The Warring
States Period Map
(475-221 BCE)
Daoism and the State
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One of some religions or philosophies
emerged in the “axial age” (around 500
BCE)
Closely link with Chinese culture and
history
Major tenets of the early Daoism reflect
Daoist thinkers’ reaction to the social and
political instability and mainstream schools
of thoughts, such as Confucianism and
Mohism
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There were at least two schools of Daoism
in ancient times: The Laozi and the
Zhuangzi Schools.
Scholars recently discovered a school,
whose philosophy is based on the Guodian
Laozi, and named it the Guodian School or
the Yin Xi School tentatively.
While Scholars regarded early Daoism as
“Philosophical Daoism” and later Daoism
(after the 1st century AD) as “Religious
Daoism”, they are interconnected.
Main Concept of Early Confucianism
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Li--ritual formality, etiquette, propriety
Shu--mutuality, reciprocity,
Ren—benevolence, humaneness
Yi—righteousness, rightness, social
responsibility
Xiao—filial piety, obedient toward parents
Zhong—loyal toward the ruler or state
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Xue—learning
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poetry, calligraphy, numerology, music,
archery, and charioteering
Junzi—superior person, noble person,
gentleman
The Ultimate Goal of the Tao/Dao
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The Dao/Tao in the TTC/DDJ: prescriptive
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Meant to prescribe a formula for whoever wants
to
Commune with the Dao (procreative force)
 Order the state and society
 Order personal life
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Not meant to
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Search for ultimate truth, reality …although the Dao
may be regarded as ultimate or absolute truth
 The
question the
Taoist/Daoist
asks:
Where is the
way/path? how to
follow the way?
 Not what is the
way/path?
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Between “Where/how” and “What”
 If
the question is about
“where/how”
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 If
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The answer is likely to be inclusive, showing
that realities can be many
the question is about “what”
The answer is likely to exclusive, showing
that there is only an absolute reality
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The TTC/DDJ does not
recommend the “what”
approach to things/life
The TTC/DDJ recommend
the “where/how” approach
to things/life
Answers to “where/how,” not “What”
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One answers the “where/how” questions by
using intuitive knowledge, which is
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Open, free, flexible, easily adjustable,
One answers the “what” questions by using
rational knowledge, which is
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Closed, rigid, binding, not easily adjustable
• TTC/DDJ encourages using
– Intuitive knowledge to signify,
represent things
– Relativist thinking
• It avoids using
– Rational knowledge to define things
– Absolutist thinking
Metaphors and Symbols of Tao/Wu--the
source and the procreation process
• The nature and functions of the Tao are
represented by four types of metaphors/images
and symbolism:
– Non-entity: bellows, hub, (55/11)
– Generative power: ancestor [forefather], mother,
valley spirit, mysterious female, root, (50/65)
– The beginning state of procreated objects: baby,
unhewn log (uncarved block) (76/32)
– The greatness, vastness, and immeasurableness:
valley, rippling water, river, ocean (78/34)
1st Metaphor: The Hub
• Thirty spokes
converge on a single
hub,
• but it is in the pace
where there is nothing
• that the usefulness of
the cart lies.
• Clay is molded to
make a pot,
• but it is in the space
where there is nothing
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•
•
•
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(Con’t from previous slide)
that the usefulness of the clay pot lies.
Cut out doors and windows to make a room,
but it in the spaces where there is nothing
that the usefulness of the room lies.
Therefore, benefit may be derived from
something,
• but is in nothing that we find usefulness.
(TTC/DDJ, 55/11)
2nd metaphor: Ancestor, mother,
valley spirit, mysterious female, etc.
• The valley spirit never dies-– it is called “the mysterious female.”
• the gate of the mysterious female
• is called “the root of heaven and
earth”
• Gossamer it is,
• seemingly insubstantial,
• yet never consumed through use.
(TTC/DDJ, 50/6)
3rd Metaphor: Baby, unhewn log, etc
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The way is eternally nameless.
Though the unhewn log is small
No one in the world dares subjugate it.
If feudal lords and kings could maintain it,
The myriad creatures would submit of themselves.
Heaven and earth unite
– to suffuse sweet dew
– Without commanding the people,
– equality will naturally ensue
• ….
• In metaphorical terms,
– The relationship between all under heaven to
the Way
– is like that of valley streams to the river and
sea
(TTC/DDJ, 76/32)
4th Metaphor: Water, river, ocean, etc.
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Rippling is the Way, flowing left and right!
Its tasks completed, its affairs finished,
Still it does not claim them for its own
The myriad creatures return to it,
But it does not act as their ruler
Eternally without desire,
•
•
•
•
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--Con’t
It may be named among the small;
The myriad creatures return to it,
Bit it does not act as their ruler;
It may be named among the great.
