What is Non-action in Taoism? 什么是无为

A fundamental category of Taoism, and also the basic principle for Taoism to address various issues of social politics and human life.

Laozi first advocated the thought of "Non-Action". Proceeding from the premise that the way of heaven is naturally non-action, he proposed that humans should follow the way of heaven, advocating to "act with non-action, handle affairs with non-engagement, and taste the tasteless", and stating that "to strive for action is to fail, to cling to control is to lose". He warned that willful "action" leads to failure, while "Non-Action" enables one to "achieve all things through inaction". Zhuangzi developed Laozi’s thought, urging people to "not be a vessel for fame, not a repository for scheming, not a bearer of worldly affairs, not a master of contrived wisdom", to let the mind roam beyond the four seas and commune with the spirit of heaven and earth.

What is Non-action in Taoism?

Taoism in later generations inherited the concept of Non-Action from Laozi and Zhuangzi, regarding it as the basic principle for interacting with the world and others, and even as a realm and method of Taoist cultivation. Dao De Jing with He Shang Gong’s Commentary states: "Following the Dao and practicing Non-Action benefits the spirit when cultivating the self, and benefits all people when governing the state." It advocates that *"to hold the world, one must practice Non-Action, uphold simplicity, and align with the will of the The Dao"*. Taoist priests in later ages regarded Non-Action as the basic principle for preserving the body and cultivating immortality, emphasizing that "one should not act as the master of affairs, nor the teacher of worldly matters; be as silent as if alone, until one attains Non-Action." Taoism also provides detailed explanations for the specific methods by which practitioners uphold the principle of Non-Action.

Yunji Qiqian (Seven Bamboo Slips in the Cloudy Satchel) states: "To seek Non-Action, one must first avoid harm. How? Keep far from suspicion and doubt, keep far from petty people, keep far from unrighteous gain, keep far from reckless words and deeds; be prudent in one’s diet, be cautious of sharp words, avoid noisy places, refrain from violent conflicts. Always reflect on one’s faults, and reform to follow goodness."