and explore the boundless Great Dao together.I live by writing, seek peace and blessings Support My Son of the Dao Translation Work If you enjoy my interpretations of Son of the Dao and ancient natural philosophy, you can support my continuous creation through PayPal. Go to PayPal Donation 说明：此渠道专为海外友人设置。国内有缘朋友如需随缘支持，可查看下方。
Hello everyone, I’m Dao Yingzi. It’s time for us to analyze the Tao Te Ching together again.In the previous chapter, we dug deep into the foundational practice of spiritual cultivation, fully sorting out the inner cultivation methods of attaining emptiness, abiding in tranquility, observing cyclical return, and understanding the eternal Dao. We clarified that returning to one’s root and restoring innate life essence to elevate one’s spiritual realm is the original intention Laozi left in his writings. Today’s Chapter Seventeen is no longer confined to inner spiritual refinement alone. It shifts from inner sagacity to outer kingship, applying the state of alignment with the Dao to interacting with all people and worldly matters, layer by layer unpacking the four-tier relationship between humanity and the Dao, humanity and the mortal world. The two chapters complement each other as substance and function: attaining emptiness and abiding in tranquility form the internal foundation, while the four governing realms manifest as external application. Without solid inner cultivation, all external conduct will merely degenerate into disguised crafty schemes; without grounded external practice, inner cultivation will end up as empty, lifeless quietism. The two are inseparable sides of a single whole.First, here is the original text of Chapter Seventeen from the silk manuscript version of the Tao Te Ching, correcting a crucial textual discrepancy in the commonly circulated edition:The supreme ruler: people only know he exists.The next best: people grow close to him and sing his praises.The next: people stand in awe of him.The worst: people scorn and insult him.When one’s integrity is lacking, distrust arises among others.How cautious he is, treasuring his words deeply.When all undertakings are fulfilled and affairs accomplished, all common folk say, “We achieved this by our own natural course.”The popular printed edition writes “The supreme ruler: people do not know he exists”, while silk and bamboo slip ancient manuscripts all read “people only know he exists”. A single character changes the core meaning entirely. The popular version easily misleads readers into thinking the ruler vanishes completely, yet Laozi’s true meaning is not total concealment. The leader remains visibly present, yet imposes no coercive intervention or deliberate self-glorification, which we will clarify layer by layer below.I. Interpretations by Confucian Scholars as a WholeThroughout history, Confucian scholars have interpreted this chapter primarily as a standard for judging the quality of kings’ governance, centering their analysis on virtuous rule and benevolent administration. From the Confucian perspective, the supreme governance of ancient times is merely an unattainable ideal; the truly actionable way of governing lies in rulers practicing benevolent policies and upholding virtuous conduct, so that commoners grow close to them and praise their merit — namely the second tier: “growing close and singing praises”.Within their logical framework, rulers who win people over through virtue and dispense kindness naturally earn the gratitude of the masses; this is the proper duty of ritual education and benevolent governance. Relying on authority and punishment to inspire fear among the people is already a lesser state. If a ruler is incompetent, untrustworthy to his people, and scorned by the populace, it signals the collapse of his reign. The entire chapter is placed within the framework of worldly governance, used to support the Confucian proposition of “governing with virtue”, exhorting monarchs to implement benevolent policies and cultivate a virtuous reputation, ultimately serving court order and human ethical education.In short, when Confucians read this chapter, they take the praised virtuous ruler as their realistic benchmark, regarding the supreme Dao-aligned realm as an unattainable ancient legend. All their focus rests on evaluating the merits of worldly governance and promoting benevolent rule, reversing the primary and secondary and straying from Laozi’s core essence of natural non-action.II. Overall Interpretations by Traditional Daoists of Later GenerationsLater traditional Daoists mostly read this chapter as royal statecraft and a set of reclusive worldly tactics. They hold that the wisest rulers conceal their sharpness, refrain from ostentation, issue few decrees, and claim no credit for achievements, letting the people live unconstrained to secure lasting peace. To them, “treasuring words” and “natural spontaneity” are nothing more than means of hiding weakness and subduing others through gentleness.Many practitioners extend this logic to personal conduct, treating the chapter as a survival technique for staying out of trouble: do not compete for the limelight, claim no merit after success, and keep a low profile to attain long-term peace. Yet this interpretation carries severe limitations, reducing Laozi’s great Dao of non-action to cunning stratagems. Those who only learn superficial humility without cultivating inner emptiness and tranquil wisdom may seem non-competitive on the surface, yet their hearts are full of calculation and obsession with gain and loss. Ultimately, they abandon the root to chase branches, falling deeper into attachment.III. General Popular Interpretations by Ordinary PeopleOrdinary readers do not delve into the deep connection between inner sagacity and outer kingship, merely treating this chapter as practical management and social skills. Their plain understanding goes as follows: leaders should avoid craving a sense of presence, refrain from constant meddling, and never claim credit after finishing work; let subordinates feel they accomplished everything themselves, which marks a superior manager. In personal dealings, one ought to stay unassuming, exert influence quietly to reduce disputes and win more people’s hearts.Understanding this truth can ease interpersonal friction and make social interactions smoother. However, this interpretation only lingers on superficial techniques, never exploring the spiritual levels corresponding to the four realms, nor understanding where the supreme state originates from cultivation. People only mimic outward gestures without grasping the inner foundation, leaving their vision shallow and superficial.IV. Personal Insights from Actual CultivationInterpretations from Confucianism, later traditional Daoism, and ordinary folk are not entirely wrong when judged merely by literal meaning, yet all three remain trapped at the level of “techniques”, focusing only on governing methods or social stratagems. They overlook the most critical foundation from the start: the four realms are natural manifestations of one’s alignment with the Dao, not deliberate contrived tactics. Discussing external application without rooting it in inner cultivation is building castles in the air.Confucian scholars chase repute and praise all their lives, taking the second tier as their lifelong pursuit, unaware that closeness and praise themselves are mere superficial appearances. The intention to dispense kindness carries a desire for recognition, trapping them forever within the swings of human fondness and dislike. Those who toy with stratagems treat the supreme state as a disguise for low-profile concealment; no matter how calm they pretend to be on the outside, a single thought of gain and loss disturbs their peace.Here we resolve a long-standing widespread misunderstanding: many assume “the supreme ruler, people only know he exists” means deliberately hiding oneself, refusing to act, and making the masses unaware of one’s presence. This is a grave misinterpretation. The true supreme state is not feigned humbleness, but a natural outflow of body and mind fully aligned with the Dao after mastering the cultivation of attaining emptiness and abiding in tranquility from the previous chapter. Teaching without words and acting without forced exertion does not mean forcing oneself to stay silent or inactive; rather, every word and deed follows the Dao without personal selfish desire mixed in. Hence one does not glorify oneself or claim merit. People live alongside this ruler without constant awareness, merely feeling everything unfolds as it ought to be.Chapter Fifteen depicted the outward demeanor of those who walk the Dao — modest and free from excess. Chapter Sixteen excavated the inner cultivation of emptiness, tranquility, and returning to one’s root. Chapter Seventeen is the natural manifestation of this tranquil practice when applied to interacting with all beings in the world. The deeper one’s inner cultivation, the closer one draws to ultimate emptiness and tranquility, and the more one’s external conduct approaches the supreme Dao-aligned state. The shallower one’s inner refinement, the more desires and wandering thoughts one harbors, and the more one must rely on kindness, authority, stratagems, or coercion to maintain order, descending tier by tier away from the Dao.Breaking down the four realms layer by layer reveals the full process of humanity drifting away from the Dao:The supreme: people only know he exists — non-action aligned with the Dao, the highest realmThose who follow the Dao emulate heaven and earth, free from the obsession of self-glorification. They rarely issue decrees, never deliberately dispense kindness to seek praise, and never constrain others through punishment. All beings and common folk move along their innate natural course, aware of a guide yet free from forced distortion by external power — fully conforming to the spontaneity of heaven and earth.The next best: people grow close and sing his praises — deliberate benevolent action, the second-tier realmUnable to reach the state of empty tranquil non-action, one deliberately acts kindly and dispenses favor to win closeness and admiration from others. Though such conduct is virtuous, it is already intentional action: giving kindness is a contrived act, with a hidden craving for praise and recognition, an obsession that deviates from the core of attaining emptiness, abiding in tranquility, and rejecting excess.The next: people stand in awe of him — restraint through authority, the third-tier realmNo longer relying on virtuous influence, one depends on regulations, power, and punishment to constrain others. The masses obey outwardly out of fear yet remain distant and alienated at heart. Fear arises from the leader’s inner restlessness and failure to abide in tranquility, resorting to forceful intervention at every turn, losing inclusive impartiality and inner integrity — already severely departing from the Dao.The worst: people scorn and insult him — loss of integrity and separation from the Dao, the lowest realmThe leader’s words and deeds are inconsistent, decrees shift arbitrarily, and all actions serve private desire without impartiality or justice. The masses hold no trust, mocking, slighting, and resisting privately. Upper and lower groups grow divided, and all order collapses entirely.