For these reasons,
– The sage can achieve greatness,
– Because he does not act great
– Therefore,
– He can achieve greatness
(TTC/DDJ,
78/34)
Reversal of Priority in
A Chain of Oppositions
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Something
Doing something
Knowledge
Male
Full
Above
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Nothing
Doing nothing
Ignorance
Female
Empty
Below
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Before/front
Moving
Big
Strong
Hard
Straight
Aggressive
Fame/name
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Behind
Still/tranquility
Small
Weak
Soft/supple
Bent/pliant
Self-effacing
Obscurity/nameless
Why Reversal of Priority?
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To argue for “multi-perspectivism”
To refuse “absolute”
To reject “distinction”
To make things/people “equal”
To promote “harmony”
Downplaying “knowledge”
• Not exalting men of worth
– Prevents the people from competing;
• Not putting high value on rare goods
– Prevents the people from being bandits;
• Not displaying objects of desire
– Prevents the people from being disorderly.
• For these reasons,
– The sage, in ruling, hollows their hearts,
– Stuffs their stomachs
– Weakens their wills,
– Builds up their bones,
• Always causing the people
– To be without knowledge and desire
• He ensures that the knowledge (知, zhi) dare
not be hostile
– And that’s all*
• (*If he can bring it about that those with
knowledge simply do not dare to act)
• Then his rule will be universal*
• (*Then there is nothing that will not be in
order) 無不治 (wu bu zhi)
• TTC/DDJ： 47/3
Practice “Simplicity”
“Abolish sagehood and abandon cunning,
the people will benefit a hundredfold;
Abolish humaneness and abandon righteousness,
the people will once again be filial and kind;
Abolish cleverness and abandon profit,
bandits and thieves will be no more”
These three statements are
inadequate as a civilizing doctrine;
(are not yet complete, when regarded as a text)
Therefore,
Let something be added to them:
Evince the plainness of undyed silk,
Embrace the simplicity of the unhewn log;
Lessen selfishness,
Diminish desires;
Abolish learning
and you will be without worries.
….
p. 81
Play the Part of the Female
• While you
Cultivate the soul and embrace unity (一, yi),
• Can you keep them from separating?
Focus your vital breath (qi) until it is supremely soft,
• Can you be like a baby?
Cleanse the mirror of mysteries,
• Can you make it free of blemish?
Love the people and enliven the state,
• can you do so without cunning (無知, no knowledge)
• [can you do it without using knowledge.]
Open and close the gate of heaven, (ears, nose, eyes,
mouth)
• Can you play the part of the female?
Reach out with clarity in all directions,
Can you refrain from action? (無為, wú wéi )
It gives birth to them and nurtures them,
It gives birth to them but does not possess them,
It rears them but does not control them.
This is called “mysterious integrity” (玄德 xuán dé, mysterious
virtue)
–TTC/DDJ:54/10
To be Empty and Still
Attain utmost emptiness,
Maintain utter stillness,
The myriad creatures arise side by side,
Thus I observe their renewal.
Heavens’ creatures abound*
*[Things (come forth) in great number,]
But each returns to its roots,
Which is called “stillness” (tranquility, 靜 jìng )
This is termed “renewal of fate,” (return to your fate,復命
fù mìng )
• Renewal of fate is perpetual--• To know the perpetual is to be enlightened
• Not to know the perpetual is to be reckless—
recklessness breeds evil.
• To know the perpetual is to be tolerant--–
–
–
–
–
Tolerance leads to [ducal]* impartiality (公） ,
[ducal] partiality to kingliness,
Kingliness to heaven,
Heaven to the Way,
The Way to permanence.
• To the end of his days,
– He will not be imperiled.
• TTC/DDJ, 60/16
To be “Bent”/self-effacing
If it
is bent, it will be preserved intact;
is crooked, it will be straightened;
is sunken, it will be filled;
is worn-out, it will be renewed;
has little, it will gain;
has much, it will be confused.
For this reason,
The sage holds onto unity (抱一, oneness)
And serves as the shepherd of all under heaven
He is not self-absorbed,
Therefore he shines forth;
He is not self-revealing,
Therefore he is distinguishing;
He is not self-assertive,
Therefore he has merit;
He does not praise himself,
Therefore he is long-lasting.
–TTC/DDJ: 67/22
To be weak (supple)
When you wish to contract something,
You must momentarily expand it;
•(*It is because it has been expanded)
•When you wish to weaken something,
•You must momentarily strengthen it;
•(*It is because it has been weakened)
•When you wish to reject something;
•You must momentarily join with it.*
•(*It is because you have worked closely with it)
When you wish to seize something,
Your must momentarily give it up.*
(*it is because you have given it up)
This is called “subtle insight”. (微明, wéi míng )
The soft and weak conquer the strong.
Fish cannot be removed from the watery depths;
The profitable instrument (利器lì qì , sharp weapons) of
state
– Cannot be shown to the people.
– TTC/DDJ: 80/36
The softest thing under heaven (also see #43 in next slide)
Gallops triumphantly over
The hardest thing under heaven.
