Tao Te Ching Chapter 57 – 淳風 (道德經 第57章)
Paul PengAktie
Tao Te Ching — Chapter 57: The Genuine Influence
道德經 第五十七章 · 淳風 · Lao Tzu · Bilingual Edition with Classical Commentaries
Original Text — 原文
English Translation — James Legge
A state may be ruled by measures of correction; weapons of war may be used with crafty dexterity; but the kingdom is made one’s own only by freedom from action and purpose.
How do I know that it is so? By these facts: in the kingdom the multiplication of prohibitive enactments increases the poverty of the people; the more implements to add to their profit that the people have, the greater disorder is there in the state; the more acts of crafty dexterity that men possess, the more do strange contrivances appear; the more display there is of legislation, the more thieves and robbers there are. As shown in Chapter 48, the world is won by subtraction, not addition — by removing interference, not multiplying it.
Therefore a sage has said: I will do nothing of purpose, and the people will be transformed of themselves; I will be fond of keeping still, and the people will of themselves become correct; I will take no trouble about it, and the people will of themselves become rich; I will manifest no ambition, and the people will of themselves attain to the primitive simplicity.
✦ Key Insight
Chapter 57 presents Lao Tzu’s most direct statement on governance. The state is ruled by correctness, war is conducted by surprise, but the world is won by non-interference. Four observations prove this: more prohibitions bring more poverty; more weapons bring more disorder; more cleverness brings more strange things; more laws bring more thieves. The sage’s response is four parallel principles: non-action, stillness, non-interference, desirelessness — and the people transform, correct, prosper, and become simple of themselves.
Classical Commentaries — 古典注释
王弼注 Wang Bi's Commentary
Wang Bi advises governing the state with integrity, using war only as exception, and winning the world through non-interference. The more restrictions, the poorer the people; the more weapons, the more disorder; the more laws, the more thieves. The sage is non-active, still, non-interfering, and desireless — the people transform, correct, prosper, and become simple.
河上公注 Heshang Gong's Commentary
Heshang Gong distinguishes three types of ruler. Too many prohibitions breed deceit; too many laws breed thieves. The sage says: by non-action, stillness, non-interference, and desirelessness, the people transform, correct themselves, prosper, and become simple.
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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