“When one’s integrity is lacking, distrust arises among others” does not mean the people refuse to trust, but that the self strays from the Dao and virtue, speaking and acting in contradiction. When one’s own integrity is insufficient, external distrust naturally follows. All estrangement, contempt, and opposition in external circumstances root entirely in one’s own deficient integrity, not in other people.“How cautious he is, treasuring his words deeply” does not merely mean speaking little. “Cautious” describes a state of tranquil certainty; treasuring words means never uttering reckless speech or arbitrary orders. Those fully aligned with the Dao match every word and deed to the innate nature of heaven and earth, free from superfluous selfish reckless words, hence their speech carries weight and they do not issue arbitrary commands readily. It is not forced frugality with words, but natural silence born from a mind free of delusion.Once all undertakings reach fruition and all beings thrive smoothly, the common folk remark, “We accomplished this through our own natural course”, unaware of anyone’s merit — this is the true meaning of “natural spontaneity”. Heaven and earth nurture all creation, yet all living things grow oblivious to heaven and earth’s contribution. Those who walk the Dao accomplish worldly deeds without seeking recognition for their merit. They claim no credit and cling to no fame, withdrawing once tasks are complete. This is the external application of “returning to one’s root and restoring innate life essence” from the prior chapter: nurturing all creation without possession, transforming the mortal world without domination, following the Dao and returning to one’s origin once affairs end.When applied to daily personal cultivation and interpersonal communication, the four realms equally apply:Top-tier cultivation: The heart abides in emptiness and tranquility, acting in accordance with one’s innate nature, never deliberately currying favor or overreaching. Others perceive your character yet remain undisturbed by your emotions or demands; all things unfold naturally.Second-tier: Deliberate kindness and gentleness, solely to win recognition and praise from others, unable to let go of external judgment — a form of intentional cultivation.Third-tier: Habitual forceful argument and harsh criticism, dominating those around you through temper and stance, leaving others fearful and distant.Lowest tier: Fickle and inconsistent, prioritizing private desire above all, lacking integrity, and earning contempt and estrangement from others.The true value of living and cultivating oneself never lies in winning praise from the world, manipulating others through stratagems, or hiding away humbly to survive. Cultivate inner emptiness and tranquility to grasp the substance of the Dao; practice external non-action to follow the natural spontaneity of all beings. Accomplish worldly tasks without being trapped by them, nurture all living beings without claiming merit, move freely without clinging to material matters — this is the complete path of developing outer kingship from inner sagacity, the genuine implication behind the four realms of this chapter.Full Chapter SummaryComparing interpretations from Confucianism, traditional Daoism of later ages, and ordinary worldly readers reveals that each school excerpts fragments of the text from its own standpoint, focusing either on governance, stratagems, or techniques — all trapped at the “technique” level of external application, blind to the inner cultivation “substance” beneath, unable to glimpse the complete and holistic truth of the Dao. Confucians regard praised benevolence as excellence, trapped in superficial fame; later Daoists see low-profile concealment as wisdom, trapped in stratagems; ordinary folk view social conduct as mere utility, trapped in trivial skills. All three deviate from the original intention Laozi held when writing this chapter.The core meaning of Chapter Seventeen of the Tao Te Ching is never teaching people how to rule subjects, manipulate others, or navigate social relations. It forms a sequential cultivation path carrying forward the two prior chapters: cultivate emptiness and tranquility to the utmost within, and external conduct will naturally unfold unobtrusively in non-action. The four realms correspond to four tiers of spiritual state, progressing from self-glorification to self-effacement, from intentional action to non-action, ultimately reaching the Dao-aligned state of completing all works without claiming merit and letting all things follow their natural course. The deeper one roots oneself inwardly, the more inconspicuous one’s outward manifestation becomes — this is the progressive logic from inner substance to outer function that Laozi intended to convey layer by layer.Our analysis of this chapter concludes here. If you gain insight after reading, feel free to share it with relatives, friends, and fellow cultivators, so more people may comprehend the original truth of the classics and find a path of upward cultivation.Translating and analyzing ancient classics chapter by chapter demands immense time and mental energy. We are still treading the path of cultivation, far from complete perfection, and daily material needs of mortal life must be sustained. Readers who recognize the value of this sharing may offer voluntary alms as their heart leads, with no obligation whatsoever. May all fellow cultivators advance steadily together to explore the boundless Dao.Preview of the next chapter: We will continue our sequential analysis of Chapter Eighteen of the Tao Te Ching.I live by writing, seek peace and blessings Support My Son of the Dao Translation Work If you enjoy my interpretations of Son of the Dao and ancient natural philosophy, you can support my continuous creation through PayPal. Go to PayPal Donation 说明：此渠道专为海外友人设置。国内有缘朋友如需随缘支持，可查看下方。
Title: Casual Talks on the Tao Te Ching 016
Hello everyone, I am Dao Yingzi. It is time for us to dissect the Tao Te Ching together. The weather is sweltering and muggy today. I originally planned to take a day off, yet after quiet reflection, I resolved to carry on as scheduled.When we cultivate ourselves and pursue scholarly study, we must never yield to momentary laziness. Having made a solemn vow to fully interpret the three great classics, if I indulge sloth today, I will easily grow slack and abandon the work halfway in the future. Therefore, we continue our analysis of Chapter Sixteen of the Tao Te Ching today.In the previous chapter, we studied Chapter Fifteen of the Tao Te Ching. Seven metaphors depict the words, deeds and inner state of those aligned with the Dao, centering on a balanced state of motion and tranquility, a cultivation realm free from craving fullness. By contrast, Chapter Sixteen we explore today moves beyond imitating outward conduct to dig deep into the foundational inner cultivation of the mind. It lays out a complete spiritual practice: emptying the mind, abiding in stillness, observing the cycle of return, and understanding constancy. The two chapters complement each other, exterior conduct rooted in inner serenity, and inner cultivation manifesting as conduct in harmony with the Dao—neither can be dispensed with.Original Text of Chapter Sixteen of the Silk Manuscript Version of the Tao Te ChingReach utter emptiness, hold fast to one’s original true nature.All things flourish forth; I behold their cycle of return.All myriad beings teem and thrive, yet each turns back to its root.Returning to the root is called stillness; stillness is called restoring one’s innate life.Restoring innate life is the eternal constant; knowing this constant brings clarity.To be ignorant of the constant is to act recklessly; reckless action invites misfortune.Knowing the constant begets magnanimity; magnanimity begets impartiality; impartiality begets righteous governance; righteous governance aligns with heaven; alignment with heaven accords with the Dao; accord with the Dao grants enduring peace, free from peril all one’s days.Interpretations from the Confucian PerspectiveConfucian scholars throughout history regard emptying the mind and abiding in stillness as fundamental practice for gentlemen cultivating virtue. From the Confucian worldview, a heart filled with selfish desires and prejudices cannot objectively perceive the unchanging heavenly principle governing all things’ rise, fall, circulation and return to roots. Only by washing away scattered thoughts and calming the spirit can one comprehend the eternal order of heaven and earth.In their line of reasoning, comprehending the eternal Dao naturally fosters a broad heart and impartial conduct. Self-cultivation is merely the starting point, with the ultimate goals of regulating the family, governing the state, and enlightening all people under heaven. The mind-calming methods outlined in this chapter entirely serve human ethics, rituals and court governance. If one fails to grasp the fundamental law of all things returning to their roots, acts arbitrarily driven by selfish desires, and strays from the middle way of benevolence and righteousness, hardship and disaster will inevitably follow.In short, from the Confucian lens, emptiness and stillness as a path back to one’s roots are merely tools to attain sage reputations and fulfill worldly ambitions, with all focus fixed on mortal rituals and worldly governance.Interpretations