If we could renounce our sageness and discard our wisdom, it would be better for the people a hundredfold. If we could renounce our benevolence and discard our righteousness, the people would again become filial and kindly. If we could renounce our artful contrivances and discard our (scheming for) gain, there would be no thieves nor robbers.
Those three methods (of government)
Thought olden ways in elegance did fail
And made these names their want of worth to veil;
But simple views, and courses plain and true
Would selfish ends and many lusts eschew.
Note
Laozi opposed the culture of the ruling class in ancient China. He believed that this culture, by establishing hypocritical moral concepts, conflicted with regular social phenomena—that is, with the Dao of Heaven. In his view, such culture contradicted the natural order and the principles of the Heavenly Dao.
By abandoning artificial intellect, the people will gain a hundredfold greater benefits; by ridding themselves of prescriptive benevolence and forced justice, the people will reclaim their innate filial devotion and loving nature; by eliminating cunning and materialistic pursuits, thieves and bandits will vanish.
These three concepts—wisdom/intellect, benevolence/justice, and cunning/material interest—are nothing but superficial ornaments.
As principles for addressing social ills, they prove inadequate. Thus, it is necessary to guide human consciousness toward preserving a pure and simple nature, reduce selfish desires and mental distractions, and reject hollow norms of wisdom and rituals to free oneself from anxieties.
Laozi’s proposed solution is:
- Replace superficial wisdom and contrived intellect with essential purity and authentic nature ;
- Diminish selfishness and desires to attain true benevolence and justice ;
- Master genuine knowledge to resist temptation from cunning schemes or material interests.
Further Reading
Chapter Three proposes concrete measures for “non-action” (not exalting the worthy, not valuing rare goods), while Chapter Nineteen here further negates artificial “wisdom” and “showcasing” through “abandoning sageliness and discarding wisdom.” Together, they construct the political philosophy of “governance through non-action” – reducing intervention and allowing the people to live naturally in peace and prosperity.
Chapter Twelve critiques how excessive sensory pursuit leads to the loss of one’s true nature, while Chapter Nineteen reveals that “cunning and profit” (craftiness and gain) can incite greed and theft. Together, they emphasize that “restraining desires” is key to preventing social chaos – only by “reducing selfishness and desires” can “thieves and bandits cease to exist.”
Chapter Eighteen reveals the relationship between social pathology and moral alienation (the abandonment of the Great Tao leads to the rise of benevolence and righteousness), while Chapter Nineteen proposes a solution – discarding artificial “sageliness, wisdom, benevolence, and righteousness” to return to the natural “Great Tao.” Together, they construct a governance logic of “negation and reconstruction.”
絕聖棄智，民利百倍；絕仁棄義，民復孝慈；絕巧棄利，盜賊無有。此三者以為文不足。故令有所屬：見素抱樸，少私寡欲。
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