Brief: This Zhuangzi ‑ Zaiyou excerpt advocates wu‑wei: let beings abide by their innate nature instead of meddling. Via tales of Guang Chengzi and Hong Meng, it warns against disturbing human hearts with man‑made moral systems.
Letting Be, Not Governing
I have heard of letting the world be and letting it go; I have never heard of governing the world. “Letting be” means fearing that the world will distort its nature; “letting go” means fearing that the world will alter its virtue. If the world does not distort its nature and does not alter its virtue, is there any need for someone to govern it?
In ancient times, Yao governed the world and made the people so joyful that they reveled in their nature – but this was not tranquility. Jie governed the world and made the people so miserable that they suffered in their nature – but this was not happiness. Neither tranquility nor happiness was achieved; and what is neither tranquil nor happy is not virtue. That something lacking virtue could endure – such a thing has never existed in the world.
The Damage of Excess
When a person is excessively joyful, it damages the yang; when excessively angry, it damages the yin. When both yin and yang are damaged, the four seasons fail to arrive in order, the harmony of cold and heat cannot be formed – and does this not end up harming the body?
When people’s joy and anger lose their proper place, when their dwelling has no constancy, when their thoughts cannot find their own center, when their undertakings cannot be carried through to completion – then the world begins to produce the twisted, the perverse, the extreme, and the violent. And so we get the conduct of Robber Zhi, Zeng Shen, and Shi Yu.
Thus, even if you mobilized the entire world to reward the good, it would not be enough; even if you mobilized the entire world to punish the evil, it would not suffice. The world, for all its vastness, is not enough for rewards and punishments. Ever since the Three Dynasties, there has been nothing but clamor over rewards and punishments – when did they ever have time to let people rest in the truth of their nature and destiny?
The Eight Obsessions
Moreover: to delight in keen sight is to drown in colors; to delight in keen hearing is to drown in sounds. To delight in benevolence is to disorder virtue; to delight in righteousness is to defy principle. To delight in rites is to encourage technique; to delight in music is to encourage excess. To delight in sagacity is to encourage artifice; to delight in cleverness is to encourage nitpicking.
If the world could rest in the truth of its nature and destiny, these eight things could exist or not – it would make no difference. But if the world cannot rest in the truth of its nature and destiny, then these eight things begin to twist and knot and throw the world into chaos. And yet the world begins to honor them and treasure them! How deeply the world is deluded! It is not merely that people pass by these things and move on – they fast and purify themselves before speaking of them, they kneel respectfully when transmitting them, they beat drums and sing songs and dance in their praise. What can I do about such a world?
The Ideal Ruler
Therefore, if a noble person has no choice but to preside over the world, nothing is better than non-action. Only through non-action can the truth of people’s nature and destiny be secured.
Thus it is said: “One who values his own person more than the world may be entrusted with the world; one who loves his own person more than the world may be given the world in trust.“
If a noble person can refrain from opening his five organs of sense, from flaunting his cleverness and acuity – if he can dwell like a corpse yet appear like a dragon, be silent like an abyss yet thunder like a storm, move in spirit while heaven follows – then, at ease in non-action, all things will rise and flourish like cooking steam. What leisure would I have to govern the world?
Lao Dan on the Human Heart
Cui Qu asked Lao Dan: “If you don’t govern the world, how will you make people good?”
Lao Dan replied: “Be careful! Do not disturb the human heart. The human heart – push it down and it sinks; lift it up and it soars. Between soaring and sinking, it is like a prisoner being tortured. It can be soft enough to overcome the hard and strong; it can be sharp enough to carve and engrave. Its heat is like scorching fire; its cold is like freezing ice. In the time it takes to bow your head and raise it again, it can travel twice over to the far side of the four seas. When it rests, it is deep and still like an abyss; when it moves, it soars high as heaven. Fierce, proud, and impossible to bind – that is the human heart!
“In ancient times, the Yellow Emperor was the first to disturb the human heart with benevolence and righteousness. Yao and Shun then worked themselves to the bone – their thighs had no flesh, their shins had no hair – trying to nourish the bodies of the people. They tormented their five organs to promote benevolence and righteousness; they strained their vital energy to establish laws and regulations. Yet even so, they could not succeed. Yao then exiled Huan Dou to Mount Chong, banished the Three Miao to Sanwei, and sent Gong Gong into exile at Youdu – proof that he could not govern the world.