from the Traditional Early Daoist PerspectiveLater practitioners of traditional Daoism mostly treat this chapter as a core method for nurturing the physical form and refining vital energy. They argue that the human mind chases external objects all day long, steadily draining the body’s blood, qi and innate primal energy, whose prolonged loss wastes the body and brings decline. To empty the mind and return to one’s roots means recalling wandering thoughts inward, harmonizing the blood and qi throughout the body, and recovering the innate source of life.Sustained adherence to purity and tranquility, returning to life’s origin, preserves essence and nourishes the body for peaceful longevity. Yet this interpretation carries severe limitations and completely distorts Laozi’s original meaning of non-action. Many practitioners shut themselves away in quiet meditation, cut off contact with the mortal world, and dedicate their entire practice solely to preserving their physical form, obsessed with long life. This breeds a powerful attachment to bodily survival; fixated only on the health of the flesh, they cannot see the true core of the Dao, trapped in shallow, inferior cultivation.Popular Folk Lay InterpretationsOrdinary common people reading this text do not delve into profound themes of governance or spiritual refinement. They only take it as life wisdom to soothe emotions and live peacefully. Their understanding is straightforward: let go of attachments to gain, loss, fame and fortune; calm your heart amid trouble. Recognize that all bustling prosperity is a fleeting appearance that will ultimately fade into plainness, so do not cling excessively.Understanding the cyclical pattern of all things inspires tolerance toward others, upright and fair conduct, and restraint from impulsive, reckless acts, lessening strife and hardship in life. However, this reading only alleviates daily mental exhaustion. It never explores fundamental questions of life’s origin—where we come from and where we go—leaving the understanding superficial and narrow.Personal Insights Gained from Spiritual PracticeThe three categories of interpretations above—Confucian, traditional early Daoist, and folk lay—are not entirely wrong when judged purely by literal meaning. Yet all three fall into one-sided, narrow limitations, lacking the foundational introspection of life’s three core questions: Who am I? Where do I come from? Where am I going? Without this fundamental foundation to interpret the scripture, one cannot perceive the true meaning of the Dao hidden beneath the words.Secular Confucian scholars bury themselves in classics and rush along official careers their whole lives, chasing praise from others and the fame of sages. They labor all their days, yet never grasp the true value of living until their final breath. Later Dao practitioners who distort the Dao shut themselves away, single-mindedly pursuing bodily longevity. Even if they live a thousand years, they merely consume the nourishment of heaven and earth without purpose. Obsession with survival is the greatest attachment of all—how can such practice align with the Dao?Here, I clarify a long-standing misunderstanding: most people misinterpret Laozi’s “not exalting worthies” and pure tranquility and non-action. When Laozi says “not exalting worthies”, he does not mean positive role models cannot exist in the world. Instead, he warns us that our motivation for self-cultivation and conduct must not be to win praise or chase fame to act virtuously. True pure tranquility and non-action are neither escaping the world to idle away time nor cutting oneself off from mortal society. Rather, dwelling amid bustling chaos, one’s spirit remains untempted and unshackled by external things. Even in crowded markets, the original heart stays calm. We inwardly refine self-awareness, continuously elevate our state of being, move in tandem with heaven and earth’s inherent Dao, and refrain from forcing actions against the natural tide.Chapter Fifteen depicts the humble, unadorned outward bearing of those who walk the Dao. Yet ordinary people merely mimic this outward demeanor, which amounts to nothing more than superficial pretense. This chapter makes clear that emptying the mind and abiding in stillness is the fundamental path to calming the spirit and aligning with the Dao. Most of us spend every day chasing fame, profit and desire, layers of scattered thoughts covering our original heart, leaving the inner self unable to reach a state of empty peace. Even if we deliberately mimic a tolerant, generous bearing, we are only forcibly suppressing inner restlessness. Our foundation is fragile, and trivial matters can easily trigger emotional outbursts.“Reach utter emptiness” means completely emptying the heart of prejudices, desires, calculations and attachments, letting go of discriminatory thoughts of good and bad, gain and loss, noble and humble. “Hold fast to one’s original true nature” means firmly guarding our innate original heart, never letting the ups and downs of external gains and losses agitate our consciousness. If one only empties the mind yet cannot hold fast to the original heart, the spirit scatters and chaotic thoughts multiply. If one rigidly clings to quietness yet unresolved attachments linger in the heart, inner energy stagnates and cannot flow freely. These two practices must advance side by side to generate pure awareness, allowing us to quietly observe the natural cycle of all things’ birth, flourishing and demise.“All things flourish forth, each turning back to its root” describes the eternal cyclical logic of heaven and earth. All things stretching outward in vigorous growth is motion; the fading of prosperity, retreat and quiet return to the source is stillness. Most people cannot distinguish superficial bodily phenomena from the inner root of life. Extreme cold can trigger surface heat, long accumulated heat leads to inner depletion, and all such imbalanced bodily disorders stem from failure to withdraw inward and return to one’s root. Dietary adjustments and temporary emotional soothing only suppress superficial symptoms briefly. Only by abiding in stillness, returning to life’s origin, and drawing back scattered essence, energy and spirit can we restore our innate original life—this is what the scripture calls “restoring one’s innate life”. Restoring innate life is the eternal, unchanging law of all things in heaven and earth, referred to in the text as “the constant”.Comprehending this unchanging eternal Dao brings genuine clarity of mind. Those blind to the cycle of all things returning to their roots, who act recklessly driven by their own attachments, will inevitably face danger. Those who grasp the eternal Dao hold a heart free from division and bias, embracing all myriad beings. A heart full of magnanimity yields impartial conduct. Impartial words and deeds align with the transformative order of heaven and earth. To align with heaven is to resonate with the Dao. Walking steadily in accordance with the Dao for a lifetime keeps one far from peril. This progressive logic also echoes the core of Chapter Fifteen’s “not craving fullness”: know to retreat and leave space in all matters, never pursue absolute fullness, so the cycle of life may endure endlessly.The true value of human life and cultivation lies neither in the secular fame Confucians pursue, nor in the physical longevity craved by early Daoists. By emptying attachments through emptiness and stillness, continuously elevating our state of awareness, and using our own practiced understanding of the Dao to carve a path of progress for future generations, we enable all beings to know the boundlessness of the Dao, seeking deeper truth and advancing through layers for generations. This is the true meaning of restoring innate life and knowing the constant—not wasting time idly, merely consuming the nourishment of heaven and earth.Full Chapter SummaryExamining the three interpretive schools of Confucianism, traditional early Daoism and folk lay thought, we see each intercepts fragments of the scripture from its own fixed standpoint, trapped within narrow vision and unable to behold the complete, holistic panorama of the Dao. Confucians harness emptiness and stillness to seek worldly fame through governance; traditional Daoists rely on tranquility to pursue physical longevity; ordinary folk only use the text to ease daily emotional distress. All three deviate from Laozi’s original intent in writing this chapter.The core essence of Chapter Sixteen of the Tao Te Ching was never written to teach ritual study and state governance, nor to advocate sequestered meditation for long life, nor merely to calm fleeting daily emotions. Empty all attachments to reach a state of pure emptiness, firmly uphold lasting tranquility of the original heart, observe the eternal cycle of all things growing, fading and returning to their roots, and perceive the unchanging Dao of heaven and earth. Hold a magnanimous heart, act selflessly, conform to heaven and align with the Dao, continuously cultivate self-improvement, and pass down the true wisdom of the Dao to later generations. This is the original purpose behind the spiritual practice of emptying the mind, abiding in stillness, returning to one’s roots and restoring innate life left by Laozi.This chapter’s commentary draws to a close here. If you gain insight from this reading, please share it with your family, friends and fellow cultivators, so more people may grasp the original source of the classics and find a path of upward spiritual practice.Interpreting ancient classics chapter by chapter over the long term demands immense time and mental energy. We are still walking the path of cultivation, far from complete perfection, and rely on worldly sustenance for daily food and shelter. Readers who recognize the value of this shared wisdom may offer voluntary support entirely of their own will, with no expectation of offerings. May all fellow cultivators advance steadily and explore the boundless Great Dao together.I live by writing, seek peace and blessings Support My Son of the Dao Translation Work If you enjoy my interpretations of Son of the Dao and ancient natural philosophy, you can support my continuous creation through PayPal. Go to PayPal Donation 说明：此渠道专为海外友人设置。国内有缘朋友如需随缘支持，可查看下方。
Title: Casual Talks on the Tao Te Ching 015
