L AOTZU’S TAO AND WU WEI

TRANSLATION BY DWIGHT GODDARD

WU WEI

AN INTERPRETATION BY HENRI BOREL

TRANSL ATED BY

M . E . REY NOLD S

NEW Y ORK B R E N T A N O ’ S PUBL ISHERS

INTRODUCTION

L OVE L AOTZU ! Tha t is the reason I ff i i r i o er another nterpretat ve t anslat on , and t r in i it i y to pr t and b nd attract vely . I want i i wi e i you to apprec ate th s s and k ndly old man ,

and come to love him . He was perhaps the first of scholars (6th centur y to have a vision i i i ri so x i of sp r tual real ty, and he t ed hard to e pla n it er in th d to oth s , only, e en , to wander away into the Great Unknown in pathetic discourage e hi i h i ment . Ev ryt ng was aga nst im ! his fr ends is f hi m understood him ! others made u n of m. Even the written characters which he must u se to preserve his thought conspired against him w s in . They ere only five thou and all , and were ill adapted to express mystical and abstract e s are d ideas . Wh en these charact r translate r i is i awk accurately, the t anslat on necessar ly in u nint en ward and obscure . S ologues have tionally done him an injustice by their very i to scholarship . I have tr ed peer through the clumsy characters into his heart and prayed that love for him would make me wise to under i stand ar ght . I hate scholarship that would deny his exist i i s atroniz ence, or arrogant eru d t on that ays p l ing y, Oh , yes , there doubtless was some one i nn s who wrote some of the characterist c so et , 2 INTROD UCTION but most of them are an accumulation through i e the centu ries of verses that have s milar structur , and all have been changed and amended until it is better to call the book a collection of aphor isms . i w i vi i Shame on scholarsh p hen, shar ng the s ons h i min i e eri e e ! of t e llu at , th y d d th m There are thr ee great facts in China to-day i s the rese e f or L aot zu . that vouch F r t, p nc of i i as s es e his e i Tao sm, wh ch w ugg t d by t ach ngs , is is ex i not founded upon them . Th pla ned h in ii the rs who i by t e ab l ty of schola , mme

i l we him ers n a re d ate y follo d , to und ta d and pp i i i hi n . e ciate the sp r tuality of s teach gs S cond, C i n is ik L aot zian i e s w i is onfuc a d l e for d a , h ch i explained by their opposition to Confuc an ethics . ir re es is Th d, and the g at t fact of all, the char c ri tic r i Chi e e n e a t e s t a ts of n s atur , namely, pas ivit s issi e es r s y, ubm v n s and mo al concern, all of which find an adequate cause and source in the i L z teach ngs of aot u . An interesting fact in regard to the thought of L aot zu is i f or two th s . Although thousand years he has een i e s i - b m sund r tood and der ded , to day the e e s ie i i i u v ry b st of c nt fic and ph losoph c tho ght, w i e w a is n wn Vi i h ch gath rs about h t k o as tal sm, ’ is in wi L aot zu s i full accord th dea of the Tao . Every reference that is made to- day to a Cosmic Ur e i e i e i i g , V tal Impulse , and Cr at v Pr nc ple be i i can sa d of the Tao . Everyth ng that can ’ b e said of Plato s Ideas and Forms and of Cosmic Love as being the creative expression of God can 1m1 n u u UU i ru m 3

i the W C i be sa d of Tao . hen hr stian scholars e s e s J cam to tran lat the Logo of St . ohn, they e i u se w w re sat sfied to the ord Tao . ’ It is true that L aot zu s conception of the Tao was i i e i n ni e s l m ted to a conc pt o of a u v r al , cre i e i i He r n at v pr nc ple . appa e tly had no con ce tion s i w i C p of per onal ty, h ch the hr istians i e God in n e i wi it ascr b to , co n ct on th , but he ascribed so much of wisdom and benevolence to it that his conception fell little short of per sonalit L aot zu is th i y . To , the Tao e un versal and eternal principle which forms and condi tions everything ! it is that intangible cosmic influence which harmonizes all things and brings them to fruition ! it is the norm and standard of truth and morality L aot zu did more than entertain an intelligent opinion of Tao as a creative principle ! he had a devout and religious “ sentiment towards it : He loved the Tao as a

n ri re his e so che shes and veres moth r . There are three key words in the thought of i L zu : Teh Wu We . e aot Tao , , and Th y are The i e e ni all difficult to translate . s mpl m a ng ” i wa it s has wi i of Tao s y, but al o a de var ety i C r s r ns e it of other mean ngs Dr . Paul a u t a lat s , “ ” i i e Reason , but apolog zes for so do ng . If forc d to offer a translation we would suggest Creative i i to it u nt rans Pr nc ple , but much prefer leave d late . e is a The charact r , Teh , usually transl ted virtue This is correct as a mere translation of the character but is in no sense adequate 4 INTRODUCTION

’ L o z to the content of the thought in a t u s mind . i e w is e in To him, Teh meant prec s ly hat m ant the account of the healing of the woman who ’ “ touched the hem of Jesus robe : Jesus was ” conscious that virtu e: had passed from him . i the e i i i irii Teh ncludes m an ng of v tal ty, of v l ty, of beauty and the harmony that we think of as that part of lif e that is abounding and The i w is the i ex j oyous . th rd ord negat ve ” si Wu Wei i pres on, . Translated , th s means ” “ ” i - s i Wh not act ng, or non a sert on . en La “ ” ot zu wu wei he is i urges men to , not urg ng in s e i i them to laz ess or a c t c sm . He means that all men are to cherish that wise hu mility and ‘ diflidence and selflessness which comes from a consciousness that the Tao is infinitely wise and r m i and good, that the pa t of hu an w sdom ’ is to hold one s self in such a restrained and receptive manner that the Tao may find one a suitable and conforming channel for its pur ’ s i of L aot zu s po e . The t tle book, Tao Teh i is e ess s e ir K ng, car l ly tran lat d , The Way of V tue l s i The Wa i i i C a s c , or y and V rtue Class c . Th s is i The i i very nadequate . V tal ty of the Tao is very much better . ’ Most commentators think that L aot zu s teach ings fit in especially well with Buddhist philos ophy This conclusion is arrived at by the com mon interpretation of wu wei as submission that will logically end in absorption of the spirit in as i i Tao N rvana . Th s understanding of wu wei i nri , wh ch He Borel shares in a meas INTROD UCTION 5

is e i i r i ure , , we b l eve , nco rect, nasmuch as L aot zu consistently te aches a finding life rather than ‘ of ’ si i L a t z s i a lo ng of t . o u concept on of Tao as the n e i ur in fi in i u d r ved So ce of all th gs, nd g express on iri in through sp tual Teh universal creative activity, ’ is very close to Plato s doctrine of the good as the i eff i One n able Source of all th ngs , whose Ideas and G d e s and i Forms of oo n s , Truth Beauty rad ated outward as spiritual logoi in creative activity i i and r through Sp r t, Soul Natu e to the farthest

confines of matter . ’ Wh ile it is true that L aot zu s teachings would find little in common with the Old Testament hr hi o w ant opomorp c aut cracy, and ould find almost nothing in common with the modern Rit schlean system of ethical idealism which has for it s basis a naturalistic evolution of human society by means i r i ii i of ph lanthropy, laws, cultu al c v l zat ons , and er e e e human gov nm nts back d by forc of arms , never theless his teachings are entirely in harmony with C i i i L w i is that hr st an ph losophy of the ogos, h ch a i the G ee r o il her tage from r ks, th ough Plat , Ph o , i i hi is St . Paul, Plot nus , and August ne , and w ch the bas is of the mystical faith of the Christian i Whi e L aot zu find i sa nts of all ages . l would l ttle i i i i ie in common with the busy, mpert nent act v t s of so- called Christian statesman building by a d w find in statecraft n war, he ould much com mon with Apostolic Christianity which held itself aloof fro m current politics and refused e li i i to enter the army, cont nt to ve s mply, qu etly,

full of faith and humble benevolence . 6 INTRODUCTION

And most of all would he find himself in sym

pathy with the teacher of Nazareth . At almost e er i e v y Sonnet, one th nks of some corr sponding

x ssi s s si r e pre on of Je u , who had a very mila e i God who e i e in Him conc pt on of , but r cogn z d that personal element of Love which made God i ri i e e not only Creat ve P nc ple but H av nly Father . ’ L aot z s isi the i i r n u v on of v r le ha mony, good ess, and Spirituality of the Tao was what Jesus saw as the e od s - x r ssin hi Fath rhood of G , elf e p e g s love a r in re iv ef r and r n tu e endlessly all c at e fo t, , th ough ni i i i ss r win h r i u versal ntu t on , endle ly d a g is c eat on hi se in r e ul e ff e i n back to m lf g at f and humbl a ct o . L aot zu saw in a glass darkly what Jesus saw face e in his r the i ine od to fac all glo y, D v Tao , G r i nd r i as c eat ve a edempt ve Love . As re e e e e r e the w s you ad th s v rs s , fo g t ord and r ses r eri r w r s i ph a , poo mat al and poo o kman h p

es h e f or t he s L aot z at b t , look t rough th m oul of u . is ere re e e i er e i It th v al d , but so mp f ctly that t is n ri i s if it o ly an appa t on of a oul . But by ,

e it is e L aot zu i vagu as , you come to lov , you w ll catch beyond him fleeting glimpses of the splen did isi s s ss his s i i v on that o posse ed oul , v s ons o f fi i e G ne i i and e In n t ood ss , Hum l ty B auty ra di tin th i a g from e Heart of creat on .

D T R WI GH GODDA D . ALL WE KNOW AB OUT LAOTZU

— ’ — M CH IE 136 85 B C . wr e t ZE A N ( . ) ot tha ’ L aot zu was born of the L i family of Ch u ’ ’ i L i n K u r i h jen V llage , Cou ty, P ov nce , C u His was Err his ffi i State . proper name , o c al n wa - his i e was ame s Poh yang, posthumous t tl - si i n i n Yueh tan . He held the po t o of custod a i e e of the secret arch v s of the Stat of Cheu . Conf ucius went to Cheu to consult L aot zu about certain ceremonials L aot zu told him : “ e e e i The bones of th s sag s, concern ng whom i i e i e ir you nqu r , have long s nce d cayed , only the i i eri is teach ngs rema n . If a sup or man under his a e he i e in stood by g , r s s to honor, but not be g his e is i e r wn understood, nam l k a vag ant seed blo it i about by the wind . I have heard sa d that e n e s his s as a good m rcha t conc al trea ures , though w e The s e i his warehouses ere mpty . ag of h ghest worth assumes a countenance and outward mien i si as though he were stup d . Put a de your i f e haughty a rs, your many needs, af ect d robes e n and exa ggerated importance . Th se add o a is i real value to your person . Th t my adv ce ” f e it is . to you , and all I have to o f r Confucius departed and when he later de i i i L aot zu s i scribed to his students h s v s t to , he a d : “ i i h I understand about the hab ts of b rds , ow 8 ALL WE KNOW ABOUT L AOTZU they can fly ! how fish can swim ! and animals the w run . n in e e s For ru n g can mak nares, i i we s f or the for the sw mm ng can make net , in we w the fly g can make arro s . But for dragon, I cannot know how he ascends on the winds

s e en e s see L a z and cloud to h av . I hav ju t n ot u .

C an it be s i he i as i r a d , s d fficult to unde stand as the r n! H h i i d ago e teaches t e v tal ty of Tao . His doctrine appears to lead one to aspire after ” se f -eff e e and s i l ac m nt ob cur ty . L aot zu lived in Cheu for a long time ! he prophesied the decay of that state and in con e e was i e r and we s quenc obl g d to depa t , nt to th ie The e er s e front r . offic r at the bord po t “ Y in-hi who i L aot zu are was , sa d to , If you i e wi wri e go ng to leav us , ll you not t a book ” by which we may remember you! Thereupon

z e e s in two s L aot u wr ot a book of sonn t part , ri in in fi ve s n comp s g all about thou a d characters . In this book he discussed his conception of the i e hi wi Vital ty of the Tao . He l ft t s book th i a n w whi the sold er, and dep rted , no one k o s ther .

TAO TEH KING

WHAT IS THE TAO

The Tao that can be understood cannot be i mi i the pr mal , or cos c , Tao , just as an dea that can be expressed in words cannot be the infinite idea . And yet this ineff able Tao was the sour ce of

i i . all sp r t and matter, and being expressed was the hi mother of all created t ngs . Therefore not to desire the things of sense is to know the freedom of spirituality ! and to desire is i to learn the limitat on of matter . These two i i i dif in th ngs sp r t and matter, so ferent nature , i have the same origin . This unity of origin s r i the myste y of myster es, but it is the gateway to i spir tuality.

SELF-DEVELOPMENT

When every one recognizes beauty to be only

it is im i . a masquerade, then s ply ugl ness In the i i is same way goodness, if t is not s ncere, not - xi goo dness . So existence and non e stence are i fi mu incompat ble . The dif t and easy are the tu ally Opposites . Just as the long and short, 11 12 WU WEI

i the h gh and the low, the loud and soft, the si before and the behind , are all oppo tes and each reveals the other . Therefore the wise man is not conspicuous in his aff airs or given to much talking . Though He e troubles arise he is not irritated . produc s but does not own ! he acts but claims no merit ! he builds but does not dwell therein ! and because he does not dwell therein he never departs .

QUIE TING PEOPLE

Neglecting to praise the worthy deters people from emulating them ! just as not prizing rare treasures deters a man from becoming a thief ‘ or ignoring the things which awaken desire keeps r the hea t at rest . Therefore the wise ruler does not suggest n s r i s s i i un eces a y th ngs , but eek to sat sfy the m nds e s i es b u t of his people . He s ek to allay appet t

He e e ies ee in st rengthen bones. v r tr by k p g people in ignorance to keep them satisfied and those who have knowledge he restrains from i h i s l r i i e . e e e es e e v l If , h m f, p act c s r tra nt th n ev ry i thing is in qu etness.

TAO T T OR N , WI HOU IGI

The Tao appears to be emptiness but it is never i i x s e . t s r e hau t d Oh, p ofound ! It appears to r i i have preceded eve yth ng . It dulls t s own TAO TEH KING 13 s r nr its ha pness, u avels own fetters, softens it s own i i ifi i br ghtness, dent es tself with it s own dust . it is i ! i Oh, tranqu l It appears nfinite ! I do not r i know f om what t proceeds . It even appears t o be antecedent to the L ord .

IMPARTIAL I 'I'Y i Heaven and earth are not l ke humans, they i in are impart al . They regard all things as i ifi e w e i s s gn cant , as though th y er playth ng made i i i . of straw . The wise man s also mpart al To ik i him all men are al e and un mportant . The i i l w space between heaven and earth s l ke a bel o s, it is empty but does not collapse ! it moves and i A i is more and more ssues . goss p soon empty, if i i it is doubtful he can be mpart al .

THE INFINITUDE OF CREATIVE E FFORT

The Spirit of the perennial spring is said to be

is e i . immortal, she called the Myst r ous One The Mysterious One is typical of the sou rce of is i l heaven and earth . It cont nua ly and end lessly issuing and without eff ort .

HUMILITY i i i r s . Heaven s ete nal , earth last ng The reason why heaven and earth are eternal and lasting is 14 WU WEI

because they do not live for themselves ! that

is the reason they wil l ever endure . Therefore the wise man will keep his per sonality out of sight and because of so doing he He s i will become notable . ubord nates his per

sonality and therefore it is preserved . is isi e Is it not because he d nter sted, that his own interests are conserved!

THE NATURE OF GOODNESS

ess is ik e e in it e fi True goodn l wat r, that b ne ts ik everything and harms nothing . L e water it s the wes ever seek lo t place, the place that all is s kin others avoid . It clo ely to the Tao . For a dwelling it chooses the quiet meadow ! h ir in e e si f or a heart t e c cl g eddy . In g n ro ty it is kind ! in speech it is sincere ! in authority it is order ! in affairs it is ability ! in movement it is rhythm . Inasmuch as it is always peaceable it is never rebuked .