Nonbeing (無有) penetrates nonspace.*(無間,wú jiān )
[*that which has no substance get into that which
has no space]
Hence,
I know the advantages of nonaction.(無為)
The doctrine without words,
The advantage of nonaction--Few under heaven can realize this.
–TTC/DDJ:6/13
The Softest thing
Nothing under heaven is softer or weaker than
water, and yet nothing is better
For attacking what is hard and strong,
Because of its immutability.
The defeat of the hard by the soft,
The defeat of the strong by the weak—
This is known to all under heaven,
Yet no one is able to practice it.
Therefore, in the words of the sage, it is said:
“He who bears abuse directed against the state
is called ‘lord of the altars for the gods of soil and
grain’; （社稷之主）
He who bears the misfortunes of the state
is called the ‘king of all under the heaven.’” (天下之王)
True words seem contradictory.*
(Correct words seem to say the reverse of what you
expect them to say.正言若反)
How to Achieve Sagehood?
• The sage (Shengren)
– One who embodies the qualities of the Dao
• Socially responsible, unassuming and nondescript in his
person
• Does not speak or preach
• Does not possess
• Does not act to interfere or meddle with things
• Seeks unity of and harmony between human world and
natural world
How to attain sagehood?
• When all under heaven know beauty as beauty,
• Already there is ugliness;
• When everyone knows goodness,
• This accounts for badness.
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Being and nonbeing give birth to each other,
Difficult and easy complete each other,
High and low fulfill each other,
Tone and voice harmonize with each other,
Front and back follow each other—it is ever thus.
• For these reasons,
– The sage dwells in affairs of nonaction,無wú 為wéi
– Carries out a doctrine without words.不bù 言yán 之zhī 教jiào
• He lets the myriad creatures rise up
– But does not instigate them;
• He acts
– But does to presume;
• He completes his tasks,
– But does not dwell on them.
• Now, simply because he does not dwell on them,
– His accomplishments never leave him. (p. 60)
How to Rule the State?
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Rule the state with uprightness,
Deploy your troops with craft,
Gain all under heaven with noninterference.
How do I know this is actually so?
Now,
– The more taboos under heaven,
• The poorer the people;
– The more clever devices people have,
• The more confused he state and ruling house;
• The more knowledge people have,
– The more strange things spring up;
• The more legal affairs are given prominence,
– The more numerous bandits and theieves.
• For this reason,
• The sage has a saying:
– “I take no action,
• yet the people transform themselves;
– I am fond of stillness,
• Yet the people enrich themselves;
• I do not interfere in affairs,
– Yet the people enrich themselves;
• I desire not to desire,
– Yet the people of themselves become
• Simple as unhewn logs”
• TTC/DDJ: 20/57
Reign but not rule
Ruling a big kingdom is like cooking a small fish.
If one oversees all under heaven in accord with the
Way,
demons have no spirit.
It is not that the demons have no spirit,
but that their spirits do not harm people.
It is not merely that their spirits do not harm people,
but that the sage also does not harm them.
Now, when neither harms the other,
integrity accrues to both.
TTC/DDJ: 23/60
The Sage Saves People
He who is skilled at traveling
leaves neither tracks nor traces;
He who is skilled at speaking
is flawless in his delivery;
He who is skilled in computation
uses neither tallies nor counters;
He who is skilled at closing things tightly
has neither lock nor key,
but what he closes cannot be opened;
He who is good at binding
has neither cord nor string,
but what he binds cannot be united.
For these reasons,
The sage
is always skilled at saving others
and does not abandon them,
nor does he abandon resources.
p.92
How to Attain Harmony?
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The way is eternally nameless.
If feudal lords and kings preserve it,
The myriad creatures will be transformed by themselves,
After transformation, if they wish to rise up,
I should restrain them with the nameless unhewn log.
By restraining them with the nameless unhewn log,
They will not feel disgraced;
They will be still,
Whereupon heaven and earth will be made right by
themselves.
Non-action/Inaction and Naturalness
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What is secure is easily grasped,
What has no omens is easily forestalled,
What is brittle is easily split,
What is minuscule is easily dispersed.
Act before there is a problem,
Bring order before there is disorder.
A tree that fills the arms’ embrace
Is born from a downy shoot;
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A terrace nine layers high
Starts from a basketful of earth;
An ascent of a hundred strides
Begins beneath one’s foot.
Who(ever) acts, fails;
Who(ever) grasps, loses.
For this reason, the sage does not act.
Therefore, he does not fail.
He does not grasp,
Therefore, he does not lose.
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In pursuing their affairs,
People often fail when they are close to success.
Therefore, if one is as cautious at the end
As at the beginning
There will be no failure.
For this reason,
The sage desires to be without desire,
And does not prize goods that are hard to obtain;
He learns not to learn
And reverts to what the masses pass by.
Thus, he can help the myriad creatures be natural,
But dares not act.
• TTC/DDJ: 27/64