The thirty spokes unite in the one nave; but it is on the empty space (for the axle), that the use of the wheel depends. Clay is fashioned into vessels; but it is on their empty hollowness, that their use depends. The door and windows are cut out (from the walls) to form an apartment; but it is on the empty space (within), that its use depends. Therefore, what has a (positive) existence serves for profitable adaptation, and what has not that for (actual) usefulness.
Note
Being and Non-being arise interdependently, and Non-being holds primacy in shaping Being, as demonstrated in Chapter 11:
“The utility of a vessel lies in its emptiness”.
Non-being governs the existential modalities and structural configurations of being. The utility of tangible forms (e.g., vessels, dwellings) arises not from their materiality but from their hollow spaces, which enable functionality.
Analogously, quantum fields and dark matter—invisible yet foundational—exemplify non-being’s role in shaping cosmic and microscopic realities.
Visible attributes (e.g., wealth, status) constitute superficial “small advantages”, while intangible qualities—moral integrity, cognitive resilience, and attitudinal discipline—define the “great utility” that determines true worth.
While humanity prioritizes tangible phenomena—auditory, visual, chromatic, and gustatory sensations—the instrumental utility of being remains constrained, whereas non-being embodies profound functional efficacy.
Laozi critica material fixation and elevates spiritual/ethical cultivation as the axis of existential significance.
Practical Guidance
- In evaluating people, avoid reductive assessments based on appearance or status. Prioritize latent dimensions: moral character, competency, attitude, etc.
- In evaluating objects, reject superficiality, look beyond physical appearances.
Further Reading
Chapter Two proposes that “Being and non-being convert to each other; the difficult and the easy complement each other.” Chapter Eleven elaborates on the interdependent relationship between “Being” (substance) and “non-being” (emptiness) through practical examples such as wheels, vessels, and houses. While Chapter Two generalizes the dialectical unity of opposites from a philosophical perspective, Chapter Eleven concretizes this abstract theory using everyday objects as metaphors. Together, they construct the dialectical framework of “Being and non-being generating each other.”
Chapter Forty explicitly states that “all things under heaven are born of Being, and Being is born of non-being,” clarifying the ultimate role of “non-being” as the source of all things. Chapter Eleven illustrates the function of “non-being” through the practicality of objects, as exemplified in the phrase “in their emptiness lies their utility.” While Chapter Forty approaches the supremacy of “non-being” from the perspective of cosmological generation, Chapter Eleven demonstrates its practical relevance through real-world applications. Together, they form a complete “theory-practice” logical chain.
三十輻，共一轂，當其無，有車之用。埏埴以為器，當其無，有器之用。鑿戶牖以為室，當其無，有室之用。故有之以為利，無之以為用。
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