Hello everyone, I’m Dao Yingzi. I was tied up with trivial matters these past few days and had to pause updates. Today we continue our series Casual Talks on the Tao Te Ching.I. Review of the Previous ChapterThe core argument of Chapter Fourteen goes: What we look at yet cannot see is called Yi; what we listen to yet cannot hear is called Xi; what we grasp yet cannot touch is called Wei. These three merge into one, beginningless, endless, indistinct and formless.The Great Dao of heaven and earth lies beyond sight, sound and touch. People feel the Dao vague and hard to find not because the Dao itself is incomplete or obscure, but because human physical senses are confined to lower dimensions, unable to fully perceive the whole picture of the global spiral topology.All books, knowledge and worldly cultivation methods are built upon human senses; they can only interpret tangible, phenomenal things. Once touching the source of the Dao, cognitive gaps emerge. Humanity’s unique innate advantage is the ability to step free from instinctive desires and transcend the five senses to ponder the invisible laws of heaven and earth.The fundamental path of cultivation lies in reining in scattered thoughts that chase outward endlessly, expanding the boundary of inner awareness, abiding by the eternal Dao’s principles, and responding to all worldly affairs with the unchanging laws of heaven and earth.Chapter Fourteen answers “What is the substance of the Great Dao”, while Chapter Fifteen addresses “How those who uphold the Dao ought to conduct themselves”. The two chapters connect seamlessly and complement each other; understanding and practice cannot be separated.II. Original Text of the Silk Manuscript Version B + Plain Vernacular ExplanationOriginal TextThe ancients who well practiced the Dao were subtle, mysterious and profoundly penetrating, their depth beyond description. Precisely because they cannot be depicted in words, I reluctantly describe their bearing:Cautious, as one crossing icy water in winter;Watchful, as one wary of surrounding neighbors;Solemn, as a guest in another’s home;Soft, as ice slowly melting away;Simple, as uncarved raw wood;Vast, as an empty mountain valley;Murky, as turbid running water.When turbid, calm it and it slowly clears;When peaceful, move it and life slowly stirs.Those who preserve this Dao never crave fullness. Precisely because they reject fullness, they endure wear and never claim completion.Section-by-section Vernacular TranslationIn ancient times, those who truly sustained the Dao possessed subtle, wondrous natures that penetrated the profound laws of heaven and earth. Their inner realm ran too deep to be fully depicted by worldly language. Since precise description is impossible, Laozi uses seven scenes of daily life to portray their habitual mental and physical state:They act cautiously and prudently, like treading ice across a river in bitter winter, treading carefully and never rushing recklessly;They treat others with constant vigilance and restraint, as if surrounded by wary onlookers, tucking away sharp edges to avoid conflict with others;Their demeanor is dignified and self-possessed, like a guest abroad, maintaining humility free from arrogance and conceit;Their temperament is soft and unstrained, like ice melting gradually, devoid of sharp, confrontational edges;Their original heart is sincere and unadorned, like unworked timber, without artificial pretense or deliberate disguise;Their breadth of mind is spacious and inclusive, like a remote mountain valley, embracing all things without narrow prejudice;They blend unassumingly with mortal crowds, like turbid streams, refusing to flaunt false purity or cut themselves off from all living beings.When the heart is chaotic and turbid with countless wandering thoughts, settle down and sink inward; scattered disturbances fade little by little, and the spirit gradually grows pure and lucid.Once body and mind rest in quiet stability, move naturally in due course, and inner vitality unfolds and circulates gently, never sinking into lifeless stagnation.Those who long uphold the laws of the Dao never chase complete fullness within their hearts. Always refusing attachment to “completion”, they accept wear and embrace imperfection, allowing their inner circulation to operate endlessly over time.III. Three Main Traditional Interpretations (Objectively Listed, No Premature Judgment)Ancient Annotator Perspective (Core Views of Wang Bi and Heshang Gong’s Commentaries)The seven metaphors all stand as standards for ancient self-cultivation: prudence, vigilance, humility, gentleness, simplicity, tolerance, and blending with the mortal world. Ordinary people tend to expose their sharp edges and compete for superiority, contradicting the Dao’s innate nature of emptiness and accommodation.“Calm the turbid until it clears slowly” corresponds to quieting the spirit and calming chaotic wandering thoughts; “Move in peace until life stirs slowly” stresses balance between motion and stillness—one must not sit rigidly in silence and stifle vitality. “Never crave fullness” is the bottom line of self-cultivation: self-satisfaction halts progress, and maintaining inner emptiness allows lasting alignment with the Dao. “Endure wear and never claim completion” means willingly retaining plainness, refusing to force absolute perfection, and preserving oneself long-term without excessive depletion.Traditional Daoist Spiritual Practice PerspectiveRestlessness and turbidity of the heart stem from the six sense faculties endlessly grasping external objects, dispersing the spirit. Calm inward meditation naturally quiets chaotic thoughts. Stillness without movement stagnates vital energy circulation; movement without stillness continuously drains essence and energy. Only balanced motion and stillness let the vital energy of body and mind flow endlessly.Those who walk the Dao keep their inner hearts empty at all times, unfilled by desires and obsessions, leaving space for vital energy to circulate, so essence and qi cycle continuously without premature decline and exhaustion.Popular Mundane Life InterpretationThis chapter carries thousands of years of wisdom for living in the world: stay low-key and restrained instead of showing off; treat others gently and inclusively without extremism or opposition; calm your temper when facing trouble, settling inner chaos before acting; leave leeway in good times and bad, never demanding flawless perfection. Contentment and reserve let one walk a steady, long life path.IV. Personal Insights from Spiritual Practice (Analyzed from the Global Spiral Topology and Dimensional Force Network System, Extending Closely to the Original Meaning of the Tao Te Ching)Chapter Fourteen covers the substance of the Dao, Chapter Fifteen teaches humans how to align with the Dao; together they form a complete closed loop of heaven and humanityChapter Fourteen clarifies that the Dao belongs to a high-dimensional global spiral beyond human sensory perception, invisible to ordinary people in its entirety. Chapter Fifteen directly provides practical methods for ordinary people to expand inner awareness and match the Dao, grounding abstract Dao principles in daily temperament, conduct, motion and stillness.Ordinary people are flooded with desires and heavy obsessions, their personal dimensional force networks trapped in reverse rotation, layered with stagnant crystals that make the spirit impetuous and sharp—completely counter to the Dao’s spiral tendency of emptiness and accommodation, hence their temperament and conduct bear no resemblance to those who excel at practicing the Dao.The ancient adepts of the Dao were not born with profound realms; they actively untangled their personal force networks to let their vital energy rotate forward smoothly, aligning their temperament and conduct with the spiral laws of heaven and earth. Their inner awareness naturally broadened, and others could not fathom their inner breadth, leading to the impression of “depth beyond comprehension”. So-called profound realms are never artificially feigned states; they emerge naturally once the topological circulation of body and mind flows unobstructed.The seven metaphors correspond to seven cultivation standards of forward-spinning dimensional force networks, split into two sets of circulatory logicThree layers of inward restraint: Prudence, Vigilance, Solemnity – locking spirit and vital energy from outward dispersionThe greatest depletion of human body and mind lies in unrestrained outward wandering of the spirit, one-way leakage of yang qi, unbalanced dispersion of force networks and mounting stagnation.“Cautious as crossing icy winter water, watchful as wary of neighbors, solemn as a guest” serve to restrain outward-rushing spirit: act without recklessness, treat others without arrogance, lock personal essence from leaking outward, and stabilize the foundation of upward spiral movement to avoid one-way depletion of vital energy. These three layers form the foundation of practitioners of the Dao. Without self-restraint, even great tolerance and open-mindedness will only drain one’s original source endlessly.Four layers of inclusive expansion: Softness, Simplicity, Vastness, Blending with Turbidity – unclog stagnation and widen spiral flow channelsRestraint does not equal lifeless seclusion. After guarding essence, one must open personal topological channels to embrace all worldly beings:Soft as melting ice: dissolve inner binary opposition and rigid prejudice;Simple as uncarved wood: strip away artificial postnatal disguise and return to pure original heart;Vast as a valley: keep the heart empty and broad, accepting all gains and losses of the world without discriminatory judgment;Blended as turbid water: blend harmoniously with mortal crowds, refusing to deliberately separate oneself from the secular world or cut ties with all living beings under heaven.The seven states complement one another. Mere restraint without expansion narrows and blocks force network channels; mere expansion without restraint drains essence continuously. Missing either side makes a complete forward spiral circulation impossible.