MODE RATION

Continuing to fill a pail after it is full the water i will be wasted . Cont nuing to grind an axe it is i e it after sharp w ll soon w ar away . Wh o can protect a public hall crowded with gold and j ewels! The pride of wealth and posi i i s ir own i t on br ng about the m sfortune . To win

16 WU WEI

e is e a m In the same way matt r n cess ry to for , i i s in it s i m i i but the value of real ty l e m ater al ty . (Or thus : a material body is necessary to xi e the if is u e stenc , but value of a l e meas red by it s immaterial soul . )

AVOIDING DESIRE

An excess of light blinds the human eye ! an excess of noise ruins the ear ! an excess of con diment s ns h The eff e deade t e taste . ct of too

r r cin i is h much ho se a g and hunt ng bad , and t e r i lu e of h dden treasure tempts one to do evil . Therefore the wise man attends to the inner

' gnifi cance of things and does not concern him elf s with outward appearances. Therefore he i s nd s s h i i gnore matter a eek t e sp r t .

XIII

LOATHING SHAME

i e are i e be e s Favor and d sgrac al k to f ared , ju t as e re xie r f or h too gr at ca or an ty a e bad t e body . Why are favor and disgrace alike to be feared ! To be favored is humiliating ! to obtain it is r as much to be d eaded as to lose it . To lose favor is be in is r e i to d g ac and of course s to be dreaded . Why are excessive care and great anxiety alike bad for one! The very reason I have anxiety is s becau e I have a body . If I have not body why would I be anxious! if i i Therefore he who adm n sters the empire, TAO TEH KING 17

te it as his own es ems body, then he is worthy to wi i be trusted th the emp re .

IN PRAISE OF THE PROFOUND

It is unseen because it is colorless ! it is nu heard because it is soundless ! when seeking to it it i i i e t s . grasp , eludes one, becaus ncorporeal Because of these qualities it cannot be ex amined i i , and yet they form an essent al un ty. Su erfi ciall it s in i p y appear abstruse, but ts depths i t is not obscure . It has been nameless forever ! is i It appears and then disappears . It what s w i kno n as the form of the formless, the mage of i i e e . s e the mag l ss It call d the transcendental, it s i in face (or dest ny) cannot be seen front, or i i i t s back (or or g n) behind . i i But by hold ng fast to the Tao of the anc ents, wi the se man may understand the present, be h n w i i i i cause e k o s the or g n of the past . Th s s the clue to the Tao .

THAT WHICH REVEALS TEH

In olden times the ones who were considered t o s e s we e iri worthy be called ma t r r subtle, Sp tual , ir is . profound , w e The thoughts could not be easily understoo d . Since they were hard to understand I will t ry to make them clear . They were cautious like i i in i men wad ng a r ver w nter . They were re lu c ant li t ke men who feared their neighbors . 18 WU WEI

They were reserved like guests in the presence of e w e e si i ice the their host . Th y er lu ve l ke at were i e e s point of melting . They l k uns a oned w i e hi wood . They ere l ke a valley betwe n gh w r e i mountains . They ere obscu l ke troubled r e i s e s w wate s . (Th y were caut ou b cau e they ere conscious of the deeper meanings of life and its i ii i poss b l t es. ) We can clarify troubled waters by slowly quiet in h n i s i ing them . We can br g t e unco sc ou to l fe h who by slowly moving them . But e has the i secret of the Tao does not des re f or more . Being e he is e re wi i cont nt, abl to matu thout des re to i be newly fash oned .

RE TURNING T O THE SOUR CE

Seek to attain an open mind (the summit of vacuity) . Seek composure (the essence of tran quillity) . i s are in i i All th ng process, r s ng and returning .

Plants come to blossom , but only to retu rn t o h r nin t e root . Retu g to the root is like seeking r i i it is i w i t anqu ll ty ! mov ng to ards ts destiny . e w i is i e To mov to ard dest ny l k eternity . To n e er i is i e e k ow t n ty enl ght nm nt , and not to rec o nize e er i i i r er g t n ty br ngs d so d and evil . Knowing eternity makes one comprehensive ! comprehension makes one broadminded breadth of i i n i s ii ii is v s o br ng nob l ty ! nob l ty like heaven . The e i s i . is heav nly l ke Tao Tao the Eternal . is The decay of the body not to be feared . TAO TEH KING 19

XVII SIMPLICITY OF HABIT

Wh e en great men rule , subj cts know little of their existence . Rulers who are less great win ff i i i the a ect on and pra se of the r subjects . A c m is his s om on ruler feared by subject , and an i unworthy ru ler s despised . W s i hen a ruler lack fa th, you may seek in vain i i for t among h s subjects .

e l wi e his w How car ful y a se ruler choos s ords . ee m He performs d ds , and accu ulates merit ! Under such a ruler the people think they are ruling themselves .

XVIII THE PALLIATION OF THE INFE RIOR

Wh is si we i en the great Tao lost ght of, st ll i have the idea of benevolence and r ghteousness . Prudence and wisdom come to mind when we re i e u n see great hypocrisy . Wh en lat v s are ie we i e tea chin s i i fr ndly, st ll hav the g of fil al p ety i W e s and paternal affect on . h n the tate and the i i we s i clan are in conf us on and d sorder , t ll have the ideals of loyalty and faithf ulness .

RETURN TO SIMPLICITY Abandon the show of saintliness and relinquish e i excessive prudence , then p ople w ll benefit a e i s hundredfold . Abandon ost ntat ou benevolence e wi r and conspicuous righteousn ss , then people ll e 20 WU WEI turn to the primal virtues of filial piety and paren i i tal affection . Abandon cleverness and rel nqu sh i wil i . gains, then th eves and robbers l d sappear Here are three fundamentals on which to de

w ei e is in ffi i . e pend, her n cultur su c ent Ther fore l t all w i is reli e men hold to that h ch able , namely, ’ i si i i e i i recogn ze mpl c ty, ch r sh pur ty, reduce one s i ’ i s di i s s i . possess on , m n h one des res

THE OPPOSITE OF THE COMMONPL ACE if w Avoid learning you ould have no anxiety. “ ” “ ” s iff r li The ye and the yea d er ve y ttle, but i i r the contrast between good and ev l s ve y great . That which is not feared by the people is not h r w e rin . t e iff e orth f a g But, oh , d ence, the es i the s s we i d olat on, va tnes , bet en gnorance and h x i n t e limitless e press o of the Tao . (The ba la nce of this sonnet is devoted to show ing the diff erence between the ca reless sta te of the common people and his own vision of the I t is one o the most a t Tao. f p hetic expressions o hu man loneliness rom la ck o a recia tion f , f f pp , ev r t I t omitt r t e wri ten. is ed he e ha t it might serve or the closin sonnet a nd va ledictor f g y. )

THE HEART OF EMPTINE SS

All the innumerable forms of teh correspond ’ the r to no m of Tao , but the nature of the Tao s i i is in i e s r i act v ty fin t ly ab t act and llusive . Il siy e e i e lu and obscur , nd ed , but at it s heart are TAO TEH KING 21

r i . i fo ms and types Vague and llus ve , indeed, i but at ts heart is all being . Unf athomable and i e it s is iri obscure, nde d, but at heart all sp t, and iri is i i i sp t real ty . At ts heart s truth . its x i i i From of old e press on s unceas ng, it has ll n been present at a begin ings . How do I know its is ! hi T that nature thus By t s same ao .

XXII INCREASE BY HUMIDITY

At that time the defi cient will be made perfect ! the distorted will be straightened ! the empty will be filled ! the worn out will be renewed ! those having little will obtain and those having much will be overcome . wi in ni Therefore the se man, embrac g u ty as ’

wi e w . he does, ll b come the orld s model Not pushing himself forward he will become en lightened ! not asserting himself he will become distingu ished ! not boasting of himself he will acquire merit ! not approving himself he will wi not endure . Forasmuch as he ll quarrel , the world will not quarrel with him . i “ Is the old say ng, The crooked shall be made ” i ! ! straight, a false say ng Indeed , no They will be perfected and return rejoicing .

XXIII

EMPTIN ESS AN D N OT-D OING (WU WEI) w i wi Taciturnity is natural to man . A h rl nd i en r i never ou tlasts the morning , nor a v ol t a n Wh is the e! is e e the day . at caus It h av n and 22 WU WEI

e earth . If even heav n and earth are not con stant , much less can man be . Therefore he who pursues his affairs in the

- spirit of Tao will become Tao like . He who

- hi f i wi t eh wil t eh ik . pursues s a fa rs th , l become l e h rs s his f i wi i e i s He w o pu ue a fa rs th loss, d nt fie himself with loss . h i n ifi im e wi re He w o de t es h s lf th Tao , Tao H wh i n ifi im e wi joices to guide . e o de t es h s lf th A d he who i e i es ew r . n teh , teh r jo c to r a d den

tifi s i se f wi ss s e i e i . e h m l th lo , lo s r j o c s to ru n his i i wi e ei ew If fa th fa l, he ll r c ve no r ard of i fa th .

XXIV TROUBLES AND MERIT

i r s i It s not natu al to tand on t ptoe , or being who is astride one does not walk . One d plays hims l is i who s i s f e f not br ght, or one assert h m el

- cannot shine . A self approving man has no i on h i e w o e i l w . mer t, nor does pra s s h mse f gro 5 The i s i e - i sel relat on of the e th ngs (s lf d splay , f ser i s f - is the s as as t on , el approval) to Tao ame i ar x s e s r th offal s to food . They e e cre c nce f om e system ! they are detestable Tao does not i dwell n them .

xx v

DESCRIBING THE MYSTERIOUS

There is Being that is all-inclusive and that

xis . i e ted before Heaven and Earth Calm , ndeed, and incorporeal ! It is alone and changeless !

24 WU WEI good wardens have no need for bolts and locks i e for no one can get by them . Good b nd rs can is d pense with rope and cord, yet none can unloose ir the hold . Therefore the wise man trusting in goodness

s s er is s him . always ave men, for th e no outca t to Trusting in goodness he saves all things for there hi i ni i is nothing valueless to him . T s s recog z ng concealed values . Therefore the good man is the instru ctor of ’ i the e i is the ev l man , and v l man the good man s o s es e his i s r wealth . He wh doe not t em n t uctors s w he be e wi e in or value hi ealth , though oth r s i i telli ent e es se . g , b com confu d Here n l es the i signifi cance of spiritual ty .

XXVI II

RETUR NING TO SIMPLICITY

He who knows his manhood and understands his womanhood becomes useful like the valleys in of earth (which bring water) . Be g like the r i i h valleys of earth , ete nal v tal ty (te ) will not him i e ai u depart from , he w ll com ag n to the nat re of a little child . He who knows his innocence and recognizes th w ’ his sin becomes e orld s model . Being a ’ i fini i world s model, n te teh will not fa l, he will retur n to the Absolute . He who knows the glory of his nature and rec ognizes also his limitations becomes useful ’ ’ like the world s valleys . Being like the world s TAO TEH KING 25

l il i hi val eys , eternal teh w l not fa l m, he will i revert to simpl city . Radiating simplicity he will make of men ss ve els of usefulness . The wise man then will e fi i hi employ th m as of c als and c efs . A great i i i wil adm n strat on of such l harm no one .

xxrx

N OT FORCING THINGS (WU WEI)

One who desires to take and remake the Empire i i e is i i i will fa l . The Emp r a d v ne th ng that can be i not remade . He who attempts t will only i mar t .

s it i . He who seeks to gra p , will lose t People dif e w fer, some l ad , others follo ! some are ardent, r s w others are formal ! some a e strong , other eak !

su e er i . re is some cce d , oth s fa l The fore the w e n i s e i e ma pract ce mod rat on ! he abandons pl asure, extravagance and indulgence .

XXX

BE STINGY OF WAR

i ws has When the mag strate follo Tao , he no need to resort to force of arms to strengthen the ir his i i Emp e, because bus ness methods alone w ll show good returns. Briars and thorns grow rank where an army e c amps . Bad harvests are the sequence of a gr at wi war. The good ruler ll be resolute and then stop , he dare not take by force . One should be resolute but not boastful ! resolute but not 26 WU WEI haughty ! resolute but not arrogant ! resolute but yielding when it cannot be avoided ! resolute but he must not resort to violence . i s ri i By a resort to force, th ng flou sh for a t me i is i but then decay . Th s not l ke the Tao and

- that which is not Tao like will soon cease .

XXXI AVOIDING WAR

s i Even successful arm , among all mplements,

m n e e e . are u nblessed . All e come to d t st th m Therefore the one who follows Tao does not rely r s are all s n e e on them . A m of tool u bl ssed, th y nl are not the implements of a wise man . O y h as a last reso rt does e u se them . Peace and quietude are esteemed by the wise e w e i ri s s re man , and ev n h n v cto ou he doe not i e se e i in e i is jo ce, b cau r j o c g ov r a v ctory the same i i as rejoicing over the kill ng of men . If he rej o ces e ki i i wil ov r ll ng men, do you th nk he l ever really master the Empire! In propitious affairs the place of honor is the e in r i i f irs we i l ft, but unp op t ous a fa honor the r ght . The strong man while at home esteems the e n e l ft as the place of ho or , but wh n armed for war it is as i though he esteems the r ght hand , the place of less honor . i Thus a funeral ceremony s so arranged . The place of a subordinate army offi cer is also on the left and the place of his superior officer is on i The ki in i the r ght . ll g of men fills mult tudes TAO TEH KING 27 wi s wi s i th orrow ! we lament th tears becau e of t , and rightly honor the victor as if he was attend i ng a funeral ceremony .

xxx n

THE VIRTUE (TE H) OF HOLINESS

in it s e er s e is Tao t nal a p ct unnamable . Its i i i in i i e s mpl c ty appears s gn ficant, but the whol i ki world cannot control it . If pr nces and ngs employ it every one of themselves will pay willing e e r it are i homage . H av n and Ea th by harmon ou sly combined and drop sweet dew. People will have no need of rulers , because of themselves i i they w ll be r ghteous .

“ As soon as Tao expresses itself in orderly i i e creation then t becomes comprehens ble . Wh n one recognizes the presence of Tao he understands wi e is where to stop . Kno ng wher to stop he free from danger . ’ To illustrate the nature of Tao s place in the universe : Tao is like the brooks and streams in h their relation to the great rivers and t e ocean.

xxx rrr

THE VIRTUE (TE H) O F DISCRIMINATION

He who knows others is intelligent ! he who understands himself is enlightened ! he who is is able to conquer others has force, but he who a able to control himself is mighty . He who p preciat es contentment is wealthy . He who dares to act has nerve ! if he can main 28 WU WEI

i i i h tain his pos t on he w ll endure, but e, who i i s im . dying does not per sh, mortal

XXXIV

THE PERFECTION OF TRUST

Great Tao is all pervading ! It can be on both h e hi ie the right hand and t e left . Ev ryt ng rel s ir xis it e i upon it for the e tence, and do s not fa l ir e i e s the them . It acqu es m r t but cov t not i in uris es er i es t tle . It lov gly no h ev yth ng , but do has not claim the rights of ownership . It no h i s it can be sse wi t e s . des re , cla d th mall Every ns it t it s i th thing retur to , ye doe not cla m e ss d right of ownership . It can be cla e with the great . Therefore the wise man to the end will not pose e in wi x his as a gr at man , and by so do g ll e press true greatness .

XXXV

THE VIRTUE (TE H) O F BENEVOLENCE

The world will go to him who grasps this Great i i e wi see not in Pr nc ple ! th y ll k and be jured , find e e r e wi e e es . th y ll cont ntm nt, p ac and t i in ies r th Mus c and da t att act e passing people, ’ i s e insi i while Tao s real ty e ms p d . Indeed it has w e is no taste , hen looked at th re not enough e i is it can se n to be pr zed , when l tened for, i scarcely be heard , but the u se of t is inex

hau stible . TAO TEH KING 29

XXXVI

EXPLANATION OF A PARADOX

That which has a tendency to contract must first have been extended ! that which has a tendency to weaken itself must first have been strong ! that which shows a tendency to destroy itself must first have been raised up ! that which shows a tendency to scatter must first have been gathered . This is the explanation of a seeming contra diction : the tender and yielding conquer the rigid iri is and strong sp t stronger than matter, s si r Th i per ua on than fo ce) . e fish would be fool sh i to seek escape from ts natural environment . There is no gain to a nation to compel by a show of force .

