When a sage rules above, if there is one virtuous scholar every hundred li, it is still as though there are none. When the Way of kings declines and tyrants hold power above, if there is one virtuous person every thousand li, it is still as if they are standing shoulder to shoulder.

This passage reflects the Taoist understanding of what Taoism is at its political core: the sage ruler does not merely tolerate virtue — he demands it as the natural order. The scarcity of worthy men under a sage is not failure but the measure of an impossibly high standard, rooted in the principles of Laozi's vision of enlightened governance.

Under tyranny, virtuous scholars cluster together not because virtue flourishes, but because they seek refuge in one another — a stark contrast to the wu wei (non-action) ideal where virtue spreads naturally through the ruler's example.

Primary sources include the Shoushanige Congshu edition, the Mohaijinju edition, and the Zhengtong Daozang (Taoist Canon) edition. This chapter's political philosophy connects to the broader origin and development of Taoism as a tradition of sage governance.