“Calm the turbid until it clears slowly; move in peace until life stirs slowly”: Core mind formula for bidirectional human spiral circulation, sharing the same origin as heaven and earth’s DaoThese two lines form the pivotal transition of this chapter, laying bare the full circulation law of bodily vital energy, a daily practice method aligned with global spiral topology.When the heart is turbid and swarming with thoughts, it equals stagnation and reverse rotation of dimensional force networks piled with emotional crystal deposits. Forcibly suppressing or rushing to sort thoughts only stirs up more turbidity, leaving the heart more chaotic. Only abandon outward pursuit, sink into quiet meditation, cease chasing worldly disputes, and the stagnant crystals settle and decompose gradually. The whole body’s vital energy returns to forward rotation, and the spirit naturally grows clear and tranquil.If one rigidly clings to static quietness for long periods, vital energy sinks and stagnates, locking the lower half of spiral channels with descent only and no ascent, preventing constant generation of subtle inner essence. Based on stable tranquility, move moderately and naturally; clear yang rises gently, subtle substances circulate continuously, forming a complete closed loop of descent and ascent, with vitality perpetually renewing itself.Most cultivation and wellness practices popular today fall into one-sided misconceptions: either meditate statically all year round without movement, leading to blood and qi stagnation; or rush restlessly all day long without quiet cultivation to gather essence. Both create unbalanced reverse rotation, only grasping half the cycle, and can never achieve lasting peaceful balance of body and mind.“Never crave fullness”: Fundamental heavenly law of heaven and earth’s spiral, explaining the true meaning of “endure wear and never claim completion”The global spiral movement of heaven and earth always retains empty gaps, never filling itself completely. Once reaching full saturation, circulation channels seal entirely, blocking material and energy flow, stagnation forms instantly, and the circulation breaks entirely. This law applies equally to heaven and earth, human bodies and inner temperament.Applied to the heart and daily conduct:Filling the heart with desires, believing one’s understanding is complete, or pursuing absolute perfection in all deeds all equal the unbalanced state of “fullness”. At this point, dimensional force networks lack space for circulation, old turbid qi cannot be metabolized, new vitality cannot be generated, and body and mind rapidly decline and stagnate.“Never crave fullness” is not passive idleness or abandoning progress; it means actively reserving empty margin, accepting one’s own flaws and worldly imperfections, leaving leeway in all things. “Endure wear and never claim completion” means willingly accepting depletion and refusing attachment to flawlessness, so force networks always retain circulation space, old qi can be metabolized, new vitality can sustain generation, and spiral circulation endures without decay.Heaven and humanity follow the same track: Heaven and earth reject fullness, so do practitioners of the DaoThe cycle of clouds and rain in heaven and earth sees clouds never piling infinitely, rain never pouring endlessly. Ascent and descent follow measure, permanent emptiness is retained, and all living things thrive endlessly.In human bodily vital energy circulation, yin and yang cannot tip to extreme excess; overly heavy or scorching substances break circulatory balance.Cultivators imitate the Great Dao of heaven and earth, practicing measured restraint and measured tolerance, balanced motion and stillness, always acknowledging insufficiency and rejecting fullness. The topological laws of the small heaven and earth within the human body share the exact same origin as the vast outer heaven and earth.Practical daily cultivation ideas for ordinary people, simple and actionable, aligned with the original scripture meaningThere is no need to force immediate attainment of all seven metaphorical realms; practice the chapter’s mind formula gradually in two steps:First, when agitated and inwardly turbid, stop outward argument and chasing at once, settle into quiet meditation, and wait for the spirit to clear before making decisions, resolving short-term stagnation.Second, balance stillness and movement in daily life: reserve time for quiet qi cultivation each day, while moving moderately and freely, avoiding rigid sitting and reckless restlessness alike.Third, constantly remind yourself to guard against conceit, accept your own shortcomings and worldly imperfections, leave leeway in all matters, and uphold the core formula of “never craving fullness”. Over time, untangle your personal dimensional force networks and walk in alignment with the Dao.V. Full Chapter SummaryChapter Fourteen elaborates that the substance of the Dao is formless and image-free, transcending the dimension of physical senses. Chapter Fifteen follows this premise, using seven metaphors to depict the temperament and conduct of those embodying the Dao, grounding abstract Dao principles in actionable standards for the human self. Knowing the Dao and living the Dao complement and cannot be separated.The seven metaphors split into two layers: inward restraint and inclusive expansion. Restraint safeguards the source of essence and vital energy; expansion unclogs bodily stagnation. Balancing both lets personal dimensional force networks maintain stable forward rotation.“Calm the turbid until it clears slowly; move in peace until life stirs slowly” lays out the bidirectional spiral rule of the human body: stillness dissolves stagnation of wandering thoughts, movement generates subtle vital energy. Motion and stillness cannot be neglected one-sidedly. This law of body and mind shares the same origin as heaven and earth’s ascending and descending cloud-rain Dao.The ultimate mind formula of this chapter lies in “never craving fullness”. The spirals of heaven and earth always preserve emptiness, so humans must not chase complete saturation. Acknowledge perpetual insufficiency, embrace imperfection, sustain circulation of force networks, align with the Dao long-term, and fulfill the state of “enduring wear and never claiming completion”.Widely circulated interpretations today mostly fall into one-sided extremes: static stillness without movement, restless motion without quiet cultivation, or demanding perfection in all things. All equal reverse rotational stagnation, granting only fleeting peace and failing to fundamentally align with the topological spiral Dao of heaven and earth. 完整系列文章合集入口： 维性力网栏目入口 I live by writing, seek peace and blessings Support My Son of the Dao Translation Work If you enjoy my interpretations of Son of the Dao and ancient natural philosophy, you can support my continuous creation through PayPal. Go to PayPal Donation 说明：此渠道专为海外友人设置。国内有缘朋友如需随缘支持，可查看下方。
Casual Talk on Tao Te Ching 014｜Subtle, Rare, Elusive, Abide by the Principles of Dao
Hello everyone, I’m Dao Yingzi. Our series unpacking the Tao Te Ching is here as scheduled.Last time we talked about being alarmed by favor and disgrace, explaining that people cling to honor and loss, trapped in the self and plagued by countless worries. We only saw how external things disturb the mind, yet failed to explore the fundamental Dao behind all phenomena. Today we will dissect Chapter 14 of the Silk Manuscript Tao Te Ching. This chapter depicts the Dao through subtlety, rarity and elusiveness, clarifies why people perceive the Dao as vague, and illustrates the core cultivation principle of abiding by the Dao’s eternal rules. Let us break down the content step by step.I. Original Text from the Silk Manuscript + Vernacular TranslationOriginal TextLook for it, yet you cannot see it; name it the Subtle.Listen for it, yet you cannot hear it; name it the Rare.Grasp for it, yet you cannot touch it; name it the Elusive.These three cannot be analyzed separately, so they blend into One.This One: above it is no glaring brightness, below it no deep darkness.Endless and boundless, it cannot be named, returning to the formless void.This is the form of the formless, the image of the imageless — called Vague and Indistinct.Follow it, you see no tail; face it, you see no beginning.Hold fast to the Dao of today to govern all present beings;Through it, understand the origin of antiquity — this is the Principle of Dao.Vernacular TranslationWhen you gaze at it with your eyes, you cannot capture its shape, and we call it Subtle.When you listen for it with your ears, you cannot catch its sound, and we call it Rare.When you reach out to touch it, you cannot grasp its substance, and we call it Elusive.The three traits of Subtle, Rare and Elusive cannot be split or examined by human senses and thoughts; they merge seamlessly into a unified whole, which is the fundamental source of the Dao.This integrated Dao has no blazing radiance above, nor murky gloom below. It stretches on endlessly, beyond the power of words to describe, and ultimately returns to the root of formlessness.It is a form that has no fixed shape, an image with no tangible substance — ethereal and indistinct, hence named Vague and Indistinct.If you trace the Dao forward, you will never find its end; if you meet the Dao head-on, you will never find its start.Grasp the Dao that operates constantly in the present, and you can manage all tangible things in the world. By this Dao, you may comprehend the primal origin of all creation; this unchanging eternal law is the Principle of Dao.II. Summary of Mainstream Traditional InterpretationsAncient Annotations (Heshang Gong, Wang Bi)Subtlety, rarity and elusiveness are the Dao’s traits beyond physical perception. Ordinary humans rely on eyes, ears and skin to perceive the world, so they naturally struggle to experience the true form of the Dao. The Dao blends into one whole, unbound by the duality of light and dark, without beginning or end, and is the root that generates all living things. The Principle of Dao refers to the unchanging natural laws of heaven and earth throughout time. Those who uphold this Dao can calmly handle all worldly affairs.Traditional Cultivation InterpretationHumans tend to judge everything by sight, sound and touch, easily trapped by superficial appearances, giving rise to obsessions over honor, disgrace, likes and dislikes. If we let go of discriminating thoughts born from the senses and quietly meditate on the formless Dao, our hearts will find peace, no longer stirred by external ups and