XXXVII

ADMINISTERING THE GOVERNMENT

Tao is apparently inactive (wu wei) and yet i i i s nothing rema ns undone . If pr nces and k ng

i e e i in e des re to k ep ev ryth ng ord r, they must i ki first reform themselves . (If pr nces and ngs

x i s would follow the e ample of Tao , then all th ng i i i w ll reform themselves . ) If they st ll des re to c if i i i hange, I would pac y them by the s mpl c ty of ” the inefi able Tao . i i if i This simplic ty will end des re, and des re i i All i be absent there s qu etness. people w ll of i themselves be sat sfied . 30 WU WEI

XXXVIII

A DISCUSSION ABOUT TEH

i e no i Essent al teh mak s show of v rtue, and i i r ir i ir therefore t s eally v tuous . Infer or v tue never loses sight of itself and therefore it i i is is no longer virtue . Essent al V rtue characterized by lack of self-assertion (wu i Wei) and therefore is unpretentious . Infer or vir tue is acting a part and thereby is only pretense . Superior benevolence in a way is acting but i x i does not thereby become pretent ous . E cess ve righteousness is acting and does thereby become i x i ri i i e en . e s e r e s pr t t ous E c s v p op ty act ng , but w ere no one e it it it s h r sponds to , stretches arm r i and enfo ces obed ence . Therefore when one loses Tao there is still teh ! o ne may lose t eh and benevolence remains ! one may forsake benevolence and still hold to righteousness ! one may lose righteousness and i i propr ety rema ns. ie s Propr ty, alone, reduce loyalty and good i s w it is i fa th to a hado , and the beg nning of dis i i i order . Trad t on s the mere flower of the Tao it s i i in i and had or g n gnorance . Therefore the great man of afi airs conf orms the i i x e to sp r t and not to e t rnal appearance. He goes on to fruitage and does not rest in the show of blossom . He avoids mere propriety and practices true benevolence .

32 WU WEI

AVOIDING ACTIVI TY

Retirement is characteristic of Tao just as weakness appears to be a characteristic of it s activity . Heaven and ear th and everything are produced r xi n exi f om e ste ce, but stence comes from non xi e stence.

THE UNR EALITY OF APPEAR ANCE

The superior scholar when he considers Tao ear nestly practices it ! an average scholar listening to Tao sometimes follows it and sometimes loses i i it ! an inferior scholar listening to Tao rid cul es t . Were it not thus ridiculed it could not be regarded as Tao . Therefore the writer says : Those who are most illumined by Tao are the most obscure . s Those advanced in Tao are most retiring . Tho e best guided by Tao are the least prepossessing . The high in virtue (t eh) resemble a lowly vall ey ! the whitest are most likely to be put to shame ! the broadest in virtue resemble the Th i i ir inefficient . e most firmly establ shed n V tue Th i resemble the remiss . e simplest chast ty e e es the e the re s s has r s mbl fickl , g ate t quare no r er the e e is fi co n , largest v ss l never lled . The r es is i s h r g eat t sound vo d of peech , t e g eatest i form has no shape . Tao s obscure and without TAO TEH KING 33

am i i n e , and yet t s precisely this Tao that alone can give and complete .

XLII

THE TRANSFORMATION OF TAO

Tao produces unity ! unity produces duality ! duality produces trinity ! trinity produces all

in i rin i things . All th gs bear the negat ve p c ple i i i i i e (y n) and embrace the pos t ve pr nc pl (yang) . m i i i i ri i chi Im ater al v tal ty, the th rd p nc ple ( ) , i makes them harmon ous . Those things which are detested by the com e s mon people, nam ly to be called orphan , in f riors nw r i s i ki e , and u o th e , are the very th ngs ngs r a and lords take for titles . The e re some things in s s in which it is a ga to lo e, and a los to ga . I am teaching the same things which are taught essi e by others. But the strong and aggr v ones do not obtain a natural death self- confident e ex teachers do not succeed) . I alon pound the basis of the doctrine of the Tao .

XLIII

THE FUNCTION OF THE UNIVERSAL

The most tender things of creation race over the hardest . A non-material existence enters into the most l rrnpenetrab e . I therefore recognize an advantage in the i doctrine of not doing (wu we ) and not speaking . 34 WU WEI

But there are few in the world who obtain the - i wu wei i ad vantage of non assert on ( ) and s lence .

XLIV

PRECEPTS

i e e s ! Whi Which s near r, a nam or a per on ch i s i or u ! Is it re s more , per onal ty treas re mo painf ul to gain or to suffer loss! r in w Extreme indu lgence ce ta ly greatly astes.

Much hoarding certainly invites severe loss . i n h A contented person is not desp sed . O e w o knows when to stop is not endangered ! he will

be able therefore to continue .

x nv

THE VIRTUE (TE H) or GREATNESS

er e i ee s i er e it s Extreme p f ct on s m mp f ct, func x tion is not exhausted . E treme fullness appears i i is x r i empty, t s funct on not e e c sed . Extreme straightness appears crooked ! great i e n ri k u s e e st amrn n . s ll, cl m y ! great loqu c , e g Mo i n s i n r t on co quer cold, qu etude co que s heat . Not greatness but purity and clearness are the ’ world s standard .

XLVI

LIMITATION OF DESIRE

Wh the ie r en world y lds to Tao , ace horses will h be used to haul manure . When t e world ignores war ses are u e the i Tao hor past r d on publ c common . TAO TEH KING 35

is no sin There greater than desire . There is i u i no m sfort ne greater than d scontent . There i i isi i s no calam ty greater than acqu t veness . Therefore to know extreme contentment is simply to be content .

XLVII SEEING THE DISTANT

Not going out of the door I have knowledge of i hr the world . Not peep ng t ough the window I per ’ ceive heaven s Tao . The more one wanders t o a distance the less he knows . Therefore the wise man does not wander about i but he understands, he does not see th ngs but fi he de nes them, he does not labor yet he com pletes .

XLVIII TO FORGET KNOWLEDGE

He who attends daily to learning increases in i i ho imi i . learning . He w pract ces Tao da ly d n shes

Again and again he humbles himself . Thus he - i attains to non doing (wu wei) . He pract ces non doing and yet there is nothing left undone . To command the empire one must not employ i fit craft . If one uses craft he s not to command i the emp re .

x nrx

THE VIRTUE (TEH) OF TRUST

The wise man has no fixed heart ! in the hearts of e the people he finds his own. The good he tr ats 36 WU WEI with goodness ! the not-good he also treats with es i n The i u goodn s, for teh s good ess . fa thf l ones he treats with good faith ! the unfaithf ul he wi i t h also treats th good fa th, for e is good i fa th . The wise man lives in the world but he lives i s e i wi w i caut ou ly, d al ng th the orld caut ously . He universalizes his heart ! the people give him eir e nd s th yes a ear , but he treats them as his i ch ldren .

E STEEM LIFE

Li i i r is e i fe s a go ng fo th ! death a r turn ng home . ree are see in i e ree are see i Of ten , th k g l f , th k ng i h n! e and ree are i . Wh s t e e d ath, th dy ng at r aso i ’ nl Because they l ve in life s experience . (O y one is immortal . ) I hear it said that the sage when he travels is e i r or i r n never attack d by rh noce os t ge , a d when coming among soldiers does not fear their n The r in er s w weapo s . h oc o ould find no place rn him nor the i e hi w to ho , t g r a place for s cla s, s i s n hi nor could old er wou d m . What is the ! s is i r reason Becau e he nvulne able .

TE H AS A NURSE

Tao gives life to all creatures ! teh feeds them ! i i s e r mater al ty shape th m ! ene gy completes them . TAO TEH KING 37

Therefore among all things there is none that s does not honor Tao and e teem teh . Honor for and is e Tao esteem for teh n ver compelled, it is always spontaneous . Therefore Tao gives lif e to m i the , but teh nurses them, ra ses them, t nurtures, comple es, matures, rears , protects h t em . Tao gives lif e to them but makes no claim of ownership ! teh forms them but makes no claim ais he d e upon them, r es t m but o s not rule them. i i This is profou nd v tal ty (teh) .

RETURN TO ORIGIN

i ’ When creat on began , Tao became the world s ’ one ws e s mother. When kno on mother he will h i in turn know that e s her son . When he recog i he i in nizes his sonsh p , w ll turn keep to his mother and to the end of life will be free from danger. He who closes his mouth and shuts his sense e t o gates will be free from troubl the end of lif e . He who opens his mouth and meddles with aff airs cannot be free f rom trouble even to the end of

’ To recognize one s insignifi cance is called en ’ i lightenment . To keep one s sympathy s called ’ i strength . He who uses Tao s l ght returns to ’ Tao s enlightenment and does not surrender his i i is person to perdit on. Th s called practicing the eternal . 38 WU WEI

GAIN BY INSIGHT

Even if one has but a little knowledge he can walk in the ways of the great Tao ! it is only self assertion that one need fear .

r Wa is in The g eat Tao ( y) very pla , but people en the i r prefer the bypaths . Wh palace s ve y s en i s are i e be er w pl d d , the field l k ly to v y eedy, n h r we r r a d t e g anaries empty . To a o naments

a rs rr s sw r x and g y colo , to ca y harp o ds, to be e cessive in e i ri in e we at ng and d nk g , and to hav alth and treasur e in abundance is to know the pride i i s . of robbers . Th s contrary to Tao

TO CULTIVATE INTUITION

The thing that is well planted is not easily The i is w i uprooted . th ng that ell guarded s not h easily taken away . If one as sons and grand n the f erin of i so s , o f g ancestral worsh p will not soon cease . He who practices Tao in his person shows that hi h i r i s t e s eal . The fam ly that practices it w ei t eh i i Th sho s that th r s abound ng . e town ship that practices it shows that their teh is i The endur ng . state that practices it shows that i t eh is ifi Th the r prol c . e empire that practices it i i r reveals that teh s un ve sal . Thereby one s e er i per on becom s a test of other p sons, one fam ly mii w of other fa l es, one to n of other towns , one

40 WU WEI

r his i his il i sha pness , unravels tangles , d ms br l ancy, i l wi h r and reckons h mse f th t e myste ious. He is inaccessible to favor or hate ! he cannot be reached by profit or injury ! he cannot be i honored or humiliated . Thereby he s honored by all . LVII THE HABIT OF SIMPLICITY

The empire is administered with righteousness ! the army is directed by craft ! the people are n n- i H w captivated by o d plomacy . o do I know it is so! By this same Tao . Among people the more restrictions and pro

i i n r ar th r . Th hib t o s the e e, e poo er they become e re e e e we s t he re the s e mo p opl hav apon , mo tat Th r r is in conf usion . e more people a e a tful and r r i Th cunning the mo e abno mal th ngs occur . e more laws and orders are issued the more thieves and robbers abound . Therefore the wise man says : If a ru ler prec i h wil r r tices wu we t e people l efo m of themselves. If I love quietude the people will of themselves

i - become righteous. If I avo d profit making the people will of themselves become prosper i i esi the l ou s. If I l m t my d res people wil of themselves become simple .

LVIII ADAPTATION TO CHANGE

When an administration is unostentatious the e an people are simple . Wh n administration is TAO TEH KING 41

i i u i i i ee . r nq s t ve , the people are n dy M se y , alas, in i s . supports happ ne s Happ ess, alas, conceals i i i s! Who n w t s e a s. misery . k o s l m t It nev r ce se

The normal becomes the abnormal . The good ’ in turn becomes unlucky . The people s con r n i fusion is felt daily f o a lo g t me . h is is e Therefore t e w e man squar , yet does not i s n in s e . i jure, he angular but do not a noy He s i i upright but is not cross . He s br ght but not ri gla ng .

TO KEEP TAO

In governing the people and in worshipping in s r ss s i heaven noth g u pa e moderat on . To value i r the i moderat on , one must fo m hab t early . Its early acquisition will result in storing and ac s i cumulating vitality . By tor ng and accu mu lat i i i ing vitality nothing s mposs ble . If nothing is impossible then one is ignorant hi l of his limits . If one does not know s im

tions one ssess . it a , may po the state He who possesses moderation is thereby lasting and eu It is i in r during . l ke hav g deep roots and a st ong i is rin i i stem . Th s of long lif e and endu g ns ght the Tao (way) .

TO MAINTAIN POSITION

One should govern a great state as one f ries small fi sh do not scale or clean them) . 42 WU WEI

With Tao one may successfully rule the Em i n i en wi p re. Ghosts will ot fr ght , gods ll not

i i men is . harm, ne ther will w se m lead the people in i S ce noth ng frightens or harms the people, teh i will ab de .

THE TE H OF HUMILITY

A great state that is useful is like a bond of i i h ’ unity within the Empire ! t s t e Empire s wif e . The female controls the male by her quietude

i s re s e it s se i and submiss on . Thu a g at tat by rv ce i ir i s to smaller states w ns the alleg ance . A mall state by submission to a great state wins an influence over them . Thus some stoop to con

e and . qu r, others stoop and conquer Great states can have no higher purpose than

e er e s es and ee to f d at tat f d the people . Small states can have no higher pur pose than to enter i n r h i e e e e t e eo e . a f d rat o and s v p pl Both al ke, e in his own wa in eir end ach y, ga th , but to do so , r i ii the g eater must pract ce hum l ty .

LXII THE PRACTICE OF TAO

The Tao is the asylum of all things ! the good ’ ’ n e e the res i ma s tr asur , bad man s last ort . W th beautiful words one may sell goods but in winning

e e one is r p opl can accompl h mo e by kindness . Why should a man be thr own away for his evil! To conserve him was the Emperor appointed and th i i e three m n sters . TAO TEH KING 43

Better than being in the presence of the Em eror i in wi i p and r d g th four horses , s sitting and x ini i e pla ng th s Tao . The reason the Ancients esteemed Tao was

s if it was i e becau e sought obta n d , and because it sin by he that hath could be saved . Is it ! not so Therefore the world honors Tao .

LXIII A CONSIDERATION OF BEGINNINGS

One should avoid assertion (wu wei) and prac i i One u s e in t ce inact on . sho ld learn to find ta t t n the i the tas eless, to e large small th ngs, and i He re mult ply the few . should spond to hatred He e iffi with kindness . should r solve a d culty w i it is n e in w i e h le easy, and ma ag a great th g h l ’ i i w r if i t s small . Surely all the o ld s d ficult es ’ r r i s w a ose f om sl ght cau es , and all the orld s great i nin affairs had small beg n gs . Therefore the wise man avoids to the end participation in great affair s and by so doing establishes his greatness . Rash promises are lacking in faith and many i i things that appear easy are full of d ffi cult es . Therefore the wise man considers every thing iffi i difficult and so to the end he has no d cult es .

LXIV CONSIDER THE INSIGNIFICANT

i e i e That which is at rest is eas ly r stra n d , that whic h has not yet appeared is easily prevented . 44 WU WEI

i i The weak is eas ly broken, the scanty s easily C i iffi u e it ri scattered . ons der a d c lty b fore a ses , and administer affairs before they become dis it k s organized . A tree that ta es both arm to

encircle grew from a tiny rootlet . A pagoda of e i s ri nine stories was er cted by plac ng mall b cks . A j ourney of three thousand miles begins with on ri im i he one step . If e t es to prove a th ng , mars

it if sei es it he se it . The wi ! he z , lo s se man, e i i e therefore , not att mpt ng to form th ngs do s not s in e i he s mar them , and not gra p g aft r th ngs doe in ei s not lose them . The people th r ru h for business are ever approaching success but con n b tinu ally failing . O e must e as careful to the h in i if h is end as at t e beg n ng e to succeed . Therefore the wise man desires to be free from esire he e the hi d , does not valu t ngs that are H r i i e . e e s be d fficult of atta nm nt l a n to unlearned , he e s w i ers i r turn to that h ch all oth gnore . In that spirit he helps all things toward their natural de v l m n res i e op e t , but da not nterfere .

LXV

THE TE H OF SIMPLICITY

In the olden days those who obeyed the spirit of Tao did not enlighten the people but kept them i s mple hearted . The reason people are difficult to govern is because of their smartness ! likewise to govern a people with guile is a curse ! and to govern wi si i i is them th mpl c ty a blessing . He who TAO TEH KING 45 r er h s two i is ememb s t e e th ngs a model ruler . Alw f hi da ays to ollow t s stan rd and rule is teh, the u profo nd . teh is i f Profound deep ndeed and ar reaching . i mm The very oppos te of co on things, but by it o ne i i obta ns obed ent subjects .

