The governance philosophy discussed here is fundamentally about guiding and transforming people’s hearts. Governance and moral cultivation are two aspects of one whole—they cannot be forcibly separated, opposed, or subjected to double standards.
The government that seems the most unwise,
Oft goodness to the people best supplies;
That which is meddling, touching everything,
Will work but ill, and disappointment bring.Misery! – happiness is to be found by its side! Happiness! – misery lurks beneath it! Who knows what either will come to in the end?
Shall we then dispense with correction? The (method of) correction shall by a turn become distortion, and the good in it shall by a turn become evil. The delusion of the people (on this point) has indeed subsisted for a long time.
Therefore the sage is (like) a square which cuts no one (with its angles); (like) a corner which injures no one (with its sharpness). He is straightforward, but allows himself no license; he is bright, but does not dazzle.
Using gentle methods to nurture hearts may appear superficially ineffective and incapable of producing immediate results, but such an approach fundamentally addresses the essence of issues and serves as a sustainable long-term solution.
Fortune and misfortune are interdependent and mutually transformable. There exist no absolute criteria—they are neither static nor immutable. What appears as a superficial blessing may conceal latent misfortune, and vice versa.
When evaluating matters, people often overemphasize external appearances and outcomes while neglecting the inner essence and root causes.
Wise people are good at dealing with their inner values and external manifestations. They are good at embodying virtues without their extremes, harmonizing strength with gentleness, and balancing integrity with flexibility.
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