In this chapter, Laozi proposes three profoundly important principles for guiding one’s conduct in life and interacting with others.
Who knows his manhood’s strength,
Yet still his female feebleness maintains;
As to one channel flow the many drains,
All come to him, yea, all beneath the sky.
Thus he the constant excellence retains;
The simple child again, free from all stains.Who knows how white attracts,
Yet always keeps himself within black’s shade,
The pattern of humility displayed,
Displayed in view of all beneath the sky;
He in the unchanging excellence arrayed,
Endless return to man’s first state has made.
Who knows how glory shines,
Yet loves disgrace, nor ever for it is pale;
Behold his presence in a spacious vale,
To which men come from all beneath the sky.
The unchanging excellence completes its tale;
The simple infant man in him we hail.The unwrought material, when divided and distributed, forms vessels. The sage, when employed, becomes the Head of all the Officers (of government); and in his greatest regulations he employs no violent measures.
Note
- Though powerful and capable of defeating opponents through force, one should appear gentle and dedicate oneself to resolving contradictions through peaceful means.
- Though perceiving all things with acute clarity, one should skillfully conceal insight and feign ignorance.
- Though occupying an honorable position, one should relinquish status and behave with humility in dealings with others.
All things are formed through the workings of the Dao, each endowed with unique characteristics. The Dao nurtures and generates all things to manifest their functions.
The Sage respects the inherent qualities of all beings, allowing each to fulfill its role without forcibly severing their organic connections or harming the integrity of existence.
By adhering to these principles—coordinating and holistically utilizing natural resources without mechanically fragmenting them—one attains wisdom and virtuous governance.
Further Reading
The passage in Chapter Twenty-Eight, “Know the masculine, hold to the feminine, and be a ravine for all under heaven,” complements the natural metaphor in Chapter Eight: “The highest good is like water. Water benefits all things without contention.” Chapter Eight uses the softness and humility of water as a metaphor to emphasize the wisdom of “non-contention,” while Chapter Twenty-Eight specifically explains how to actively embrace a soft and humble position – such as “being a ravine for all under heaven” – through concepts like “holding to the feminine,” “holding to the obscure,” and “holding to humility.” Together, they construct the complete Daoist logic of “overcoming the hard through softness.”
Chapter Forty proposes that “reversal is the movement of the Dao” (things transform toward their opposites), while Chapter Twenty-Eight, through three sets of opposing categories such as “knowing the masculine but holding to the feminine” and “knowing the bright but holding to the obscure,” specifically illustrates how to apply this principle – such as the transformation between “masculine” and “feminine.” Together, they form the core framework of Daoist dialectical thinking.
Chapter Sixty-Six uses the metaphor of rivers and seas accommodating countless streams to emphasize the power of humility, while Chapter Twenty-Eight explains through concepts like “holding to humility” and “being a valley for all under heaven” that if a ruler willingly occupies a lowly position – such as “a valley” – they will inevitably gather all things. Together, they point toward the governance principle of “the soft and weak overcoming the hard and strong.”
知其雄，守其雌，為天下谿。為天下谿，常德不離，復歸於嬰兒。知其白，守其黑，為天下式。為天下式，常德不忒，復歸於無極。知其榮，守其辱，為天下谷。為天下谷，常德乃足，復歸於樸。樸散則為器，聖人用之，則為官長，故大制不割。
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