LXVI TO SUBORDINATE SELF

The reason rivers and seas are called the kings of is e the valley becaus they keep below them. Therefore the wise man desiring to be above his people must in his demeanor keep below them ! wis in fi his ee h g to bene t people, he must ever k p himself out of sight .

The wise man dwells above, yet the people do not feel the burden ! he is the leader and the w people suffer no harm . Therefore the orld rejoices to exalt him and never wearies of him . r i Because he will not qua rel w th anyone, no one can quarrel with him .

LXVII THREE TR EASURES it All the world calls Tao great , yet Is by nature i i is e i l imma terial . It s because a th ng se m ng y ff to be unreal that it is great . If a man a ects r his di i ! g eat, how long can he conceal me ocr ty Tao has three treasures which he guards and fi is i cherishes . The rst called compass on ! the sec ond is called economy ! the third is called 46 WU WEI

i i humil ty. A man that s compassionate can be truly brave ! if a man is economical he can be generous ! if he is humble he can become a useful servant .

i a i is il e If one d scards comp ss on and st l brav , e is s i r abandons conomy and t ll generous, fo sakes ii i e i his hum l ty and st ll se ks to be serv ceable, r h days a e numbered . On t e contrary if one is i in truly compass onate, battle he will be a con u eror in i h q and defence he w ll be secure . W en even Heaven helps people it is because of com passion that she does so .

LXVIII COMPLIANCE WI TH HEAVEN

He who excels as a soldier is the one who is not warlike ! he who fights the best fight is not wrath ful ! he who best conquers an enemy is not quar relsome he who best employs people is obedient himself . i - i i is Th s is the virtue of not quarrel ng, th s the ’ e re in ii i is s c t of bring g out other men s ab l ty, th s complying with Heaven . Since of old it is con sidered the greatest virtue (teh) .

LXIX THE FUNCTION OF THE MYSTERIOUS

A military expert has said : I do not da re put s myself forward as a ho t, but always act as a i es . i gu t I hes tate to advance an nch, but am willing to withdraw a foot .

48 WU WEI

wi is i mental health . The se man w se because he understands his ignorance and is grieved over i t .

Lxx rr

’ To CHERISH ONE S SELF

When people are too ignorant to fear the fear

hi e it wi s re e . some t ng, th n ll u ly com Do not er e e nfi i make the place wh e th y dw ll co n ng, the i r l t i . e a e e e life they l ve wear some If th y alon , r r th they will not become restless . The efo e e wise man while not understanding himself regards i s whi e e i in he es e h m elf, l ch r sh g do not overvalu e he i r himself . Th refore d sca ds flattery and pre fers regard .

LXXIII ACTION IS DANGEROUS

r rie rin s Cou age car d to da g lead to death . r e r i e i i Cou age r st a n d by caut on leads to l fe . se two in s e and i r The th g , courag caut on , a e some im e e i e i e m t es b n fic al and som t m s har ful . Some in s are e e e e en who th g r j ct d by h av , can tell the reason! Therefore the wise man deems all acting difficult . e a The Tao of h aven does not qu rrel , yet it con

e s. e s et its res e is qu r It sp ak not, y pons good . It issues no summons but things come to it ’ u e s it s i e ar nat rally b cau e dev c s e good . Heaven s is s in ! it s s s net va t , deed me he are wide but it loses nothing . TAO TEH KING 49

LXXIV OVERCOMIN G DELUSIONS

e If the people do not fear d ath, how can one frighten them with death! If we teach people to e w e fear d ath, then h n one rebels he can be seized and executed ! after that who will dare to rebel! There is always an officer to execute a mur e if on der r, but e takes the place of the execu tioner it is ik , l e taking the place of a skilled car ent er his ewin n p at h g . If o e takes the place il e i i of the sk l d carpenter he s l able to cut himself .

(Therefore do not interfere with Tao . )

LXXV LOSS BY GREEDINESS

Starvation of a people comes when an offi cial appropriates to himself too much of the taxes . The reason a people are diffi cult to govern is because the offi cials are t oo meddlesome ! the people make light of death because they are so ’ who is absorbed in life s interests . The one not absorbed in life is more moral than he who esteems life .

LXX‘ V’ I BEWARE OF STRENGTH

When a man is living he is tender and fragile . is s Wh en he dies he is hard and stiff . It the ame ee in i are with everything, the grass and tr s , l fe , i die be tender and del cate, but when they they come rigid and dry. 50 WU WEI

Therefore those who are har d and stiff belong ’ in whi to death s doma , le the tender and weak belong to the realm of lif e . Therefore soldiers are most invincible when Wh e is w they will not conquer . en a tre gro n to its greatest strength it is doomed . The strong and the great stay below ! the tender and weak rise above .

L XXVII TAO OF HEAVEN

Tao of heaven resembles the stretching of a

i it e the w it ex . bow . The m ghty humbl s, lo ly alts They who have abundance it diminishes and gives to them who have need . That is Tao of heaven ! it depletes those who h n e e e w o . abou d , and compl t s thos lack i n Men e The human way s ot so . tak from those who lack to give to those who already r i h abound . Whe e s t e man who by his abun dance can best serve the world ! The wi e man es im s mak but cla s not, he ao lis ri et is i i comp hes me t, y not attached to t , ne ther h does he display is excellence . Is it not so!

LXXVIII TRUST AND FAITH

In the world nothing is more fragile than th water, and yet of all e agencies that attack n i s r i hard substances oth ng can u pass t . Of all things there is nothing that can take the TAO TEH KING 51

ac of T i pl e ao . By t the weak are conquerors of th i the strong, e pl able are conquerors of the

i i . k hi r g d In the world every one nows t s, but none practice it . Therefore the wise man declares : he who is ’ guilty of the country s sin may be the priest at ’ h ho i o t e altar . He w s t blame for the country s ’ i is the ir i m sfortunes, often Emp e s Sovere gn . xi True words are often parado cal .

LXXIX ENFORCIN G CONTRACTS When reconciling great hatred there will some i it be ! rema n . How can made good Therefore the wise man accepts the debit side of the account and does not have to enf orce pay wh i ment from others . They o have v rtue (teh) i i i i keep the r obl gat ons , they who have no v rtue h insis t on their rights . Tao of heaven as no favor ites but always helps the good man .

CONTENTMENT

In a small country with few people let there be offi cers over tens and hundreds but not to t i exercise power . Le the people be not afra d of

i e to i . death , nor des re to mov a d stance Then i i though there be ships and carr ages, they w ll have no occasion to use them . Though there be armor and weapons there will be no occasion n to f or donning them . The people can retur 52 WU WEI

i i knotted cords for the r records, they can del ght ir i in the food , be proud of the r clothes, be i w li s i content with the r d el ng , rejo ce in their customs . s i i Other state may be close ne ghbors, the r s be cocks and dog may mutually heard, people will come to old age and die but will have no r desire to go o come.

LXXXI THE NAT URE OF THE ESSENTIAL

Faithful words are often not pleasant ! pleasant i words are often no t fa thful . Good men do not n s who is dispute ! the o e d pute are not good . men are not i The learned often the w se men , nor

he e . The i the wise men, t learn d w se man does e e w r i will not hoard , but v r o k ng for others , he i i the more exceed ngly acquire . Hav ng given to he i se f will i n . others freely, h m l have plenty e e s i Tao of heaven b n fits but doe not njure . The ’ ea him wise man s Tao l ds to act but not to quarrel .

VALEDICTORY PART or THE 2OTH SONNET

Common people are joyf ul ! they celebrate a ii in feast day ! they flock to a pav l on spring time . one who I alone am calm , as has as yet rec eived no omen ! I am as a babe who has not learned to i smile . I am forlorn , l ke a homeless wanderer ! Common people have plenty ! I alone am in is want . I am a fool h man at heart ! I am TAO TEH KING 53 m ignorant . Com on people are vivacious and l f smart, I alone am du l and con used . n ! K owledge of the Tao , how vast I am like a s i i a lor far beyond a place of anchorage, adr ft on

dl s . n e ar a boun e s ocean Commo p ople e useful ,

I am awkward . I stand in contrast to them iz but oh, the pr e I seek is food from our Mother Tao !

PREFACE

’ “ HE following study on L aotzu s Wu -Wei Shoul d by no mea ns be regarded as a t ransla tion or even as a free rendering of the actual work of that philosopher I have simply endeavou red to retain in my work the pure essence of his a e i e i e i thought , and I h v g v n a d r ct translat on of his e ia in i e i e ssent l truths solat d nstanc s only , the rest being f or the most part a self-thought-o u t elaboration of the few principles enuncia ted by

” My conception of the terms Tao and Wu ” Wei is entirely diff erent from that of most Sino lo u es as nis Ju lien Gie e g (such Sta las , l s , and L gge) e w r - - i who hav translated the o k Tao Teh K ng . hi is the ac e i But t s not pl to just fy myself . It may best be judged from the following work whether e i ea n in my conc pt on be r so able or correct . ’ i is in in L aotz s x L ttle conta ed u Short , e tremely i e w w i ma e i S mpl book, the ords of h ch y b sa d to be condensed into their purely primm' y signi fi cance (a significa nce at times quite at vari ance with tha t given in other works to the same ’ i i is L aot zu s words but th s l ttle gospel . i i hi ins work s no treat se on p losophy, but conta , r to i his un rather, merely those t uths wh ch t (

B o iu s or i n e. y C nf u c , f nsta c 57 58 PREFACE

i i him i wr tten) ph losophy had led . In t we find e ime i no form nor mbod nt, noth ng but the quin nce hi i s tesse of t s ph lo ophy . is i hi My work permeated w th t s essence , but i i i t t s no translat on of L a o zu . None of my e ri ris s wi th m tapho cal compa on , such as that th e

s e wi the sea wi the r land cap , th , th clouds , a e any ’ t o in L z ei e where be found aot u s work . N th r he n w e e e Ar t s i has a y h r spok n of , nor pec ally of wri i ll Love . In t ng of a this I ha ve spoken al oud the thoughts and feelings instinctively induced ’ - by the perusal of L aot zu s deep felt philosophy . Thus it may be that my work contains far more e n i e e of mys lf than I am co sc ous of but v n so , it is but an outpouring of the thought and feeling in me the w L aot z called up by ords of u . I have made u se of none but Chinese works on

aot zu and e few n r in L , of thos only a . O ead g

r s e the is and ren r n i ns late om of Engl h F ch t a slat o , I was amazed to find how confused and u nint elli i s w r g ble these book e e . ’ h re si e i L w r I ad e d to my mpl dea of ao t zu s o k , w r e i f or e and of my o k I could alt r noth ng , I f lt the truth of it within me as a Simple and natural faith .

HENRI BOREL .

CHAPTER I

WAS standing in the Temple of Shien Shan i in Chi e e i on an slet the n s Sea , d stant a few ’ s r H hour journey f om the harbour of 5. T6 . ei si e i i On ther de ros mounta n ranges, the r soft outlines interwoven behind the island to the west r ward . To the eastwa d shirnmered the endless i k- Ocean . H gh up , roc supported , stood the e e in r - T mpl , the shadow of b oad Buddha trees . The i n is i i i e sla d but l ttle v s t d , but sometimes fi sher— e in e e e in folk , fl e g b for the threat n g typhoon , anchor there when they have no further hope of e i Wh e xi r ach ng the harbour . y the T mple e sts in is th lonely Spot , no one knows ! but the lapse of centuries has established it s holy right to stand i e . n s e e ther Stra ger arr ve but s ldom, and th re i i are only a hundred poor nhab tants , or there s who i i e i u e about , l ve there s mply b cause the r a c s i i tors did So before them . I had gone th ther n the hope of finding some man of a serious bent s x of mind with whom to tudy . I had e plored the temples and convents of the neighborhood e in - i e for more than a y ar , search of earnest m nd d priests capable of telling me what I was unable to learn from the superficial books on Chinese i i religion ! but I f ound noth ng but gnorant , 61 62 WU WEI

stupid creatures everywhere kneeling to idols whose symbolical significance they did not under i in ” stand , and rec t g strange Sutras not one w hi in i i 1 ord of w ch was tell g ble to them . And I had been obliged to draw all my informa tion from badly translated works that had received even worse treatment at the hands of learned Euro peans than at those of the literary Chinese whom

ns e s r I had co ult d . At la t, however, I had hea d “ an old Chinaman speak of the Sage of Shien Shan as of one well-versed in the secrets of Heaven and Earth ! and without cherishing an re ex e i ns it is r y g at p ctat o , t ue I had crossed the w r him ate to seek out . This Temple resembled many others that I

ee Gri ries s e on the s e had s n . my p t loung d t ps in ir - e ar en and s re i d ty gr y g m ts , ta d at me w th “ ense ess ri s The res w Y in s l g n . figu of K an and “ ” “ ” C akyamu ni and Sam-Pao—Fu had been ew res re and i n ly to d , blazed with all imag nable crude colours that completely marred their former

e The r was r ir n b auty . floo cove ed with d t a d s and ie e r n - nd - du t , p c s of o a ge peel a sugar cane we r i re st ewn about . A th ck and heavy atmos here resse re s p opp d my b a t . ressin one the ri i Add g of p ests , I sa d : “ e e isi the i s e e I hav com to v t ph lo oph r . Do s ‘ e mi we e not an old h r t d ll h re , called after Lao

With a wondering face he answered me : “ Laot zu lives in t he top-most hut upon the ” if s h not i i cl f . But e does l ke barbar ans .

64 WU WEI

e ! Wh Welcome, strang r at do you seek of ” me! old man tha t I am ! “ ” e r I come to s ek a maste , I answered humbly, to uma ne s to find the path h n good s . I ha ve if long searched this beaut ul land , but the people s and eem as though they were dead, I am as poor ” s a ever . e in i i You err som what th s matter, sa d the “ i i be sage . Str ve not so bus ly to so very good . s it or wi e fin Do not eek overmuch , you ll n ver d the wis not kn w how it true dom . Do you o was that 2 the Yellow Emperor recovered his magic pearl! wil 3 I l tell you . “ The Yellow Emperor once travelled rou nd the n the Red Sea i orth of , and cl mbed to the summit

the Ku enliin n i s his r of mou ta n . On retu n to the s w r he s his i ea outh a d lo t mag c p rl . He besought hi s fi nd it in H s wi i . e s hi t to , but va n be ought s i i H s it n in . e es hi ght to find , but va b ought s e en fi nd it was s in in loqu ce to , but that al o va . s he es t in and in At la t b ough Noth g , Noth g re ‘ ’ ere it Ho ex r r in r x cov d . w t ao d a y ! e claimed the ‘ e l w er hi s be Y l o Emp or , that Not ng hould able ’ re er it ! n e s me to cov Do you u d r tand , young ” man! “ i is e was his I th nk th p arl soul , I answered, and w e e si e that kno l dg , ght and spe ch do but cloud the soul rather than enlighten it ! and that it was only in the pea ce of perfect quietude that ’ his soul s consciousness was restored to the Yellow ” I i s ! . s r Emperor t so , Ma te “ i Qu te right ! you have felt it as it is. And TAO 65 do w i you know , too , by hom th s beautiful legend ” is told! “ i k I am young and gnorant ! I do not now .

