If a ruler abandons the Dao, he tyrannizes his people internally and invades neighboring states externally.
Internal tyranny ruins people’s livelihoods; external aggression triggers frequent warfare.
Ruined livelihoods reduce livestock; frequent wars deplete soldiers.
Scarcity of livestock brings shortage of war‑horses; depleted soldiers endanger the army.
Shortage of war‑horses forces even generals’ private horses into service; an endangered army conscripts close ministers for duty.
Horses are vital for the military; “suburbs” means nearby civilian areas.
When military supplies must be taken from generals’ horses and nearby ministers, hence the saying:
“When the world abandons the Dao, war‑horses are bred and conscripted from the suburbs.”
Note
This passage delivers a negative political warning: tyrannical and war‑obsessed rulers ruin people’s livelihoods, deplete national resources, and force civilian horses into military service, marking a chaotic world.
Late Warring‑States Legalist philosopher. This passage is excerpted from Explaining Laozi (Jie Lao), his commentary on the Dao De Jing. He contrasts this section with the previous one to show the consequences of bad rule versus good governance.
War‑Horses from the Suburbs
A classic Daoist warning of chaotic times: endless warfare drains state resources so severely that even civilian horses are seized for military use.
Cause‑Effect Chain of Tyranny
Han Fei constructs a logical sequence: ruler’s immorality → domestic oppression & foreign war → poverty → shortage of war‑horses → collapse of military capacity.
Inverse of Daoist Peace Ideal
This passage mirrors the former passage “retire war‑horses to fertilize fields”, forming a dual model of good vs bad governance.
人君者無道，則內暴虐其民，而外侵欺其鄰國。內暴虐則民產絕，外侵欺則兵數起。民產絕則畜生少，兵數起則士卒盡。畜生少則戎馬乏，士卒盡則軍危殆。戎馬乏則將馬出，軍危殆則近臣役。馬者，軍之大用；郊者，言其近也。今所以給軍之具於將馬近臣，故曰：「天下無道，戎馬生於郊矣。」
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