Tao Te Ching Chapter 19 – 還淳(道德經 第19章)
Paul PengShare
Tao Te Ching — Chapter 19: Returning to the Unadulterated Influence
道德經 第十九章 · 還淳 · Lao Tzu · Bilingual Edition with Classical Commentaries
Original Text — 原文
此三者以為文不足。故令有所屬：
見素抱樸，少私寡欲。
English Translation — James Legge
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.
✦ Key Insight
Chapter 19 is the positive counterpart to Chapter 18. Having diagnosed the symptoms of decline, Lao Tzu now prescribes the cure: abandon the very remedies that have become the disease. Sageness, wisdom, benevolence, righteousness, cleverness, and profit — all are artificial constructs that arose when the Dao was lost. The true path is to return to the uncarved block (pu 樸): plain, simple, with few desires and little self-interest. This is the foundation of all Taoist inner cultivation and ritual practice.
Classical Commentaries — 古典注释
王弼注 Wang Bi's Commentary
Wang Bi explains that sageness and wisdom are the finest of talents; benevolence and righteousness are the finest of human qualities; cleverness and profit are the finest of practical tools. Yet simply saying 'abandon them' is insufficient as doctrine — without something to hold to, the instruction has no direction. Therefore the people must be given something to belong to: embrace the plain and uncarved, reduce selfishness and desire.
河上公注 Heshang Gong's Commentary
Heshang Gong advocates abandoning sage-making and returning to primal simplicity — the Three Sovereigns who used knotted cords surpassed the Five Emperors who invented writing. Discard wisdom and return to non-action; reject the display of benevolence and the ornament of righteousness, and natural filial love is restored. Abandon cleverness (which confuses truth with falsehood) and profit (which opens the gates of greed), and thieves vanish. Embrace the plain and unadorned, show simplicity to those below, reduce selfishness, and know contentment.
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.
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