is C -Tse i i e L aot It by huang , the d sc pl of zu , ’ i re es i i Ch na s g at t ph losopher . It was ne ther Conf ucius nor Mencius who Spoke the purest wis in hi L ao z . dom t s country, but t u He was the e C -Tse was his s great st , and huang apo tle . You

ei r e i n w r i - for gne s ch r sh , I k o , a ce ta n well meaning i i f or L aot zu s hi f adm rat on al o , but I t nk but ew of you know that he was the pur est human being h who ever breathed . Have you read t e Tao ’ Teh- in ! e si K g and hav you ever con dered, I w h n wonder, hat e mea t by “ e ul if I Should be grat f you would tell me, ” r Maste . “ hi w i nk u n . I t I may ell nstr ct you , you g man is e s i e i It many y ar s nc I have had a pup l , and I see in e e no ri i e u e your y s cu os ty, but rath r a p r

ir wi in s . des e of sdom , for the free g of your oul i 4 L sten then . “ Tao is really nothing but that which you ‘ ’ s is the b We terns call God . Tao the One ! e i i i . g nn ng and the end It embraces all th ngs , i i and to t all th ngs return . “ L aot zu wrote at the commencement of his he book the Sign : Tao . But what actually meant the i One e e H ghest , the can hav no nam , can e be x e se in s it is nev r e pr s d any sound , just becau e ’

i e is God . The One . Equally nad quate your term

Wu Nothing that is Tao . You do not exi understand me! Listen further ! There sts, 66 WU WEI

e an e i i i i th n, absolute R al ty w thout beg nn ng, wi nd w i we n e e thout e h ch can ot compr h nd , and as hi which therefore must be to us Not ng . That

w i are e re e w i has f or h ch we abl to comp h nd , h ch i r i is in r u s re e e e . a lat v al ty, truth only appea anc is r w res s e re i It an outg o th , a ult of ab olut al ty, seein e er in e es r and re g that v yth g manat f om, i in whi ar r s e . e e turn to , that r al ty But th gs ch al i W we to us are not real n themselves . hat call

in is in - ei and w we c Be g fact Not B ng, just hat all

- i i i i i r ns we Not Be ng s Be ng n t s t ue se e . So that

i i i i Wh we i i e are l v ng n a great obscur ty . at mag n be e is re et e n e r to r al not al , and y ma at s f om the i th in e the e s e W e . e r al , for R al hol Both B g and

- i i Not Be ng are accord ngly Tao . But above all ‘ ’ never forget that Tao is merely a sound uttered um i and the idea is essentia ll by a h an be ng, that y r hi s re i s ns inexp essible. All t ng app c able to the e es i h and all crav ngs of t e heart are unr eal . Tao i n s the sou rce of Heaven and Earth . O e begat Two two e ree r e i i , b gat Th , Th ee b gat M ll ons . i i n i i And M ll ons retur aga n nto One . “ e e er is w n If you r m mb th ell , young ma , you have passed the first gateway on the path of i W sdom . “ w e i You kno , th n, that Tao s the sour ce of e e t in the es the wer the ir v ry h g ! of tre , flo s , b ds ! the sea s and t i of , the de ert , he rocks ! of l ght and darkness ! of heat and cold ! of day and night ! i u W e own i e . of s mmer and nt r, and of your l f r s r i Wo lds and ocean evapo ate n Eternity . Man e n in i ris s out of the dark ess, laughs the gl mmer TAO 67

di . i ing light , and sappears But n all these is nif changes the One ma ested . Tao is in every l in i n i i . r s th ng Your sou her n e most Tao . w e You see the orld outspr ad before you, young man! Wi e he i e th a stately g sture po nted s awards . ils i er i e s u ncom r The h l on e th s d tood fast, p o misin -set in the i g , clear atmosphere l ke strong rifi ew thoughts, pet ed, h n out by conscious energy yielding only in the distance to the tender i influence of light and air . On a very h gh point o i e eli in st od a lonely l ttle tre , of d cate leafage, a i he e i i . T e i h gh l ght ev n ng b gan to fall, w th tender l i a r w e i i seren ty ! and osy glo , dr amy yet br ll ant, n i s in lent to the mou ta n , stand g ever more Sharply i it air e defined aga nst , an of p aceful j oyousness . i e e e u w i In t all was to be f lt a g ntl p ard striv ng, a i in the r re e still pois ng, as a fi d atmosphere of con h r i i i . t e sea e sc ous p ety And c pt up softly, w th i - i i e wi the i i i i a st ll sway ng sl d th qu et, rres st ble i i The i i approach of a type of nfi n ty . sa l of a l ttle

mi e li a . vessel , glea ng softly gold n, g ded ne rer So tiny it looked on that immense ocean so fearless and lovely ! All was pu re no trace of foulness anywhere . And I spoke with the rare impulse of a mighty j oy. i 0 r ! hi k I feel t now, Maste That w ch I see no e it in is everywhere . I had n ed to seek the i i distance ! for it is qu te close to me . It s every e w W where what I s ek , hat I myself am , hat i t o me as l i s ii , l , my sou s. It fam l ar my own se f 68 WU WEI

It is all revelation ! God is everywhere ! Tao ” is in everything ! “ is it ! a That so , boy, but confuse not In th t

is is w . which you see Tao , but Tao not hat you see is isi You must not think that Tao v ble to your eyes . Tao will neither waken j oy in your heart nor dr aw

r your tea rs . For all your expe iences and emotions are i r relat ve and not eal . “ e Howev r, I will speak no more of that at fir e present . You stand as yet but at the st gat , r i is l e and see but the fi st gl nt of dawn . It a r ady much that you should realize Tao as present in hi wi ren er u i e re r everyt ng . It ll d yo r l f mo natu al nfi e ie e lie and co dent for, b l v me , you as safe in the arms of Tao as a child in the arms of it s it i mother . And will make you ser ous and wi ee u s f thoughtful too , for you ll f l yo r el to be in all places as holy a thing as is a good priest in his e e r i t mpl . No longe will you be fr ghtened by the n e in i s i e e cha g s th ng , by l f and d ath ! for you k e as w as i e e now that d ath , ell l f , manates from

. it is ur w i er Tao And so nat al that Tao , h ch p ur i e s vaded yo l f , hould also after death con tinu all y surround you . “ Lo ok at the landscape before you ! The i s the trees , the mounta n , sea , they are your s i e the air i brother , l k and the l ght . Observe how is i ! s the sea approach ng us So spontaneou ly, so ‘ ’ r so r e s so it s natu ally , pu ely b cau e mu t be . Do you see your dear sister the little tree on

er i en i w r s yond po nt , b d ng to a d you! and the Simple movement of her little leaves! — Then I will TAO 69

5 k to ou Wu -Wei non-resis ’ spea y of , of tance, ‘ of self -movement on the breath of your impulse as it was born out of Tao . Men would be true men if they would but let their lives flow of them e as s lves , the sea heaves, as a flower blooms , in the simple beauty of Tao . In every man there is i uls wa a hi an mp e to rds th t movement w ch, in proceed g from Tao , would urge him back to

Tao again . But men grow blind through their

own n t . i se ses and lus s They str ve for pleasure, i m i s des re , hate, fa e and r che Their movements ar fi r r eir e e ce and sto my, th progress a series of ri i i wild up s ngs and v olent falls . They hold fast n e i to all that is u real . Th y des re too many things i i i to e . allow of th r des r ng the One They desire, i e i too , to be w s and good , and that s worst of i e n w all They des r to k o too much . The one remedy is : the retur n to the source T e . u s is ao . i whence they cam In Tao s rest . Only by renunciation of desir e even the desire wi w for goodness or sdom can e attain rest . Oh ! all this craving to know what Tao is! And this painf ul struggle for words in which to express it and to inquire after it ! The truly wise follow the Teaching which is wordless which remains 6 ll x it ! unexpressed . And who sha ever e press Those who know it (what Tao is) tell it not ! it 7 those who tell it know not . Even I shall not i l i tell you what Tao s. Yourse f must d scover it in that you free your self from all your passions i i in e i i and crav ngs, and l ve utt r spontane ty, vo d G of unnatu ral striving . ently must Tao be 70 WU WEI

wi i e e approached, th a mot on r pos ful as the move ment of that broad ocean . That moves, not it ses it k because choo to move , nor because nows that it is wise or good to move ! it moves involu n il il ci s e e . tar y, uncons ou of mov m nt Thus w l you and w n are also return to Tao , he you returned you ” il f r rs i w it o e . w l kno not, you you lf w ll be Tao

e in e . He ceased sp ak g, and look d at me gently His s wi ie i il eyes hone th a qu t l ght, st l and even as the tint of the heavens. “ “ s i w is i Father, I a d, hat you say beaut ful and it s s si s as the sea, eem mple a nature ! but it is so e s his i i i surely not a y t str feless, nact ve absorption of man into Tao! ” “ nf se w r s i a Do not co u o d one w th nother, “ i trif lessn ss - i he repl ed . By s e e Wu We Lao did e m n in i n tzu not m an com o act o , not mere H i i i wi se e es. e n : x dl ng, th clo d y mea t rela at on

i i r sir — r from earthly act v ty, f om de e f om the r in i x craving for un eal th gs. But he d d e act i i l hin He im i act v ty in rea t gs. pl ed a powerful e the s w i s r mov ment of oul, h ch mu t be f eed from it s ik e ir r it gloomy body l a b d f om s cage . He meant a yielding to the inner motive-force which we derive from Tao and which leads us to Tao i ai . e e e : i ag n And, b l v me th s movement is as natural as that of the cloud above us . High in the blue ether over ou r heads were

“ s s ii s w w r golden cloud , a l ng lo ly to a ds the sea . i e i They gleamed w th a wond rful pur ty, as of a i h gh and holy love . Softly, softly they were. floating away

72 WU WEI

i i An d f w s s . e w th other , that all a centuries what matter they in the face of Eternity! Poor friend ! Has you r sin made you so fearful ! Have you held your sin to be mightier than Tao! Have you held the sin of men to be mightier than ! ri en e Tao You have st v to be good ov rmuch , and so have seen your own misdoing in a falsely

r i si er clea l ght . You have de red ov much good s -m n s e e has ne s in your fellow e al o , and th r fore ir i r his is the s n unduly t oubled you . But all t i i i r r ad s e e no b . a seem ng . Tao n th good For

is r is the i e Tao eal . Tao alone ! and l f of all unreal things is a life of false contrasts and rela i i i xis t ons, wh ch have no ndependent e tence, and mis e esi do greatly lead . So , abov all, do not d re

i - i l . Wu We to be good, ne ther call yourse f bad n ri in l —i u st v g, se f mpelled that must you be . Not bad not good ! not little and not great ! n wi not low and not high . And only the ll i i be e e w i s in i s ns you n real ty , v n h l t, the ord nary e e ar you are not . When once you e free from all e i r r i s in e wi se m ng , f om all c av ng and lu t g, th n ll r own i s wi you move of you mpul e, thout so much in e is th n as know g that you mov ! and th , e o ly i - ri i e i m true l fe p nc pl th s free , untra melled mo tion towards Tao will be light and u ncon scious as the dissolution of the little cloud above ” you . x i e e e r e The I e per enc d a sudden s ns of f e dom . i as i ss as feel ng w not joy not happ ne . It w rather a gentle sense of expansion a widening m i of y mental hor zon . TAO 73

i k ! i Father, I sa d , I than you Th s revela i im hi t on of Tao lends me already an pulse w ch, ex ai it though I cannot pl n , yet seems to bear me gently forward . “ How wonderful is Tao ! With all my wisdom wi kn i th all my owledge, I have never felt th s ” before ! ” Crave not thus for wisdom ! said the phi “ h i to losop er. Do not des re know too much so only shall you grow to know intuitively ! for the knowledge acquired by unnatural striving i e n only leads away from Tao . Str v not to k ow all there is to know concerning the men and things i i around you , nor and th s more espec ally i concerning their relat ons and antagonisms . i e ee i Above all, seek not happ n ss too gr d ly, and nh i s i be not fearful of u app ne s . For ne ther of i i i i o s e e e . these s real . J y not r al , nor pa n th r we e e i Tao would not be Tao , r you abl to p cture i r se f i i e s t to you l as pa n , as j oy, as happ n s or i is in it unh app ness ! for Tao One Whole , and xi e r how i it is no discords may e st . H a s mply ‘ expressed by Chuang -Tse : The greatest joy is ’ in wil e ni e no j oy . And pa too l hav va sh d for you ! You must never believe pain to be a real

i e i e e e xis e . th ng, an ess nt al l m nt of e t nce Your pain will one day vanish as the mists vanish from in one wi e i e the mounta s . For day you ll r al z how are how natural, spontaneous all facts of existence ! and all the great problems which have held for you mystery and darkness will u - ei i e si e - e i become W W , qu t mpl , non r s stent, 74 WU WEI

no longer a sour ce of marvel to you . For every i i is th ng grows out of Tao , everyth ng a natural part of the great system developed from a single rin i i i e wer t p c ple . Then noth ng w ll hav po o il trouble you nor to rej oice you more . You w l

re ei er will wee . see laugh no mo , n th you p I you as me look up doubtfully, though you found too

r . s w are s ha d , too cold Neverthele s, hen you ome what further advanced you will realize that this i i t be n e e s wi . means, to p rf ct ympathy th Tao ’ in ‘ i wi k w Then, look g upon pa n, you ll no that it i s it is e one day must d sappear, bec au e unr al ! ‘ ’ in wi n s and look g upon j oy, you ll u der tand that it is ri i i e s e but a p m t v and hadowy joy, depend nt n i e ir ms e eri in its upo t m and c cu tanc , and d v g

re exis en e r n r s i appa nt t c f om co t a t with pa n . L in n wi find it w ook g upo a goodly man , you ll holly r he s as he is and il x natu al that hould be , w l e perience a foreshadowing of how much goodlier he will be in that day when he shall no longer ‘ ’ ‘ ’ e resen the in An r p t k d and good . d upon a

r erer wi wi lm ess wi mu d you ll look th all ca n , th neither special love nor special hate ! f or he is r e w in his i i you f llo Tao , and all s n s powerless to ni i e wi i him . e f or th rs an h lat Tao th n Th n , e fi t i e w e are Wu -Wei s not i t m , h n you at la t , n the m m n e se exis in com on hu a s n , t g then all wi be we wi wi i r ll ll th you, and you ll gl de th ough your life as quietly and natu rally as the great sea

e u s. wi r e r b fore Naught ll uffl you peace . Your ee wi be re ess and c s i sl p ll d aml , on c ousness of self 8 i in no w ll br g care . You will see Tao in all TAO 75

i i xi th ngs , be one w th all e stence, and look round on the whole of nature as on something with i i im wi r wh ch you are nt ate as th you self . And passing with calm acceptance thr ough the changes i me i i of day and n ght, sum r and w nter , l fe and e wi one e er i w d ath , you ll day nt nto Tao , here ere is no re th mo change , and whence you issued ” e as e as now onc pur you return . “ er w sa is e Fath , hat you y cl ar and compels i e e . i e is s i so e me and b l f But l f t ll d ar to , I am afraid of death ! I am afraid too lest my friends s die wi e or hi hould , or my f , my c ld ! Death seems to me so black and gloomy and life is bright ri wi b ght th the sun , and the green and flowery ” earth ! “ That is because you fail as yet to feel the per

e r ss e w i is in r i fe t natu alne of d ath , h ch equal eal ty i to that of life . You th nk too much of the in

i i the ee r in i s gn ficant body, and d p g ave wh ch it must lie ! but that is the feeling of a prisoner is e about to be freed , who troubl d at the thought of leaving the dark cell where he has lived so in if e long . You see death contrast to l ! and both are unreal both are a changing and a s i seeming . Your oul does not gl de out of a familiar sea into an unfamiliar ocean . That hi i in r ne e ss w ch s real you, you soul , can v r pa i h r s w his e s e . a ay, and t f ar no part of You mu t i il it wi conquer th s fear for ever ! or, better st l , ll are e e i happen when you old r, and hav l ved r l wi the i Spontaneously, natu a ly, follo ng mot ons of wi se Tao , that you ll of your own accord cea 76 WU WEI

i i wi r f or to feel t . Ne ther ll you then mou n those who have gone home before you ! with whom you will one day be r eunited not know are i ing , yourself, that you reun ted to them, because these contrasts will no longer be ap parent to you . It came to pass once upon a time that ’ C n - s i ie and the wi we was hua g T e s w fe d d, do r n H -T i i l the fou d by ui se s tt ng calm y upon ground, s h i as was his w in i pa sing t e t me, ont, beat ng n Wh Hu i-Tse r i him upo a gong . en all ed upon the i his - seeming ndifference of conduct, Chuang Tse replied : i i Thy way of regard ng things s unnatural . it is was r e At first , true, I t oubl d I could not e e e in re b e otherwise . But aft r som pond r g I flect ed ri i she was i if that o g nally not of th s l e, ei wi b ng not only not born , but thout form alto gether ! and that into this formlessness no lif e

er as e e r e . er e g m had yet p n t at d That nev thel ss, as in su n- w w i e- a armed furro , l f energy then began s i i e-ene w to t r ! out of l f rgy gre form, and form - h s became birth . To day another change a com l t d i s h h i i e e s e as e . e e p t elf, and d d Th s r s mbles the rise u e s : i and fall of the fo r s a ons spr ng, mn r i i e s . s n autu , w nt , ummer She leeps calmly G i se . no w the reat Hou Were I w to weep and a l, it were to act as though the soul of all this had not i i ’ 9 e er t e . enter d nto me , th efore I do no mor i he in im ff e n Th s told a s ple , una cted ma ner r i that showed how natu al t appeared to him. it was But not yet clear to me, and I said TAO 77