“By the time of the Three Kings, the world was thoroughly alarmed. Below there were Jie and Robber Zhi; above there were Zeng Shen and Shi Yu. The Confucians and Mohists all arose. Joy and anger suspected each other; foolishness and cleverness deceived each other; good and bad denounced each other; absurdity and sincerity mocked each other – and the world declined. Great virtue was divided, and the nature and destiny of the people were scattered. The world loved cleverness, and the common people were exhausted by its demands. Then came the axe and saw to punish, the plumb line to condemn, the mallet and chisel to decide. The world fell into terrible chaos – and the crime was in disturbing the human heart.
“Therefore the worthy hid themselves beneath the crags of great mountains, while the lords of ten thousand chariots trembled with anxiety in their ancestral temples. In the present age, the executed lie piled upon each other; those in cangues and stocks push past one another; the mutilated gaze at one another everywhere – and yet the Confucians and Mohists begin to stand on tiptoe and roll up their sleeves right there among the shackles!
“Alas! How shameless they are, how utterly without shame! I do not know whether sage-wisdom is not itself the crossbeam of the cangue; whether benevolence and righteousness are not themselves the pegs and sockets of the stocks. And how can I know that Zeng Shen and Shi Yu are not the whistling arrows that herald Jie and Robber Zhi?
“Therefore it is said: ‘Abolish sagacity, discard cleverness – and the world will be perfectly governed.‘”
The Yellow Emperor Seeks the Ultimate Way
The Yellow Emperor had been ruler for nineteen years, his commands running throughout the world. He heard that Guang Chengzi dwelt on Mount Kongtong, so he went to see him, saying: “I have heard that you have penetrated the Ultimate Way. I venture to ask about the essence of the Ultimate Way. I wish to take the essence of heaven and earth to assist the five grains and nourish the people. I also wish to appoint officers over yin and yang to bring all living things to fulfillment. How should I go about this?”
Guang Chengzi replied: “What you wish to ask about is the substance of things; what you wish to govern is the residue of things. Ever since you have been governing the world, clouds gather without waiting to form before rain falls, grass and trees do not wait to yellow before they shed their leaves, and the light of sun and moon grows ever more dim. And you – with your narrow, scheming heart – how could you possibly be fit to speak of the Ultimate Way?”
The Yellow Emperor withdrew, abandoned the world, built a solitary hut, spread white thatch grass for a mat, and lived in seclusion for three months. Then he went again to seek Guang Chengzi.
Guang Chengzi was lying with his head to the south. The Yellow Emperor approached from below the wind, advancing on his knees, bowing twice and touching his head to the ground. He asked: “I have heard that you have penetrated the Ultimate Way. I venture to ask: how does one cultivate the self so as to live long?”
Guang Chengzi sprang up and said: “What a fine question! Come, let me tell you the Ultimate Way.
“The essence of the Ultimate Way is deep and dark; the extreme of the Ultimate Way is dim and silent. See nothing, hear nothing, hold your spirit in stillness – and your body will naturally become upright. Be still, be clear, do not weary your body, do not shake your essence – and then you can live long. Let your eyes see nothing, your ears hear nothing, your heart know nothing – and your spirit will guard your body, and your body will live long. Guard what is within you, close off what is outside you – much knowledge is destruction.
“I have guided you to the heights of the Great Brightness, to the source of supreme yang; I have led you through the gates of the deep and dark, to the source of supreme yin. Heaven and earth have their officers; yin and yang have their storehouses. Guard your person carefully, and all things will naturally flourish. I hold to the One and dwell in harmony. Therefore I have cultivated my person for twelve hundred years, and my body has never declined.”
The Yellow Emperor bowed twice, touching his head to the ground, and said: “Guang Chengzi may be called Heaven itself!”
Guang Chengzi said: “Come! Let me tell you more. That which is infinite – people all think it has an end. That which is unfathomable – people all think it has a limit. Those who attain my Way become emperors above and kings below; those who lose my Way see the light above and become dust below. All living things are born from the earth and return to the earth. Therefore I shall leave you and enter the gate of the infinite, to roam in the wilderness of the boundless. I shall share my radiance with the sun and moon; I shall endure as long as heaven and earth. When people face me, I am indistinct; when they turn from me, I am dim. People will all die – and I alone shall remain!”
Cloud General and Primordial Chaos
Cloud General was traveling east. Passing by the branches of the Fuyao tree, he happened upon Primordial Chaos. Primordial Chaos was slapping his thighs and hopping about like a sparrow.
Cloud General saw him, stopped in astonishment, and stood respectfully. “Old sir, who are you? What are you doing?”