downs.Popular Life Philosophy InterpretationAll worldly matters have superficial appearances; the true underlying laws lie beyond the tangible. When living and acting, do not cling to temporary gains and losses. Hold fast to eternal fundamental truths, and you will remain steady no matter how the world shifts.III. Personal Insights Gained from PracticeThe Dao seems empty and vague to humans not because the Dao itself is flawed, but due to the limits of the dimension we inhabitMany readers misinterpret this chapter, thinking the Dao is inherently illusory and hard to pin down. This is not the case. The universe is a nested multi-dimensional structure, not a single isolated plane. Different forms of life have vastly different boundaries of perception.Take humans and ants as an analogy: ants rely on weak senses and cannot fully make out the shape of humans. To an ant, a human must appear blurry, vague and unfathomable. Likewise, we live within the human dimension; our eyes, ears and bodies are adapted only to tangible objects of this realm, carrying inherent perceptual limitations.The emptiness and haziness we feel when sensing the Dao do not stem from incompleteness within the Dao itself. Instead, our physical bodies and senses exist at a tier too low to fully reflect the complete appearance of the Dao.All human science, cultivation methods and knowledge are built from the limited perspective of our human dimensionEvery scientific theory, spiritual practice and book of knowledge in the world today is established based on human perception and human logic, only suited to the rules of our human dimension.This standard can only explain tangible things we can see, hear and measure. When it comes to the trans-dimensional essence of the Dao, our cognition hits a wall. We can only catch faint, indistinct glimpses and cannot observe its full form. We must not use the narrow knowledge of humanity to define the true nature of the cosmic Dao.Humans are the most spiritually gifted beings, capable of thinking beyond our single dimensionMost living creatures are confined to the innate instincts of their own dimension. Only humans can set aside superficial sights and actively contemplate existence beyond the senses and tangible forms. Deep down, we clearly know the Dao truly exists, yet we cannot fully see its form due to the restraints of our physical dimension. This is the greatest distinction between humans and all other creatures.Sitting meditation, contemplation and quiet inner practice can expand our scope of perceptionThe shackles of our physical dimension are not permanent. Persistent meditation, quiet contemplation and abiding in inner emptiness gradually quiet the distracting senses that chase outward desires. Our inner perception grows clearer and cooler.Ordinary people only see a thick haze when sensing the Dao. Those who cultivate steadily possess calm, pure minds, and can capture far clearer, brighter traces of the Dao. The sense of haziness fades, and inner awareness sharpens — this is the elevation of perception brought by inner cultivation.Core takeaway of this chapter: abide by the present Dao, and gradually expand awarenessThere is no need to force a full, complete vision of the Dao in one step, nor to feel confused by the current haziness of our perception. The Dao is eternal, unchanged across ancient and modern times. In daily life, we only need to release discrimination between honor and disgrace, stop being misled by superficial sensory sights, and hold fast to the Dao’s laws we can observe right now.Meditate and reflect every day, temper your mind little by little, and your perception will naturally grow clearer, gradually breaking the cognitive limits of the human dimension.IV. Full Chapter SummaryThe Dao has no shape, sound or tangible substance, transcending human sensory perception. It exists as an integrated whole without beginning or end, appearing vague to human observation. This haziness does not belong to the Dao itself, but is a natural limitation of the human dimension we live in.All human science and cognitive systems are built on the single perspective of humanity, insufficient to interpret the real nested multi-layered structure of the universe. As the most spiritually gifted creatures, humans can quietly ponder the Dao beyond tangibility. Through sitting meditation, contemplation and inner quiet practice, we purify our minds, sharpen our awareness and weaken the barrier of haziness.For self-cultivation and navigating worldly life, there is no need to search endlessly for the distant origins of antiquity. Simply abide by the eternal Principle of Dao unfolding in the present, let go of discriminating thoughts from the senses, and you will grasp the core meaning of this chapter.NoteThe insights in this article are merely my personal superficial reflections after studying the classic. They only discuss the original text combined with shallow theories of dimensional perception, without involving advanced inner cultivation systems, for fellow seekers to read and reference.
Casual Talks on Tao Te Ching 013｜Alarm at Favor and Humiliation, Discern the Coexistence of Yin and Yang
Brief Recap of Previous ChapterChapter Twelve expounds that external vanities disturb the original mind, advising people not to indulge in superficial material temptations. This chapter takes favor, humiliation and great disasters rooted in the self as entry points, elaborating the dialectical truth of interdependent Yin and Yang in all creation. Cultivating a steady mind is the fundamental foundation for accomplishing great things.Original Text of Silk Manuscript Vernacular TranslationOriginal Text from Silk Manuscript VersionFavor and humiliation both bring alarm; great troubles attach to one’s self.What does “favor and humiliation both bring alarm” mean? Favor is a lowly status. One trembles when gaining it, and panics when losing it — this is what it means for favor and humiliation to alarm the heart.What does “great troubles attach to one’s self” mean? I bear great troubles only because I possess a self. If I had no self, what troubles could trouble me?Therefore, he who values nurturing his own nature above governing the world may be entrusted with the world. He who cherishes his authentic self above all secular gains may be given charge of the world.Plain Vernacular TranslationReceiving favor or suffering humiliation alike stirs unease within the heart. All profound troubles in life stem from clinging to one’s personal gains and losses.Why are favor and humiliation equally unsettling? Favor relies entirely on the mercy of others, inherently a humble position. When such favor arrives, one grows anxious; when it fades away, one falls into panic — this is the alarm brought by both favor and humiliation.Why do all great troubles arise from attachment to the self? Countless worries haunt humans simply because we stubbornly cling to the idea of “me”. If we let go of such self-centered discrimination, no worldly hardship can bind us.Thus, those who prioritize cultivating their inner nature over ruling the realm are worthy to hold the world’s trust. Those who treasure their innate authenticity and refuse to be swept away by external circumstances can shoulder the world’s burdens.Summary of Traditional Classical InterpretationsCommentary by Heshang Gong: Both favor and humiliation agitate the spirit; all afflictions spring from clinging to the ego. Only by seeing past honor and disgrace and letting go of the self can the mind find peace.Commentary by Wang Bi: Favor and humiliation coexist as two sides of one whole; where favor exists, humiliation lurks. Obsession with gain and loss stirs anxiety, and forgetting the self aligns with the natural Dao.Popular worldly interpretation: In life, view gains and losses with indifference. Cultivate a calm mind to gain the stability needed to shoulder important responsibilities.Personal Cultivation InsightsThis chapter centers on Laozi’s dialectical thought of Yin and Yang, explained in three layers supported by historical examples:All things feature interdependent Yin and Yang; every event holds two sides. Existence and absence arise together, glory and disgrace accompany one another, and they cannot be separated in isolation.Every life circumstance is dual-natured: favorable fortune belongs to Yang, while hardships belong to Yin. Though seemingly opposite, they always emerge side by side. Behind every blessing and success lie hidden setbacks and trials; within every disaster and low point reside opportunities for self-reflection and growth. Interpreting events from only one angle is not wrong, yet it remains shallow, failing to grasp the dialectical logic hidden in Laozi’s writing.We need not fall into extreme cynicism, suspecting malice in everything we encounter. Still, we must maintain clear discernment, understanding that fortune and misfortune are intertwined, and we cannot judge matters merely by superficial appearances.Historical Example: Nian Gengyao Ruined by Blind Arrogance Amid Imperial FavorNian Gengyao pacified the northwest frontier and won unparalleled favor from Emperor Yongzheng, with all officials scrambling to curry favor with him. Perched at the peak of Yang-style prosperity, he failed to see the hidden Yin misfortune lurking within his glory. Overconfident and overstepping imperial boundaries, he lived without caution. As the emperor’s suspicion deepened, his military power was stripped away overnight. His former glory vanished completely, and he was charged with ninety-two capital crimes, ultimately committing suicide in prison. Elated by favor and terrified by its loss, he perfectly embodied the line “trembles when gaining it, panics when losing it”. Blind to the coexistence of glory and disgrace, he was destroyed by empty prestige.Circumstances shift between high and low, strong and weak. When good fortune arrives, uphold a peaceful mind and prepare mentally, so you will not be controlled by surging emotions.People grow wildly joyful when blessed with good luck, yet once circumstances fade and prosperity recedes, they sink into loss and sorrow — this is the root of “alarm at favor and humiliation”. When fortune smiles, stay humble, recognizing the natural cycle where excess Yang inevitably turns to Yin. Maintain inner calm in advance, and when times decline, you will not create unnecessary sorrows out of