I find this wisdom terrible ! it almost makes i Li m e afra d . fe would seem to me so cold and ” w e i i empty, er I as w se as th s . “ ” i e is i L f cold and empty, he answered , qu etly, but with no trace of contempt in his tone ! are i i i l and men as decept ve as l fe tse f . There is k w i s f not one who no s h m el , not one who knows his li fellows ! and yet they are all a ke . There is in i i i i e t s e . , fact , no such th ng as l f ! unr al in I could say no more, and stared before me to h i s e ee i t e twilight . The mounta n wer Sl p ng peace in er -li e i e fully the tend , bloom k sh mm r of vague ni — is i w i i ght m ts ly ng lo ly, l ke ch ldren , beneath h e w was i i i t e broad heavens . B lo us an nd st nct i k i i i tw nling of l ttle red l ghts . From the d stance i rose a sad monotonous song, the wa l of a flute accompanying it . In the depths of the dark es in it s e n s lay the sea maj sty , and the sound of infi nit u de swelled far and wide . in Then there arose me a great sadness , and my eyes filled as with passionate insistence i i i ! I asked h m : And what of fr endsh p , then and what of love! ” him i He looked at me . I could not see pla nly e his in the darkness , but ther shone from eyes a i i sw : cur ous soft l ght, and he an ered gently “ h i in i e . These are t e best th ngs l fe , by v ry far They are one with the first stirring of Tao within wi k you . But one day you ll now of them as little as the stream knows of it s banks when it i is lost in the endless ocean . Th nk not that I would tea ch you to banish love from your heart ! 78 WU WEI

f or i T that would be to go aga nst ao . Love be i e the what you love, and not m sl d by thought that love is a hindrance which holds you in

bondage . To banish love from your heart would and i w be a mad earthly act on, and ould put you u e w e r f rth r a ay from Tao than you hav eve been . sa l one is I y only, that love wil day van h of itself i r i is w thout you know ng, and that Tao not — e . so Lov But forget not, that far as I desire it it is , and so far as good for you I am speak in r i g to you of the ve y h ghest things. Were e in is if m n I only sp ak g of th l e and of e , I should : i h i f say Love s t e h ghest of all . But or him who is s e i in is i ab orb d aga n to Tao, love a th ng s r pa t and fo gotten . “ ow it has r and im N , g own late, I would not r i pa t too much to you at first . You w ll surely esire ee Wi hi the e e i d to sl p t n T mpl , and I w ll re e wi m p pare your couch . Com th e and de ” scend the mountain with all caution ! He lit i e i e his a l ttl l ght , and h ld out hand

me . w we. ee e s e . to lead Slo ly proc d d , t p by step He was as careful of me as though I had been his i he i e er s ee es e ch ld ! l ghted my path at v y t p d c nt, and led me i all gently forward , tak ng heed of my n moveme ts . e r i e the we the Wh en w a r v d at foot , he sho d me “ i - rin l ttle guest chamber set apart for manda s, and fetched pillow and covering f or me . “ ” i e r e r ! d . I thank you , Fath r , f om my h a t I sa Wh en shall I ever be able to Show my grati t ude!

CHAPTER II

” HAT is art! I asked the hermit . We were sitting upon the mountain i i i h w r . Be s de, n t e shado of an ove hang ng rock fore u s stretched the sea one endless gleam of G s i s d i i light in the sunshine . olden a l were r v ng i r it and w i ls s in in qu etly ove , h te seagul weep g in s i hi i r i noble cur v g l ghtly ther and th the , wh le e sn w- r s e and i gr at , o pu e cloud cam up sa led by in the e s i in e s blu , maje t c progr ss, teady and slow . “ It is as natural as the sea the birds the ”

s he nswere . i wil cloud , a d I do not th nk you l find i r r nd th s so ha d to g asp a feel as Tao . You e n r n e s hav o ly to look a ou d you arth, cloud , in wi i s ere e er e t . atmo ph , v yth g ll t ach you Poetry 11 h s xis as n as n n r a e ted lo g heave a d ea th . “ Beauty was born with the heavens and the Th n th n an h r . u d ea th e s , e moo , t e red mists of rnin e eni i i e e er mo g and v ng llum n ach oth , and yet inexhaustible and wonderful as are the ’ changes presented by them Nature s great e e e exi i phenom na th r st no p gments , as for

r en e i . ga m ts , to dye th m w thal All phenomena the w i s n of orld br ng forth ound whe set in motion , and every sound implies some motion which has 80 ART 8 1

i Th caused t . e greatest of all sounds are wind and thunder . “ Listen to the mountain stream racing over the rocks ! As soon as it is set in motion the sound it i of h gh or low, short or long makes itself e l i ws i h ard , not actual y accord ng to the la of mus c , it is r e i i t u , yet hav ng a certa n rhythm and system . “ This is the spontaneous voice of heaven and i is earth ! the vo ce that caused by movement . “ Well ! In the purest state of the human heart when the fire of the Spirit is at it s brightest e if it wi th n, be moved , that too ll give forth I w sound . S it not a ondrous metamorphosis that out of this a literature Should be created! ” “ ” So Poetry is the sound of the heart! how hi is i You will feel natural t s . Poetry s ee e to be heard and s n everywher , for the whole of Nature is one great poet . But just because f i s i i i e e is it so i u n o t s mpl c ty, th r fore str ct and h the i i e . W s alterabl ere spr ng of movement , h An there flows the sound of t e poem . y other sound is no poetry . The sound must come quite of itself Wu -Wei it cannot be generated by ! any artifi ces. There are many how many who by unnatural movement force forth sound ! bu t these are no poets rather do they resemble

w i r . apes and parrots . Fe ndee d are the t ue poets w i si From these the verse flo s of tself, full of mu c , powerful as the roaring of the torrent amongst the i in the rocks , as roll ng of thunder the clouds , e i s w soft as the swishing of an ev n ng ho er , or the - ! gentle breath of a summer night breeze . Hark 82 WU WEI hark to the sea at our feet ! Is it not singing a wondrous song! Is it not a very poem! — is i ! in it not pure mus c See how the waves sway, ceaseless mobility one after the other one over the other swinging onward and onward ever further and further returning to vanish in music once more ! Dost thou hear their rhythmic rushing! Oh ! great and Simple must sea ! His a poet be like the movement, like ea is im e in that of the s , an puls out of Tao, and n i if e s e ie i that tra qu l , str les , ob d nt as a ch ld

im lf . i must he let h se go Great, great s the sea l

is the . Great , great poet But greater greater ” i i is ! s Tao , that wh ch not great i i in s a He was S lent, l sten g to the e , and I saw i t i how the mus c of i entered nto him. I had reflected much since hearing his fir st words was concerning Tao . I fearful lest his great and il s a n e a i lofty ph osophy hould me d ath to the rt st, in i in and that I also, g v g myself over to this is his l e i w dom of , shou d becom ncapable of feeling i i i o the nsp rat on of the p et, and of being any more hi i r the i c ld shly en aptured at s ght of beauty. But he himself was standing there in the purest a we no ecst sy, as though he re w looking upon firs i e en the sea for the t t m ! and rever tly, with hi in es i the h S n g ey , he l stened to rus of the waves. “ ” “ it a i ul ! i Is not be ut f he sa d again, is it not i hi n a beaut ful, t s sou d, th t came out of Tao, n ! i li the sou dless th s ght , that shone out of i ! w - i : Tao , the l ghtless and the ord mus c verse, born of Tao the wordless! Do we not live in an ART 83 endless mystery! resolving one day into ab ” solute truth ! i i I was a long t me s lent . But it s very sim licit p y was hard for me to grasp . And I asked “ him doubtfully : Can it really be so easy to make and Sing poems! It is surely not so easy for u s to bring forth verse as for the stream to rush over the rocks! Must we not first practise i r s e r and tra n ou selve , and l a n to know the verse forms thoroughl y! And is not that voluntary ” i e i i ! act on , rath r than nvoluntary mot on es i did him My qu t on not embarrass , and he answered at once : “ l Do not et that perplex you . All depends on whether a man has in him the true spring from i th f e er e w or . wh ch v s should lo , not Has he t he pure impulse from Tao within him! or is his life-motive something less simply beautiful! If h ha s s ur e in him he is if h i e that o c a poet , e has t hi i e u e i not he is none . By t s t m you s r ly real ze si e e r i s i men that , con d r d f om a h gh tandpo nt , all

f or e r are really poets ! , as I hav told you, the e i m e e i ri in i s exists n all en the ss nt al, o g al mpul e emanating from and returning to Tao . But rarely do we fi nd this impulse alert and strongly developed rarely are men endowed with per!

h i e e e i ns e ception of t e h gh r r v lat o of b auty, thr ough which their bank-bound lif e-stream flows i x r till lost in boundless eternity . One m ght e p ess it thus : that ordinary men are like still water . in in t he i s r y e e swampy ground , m d t of poo g t ation while poets are clear streams, flowing 84 WU WEI

amidst the splendour of luxuriant banks to the w endless ocean. But I ould rather not speak s is i so much in symbol , for that not pla n enough . You would fain know whether a man who has the true inspiration of the poet must not i hi e in his nevertheless tra n ms lf somewhat art, e in it e i e hi f or whether he mov s nt r ly of msel , like natu re! The latter is without doubt the case ! i s i - For a young poet, hav ng tud ed verse form in i S i all ts variety for but a hort t me, suddenly comes to find these forms so natural as to preclude his r r Hi inclination f o any othe . s verse assumes i i ri i beaut ful form nvolunta ly, S mply because other i movement would be alien . That s just the dif ference between the poet and the dilettante i s his r s that the poet s ng ve se pontaneously, from his own i erw i i fi mpulse, and aft ards, prov ng t , nds it to be right in sound in rhythm in all it s ie movement ! whereas the d l ttante, af ter fir st a kin imse i r - m r g out for h lf a certa n ve se form, according to the approved pattern of the art s e i learned, proceed to proj ct by ma n force a series l s r of wholly sou le s wo ds upon it . The soulful words of the poet flowed of themselves just be

s . if w cause they were oulful And, e View things in ei i e e th r true l ght, th r do actually exist no hard and e s fast forms for po try, and ab olutely no laws ! for a verse which flows spontaneously from it s ur i se is i so ce moves of t lf, and ndependent of all preconceived human standards ! The one law is b l that there shall e no aw . Mayhap you will find i - ri ! th s over da ng, young man But remem ART 85 ber that my demonstrations are taken not from kn men, but out of Tao , and that I ow, moreover, but very f ew true poets . The man who is simple i i and pure as Nature s rare ndeed . Think you ” that there are many such in your own land! i This unexpected quest on embarrassed me, his ri and I wondered what could be d ft . It was him fi hard to answer, too , so I asked rst another question : “ i Great Master, I cannot answer unt l I hear ” Wh does e ! more from you . y a po t make a poem s i him mi i That seemed to a ton sh ght ly, for he e e it i if r peat d , as though doubt ng he had heard aright : “ ” Why does a poet make a poem! ” Y es e ! , Mast r, why i i : Then he laughed outr ght , and sa d “ Why does the sea roar! Why does the bird in ! k w ! ” s g Do you no that, my son “ it s Because they cannot help , Father, becau e they Simply must give their nature vent in that ” way ! It is Wu -Wei! “ so ! e ul it Quite W ll , and why sho d be diff erent with a poet! ” i w I cons dered , and my ans er came none too readily : “ it ma iff . Yes, but y be d erent A poet may sing for t he sake of creating or enriching a litera is it is in e ture, where there none , or dang r of h fine is dying out . That as a sound , but no pure i in r e motive . Or some poets s ng o der to cov r themselves with glory to be famous , to be 8 6 WU WEI c hi i u in mi rowned with S n ng la rels , and to ga s les i i -e i s wi f rom the fa r , br ght yed ma den stre ng ” fl owers on the path before them ! “ You must express yourself with greater ex ” “ a ss i the e i e e r e ctne , sa d h rm t, and not d s c at For e words which thousands hold sacred . po ts who sing f or such reasons are no poets at all . A H si wi poet sings because he Sings. e cannot ng th

a n i e r se he e es ie e . y g v n pu po , or b com a d l ttant n r in s The , Fathe , suppos g a poet to have ung si as ir he w s e as mply a b d , may after ard tak pleasure in the laurels and the roses! May he j ealously hate those who wear the . laurels of which he deems himself worthy! or can he believe ’ his n i i n e soul s co v ct o s, and call b auty ugly, despising the beauty which he has created! Can th i h ur he call e beaut ful hateful, because t e la els come from unwelcome hands! Can he drape im f in s iff h sel a fal e garb , and elect to act d er

e in i r ently from oth r men, order to ga n p ominence through eccentricity! Can he deem himself better than the common run of men! — Should he press the common b ands which applaud him! May he hate them who deride instead of hon ou ring him! How can you interpret to me all these things! They all appear so strange me in is wi i to , compar on th the l ttle bird and the ” great sea ! “ All e i ri these qu st ons, young f end , are an sw m es i i f r h an er to y qu t on , he repl ed ! o t e fact that you would know all this is a proof that e th re are not many poets in your country . Re

88 WU WEI though I were telling stranger things than you li have ever dared to dream . But I am tel ng i nd nothing but the pla nest truth, simple a natural i as the truth in landscape or sea . Hav ng dwelt until so lately mid the strenuous lif e of your coun i i i t r men e e S . y , you have n v r yet seen true mpl c ty For so long you have heard nothing spoken of ‘ ’ ‘ ’ ‘ ’ ‘ ’ in s r i but fame , earn g , honou , art sts and ‘ ’ i m i w e e i m ortal ty, that, for all you kno , th s th ngs b in is ns ir e i e may e d pe able as a , and v r tabl as i i i s . t s e i e your oul But all a se m ng and dec pt on . Those whom you have seen may indeed have n s r l bee poet of t ue fibre , but they had been ed astray from the impulse derived from Tao which

as ir if e- i i did i w the l pr nc ple, and they not rema n e we e s e es what th y r , but ank through their w akn s to the nature of commonplace men . So that e e r i men th y have com to do as o d nary do , only they do it more strongly . So much do I gather i i from your quest on ng . But all these are poets no nd wi sin no n longer , a ll g more true poetry so lo g as they remain as they are . For the smallest deviation from the original impulse is sufficient to kill the poetry within them . There is but the one direct way : single and simple as a maid r i i en uncomp omising as a stra ght line . Th s straight line is spontaneity ! on either side of it lie ' false activity and the unnatural also the roads e and i w e to fam notor ety, her occur murder , and t e ri i sudden dea h , and wh re one bosom f end w ll suck the life-blood from another to fur ther the i i i attainment of h s own ends . The stra ght l ne ART 89

its own wi i i cuts way, thout dev at on or secret i i in i in i i fi i w nd ngs , s mple cont uance nto n n ty . “ e s You understand th n , that thu , by the i s i i hi nature of th ng , all those s tuat ons w ch would convert the poet into the sacrifi cial victim of the

i r mob become imposs ble . You have p obably in i i u read , the h story al ke of yo r country and own i ri my , of poets who have d ed of g ef at want ni i who e ei i of recog t on , or have tak n th r own l ves on account of undeserved contu mely . I have i w i ndeed al ays felt the pathos of th s, yet have realized that to such poets as these the term i truly great cannot be appl ed . “ And i s I am Speak ng, of cour e, not of the art

i is . st s of speech only, but of all art ts Shall I show you now something by an artist as true and simple-minded as I can conceive a man to be! ” Come with me then ! He led me into a small chamber in his bu t a cell with white walls and no furniture save er wi the bed , a table cov ed th books , and a few in the w re chairs . He opened a door all, and d w i i out from it a wooden chest . Th s he carr ed as carefully as though it had been some sacred i set it en object or a little ch ld . He g tly down e the lid i upon the floor, open d , and l fted out a i - i closed shr ne of red brown wood , wh ch he placed upon the tabl e . “ ” “ his is e i i See, he remarked , t a b aut ful shr ne , i i s e to begin with . A beaut ful th ng mu t hav a e en i e r beautiful setting . At pr s t the l ttl doo s are find i i : t o shut . Do you not th s a goodly dea 90 WU WEI

be able ever thus to hold it hidden from profane i ” eyes! But before you I may well open t . shri And the two wings of the ne flew apart . Against a background of pale blue Silk ap e e e i hi m peared a larg figur , gl am ng, and s m er