Primordial Chaos kept slapping his thighs and hopping, and answered: “Roaming!”
Cloud General said: “I wish to ask you something.”
Primordial Chaos looked up at Cloud General and said: “Hmph!”
Cloud General said: “The energy of heaven is out of harmony, the energy of earth is congested, the six energies are unbalanced, and the four seasons are irregular. Now I wish to combine the essence of the six energies to nurture all living things. How should I go about this?”
Primordial Chaos slapped his thighs, hopped, turned his head away, and said: “I don’t know! I don’t know!”
Cloud General could not get his answer.
Three years later, traveling east again, he passed through the wilderness of Song and once more encountered Primordial Chaos. Cloud General was overjoyed. He hurried forward and said: “Have you forgotten me? Have you forgotten me?” He bowed twice, touching his head to the ground, hoping to hear something from Primordial Chaos.
Primordial Chaos said: “Floating and drifting, not knowing what I seek; wild and free, not knowing where I go. I roam through the bustle, observing the unfeigned. What do I know?”
Cloud General said: “I too consider myself wild and free – yet the people follow wherever I go. I cannot help but be involved with the people, and now they imitate me! I beg you – just one word.”
Primordial Chaos said: “Disordering the constants of heaven, defying the nature of things – Heaven will not bring it to completion. It scatters the herds of beasts, and the birds cry out at night. Disaster reaches the grass and trees; misfortune reaches the insects. Alas! This is the fault of governing people!”
Cloud General said: “Then what should I do?”
Primordial Chaos said: “Alas! The damage is deep! Lightly, lightly, go home!”
Cloud General said: “I have had difficulty meeting you, Heaven. I beg you – just one word.”
Primordial Chaos said: “Alas! Nurture your heart! You need only dwell in non-action, and all things will transform of themselves. Let fall your bodily form, spit out your cleverness and acuity, forget yourself along with all things, merge in the great oneness with the primordial breath. Release your heart, let go your spirit, be still as if you had no soul. All things in their multitude each return to their root – each return to their root without knowing it. In dark confusion, never departing from this throughout your life. If you were to know it, that would be departing from it. Do not ask its name, do not pry into its nature – things are born of themselves.”
Cloud General said: “Heaven has bestowed virtue upon me, has shown me silence. I have sought it in my own person, and now at last I have attained it.” He bowed twice, touched his head to the ground, rose, took his leave, and departed.
The Worldly Mind
People of the world all like those who agree with them and dislike those who differ from them. Desiring agreement and rejecting disagreement – this comes from the wish to stand above the crowd. But has anyone who sets out to stand above the crowd ever actually succeeded? They rely on the crowd to validate what they have heard, and yet they are inferior to the crowd in skill and number.
Those who wish to govern other people’s states – they seize upon the advantages of the Three Kings without seeing the dangers. They gamble with other people’s states. How often does gambling succeed without losing the state? The chance of preserving a state is not one in ten thousand; the chance of losing it is more than ten thousand to one. How pitiful – that those who possess land do not understand this!
One who possesses land possesses a great thing. One who possesses a great thing must not be possessed by things. Only one who handles things without being handled by things can truly govern all things. One who understands that governing things is not itself a thing – how could such a person merely govern the people of the world? He enters and exits the six directions, roams through the nine provinces, goes alone and comes alone – this is called “unique possession.” One who possesses uniqueness is called “supremely noble.”
The Teaching of the Great Person
The teaching of the great person is like a shadow following a form, like an echo following a sound. When asked, he responds, giving all that is in his heart, matching himself to the world. He dwells in soundlessness; he walks without direction. He carries you back through the tangled multitude, to roam where there is no beginning, to enter and exit without side paths, to move with the sun that has no start.
His body and form merge with the Great Sameness. In the Great Sameness there is no self. Without self, how can there be “having”? Those who see “having” are the gentlemen of old; those who see “non-having” are the companions of heaven and earth.
The Way of Heaven and the Way of Humanity
Things are lowly yet cannot be dispensed with – these are material objects. People are humble yet cannot be done without – these are the common people. Affairs are hidden yet cannot be left undone – these are tasks. Laws are rough yet cannot be left unannounced – these are regulations. Righteousness is distant yet cannot be abandoned – this is duty. Benevolence is intimate yet cannot be left narrow – this is compassion. Rites are restraints yet cannot be left unaccumulated – this is propriety. Virtue is centered yet cannot be left low – this is moral power. The Way is one yet cannot be left unchanged – this is the Dao. Heaven is spiritual yet cannot be left unattended – this is Nature.