nowhere.Historical Example: Guo Ziyi Remains Equanimous Through Glory and DisgraceGuo Ziyi quelled the Anshi Rebellion and rescued the Tang Dynasty, reaching the pinnacle of merit, holding military power and earning universal respect. Soon after, slanderous rumors led the court to strip him of all troops and leave him idle at home. Through extreme highs and lows, he felt no wild joy nor bitter resentment. He opened his mansion’s gates to all visitors without defense, accepting both glory and humiliation calmly. Aware that hidden suspicion always accompanies supreme prestige, he steadied his heart beforehand, dispelling the emperor’s doubts, preserving his entire clan, and living out his days safely. He is a model of understanding the wax and wane of Yin and Yang.When Laozi teaches us to release obsession with the self and rise above favor and humiliation, he does not advocate passive retreat and abandoning all action. Instead, this mental state is the core capability required to achieve great things.Many misread this chapter as a call to purify the heart and withdraw from the world, yet this is entirely incorrect.If your heart is constantly swayed by favor and humiliation — ecstatic in prosperity, dejected in adversity — emotions will cloud your judgment in critical moments, making it impossible to stabilize the overall situation. Only by comprehending the interdependence of fortune and misfortune, and looking past honor and disgrace, can you maintain unchanging inner stability to assess all situations rationally. This unshakable mental poise is the essential inner foundation for bearing great responsibilities and accomplishing extraordinary feats. Cultivating tranquility of mind is not idly surrendering to inaction; it is forging a steady inner core to navigate worldly affairs.Contrasting Positive and Negative Historical ExamplesPositive Example: King Goujian of Yue suffered humiliation as a servant under King Fuchai of Wu. He set aside royal pride and endured disgrace without self-destruction. After returning to Yue, he endured hardship day and night, never growing impetuous over future glory, nor sinking into despair over present shame. His stable mind allowed him to revitalize his state and defeat Wu in the end.Negative Example: Zhou Yafu of the Western Han suppressed the Seven States Rebellion and rendered unmatched service, rising to the position of prime minister. Yet his character was rigid and unyielding. He grew arrogant when treated well by the emperor and bitter when slighted, unable to let go of obsession with personal honor. Emotions governed his every decision, lacking balanced judgment of advance and retreat. He fell out of imperial favor, was falsely accused, and starved himself to death in prison. One who cannot release the ego cannot bear long-term heavy responsibilities.Full Text SummaryFavor, humiliation, fortune and misfortune are dual sides of the same Yin-Yang whole; no worldly circumstance stays unchanging forever.Judge all events with discernment: do not overcelebrate good times, nor sink into despair in low moments. Accept life’s fluctuations in advance, and you will avoid countless unnecessary sorrows.Transcending obsession with honor and disgrace and releasing the ego is not passive escapism. It is tempering the inner stability to handle worldly matters. Only those who steady their minds against external ups and downs possess the vision and fortitude to shoulder great missions. This is the wisdom of self-cultivation and achievement passed down in this chapter of the Tao Te Ching.NotesAll insights recorded here are personally realized and comprehended by the author. This chapter only interprets Laozi’s dialectics of Yin-Yang and life cultivation, for reference and verification by fellow seekers of the Dao.I live by writing, seek peace and blessings Support My Son of the Dao Translation Work If you enjoy my interpretations of Son of the Dao and ancient natural philosophy, you can support my continuous creation through PayPal. Go to PayPal Donation 说明：此渠道专为海外友人设置。国内有缘朋友如需随缘支持，可查看下方。
Chapter 12:Abandon Vanity, Embrace Emptiness
Hello everyone, I'm Dao Yingzi.In this episode of our discussion on the Tao Te Ching, I will organize content in an objective order. First, I’ll present the original text of the silk manuscript version of the Tao Te Ching, followed by word-by-word explanations. After that, I’ll sort out interpretations from major schools of thought throughout history, and finally share my insights accumulated through years of personal cultivation. A comprehensive summary will be attached at the end of the article.Original Text of the Silk Manuscript VersionThe five colors blind the eye;Hunting and galloping madden the heart;Rare treasures warp one’s conduct;Rich flavors dull the taste;The five tones deafen the ear.Therefore, the sage governs by nourishing the core self, not indulging superficial sights.Thus he rejects the outer trivialities and holds fast to the inner essence.Glossary of Key Words and PhrasesShuang (loss of taste): It does not mean joy or pleasure. In ancient usage, it refers to impairment and deviation. "Mouth shuang" means indulging in heavy delicacies dulls the palate and muddles one’s original mind.Xing Fang (warped conduct): Material desires chain body and mind, making every move stray from the natural Tao of all things.Wei Fu (nourish the core self): Settle down to sustain the fundamental needs of life, guarding the unadorned original mind within.Wei Mu (chase superficial sights): Chase all external superficial phenomena such as sensual delights and rare valuables.Bi (the outer trivialities): Refers to all external appearances including the five colors, hunting, rare goods, rich flavors and musical tones.Ci (the inner essence): Refers to the unspoiled original mind and the source Tao of all creation.Compilation of Interpretations from Different Schools(1) Confucian InterpretationConfucianism takes ethical rituals as its foundation. It acknowledges that humans are born with natural sensory desires, yet argues sensual indulgence should never be unrestrained. Desires ought to be moderated by rituals, adhering to the principle of joy without excess, sorrow without ruin, and maintaining balance in all things.Core logic: Sensual tastes and sounds are innate to human nature and cannot be completely cut off. Rituals draw clear boundaries to curb excessive desire, harmonizing human cravings and establishing order for the world.Quote from The Book of Rites · Record of Music: Joy without excess, sorrow without ruin.Core viewpoint of Confucian scholars on this chapter: External things themselves hold no fault. Calamity arises only when people indulge desires without restraint. Moderation guided by rituals is the path to self-cultivation and state governance.(2) Traditional Taoist Annotation by Heshang GongThe five colors blind the eyes: Lust for beauty harms vision and clarity of spirit.The five tones deafen the ears: Obsession with music scatters vital harmony, shutting one off from silent inner truth.Rich flavors dull the taste: "Shuang" means loss. Gluttony for heavy food ruins the palate and separates people from their true nature.Hunting and galloping madden the heart: Human spirit craves tranquility; frantic riding scatters vital energy, stirring wild restlessness in the heart.Rare treasures warp one’s conduct: "Fang" means harm. Gold, jade and jewels stir greed without end, ruining one’s integrity and bringing shame.Thus the sage nourishes the five inherent natures, casts off six turbulent emotions, disciplines will and energy, and nurtures the divine spirit. He does not chase fleeting sights with his eyes, for reckless gazing leaks inner vitality.Hence we abandon distracting outer sights, and hold fast to inner nourishment of the core self.Core logic of Heshang Gong’s interpretation: The five colors, five tones, rich flavors, hunting and rare treasures dissipate innate vital essence. Practitioners must isolate sensual delights, purify the mind through ascetic restraint, stay away from all external temptations, and guard the inner divine spirit.(3) Popular Folk InterpretationCommon folk commentaries only focus on basic self-discipline advice: Cut cravings for fine food, beauty, entertainment and rare goods, reduce greed, live a simple and frugal life, and live in peace.Such interpretations only stay on the surface of restraining personal desire. They merely discuss personal self-control, without touching profound inner cultivation or state governance, resulting in shallow perspective.Personal Insights from CultivationThe three interpretations above are insights formed by ancient and modern scholars from their respective standpoints, each with its own merits, none superior to others. Below I share my personal long-term insights gained through silent meditation and spiritual practice.The core truth of this chapter is singular: See through all external appearances to grasp inner essence, and never let superficial scenes confuse your original mind.When Laozi mentions the five colors, five tones, rich flavors, hunting and rare treasures, he never labels external things as inherently good or evil. Blooming flowers, melodies, fine food and precious artifacts all come from the transformation of yin and yang, each bearing its own reason for existence. The so-called blindness of sight, deafness of hearing, wildness of heart and warping of conduct do not stem from the objects themselves, but from human obsession with superficial sensations, blind to the underlying cycle of wax and wane, excess and reversal governing all existence.When people read this chapter, they easily fall into three kinds of fixation, all trapped by appearances:Indulge in desire without restraint, chasing sensual entertainment endlessly, trapped in the appearance of pleasure.Rigidly copy ascetic Taoist practice, deliberately cut off all beautiful scenery, delicious food and music, fixated on the outer form of "ascetic purification".Blindly follow Confucian moderation, force compromise in all matters, rigidly clinging to the template of "absolute neutrality".Indulgence, forced asceticism and blind compromise differ only in outward behavior; internally, all are bound by fixed superficial forms, unable to pierce appearances to reach the source Tao. All schools of thought throughout history follow this pattern: cast off one set of "five colors", yet breed