.in iff i w er i its own. g, and d us ng a ond ful rad ance of Y in e It was the Buddha Kwan , s ated upon a lotus i e s i and that reared ts lf, tra ght, graceful, and u i 13 modestly opened, above a t mult of w ld waves . “ Do you perceive the utter Simplicity and ” beauty of this! he asked me ! and in his voice “ there spoke a great and tender love . Is not this the very embodiment of perfect rest! How serene is the countenance how wonderfully et how ense i it s tender, and y t ly grave, w th closed i i i i ! See eyes gaz ng nto nfin ty the cheek, how delicate and tender ! See the mouth and the lofty cu rving of the eyebrows and the 14 pure pearl gleaming above her forehead symbol of a soul taking it s flight from the body ! And the body how f ew are the lines of it ! Yet see : what infinite love and mercifulness in the downward pose of the left arm ! and in the uplifted i i two r ise fi e s r ght arm w th a d ng r , held together as in the act of preaching what an indescrib able holiness ! And how beautiful the repose of the crossed legs resting so softly upon the lotus ! And see e er e how t nd ly f lt, notwithstanding the immense strength and restraint of the whole the i e the e del cate sol s of fe t , curved with such subtle gentleness ! Is it not the quintessence of the whole of Buddhism in a single picture! ART 91

Y ou need not to have read anyt hing of Buddhism

r i it now in i in orde to apprec ate , here , all ts in is it e most meaning . Rest not absolut rest this ideally pure countenance gazing thus stilly into eternity! Love is it not absolute love f or the world this simple drooping of the arm! And is not the essence of the whole doctrine grasped and confi ned in the pose of the uplifted fingers! And then the material of which such a figure i i re i e w t as th s s made ! So you al z , I onder , tha an artist such as this must have laboured for years and years before his material became as pure and ethereal as be requir ed it to be! For the nature of stone is so hard is it not! and the general idea of it : matter that would suit but ill for the plastic representation of the ideal

t he is w conception : Rest . So art t rought upon i mm eri a all k nds of co on mat als such as cl y, sand , s r e e s and earth , and tran fo m d th m , by mean of fit and harmonious combination with precious

s er in s e . stones , pearl , and j asp , to costly sub tanc s And so the material f or this figure became some in was n er eri e the th g that no lo g mat al , but rath r rn i n i The r i i inca at o of a sublim e dea . a t st w shed to symbolize also in his representation the rosy dawn which broke upon mankind on the appear e so shim in r anc of Buddha ! and , mer g th ough the w i e his e in he i s snowy h t of porc la , ntroduced ju t such a vague rosy glow as plays upon the morn ing clouds before t he glory of the su n bursts forth .

i l -r i i i m in Is not th s ha f eal zed , grow ng l ght ore 92 WU WEI stinct with feeling than light itself! Can you i is i i e et perce ve th most ndefin t , y clear and rosy colour shimmering throughout the white! Is it not chaste as the first soft blush of a maiden! Is it not the godly love of the artist which thus glows in the pureness of the white! Such a figu re h i i is in no n er u re . T e e , fact , lo g a fig d a of mater al ” i r i i i ir i n is entirely obl te ated ! t s an nsp at o . For i e was s a long t m I too much moved to peak. More strongly yet than the pure wisdom of the did the e i art e old man , b auty of th s tak hold upon and purify my soul . At last I asked gently : “ Who has created this marvel! I would fain k w his i in no , that I may hold name w th yours r i vene at on . “ ” is i e i i ! That of l ttl mportance, my young fr end “ The as in i r i he answered . soul that w th s a t st is s i in s as rs b ab orbed aga n to Tao , ju t you will e His has e w li th one day . body fall n a ay, ke e e ree s rs in leav s from a t , ju t as you time will fall W wei can hi ! away . hat ght attach then to s name e r ss wi e it h N ve thele , I ll t ll you ! e was called 15 Wei he en r e is e in fin l Tan , and g av d th nam e y e ise r e the h d v d cha act rs upon back of t e figure, ei the s i such b ng cu tom at that t me . Wh o was he! m w r m s r A co mon o k an, u ely, who did not e en n w i se was i v k o , h m lf, that he an art st ! who seemed to himself nothing more than a common a who t pe sant , and had not he least suspicion that his was i work so bea ut ful . But he must have the e n gazed much at h ave s and clouds above him, and h the wi e h ave loved de s as , and t e landscapes, ART 93 and the flowers ! otherwise he could not have been so fine in feeling ! for such Simple lines and e rs in pur colou are only to be found Nature . He was certainly not celebrated ! you will not find his in i name any h story . I could not tell you

e e how i e wh nce he cam , he l v d , or to what age . I know only that it is more than four hundred

e si r s w e e y ars nce such figu es as the e er mad , and that connoisseurs reckon that this one dates from

fir s the in - n the t half of M g Dy asty . Most prob ably the artist lived quite quietly the same sort

if e as the er w in ri of l oth people , orked dust ously

m n ur er i u u as a com o labo , and d ed h mbly, m conscious of his own greatness . But his work e ine and i i w i r e r ma d , th s mage, h ch by a fo tunat n it s wa is is i cha ce has found y to th d tr ct , where h s s e r e is i e as t e la t war n ver ag d , st ll the sam i it when he made t . And thus may last on for e u i s in in x i i i centuries and c nt r e , e t ngu shable rad

in i e es . re e ance , ma d nly maj ty O , to c at such in in re s i i li i a th g , pu , uncon c ous s mp c ty that is to be a poet ! That is the art which dates not from time but from eternity ! How beautiful it ! i e i it is ! Do you not find so too Th s porc la n, i hi i e whi that is alm ost indestruct ble ! t s rad anc , ch the r it n s never dies away ! Here upon ea th sta d , t so e it wil be n so strong and ye tend r , and so l , lo g — after ou r successors are dead ! And the soul ” of the art ist is wit h Tao !

We continued long to look upon the image .

Then he took careful hold of the shrine once more . “ ” “ he i a It is so delicate , sa d , that I hardly d re 94 WU WEI

hi i e to expose it to broad daylight . For t s m racl of tenderness ethereal as a soul the daylight in xi i is too hard . I feel a k d of an ety lest the l ght should suddenly break it in pieces ! or cause it to dissolve like a little light cloud so wholly soul ” like is it s composition ! And r the hri softly, ve y softly, he replaced s ne

wi h i he . t in the chest, wh ch closed

He went out now, before me, and we seated in k ourselves again beneath the overhang g roc . “ ” “ i it w be i if How beaut ful ould , I sa d, every in lik in i li i one could make th gs e that, all s mp c ty, ” wi r ! and surround themselves th them, eve ywhere “ ” “ n r is Every one ! he a swe ed ! well, that per haps too much to expect ! But there really was once a time when this great kingdom was one r d s i great temple of a t an beauty . You may t ll i e see the traces of it here in China . At that t m the greater number of the people were simple e i e minded artists . All obj cts surround ng th m we if the m lle hi re beaut ul , s a st t ng as well as the re e it were e e g at st whether a t mple , a gard n ,

i or ni e . x a table , a cha r, a k f Just e amine the i - the e l ttle tea cups , or small st censers of that period ! The poorest coolie ate out of vessels as ir as - perf ect in the way my Kwan Y in image . All t e i i vol objec s were b aut fully made, and n il i e u nt ar y so . The s mpl artisans did not con ’ i e i s in s d r themselves art st , or any way diff erent i - from the r fellow men, and no petty strife can e t have arisen betwe n hem , otherwise there would d have been an en of their art . Everything was

96 WU WEI

in what was my mind as I looked at him, for he said : “ We fit as natu rally into this beauty around us in as a tree or a mountain . If we can but rema w s we S i in own so al ay , hall reta n the feel g of our well-being amid all the great workings of the r - i wo ld system . So much has been sa d about human life ! and scholars have created such an endless labyrinth of theories ! And yet in it s in s er e it is as i in s mo t k n l pla n as Nature . All th g

e in sim i i in is r in are qual pl c ty, and noth g eally si we er c it s confu on, ho v mu h may eem as though r r i it we e so . Eve yth ng moves surely and in l evit ab y as the sea . There rang in his voice both the great love of the poet and the quiet assurance of the scholar who s his s n i n r r i r take ta d upon nco t ove t ble t uth . “ Ar e you satisfied f or to-d ay! was his friendly “ question ! and have I helped you forward a little! ” Do you feel more clearly what poetry is! “ “ nswere wis is Father , I a d , your dom poetry, ” and your poetry is wisdom ! How can that be! “ is i e r e r r in iew That qu t t u , f om you po t of v , “ e et r he answered . But you hav y to lea n that

all these words are but a seeming . I know not i s is nor e . s one . what my wi dom , my po try It all It is so Simple and natural when you understand ” this! It is all Tao . CHAPTER III

L OVE

NCE it was ni more eve ng . We sat again upon

the i -si e i the soft turf of mounta n d , the qu et ness of our mood in sympathy with the solemn s il n ii t l ess of tw l ght . The distant mountain ranges reposed in an atmosphere breathing rever ence and devotion they seemed to be kneeling e e the e e e th s - i b n ath h av ns , b neath e low d escend ng i i blessing of n ght . The solated trees dotted ere ere the i i s h and th about h lls stood mot onles , i i i in a pause of s lent worsh pp ng . The rush of the sea e is in is i in it s ow sound d d tant and d t nct , lost n i re e s . r g atn s Peace lay over eve yth ng, and soft

s w r er . sound ent up , as of p ay er i re i ifi e The h m t stood befo me , d gn ed as a tr e

h i s e a e- i s iri in t e m d t of Natur , and w n p ng as the

evening itself .

I had returned to question him again . For my re r him mi soul found no pose apa t from , and a ghty now impulse was stirring within me . But that I

l n r him e found myse f ea , I hardly dar d to speak ! and indeed it seemed as though words were no e e e as e i long r n c ssary though veryth ng lay, of i l i se e e . How t f, op n and cl ar as dayl ght goodly and simple everything appeared that evening ! Was it not my own inmost being that I recognized 97 98 WU WE I in all the beauty around me! and was not the whole on the point of being absorbed into the Eterna l! Nevertheless I broke in upon this train of e e l Si e e wi feeling, and cl ft the peac fu l nc th my voice : “ “ a ll w Father, I said s dly, a your ords have k i i and s is fil wi sun nto my m nd, my oul led th the i i balm of them . This soul of m ne s no longer my — i own no longer what I used to be . It s as though I were dead : and I know not what is taking place within me by day and by night i it i e caus ng to grow so l ght, and cl ar, and vacant

in in . k w it is i i my m d Father, I no Tao ! t s and i s e i it i death, glor ou resurr ct on ! but s not i e love ! and w thout love, Tao app ars to me but ” a gloomy lie. The old man looked round him at the evening s i e e scene , and m l d g ntly. “ ” h is ! s W at love he a ked calmly. Are you ” r ! su e about that, I wonder “ ” am r r No , I not su e, I answe ed . I do not k w hin it is s no anyt g about , but that ju t the reason

it s e sse ne . Y es x of gr at ble d ss , do but let me e re it ! e : e ai p ss I m an lov of a m den, love of a n — I e e w it as woma rem mber yet, Fath r, hat w me w e i and to h n I saw the ma den , my soul knew

e i the i . i s a i d l ght for first t me It was l ke a e , l ke

e e i . w i a broad h av n , l ke death It as l ght and i ! I had been bl nd It hurt , Father my heart e i b at so v olently and my eyes burned . The was i wer s n world a fire , and all th ngs e tra ge, and

100 WU WEI

- she were the direct born expression of Tao . For Sh w w w e me e as the orld, and the orld lay d ad i h r m h r. around e I saw noth ng but e , and for e e xis i ree men th re e ted no such th ngs as t s, , or clouds . She was more beautiful than this eve i r se is n n ng, gentle than the lines of tho d tant mou i s r e er e ree- s ta n , mo e t nd than those hush d t top ! and the light of her presence was more blessed to see than the still Shining of yonder star . I will was re i not tell you her story . It mo scorch ng

e - fir it was than a v ry hell e but not real, and i i i t s e now ss . ov r , l ke a storm that has pa ed It seemed to me that I must die ! I longed to flee from i i my pa n nto death . But there came a dawn in in w i com r e g my soul, and all gre l ght and p e h i l n hi was . s i e s b e. Not ng lost All wa yet as t had been . The beauty which I believed to have en e i i in be tak n from me l ved on st ll, spotless, F r i e . or w mys lf not f om th s oman , out of my soul had this beauty Sprung ! and this I saw ini e w i i sh ng yet , all ov r the orld , w th an everlast ng i e re w s rad anc , Natu a no other than what I had fashioned to myself out of that Shadowy form of

w . was one wi a oman And my soul th Nature, and floated with a like rhythm towards the eternal

Tao .

C his i ' almed by calmness, I sa d She whom I is loved dead , Father She who culled my soul hi w e as a c ld culls a flo er n ver became my wife . wif now But I have a e , a miracle of strength and wi i goodness, a fe who s essential to me as light and air. I do not love her as I even now love the LOVE 101

dead . But I know that she is a purer human i i i be ng than that other . How s t then that I do not love her so much! She has transformed my wild and troubled life into a tranquil march to wards death . She is simple and true as Nature i s is e t elf, and her face d ar to me as the sun light . i P , i You love her, ndeed sa d the sage, but

w i . you kno not what love means , nor lov ng I will i i tell t you . Love s no other than the rhythm of

. : are e Tao I have told you you com out of Tao , i and to Tao you will retur n . Wh lst you are young with your soul still enveloped in dark e in fi i e wi i n ss the shock of the rst mpuls th n you, i r you know not yet wh ther you a e trending . You i see the woman before you . You bel eve her to w w i is i i be that to ards h ch the rhythm dr v ng you . e the w is r But even wh n oman you s, and you have i the her the thr lled at touch of , you feel rhyt hm i e w yet with n you , unappeas d , and kno that you w r e r er if w i i must for a d , ev r fu th , you ould br ng t it is in s th to a standstill . Then that the oul of e e i e man and of the woman th re ar s s a great sadness , one e s i i w i and they look at anoth r, que t on ng h ther Ge they are now bound . ntly they clasp one if another by the hand , and move on through l e, s e i e w r the swayed by the am mpuls , to a ds same i i i e if . W s e! goal . Call th s lov you w ll hat a nam se who I call it Tao . And the souls of tho love are i in i e i like two wh te clouds float g softly s d by s de, i e i i that van sh , waft d by the same w nd , nto the ” infinite blue of the heavens . 102 WU WEI

” But that is not the love that I mean ! I cried . Love is not the desire to see the loved one ab sorbed into Tao ! love is the longing to be always with her ! the deep yearning for the blending of in e i in the two souls one ! the hot d s re to soar, i i i ! And i one breath with her, nto fel c ty th s always with the loved one alone not with

r i . we e r e othe s, not w th Nature And, r I abso b d i ll i i e be f or e s ! nto Tao , a th s happ n ss would ver lo t l t e in hi w r wi Oh e me stay her , t s goodly o ld , th my faithful companion ! Here it is so bright and is i i homely, and Tao st ll so gloomy and nscrutable ” for me . “ i i w The hot des re d es out , he ans ered calmly . The body of your loved one will wither and pass away within the cold earth . The leaves of the

in and the wi r trees fade autumn, thered flowe s H droop sadly to the ground . ow can you love w i s ! we e that so much h ch does not la t Ho v r, you n w in i k o , truth, as yet, ne ther how you love nor what it is that you love . The beauty of woman is but a vague reflection of the formless beauty of i it w n i Tao . The emot on a akens, the lo g ng to r e i lose yourself in he b auty, that ecstasy of feel ng which would lend wings f or the flight of your soul i - i with the beloved beyond hor zon bounds, nto it is r regions of bliss believe me , no othe than the rhythm of Tao ! only you know it not . You resemble still the river which knows as yet only it s shimmering banks ! which has no knowledge of the power that draws it forward ! but which will one day inevitably flow out into the great ocean .