Therefore the sage observes heaven but does not assist it; he fulfills virtue but is not burdened by it; he emerges from the Way but does not scheme; he meets benevolence but does not rely on it; he approaches righteousness but does not accumulate it; he responds to rites but does not avoid them; he engages with affairs but does not decline them; he aligns with laws but does not disorder them; he depends on the people but does not take them lightly; he follows things but does not abandon them.
Material things cannot be acted upon, yet they cannot be left unattended.
One who does not understand heaven cannot be pure in virtue; one who does not penetrate the Way has no means of succeeding in anything. One who does not understand the Way – how tragic!
What is the Way? There is the Way of Heaven and the Way of Humanity. Non-action yet honored – this is the Way of Heaven. Action yet burdened – this is the Way of Humanity. The ruler embodies the Way of Heaven; the minister embodies the Way of Humanity. The Way of Heaven and the Way of Humanity are far apart – one must not fail to discern them.
Note
“Zai You” (在宥)
The title express the chapter’s central thesis: one should let the world exist in its own natural freedom rather than attempt to “govern” it. As Guo Xiang’s commentary puts it: “Let things be free, and the world is governed; govern it, and the world falls into chaos.”
Yao vs. Jie:
Yao is the legendary sage-king celebrated by Confucians as the ideal ruler. Jie is the infamous last tyrant of the Xia Dynasty. Zhuangzi pairs them to make a surprising point: both disrupted human nature – Yao by making people too joyful and restless, Jie by making them too miserable. Neither represents true virtue, because both imposed external conditions on the people’s natural state.
Robber Zhi (盗跖), Zeng (曾参), and Shi (史鱼):
Three figures representing moral extremes. Robber Zhi is the notorious bandit; Zeng Shen was Confucius’s disciple famous for filial piety; Shi Yu was a famously upright minister of the State of Wei. Zhuangzi groups them together as products of a world that has lost its natural balance – where extreme good and extreme evil are both symptoms of the same disease: the disturbance of human nature.
The Three Dynasties:
The Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties – the foundational era of Chinese civilization, celebrated by Confucians as the golden age of ritual and moral governance. Zhuangzi inverts this: he sees the Three Dynasties as the beginning of chaos, when rewards and punishments replaced natural harmony.
Huan Dou (讙兜), the Three Miao (三苗), and Gong Gong (共工):
Three figures/groups from ancient mythology who were punished by the sage-king Yao – Huan Dou was exiled to Chongshan, the Three Miao were banished to Sanwei, and Gong Gong was banished to Youdu. Zhuangzi cites these punishments as evidence that even the greatest sage-king could not govern the world successfully through force and moral codes.
Cui Qu (崔瞿) and Lao Dan (老聃):
Cui Qu is a figure who appears only in the Zhuangzi, asking Lao Dan (another name for Laozi) how to govern without disturbing the people. Lao Dan’s response – “Do not disturb the human heart!” – is one of the most powerful passages in all of Daoist literature.
The Yellow Emperor (黄帝) and Guang Chengzi (广成子):
The Yellow Emperor, legendary founder of Chinese civilization, travels to Mount Kongtong to seek the “Ultimate Way” from the immortal Guang Chengzi. His first visit – asking how to harness the essence of heaven and earth to benefit the people – is rejected. Only after he abandons the world, fasts for three months, and returns humbly on his knees does Guang Chengzi teach him the art of self-cultivation: “See nothing, hear nothing, know nothing – and your spirit will guard your body, and your body will live long.” This is one of the most influential passages in Chinese spiritual literature.
Yun Jiang (云将) and Hong Meng (鸿蒙):
Two allegorical figures. Yun Jiang (“General Cloud”) represents the impulse to manage and organize the cosmos. Hong Meng (“Primordial Chaos”) represents the Daoist ideal of spontaneous, purposeless wandering. When Yun Jiang asks how to harmonize the six energies to nurture all life, Hong Meng simply hops and skips away, saying “I don’t know!” – a deliberate refusal of the entire project of cosmic management.
The Eight Obsessions (八者):
Sight, hearing, benevolence, righteousness, rites, music, sagacity, and cleverness. Zhuangzi argues that if the world is at peace, these eight are neither needed nor harmful; but if the world has lost its natural peace, these eight become chains that bind and confuse humanity – and yet people fast, kneel, sing, and dance in worship of them.
