Tao Te Ching Chapter 2 – 养身 (道德經 第2章)
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Tao Te Ching — Chapter 2: The Nourishment of the Person
道德經 第二章 · 養身 · Lao Tzu · Bilingual Edition with Classical Commentaries
Original Text — 原文
故有無相生，難易相成，長短相較，高下相傾，音聲相和，前後相隨。
是以聖人處無為之事，行不言之教；萬物作焉而不辞，生而不有。
為而不恃，功成而弗居。夫唯弗居，是以不去。
English Translation — James Legge
All in the world know the beauty of the beautiful, and in doing this they have the idea of what ugliness is; they all know the skill of the skilful, and in doing this they have the idea of what the want of skill is. So it is that existence and non-existence give birth the one to the idea of the other; that difficulty and ease produce the one the idea of the other; that length and shortness fashion out the one the figure of the other; that the ideas of height and lowness arise from the contrast of the one with the other; that the musical notes and tones become harmonious through the relation of one with another; and that being before and behind give the idea of one following another.
Therefore the sage, rooted in the Dao, manages affairs without doing anything, and conveys his instructions without the use of speech. All things spring up, and there is not one which declines to show itself; they grow, and there is no claim made for their ownership; they go through their processes, and there is no expectation of a reward for the results.
The work is accomplished, and there is no resting in it as an achievement. The work is done, but how no one can see — 'tis this that makes the power not cease to be.
✦ Key Insight
Chapter 2 introduces the law of interdependence: beauty implies ugliness, existence implies non-existence. These are not opposites to be resolved, but complementary poles of a single reality. The sage's response is not to choose sides, but to act without attachment — a principle that runs through the entire Taoist path of cultivation and ritual practice. By not claiming credit, the sage's influence never fades.
Classical Commentaries — 古典注释
王弼注 Wang Bi's Commentary
Wang Bi argues that beauty and ugliness, good and bad, arise mutually — they are relative concepts rooted in the same source, like joy and anger. The sage transcends these opposites by practicing non-action (wuwei), teaching without words, and accomplishing without claiming credit. By not dwelling on achievements, they endure. To claim the work as one's own is to ensure it will not last.
河上公注 Heshang Gong's Commentary
Heshang Gong interprets this as both a warning against self-promotion and a guide to rulership. Proclaiming one's own goodness leads to danger and rivalry. Existence and non-existence, difficulty and ease, are mutually dependent. The sage governs by the Dao, leading through example rather than speeches. The work is done without claiming credit, and virtue endures because the sage does not cling to position.
About the Author
Paul Peng
Paul Peng is a Zhengyi Taoist priest from Longhu Mountain, Jiangxi — the ancestral home of the Celestial Masters' tradition. Ordained at 25 after a dream from the Celestial Master, he has practiced for 25 years under Master Zeng Guangliang. He is the curator of this store, which is officially authorized by Tianshi Fu. All items are consecrated at the temple by the resident priest team.
Read his full story →
