A nation is possessed by those ministers and high officials who are virtuous and wise. Whether a state exists or not, it is governed by the wise. Wisdom is not achieved in one day; governance does not come from a single day's planning, but rather through knowing what to avoid.

Issuing teachings and commands that bring blessings to the world is called Dao (the Way). Mutual affection between superiors and subordinates is called harmony. When people do not have to seek but naturally obtain what they desire, it is called trustworthiness. Removing harms from the world is called benevolence. These four definitions — Dao, harmony, trustworthiness, benevolence — echo the yin and yang principle: each quality balances and sustains the others in a living system of governance.

Benevolence and trustworthiness, harmony and the Way — these are the instruments of emperors and kings. All things in the world possess their own proper instruments. Therefore, one who wishes to act but does not follow the proper instrument of things, although desiring to achieve something, will not succeed. This teaching on virtue as the essential tool of governance bridges Taoist and Confucian thought, as explored in the story of Xiang Xiu, the sage who reconciled Taoism and Confucianism.

The same applies to feudal lords who wish to become kings; those who do not employ the instruments of emperors and kings cannot achieve success. For Laozi, this is the eternal truth: the ruler who lacks the proper instruments — however powerful — cannot sustain legitimate authority, a principle at the heart of the origin and development of Taoism.

Primary sources include the Shoushanige Congshu edition, the Zhengtong Daozang (Taoist Canon) edition, and the Mohaijinju edition.