“Heaven’s Way” vs. “Human Way”:
The chapter concludes with a sharp distinction: Heaven’s Way is “non-action and honored”; Human Way is “action and burdened”. The ruler embodies Heaven’s Way; the minister embodies Human Way. They are far apart, and one must not confuse them.
在宥第十一
闻在宥天下，不闻治天下也。在之也者，恐天下之淫其性也；宥之也者，恐天下之迁其德也。天下不淫其性，不迁其德，有治天下者哉？昔尧之治天下也，使天下欣欣焉人乐其性，是不恬也；桀之治天下也，使天下瘁瘁焉人苦其性，是不愉也。夫不恬不愉。非德也；非德也而可长久者，天下无之。
人大喜邪，毗于阳；大怒邪，毗于阴。阴阳并毗，四时不至，寒暑之和不成，其反伤人之形乎！使人喜怒失位，居处无常，思虑不自得，中道不成章。于是乎天下始乔诘卓鸷，而后有盗跖、曾、史之行。故举天下以赏其善者不足，举天下以罚其恶者不给。故天下之大不足以赏罚。自三代以下者，匈匈焉终以赏罚为事，彼何暇安其性命之情哉！
而且说明邪，是淫于色也；说聪邪，是淫于声也；说仁邪，是乱于德也；说义邪，是悖于理也；说礼邪，是相于技也；说乐邪，是相于淫也；说圣邪，是相于艺也；说知邪，是相于疵也。天下将安其性命之情，之八者，存可也，亡可也。天下将不安其性命之情，之八者，乃始脔卷獊囊而乱天下也。而天下乃始尊之惜之。甚矣，天下之惑也！岂直过也而去之邪！乃齐戒以言之，跪坐以进之，鼓歌以余儛之。吾若是何哉！
故君子不得已而临莅天下，莫若无为。无为也，而后安其性命之情。故贵以身于为天下，则可以托天下；爱以身于为天下，则可以寄天下。故君子苟能无解其五藏，无擢其聪明，尸居而龙见，渊默而雷声，神动而天随，从容无为而万物炊累焉。吾又何暇治天下哉！
崔瞿问于老聃曰：“不治天下，安藏人心？”老聃曰：“女慎，无撄人心。人心排下而进上，上下囚杀，淖约柔乎刚强，廉刿雕琢，其热焦火，其寒凝冰，其疾俯仰之间而再抚四海之外。其居也，渊而静；其动也，县而天。偾骄而不可系者，其唯人心乎！昔者黄帝始以仁义撄人之心，尧、舜于是乎股无胈，胫无毛，以养天下之形。愁其五藏以为仁义，矜其血气以规法度。然犹有不胜也。尧于是放讙兜于崇山，投三苗于三峗，流共工于幽都，此不胜天下也。夫施及三王而天下大骇矣。下有桀、跖，上有曾、史，而儒墨毕起。于是乎喜怒相疑，愚知相欺，善否相非，诞信相讥，而天下衰矣；大德不同，而性命烂漫矣；天下好知，而百姓求竭矣。于是乎釿锯制焉，绳墨杀焉，椎凿决焉。天下脊脊大乱，罪在撄人心。故贤者伏处大山嵁岩之下，而万乘之君忧栗乎庙堂之上。今世殊死者相枕也，桁杨者相推也，形戮者相望也，而儒墨乃始离跂攘臂乎桎梏之间。意，甚矣哉！其无愧而不知耻也甚矣！吾未知圣知之不为桁杨接槢也，仁义之不为桎梏凿枘也，焉知曾、史之不为桀、跖嚆矢也！故曰：绝圣弃知，而天下大治。
黄帝立为天子十九年，令行天下，闻广成子在于空同之上，故往见之，曰：“我闻吾子达于至道，敢问至道之精。吾欲取天地之精，以佐五谷，以养民人。吾又欲官阴阳以遂群生，为之奈何？”广成子曰：“而所欲问者，物之质也；而所欲官者，物之残也。自而治天下，云气不待族而雨，草木不待黄而落，日月之光益以荒矣，而佞人之心翦翦者，又奚足以语至道！”黄帝退，捐天下，筑特室，席白茅，闲居三月，复往邀之。广成子南首而卧，黄帝顺下风膝行而进，再拜稽首而问曰：“闻吾子达于至道，敢问：治身奈何而可以长久？”广成子蹶然而起，曰：“善哉问乎！