another; abandon one obsession, yet establish brand-new rigid standards, cycling endlessly in bondage to superficial forms.We may draw comparison to The I Ching. The sixty-four trigrams deduce the wax and wane of yin and yang, the shift from weakness to strength, fully depicting the dynamic laws of heaven, earth and humanity. Yet if one only picks Qian, Kun, Tai, Pi among all trigrams, and attempts to summarize the complete trajectory of the universe and human life, this is obviously futile. Countless paths to the Tao each hold one fragment of truth; Confucianism, ancient Taoism and folk wisdom only capture a tiny section of the complete Tao, none can be treated as the sole eternal standard.Furthermore, the system of sixty-four trigrams is not the ultimate unchanging truth. If we continuously split and expand dimensional layers, countless new deduction models can evolve. All so-called "essence" we perceive transforms into another layer of superficial appearance when viewed from a higher dimension. The pursuit of Tao has no destination; we must peel back layers of appearance, continuously ascend dimensions, and keep exploring deeper toward the source of the Tao.Laozi never provides fixed rules of conduct, nor orders people to choose asceticism or indulgence. He only points out the core truth: Do not be trapped by immediate appearances. Use tangible "being" to comprehend intangible "nothingness", and perceive the transformation laws of heaven and earth at higher dimensional levels. How to choose and act varies from person to person, based on benevolence and wisdom, requiring insight into the overall situation and flexible judgment.The story of Xiao He in the early Han Dynasty serves as perfect evidence.Xiao He upheld justice and diligence all his life, never chasing sensual pleasures or wealth. From a worldly perspective, he cast off the five colors and upheld purity. Yet this flawless appearance aroused Liu Bang’s deep suspicion, fearing his lofty prestige would threaten the imperial line for descendants.Xiao He saw through the hidden danger. He voluntarily seized property and indulged in luxury, actively embracing the "five-color flaws" despised by the world. By shedding the perfect appearance of a loyal minister, he finally eased Liu Bang’s suspicion.Upholding integrity is one layer of appearance; indulging in luxury to self-slander is another. Neither holds absolute good or evil, merely adaptive strategies for different political situations. Judging right and wrong only by external appearances traps us in the blindness caused by the five colors. Only by piercing surface behavior to perceive the balance of monarch and minister, and the inner truth of self-preservation, can we touch the underlying balancing Tao.Emperor Wu of Liang provides another striking historical example. Detesting worldly wine, meat and desire, he forced the whole nation to follow vegetarian asceticism, believing rigid austerity was the root of the Tao. Little did he know, abandoning worldly flavors only to entrap himself in the new cage of vegetarian worship and ritual piety meant he was trapped in another layer of appearance. In the end, the Hou Jing Rebellion confined him to the palace tower, where he starved to death.Turn to the ancient sage kings Yao, Shun and Yu. The world regards their virtue-based abdication as the absolute true model of governance through all ages, blindly copying this single pattern as the sole correct path for the world. Yet as time shifted, human relationships and worldly affairs grew far more complex. Reliance on personal virtue alone could no longer sustain social order, giving rise to hereditary dynasties and feudal regimes. This fully proves that even the most perfect model is only an appearance matching a specific era, unable to apply eternally.After grasping the essence of all things, there exists no universal fixed standard for conduct. The only rule is matching one’s actions to oneself and the present situation, judging flexibly and adapting to reality:If you cultivate the Tao and seek profound spiritual breakthrough, you need single-minded purity. You may choose thorough dedicated practice, without half-hearted compromise.If interacting with people in daily life requires tact and harmony, you may adopt moderate compromise, adapting to interpersonal norms.If external objects constantly disturb your mind and block your pursuit of the Tao, you may abandon them without hesitation, no forced tolerance needed.Extend this logic to sage governance and kingship, where the core principle remains "see through appearances to grasp essence":If a ruler’s heart craves luxury, chasing gold, jewels and exotic curios, unbridled desire will eventually disturb people’s livelihood and endanger the whole realm.If a ruler bears compassion for all people, yearning for a world of peace and honesty, he shall follow Yao, Shun and Yu to set an example through personal virtue, guarding the inner Tao within himself, rather than binding common folk with complicated decrees and harsh laws as superficial restraints.Review two thousand years of feudal history: dynasties rose and fell, reforms came one after another, yet no single system could sustain universal peace for all living beings long-term. The root cause lies in people only replacing superficial forms without breaking inner fixation. If previous dynasties wallowed in extravagance, new regimes would push rigid frugality; if past eras fell into strife, new rulers would solely exalt quiet purity. People cast off one appearance yet erect another, trapped in an endless cycle of repetition.Laozi wrote this chapter to reveal the underlying transformation law of the Tao: Never let external colors, man-made rules or fixed behavioral templates veil your original mind. Laozi only unfolds fundamental truth, never forcing fixed conduct upon humanity. Whether to indulge, abstain, compromise, pursue extremes or abandon distractions — all choices rest with individuals once they perceive the inner essence.Chapter Eleven elaborates that emptiness forms the utility of all tangible things; Chapter Three points out that deliberate praise of merit stirs chaos among people. This chapter connects the logic of the two prior chapters, categorizing tangible sights, treasures, rituals and precepts as external "being". Once the mind clings to tangible appearances, the clear inner original mind becomes obscured, blind to the balancing transformation of the source Tao. This chapter does not merely advise restraining desire, but lays the groundwork for subsequent doctrines of inaction, naturalness and returning to original truth, guiding people to cast off artificial external standards and seek the eternal transformation root of heaven and earth.Full SummaryAll worldly sights, treasures, cravings, cultivation rules and moderate conduct are merely external appearances, holding no absolute inherent good or evil.Laozi’s warning that "the five colors blind the eye" never means banning pleasure or rejecting ascetic practice. It reminds all seekers not to let shallow sensual sights cloud their vision, abandoning the pursuit of the Tao’s source. Indulgence, forced asceticism and blind compromise are merely three outer forms of behavior; clinging to any outer form diverges from the Tao.The sixty-four trigrams are merely tools for deduction; integrity and self-slander are only adaptive tactics; Yao-Shun virtuous governance and feudal dynasties are all manifestations of their respective eras. No appearance holds ultimate truth. Whatever essence you grasp at present becomes another layer of appearance when viewed from a higher dimension. Pursuit of the Tao is an endless process of ascending dimensions and stripping away all superficial forms.All dimensional layers, high or low, are merely ladders and markers for advancing toward the source Tao, never ultimate destinations. Even if one cultivates past the three realms and five elements, stagnation at this high level will turn this advanced dimension into a new cage of appearance, identical in nature to ordinary people trapped by sensual desire or Emperor Wu of Liang trapped by ascetic ritual.All creation follows the law of excess leading to reversal. Any single mindset, governing philosophy or cultivation method, when long upheld as the sole absolute standard, will inevitably breed flaws. No rigid theory can unify and illuminate all ages. People often say "great vessels take time to complete", yet the deeper truth is "great vessels are never fully completed". Holding a fixed vision of "perfection and completion" is self-imposed limitation. If the universe possessed fixed boundaries, it would merely be a closed box. The Tao holds no fixed shape or destination. Peel back appearances, ascend dimensions endlessly, never pause along the journey — this aligns perfectly with Laozi’s insight of comprehending emptiness through tangible being.True practitioners of the Tao pierce all appearances to grasp the inner essence of all things, then respond flexibly to circumstances: single-minded dedication for spiritual cultivation, tactful compromise for daily human interaction, and abandoning distracting objects that cloud the mind. The same logic applies to kingship: rulers consumed by selfish desire ruin the realm chasing material gain; compassionate rulers embody virtue without rigid templates, unshackled by fixed behavioral models.The Tao only reveals the underlying transformation laws of all creation, never forcing rigid constraints on humanity. Grasp the essence, judge flexibly according to circumstance, advance through dimensional layers without cease — this is the true meaning of "Abandon Vanity, Embrace Emptiness, Reject Superficial Delights and Guard the Inner Void".NotesAll insights in this article are derived from personal solitary cultivation and reflection. Readers may cross-reference previous articles to learn about the Complete Spiral Topology of the Tao System, the Power of Nature Network Theory and Records of Essence, Spirit and Crystal. This theoretical system remains incomplete, shared only for fellow seekers’ reference and verification.**I live by writing, seek peace and blessings Support My Son of the Dao Translation Work If you enjoy my interpretations of Son of the Dao and ancient natural philosophy, you can support my continuous creation through PayPal. Go to PayPal Donation 说明：此渠道专为海外友人设置。国内有缘朋友如需随缘支持，可查看下方。 **