Wang Bi teaches that returning is the movement of the Dao, and weakness is its function. All things arise from being, and being arises from non-being. To fully possess what exists, one must return to non-being.

Heshang Gong says returning to the root is how the Dao moves — moving away from it means death. Weakness is the Dao's constant functioning — what is soft endures. All things come from Heaven and Earth, and these come from the Dao which is formless.