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”.
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.
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.
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