Tao Te Ching Chapter 29 – 無為 (道德經 第29章)
Paul PengShare
Tao Te Ching — Chapter 29: Taking No Action
道德經 第二十九章 · 無為 · Lao Tzu · Bilingual Edition with Classical Commentaries
Original Text — 原文
故物或行或隨；或歔或吹；或強或篡；或挫或隳。
是以聖人去甚，去奄，去泰。
English Translation — James Legge
If any one should wish to get the kingdom for himself, and to effect this by what he does, I see that he will not succeed. The kingdom is a spirit-like thing, and cannot be got by active doing. He who would so win it destroys it; he who would hold it in his grasp loses it.
The course and nature of things is such that what was in front is now behind; what warmed anon we freezing find. Strength is of weakness oft the spoil; the store in ruins mocks our toil.
Hence the sage puts away excessive effort, extravagance, and easy indulgence. As shown in the restraint of force, the way of the Dao is never to press things to extremes.
✦ Key Insight
Chapter 29 is Lao Tzu's warning against the will to control. The world is a sacred vessel (shen qi 神器) — it cannot be seized or manipulated. Those who act upon it destroy it; those who grasp it lose it. All things move in pairs of opposites: leading and following, warming and cooling, strong and weak, rising and falling. The sage responds by removing three excesses: the extreme, the extravagant, and the indulgent.
Classical Commentaries — 古典注释
王弼注 Wang Bi's Commentary
Wang Bi warns that those who try to seize the world through action will fail — the world is a spiritual vessel that cannot be manipulated. Those who act destroy it, those who grasp lose it. The sage therefore abandons extremes, extravagance, and excess.
河上公注 Heshang Gong's Commentary
Heshang Gong warns that trying to rule the world through action violates its nature. The world is a spiritual vessel — the spirit loves stillness and cannot be governed by interference. All things move in cycles. The sage removes excess, extravagance, and indulgence.
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 →
