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Shan Juan was a worthy man of antiquity. Emperor Yao heard that he had attained the Dao and thus faced north to study under him as a teacher. After Yao completed his reign, Shun also offered to yield the world to Shan Juan.
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Tao Yuanming (365–427CE) was a poet of the Eastern Jin dynasty. Also known as Tao Qian, with the courtesy name Yuanliang, he was given the posthumous private honorific title “Jingjie.” He was from Chaisang, Xunyang (in present-day southwestern Jiujiang, Jiangxi). He held several official posts, including Chief Sacrificial Wine Officer of Jiangzhou, Military Advisor…
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Chapter 55 teaches that true power arises from simplicity, naturalness, and harmony. It critiques humanity’s obsession with control and growth, urging a return to the infant’s wisdom: Live softly, trust innate rhythms, and let go of artificial striving.