Tao Te Ching Chapter 37 – 為政 (道德經 第37章)

Tao Te Ching Chapter 37 – 為政 (道德經 第37章)

Paul Peng

Tao Te Ching — Chapter 37: The Exercise of Government

道德經 第三十七章 · 為政 · Lao Tzu · Bilingual Edition with Classical Commentaries

📖 Taoist Scripture 🖋 Lao Tzu 🔢 Chapter 37 of 81 🌐 English & Chinese

Original Text — 原文

道常無為而無不為。侯王若能守之,萬物將自化。化而欲作,吾將鎮之以無名之樸。無名之樸,夫亦將無欲。不欲以靜,天下將自定。

English Translation — James Legge

The Dao in its regular course does nothing for the sake of doing it, and so there is nothing which it does not do.

If princes and kings were able to maintain it, all things would of themselves be transformed by them. As shown in Chapter 36 on subtle wisdom, the power of non-action operates invisibly yet completely.

If this transformation became to me an object of desire, I would express the desire by the nameless simplicity. Simplicity without a name is free from all external aim. With no desire, at rest and still, all things go right as of their will.

✦ Key Insight

Chapter 37 closes the first half of the Tao Te Ching with its central political teaching: the Dao does nothing, yet nothing is left undone (wu wei er wu bu wei 無為而無不為). When rulers hold to this, all things transform spontaneously. If desires arise, they are stilled by the nameless uncarved block. Without desire, stillness prevails — and the world settles itself. This is the Taoist vision of effortless governance: not by command, but by being.


Classical Commentaries — 古典注释

王弼注 Wang Bi's Commentary

道常無為順自然也。而無不為。萬物無不由為,以治以成也。侯王若能守之,萬物將自化。化而欲作,吾將鎮之無名之樸。化而欲作,作欲成也。吾將鎮之無名之樸,不為主也。無名之樸,夫亦將無欲。無欲競也。不欲以靜,天下將自定。

Wang Bi states that the Dao never acts yet accomplishes everything. If rulers can hold to it, all things transform naturally. If desires arise, they should be suppressed with the nameless simplicity. Without desire, stillness prevails, and the world settles itself.

河上公注 Heshang Gong's Commentary

道常無為而無不為。道以無為為常也。侯王若能守之,萬物將自化。言侯王若能守道,萬物將自化效於己也。化而欲作,吴將鎮之以無名之樸。吴,身也。無名之樸,道德也。萬物已化效於己也。復欲作巧偽者,侯王當身鎮撫以道德也。無名之樸,夫亦將無欲。不欲以靜,言侯王鎮撫以道德,民亦將不欲,故當以清靜導化之也。天下將自定。能如是者,天下將自正定也。

Heshang Gong says non-action is the constant way of the Dao. When rulers hold to it, the people transform themselves. If desires for artifice arise, the ruler should suppress them with nameless simplicity. When both ruler and people are without desire, the world settles.


Primary Sources: Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching (道德經), trans. James Legge (1891). Commentaries: Wang Bi (王弼, 226–249 CE); Heshang Gong (河上公, Han Dynasty).
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Paul Peng — Zhengyi Taoist Priest, Longhu Mountain

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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