104 WU WEI

x Y e e perienced by your wife . are for each e who ea one un other ang ls , l d another to Tao ” consciously . I th s was si w i e e in . n e I lent for a h le , r fl ct g oft colouring and stillness of the evening lay a great t s n s s . th i W ere he u adne s About e hor zon , h had e i ere in red i set, th re gl mm d a streak of fa t l ght, like dying pain . “ W is i e s e in hat th s sadn s , th n, the Nature ” “ r in h around us! I asked . Is the e not that t e twilight as though the whole earth were weeping ri n in ! how h rn with a g evous lo g g See S e mou s, s i es es r i - with the e fad ng hu , th e d oop ng tree tops , and solemn mountains. Human eyes must fill wi s w en is re rie th tear , h th g at g f of Nature looms It is within their Sight . as though she were longing f or her beloved as though everything e s n ins e ens we l s a , mou ta and h av re fu l of ” mourning . “ And the Sage replied : It is the same pain i i in h wh ch cr es t e hearts of men. Your own ‘ ’ n in i r in r Th lo g g qu ve s Natu e too . e Heimweh ‘ ’ the e eni is s the ei we of v ng al o H m h of your soul . u ha s s her e : wi Yo r soul lo t lov Tao , th whom she once was one ! and your soul desires re- union s r — i with her love . Ab olute e un on with Tao is not that an immense love! to be so absolutely wi d are w s one th the belove that you holly her , she wholly yours ! a union so full and eternal that neither death nor life can ever cleave your oneness again! So tranquil and pure that desire can no more awaken in you perfect blessedness LOVE 105

i i be ng atta ned , and a holy and permanent peace! is i For Tao one s ngle, eternal , pure in fi i n tu de of soul . “ Is that not more perfect than the love of a w n! i sad e e oma th s poor , lov , ach day of which reveals to you some sullying of the clear life of the soul by dark and sanguine passion! When you are s e in wi ab orb d to Tao , then only ll you be com let el i wi s p y, eternally un ted th the oul of your e wi s s men b loved , th the oul of all , your brothers , and with the soul of Natur e . And the f ew mo ments of blessedness fleetingly enj oyed by all lovers upon earth are as nothing in comparison with that endless bliss : t he blending of the souls ” i r i of all who love n an ete n ty of perfect purity . A horizon of blessedness opened out before my wi er i soul, d than the vague hor zon of the sea, wider than the heavens . ” ! i in e it Father I cr ed cstasy, can be that i is e e er k w it ! everyth ng so holy, and I hav n v no n fi i I have been so lled w th longing, and so worn out with weeping ! and my breast has been heavy with sobs and dread . I have been so consumed with fear ! I have trembled at the thought of ! es ire i s i death I have d pa d of all th ng be ng good , e when I saw so much suffering around me . I hav i believed myself damned , by reason of the w ld

si i i u in i i pas ons, the bod ly des res, b rn g w th n and i w i flaming without me pass ons h ch , though i w - i e n hating them , I st ll was, co ard l k , condem ed Wi w s e to serve . th hat breathles horror I hav flo r- i realized how the tender, we l ke body of my 106 WU WEI love must one day moulder and crumble away h r e ! e e ie in t e cold, da k arth I hav b l ved that I should never feel again that blessed peace at the i s r hi look n her eye , th ough w ch her soul was as it ! Shining . And w Tao was Tao really even i hi me i i f i ! then always w t n , l ke a fa th ul guard an and was it Tao that shone from her eyes! Was Tao in everything that surrou nded me ! in the h s and sea! i clouds, t e tree the Is the nmost ei e s i s b ng of arth and heaven, then, al o the nmo t being of my beloved and my own soul! IS it that for which there burns within me that mys t riou s n i w i did not e e lo g ng h ch I und rstand , and which drove me so restlessly onward! I thought it was leading me away from the beloved and that I was ceasing to love her ! Was it really the rhythm of Tao , then , that moved my beloved too! s e in whi the am as that ch all nature breathes, and all suns and planets pursue their shining course throughout eternity! Then all is indeed made ! is i ee in in holy then Tao nd d everyth g, as my s is in ! e ! i i oul Tao Oh, Fath r, Father t s growing so light in my heart ! My soul seems to foresee that which will come one day ! and the heavens

e e s a r i abov us , and the gr at e , they fo etell t t oo ! See re e i , how ver nt s the pose of these trees n u s see lines of n in arou d and the the mou ta s , how soft in their holy repose ! All Nature is fil led i e w th sacr d awe , and my soul too thrills with e s a h ” c t sy, for s e has looked upon her beloved ! in i I sat there long, s lent , still forgetfulness. It was to me as though I were one with the soul

108 WU WEI

i it mu st pa n, but I cannot help . You return to the world and your fellow-men it cannot be other

wise . You have spoken too much with me already ! perhaps I have said somewhat too much

r e o to you . Your fu th r growth must be your wn i r in do ng , and you must find out eve yth g for

i r d i se . n your lf Be only s mple of hea t, a you w ll i er i wi eff i e i d scover ev yth ng thout ort, l k a ch ld i i find ng flowers . At th s moment you feel deeply

i i r s and purely what I have sa d to you . Th s p e ent i n h i mood s o e of t e h ghest moments of your life . But you cannot yet be strong enough to maintain i it . a e s ir i You will rel ps , and p tual feel ng will r i n i n tu n aga n to words a d theor es . O ly by slow degrees will you grow once more to feel it purely

e it e e . W e is and k ep p rman ntly h n that so , then you may return hither in peace and then you will do well to remain here ! but by that t M e

I shall be long dead . “ You must complete your growth in the midst if e si e it et of l , not out d ! for you are not y pure

ri e e it . e it is enough to s abov A mom nt ago , r e were e e e the r i t u , you qual v n to that, but eact on i i s s w ll soon set n. You may not hun the re t of nki s ma nd ! they are your equal , even though they so s may not feel purely a you do . You can go e eir e e e amongst th m as th comrad , and tak th m by the hand ! only do not let them look upon as s i so i your soul , so long they are t ll far beh nd i . not you , They would mock you from ev l i e e i i i m ndedn ss , but rather out of r l g ous persuas on, ei n e how i h od b ng u awar utterly m serable, ow g LOVE 109

rs are a d less , how fo aken they , n how far from e in i all thos holy th gs by wh ch you actually live . You must be so strong in your conviction that nothing can hinder you . And that you will only i become after a long and b tter struggle . But e s wi r w out of your t ar ll g o your strength, and wi i through pain you ll atta n peace . Above all e e e e rem mb r that Tao , Po try and Lov are one and e e fi i the sam , although you may s ek to de ne t by these several vague terms ! that it is always wi hi r u it e t n you and a o nd you , that n ver for sakes you ! and that you are safe and well cared i for in th s holy environment . You are sur wi e s e e e rounded th ben fits, and h lt r d by a love in is which is eternal . Everyth g rendered holy thr ough the primal force of Tao dwelling within i ” t . He Spoke so gently and convincingly that I had i Wili w no answer to g ve . l ngly I allo ed myself to be guided by him to the shore . My boat lay i s w i i mot onles upon the smooth water, a a t ng

” i ! e l ! Farewell, my young fr end Far wel he

lm . e said , ca ly and tenderly Rememb r all that I have told you ! ”

But I could not leave him in such a manner . Suddenly I thought of the loneliness of his life in

i . th s place , and tears of sympathy rose to my eyes

I grasped his hand . “ ” wi ! him. Father, come th me I besought My wif e and I will care for you ! we will do everything for you ! and when you are sick we 110 WU WEI

il t in i i w l tend you . Do not s ay here th s lonel ness, so void of all the love that might make life sweet to you ! ” mi S k his e He s led gently, and hoo h ad as a father ’ i hi i sw i i m ght at some fancy of s ch ld s, an er ng w th tranquil kindness : “ Y ou have lapsed already ! Do you realize now how necessary it is f or you to remain in the midst of the every-day life! I have but this moment told you how great is the love which surrounds me and still you deem me lonely e ! e in h re and forsaken H re, Tao , I am as i i safe at home as a child s with ts mother. You e it i i m an well, my fr end, but you must grow w ser, much wiser ! Be not concerned for me ! that is unnecessary, grateful though I am to you for i s in . i r s th feel g Th nk of you self ju t now . And do what I say . Believe that I tell you that which i s best for you . In the boat lies something which should remind you of the days you have Spent ” r he e . Farewell ! il en his i i I bent S tly over hand and k ssed t . I thought I felt that it trembled with emotion ! but when I looked at him again his face was calm and the in th k cheerful as moon e S y. i I stepped nto the boat, and the boatman took

i x i up the oars . W th de trous strokes he drove t e over the ev n surface of the water . I was already some way from the land when my foot struck against some object in the boat and I remembered i i it that someth ng for me was ly ng there . I took up . It was a small chest . Hastily I lifted the lid .

112 WU WEI

I took my way back to the lif e amongst man kin in d, my brothers and equals all the souls im i of whom dwells Tao, pr ord al and eternal . The ornamental lights of the harbou r gleamed h i already in t e d stance, and the drone of the great town sounded nearer and nearer to us over the sea . e in Th n I felt a great strength me, and I ordered i i l the boatman to row st ll more qu ck y. I was as e e ready . W I not as saf ly and w ll cared for in the great town as in the still country! in the street as on the sea! e r i e e In ve yth ng, v rywhere, dwells Poetry And Love Tao . the whole world is a great r e - e i e - sanctua y, w ll d v s d and surely maintained as

- a strong, well ordered house . NOTES

2 inese ries s are in he a i 6 . T is is a a . t 1. p . h f ct Ch p t h b t of re ea in Su ras w i t o u e the sou n a e p t g t h ch, j dg by d, h v been translated from the Sanscrit into Chinese phrases

n r of which they do not u ndersta d one wo d . “ ” The Y e o Em eror is a le endar em 64. w 2 . p . ll p g y

eror who a ears t o a e rei ne a ou the ear 2697 p , pp h v g d b t y 4 T a i ollows in in er e omma is an 6 . w s 3 . p . h t h ch f v t d c “ extract translated from the twelfth chapter of the Nan ” Hwa King .

The oll owin assa e as f ar as the sen en 65 . e 4. p . f g p g , t c ” and the Millions return again into One is an adapta “ tion not a translation of the first section of Tao ” ’ - L aot su s won er sim e wri in anno Teh King . d ft pl t g c t possibly be translated into equ ally Simple passages in our

a This ren erin of mine arri e at ar la ngu ge. d g v d p tly by aid of Chinese commentators is an entirely new

ea in and is to the est of m now e e the rue r d g, , b y k l dg , t

n ne of the mos ele ra e and in a er ain sense o e. O t c b t d , , c t ,

ne of the mos om e en of the Sino o ues er er ies o t c p t t l g , H b t G l ,

a a es of is firs se ion onl the firs sen en e and tr nsl t th t ct y t t c , finds the rest not worth the trou ble of translating ! (compare “ ’ ” z il H nk n Th Remains of L ao T ir . . es o o Chi e , by H A G , g, na “ ” M ail Offi e This same s olar rans a es Tao c , ch t l t “ as the Wa not er ei in how im ossi le it is a a y, p c v g p b th t th t

whi L aot mean — the hi es of all the infinite s oul ch su t gh t , h d ” be a a s a a wa in the fi ura i e sense w y, eeing th t y ( g t v )

a a m in e se and ere ore anno be the lw ys leads to so eth g l , th f c t

hi n er s i more e e ra e Sinolo ue Dr. ghest . A oth t ll c l b t d g , 113 114 WU WEI

“ “ L e e rans a es Tao as ourse and out of the sim e gg , t l t C , pl “ sentence : If Tao could be expressed in words it wou ld ” “ not be the eterna l Tao he makes: The Course that can n ” be trodden is not the enduring and u ncha ging course. “ ” The whole secret is this: that the Sign or word Tao has ’ a ea nu m r of meanin s and a in on u iu s s wor gr t be g , th t C f c k “ ” “ ” Chu ng Y u ng it does as a matter of fact mean Way ! “ bu t in a hu ndr ed other instances it means : speech expres ” L a t avin in one sen en e u se his i n a a in . o su s o , s y g h g, t c , d t

i in iff eren senses near all rans a ors a e s gn two d t , ly t l t h v

The sen en e is as sim e suffered themselves t o be misled . t c pl

i and in two of m inese edi ions the ommen a as poss ble, y Ch t c t “ ” “ ” r t : s o en and : wor of mou . But of to s pu p k , by d th all the sinologu es only Wells Williams has translated this “ en en e we name u s : The Tao w i can be ex s t c ll , ly th h ch

Al u n pressed is not the eternal Tao . tho gh the co stru ction — f the hrase is not a ura e ren ere at an ra e il iams o p cc t ly d d, y t W l

has grasped the meaning . Af ter my work had already appeared in the periodical

’ I saw f or the firs ime Pro es r De Gids, t t f so de Groot s work “ Jaarliksche f eest en en ebruiken der Emo Chineezen j g y , from which I gathered that he agreed with me in so f ar as “ t o say also that Tao was u ntranslatable a su b-lying conception f or which the Chinese philosopher himself

u find no name and w i he ns n co ld , h ch co equ e tly stamped “ with the word Professor de Groot adds : If one ‘ rans a es his wor the u ni ersa soul of a ure t he t l t t d by v l N t , ’ all- er a in ener of na ure or mere the or p v d g gy t , ly by w d ’ Na u re i se one wi sure not be f ar rom the hiIOSO her s t t lf, ll ly f p p n ” meani g . Althou gh the term holds f or me something still higher ’ yet I find Professor de Groot s conception of it the most

s m a e i of all ose no y p th t c th k wn to me. “ 6 - . . Thi 5 p 9 . s Wu Wei u ntranslatable as it is in fact has been rendered by these sinologu es into in

116 WU WEI

ies L on on Bernar u arit ch Th G l , d , d Q , e actual words “ ” are : Ku Shi rea h G t House.

1 . 78 . In a 0. p lmost all the t emples is a chamber in w i the Man arins o e and r h ch d l dg , whe e Western travellers ma usual s a f or the ni and r a y ly t y ght, p ob bly f or longer eri p ods.

The n 11. . 80. o owi to the end of the sen en p f ll g , t ce : ” Poe r is the sou n of the ear has een rans a e t y d h t , b t l t d by me from a preface by Ong Giao Ki t o his edition of the

Poe n - n n iao Ki i e in try of the Ta g Dy asty . O g G l v d the

firs t half of the eighteenth centu ry .

12 8 n d real reser e eir reasu res . . The hi ese o p 9 . C ly p v th t in is I is usu a for an an i u e fi re of th careful manner . t l t q gu

Bu a to li in a si - ine s rine the s r ine in a woo en ddh e lk l d h , h d

es an i I is u n a e u on rea d th es n a lo . t ch t, e ch t c th p ck d p g t o asi cc ons .

- 1 . a h a e e ri i n . u a fi e s t e o s e s ot 3 p 90. S ch gur b v d c b d ’ a mere figment of the au thor s imagination su ch figu res i rea e Simi ar one is in the ossess on of the au or . lly xist . A l p th “ ” 4 - 90 ul Pear Durma. 1 . . The So p . l ’ 1 r i n i 92 . Th fi e in the au o s ossess o s 5. p . e gur th p by Tan i i a H We . no er rea ar s w s o ao Tsu n of A th g t t t Ch g, cer ain fi ures w om I a e also wi er rea rou e t g by h h v , th v y g t t bl ,

T ese names are we nown to e er become possessed . h ll k v y

rtis bu t I a e en ea oure in ain t o is o er an hin a t, h v d v d v d c v yt g

T ame am r nearer with regard t o them . hey bec f ou s afte

ea bu t e had i e in su sim i i and o ivion d th ! th y l v d ch pl c ty bl ,

n eir ir a n that now not eve th b thpl ce is remembered . O e l arri e a n e in on e es but I ou t o r a . hears c j ctur , c d v c t ty