来，吾语女至道：至道之精，窈窈冥冥；至道之极，昏昏默默。无视无听，抱神以静，形将自正。必静必清，无劳女形，无摇女精，乃可以长生。目无所见，耳无所闻，心无所知，女神将守形，形乃长生。慎女内，闭女外，多知为败。我为女遂于大明之上矣，至彼至阳之原也；为女入于窈冥之门矣，至彼至阴之原也。天地有官，阴阳有藏。慎守女身，物将自壮。我守其一以处其和。故我修身千二百岁矣，吾形未常衰。”黄帝再拜稽首曰：“广成子之谓天矣！”广成子曰：“来！余语女：彼其物无穷，而人皆以为有终；彼其物无测，而人皆以为有极。得吾道者，上为皇而下为王；失吾道者，上见光而下为土。今夫百昌皆生于土而反于土。故余将去女，入无穷之门，以游无极之野。吾与日月参光，吾与天地为常。当我缗乎，远我昏乎！人其尽死，而我独存乎！”
云将东游，过扶摇之枝而适遭鸿蒙。鸿蒙方将拊脾雀跃而游。云将见之，倘然止，贽然立，曰：“叟何人邪？叟何为此？”鸿蒙拊脾雀跃不辍，对云将曰：“游！”云将曰：“朕愿有问也。”鸿蒙仰而视云将曰：“吁！”云将曰：“天气不和，地气郁结，六气不调，四时不节。今我愿合六气之精以育群生，为之奈何？”鸿蒙拊脾雀跃掉头曰：“吾弗知！吾弗知！”云将不得问。又三年，东游，过有宋之野，而适遭鸿蒙。云将大喜，行趋而进曰：“天忘朕邪？天忘朕邪？”再拜稽首，愿闻于鸿蒙。鸿蒙曰：“浮游不知所求，猖狂不知所往，游者鞅掌，以观无妄。朕又何知！”云将曰：“朕也自以为猖狂，而民随予所往；朕也不得已于民，今则民之放也！愿闻一言。”鸿蒙曰：“乱天之经，逆物之情，玄天弗成，解兽之群而鸟皆夜鸣，灾及草木，祸及止虫。意！治人之过也。”云将曰：“然则吾奈何？”鸿蒙曰：“意！毒哉！仙仙乎归矣！”云将曰：“吾遇天难，愿闻一言。”鸿蒙曰：“意！心养！汝徒处无为，而物自化。堕尔形体，吐尔聪明，伦与物忘，大同乎涬溟。解心释神，莫然无魂。万物云云，各复其根，各复其根而不知。浑浑沌沌，终身不离。若彼知之，乃是离之。无问其名，无窥其情，物固自生。”云将曰：“天降朕以德，示朕以默。躬身求之，乃今得也。”再拜稽首，起辞而行。
世俗之人，皆喜人之同乎己而恶人之异于己也。同于己而欲之，异于己而不欲者，以出乎众为心也。夫以出乎众为心者，曷常出乎众哉？因众以宁所闻，不如众技众矣。而欲为人之国者，此揽乎三王之利而不见其患者也。此以人之国侥倖也。几何侥幸而不丧人之国乎？其存人之国也，无万分之一；而丧人之国也，一不成而万有余丧矣！悲夫，有土者之不知也！夫有土者，有大物也。有大物者，不可以物。物而不物，故能物物。明乎物物者之非物也，岂独治天下百姓而已哉！出入六合，游乎九州，独往独来，是谓独有。独有之人，是之谓至贵。
大人之教，若形之于影，声之于响，有问而应之，尽其所怀，为天下配。处乎无响。行乎无方。挈汝适复之挠挠，以游无端，出入无旁，与日无始。颂论形躯，合乎大同。大同而无己。无己，恶乎得有有。睹有者，昔之君子；睹无者，天地之友。
贱而不可不任者，物也；卑而不可不因者，民也；匿而不可不为者，事也；粗而不可不陈者，法也；远而不可不居者，义也；亲而不可不广者，仁也；节而不可不积者，礼也；中而不可不高者，德也；一而不可不易者，道也；神而不可不为者，天也。故圣人观于天而不助，成于德而不累，出于道而不谋，会于仁而不恃，薄于义而不积，应于礼而不讳，接于事而不辞，齐于法而不乱，恃于民而不轻，因于物而不去。物者莫足为也，而不可不为。不明于天者，不纯于德；不通于道者，无自而可；不明于道者，悲夫！何谓道？有天道，有人道。无为而尊者，天道也；有为而累者，人道也。主者，天道也；臣者，人道也。天道之与人道也，相去远矣，不可不察也。
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