Yu Zi (鬻子) Chapter 9 — 禹政第六
Paul PengYu Zi (鬻子) — Chapter 9
禹政第六 · Sixth Chapter on Yu's Administration · Bilingual Edition
Yu the Great did not govern alone — he governed through seven worthy ministers, including the legendary Gao Yao. This is the Taoist model of wu wei (non-action) in practice: the sage ruler achieves order not by personal force, but by surrounding himself with virtue, allowing the Dao to flow through capable hands.
Original Chinese — 中文原文
English Translation
When Yu ruled the world, he gained Gao Yao, Du Ziyi, Ji Zi, Shi Zian, Ji Zining, Ran Zikan, and Qingzi Yu. He gained seven great ministers to assist his person, to govern the world, and thus the world was governed.
This brief but powerful passage encapsulates the Taoist ideal of governance through worthy men. Yu does not claim personal credit — the world is governed because the right people are in place. This reflects the yin and yang balance of ruler and minister: the ruler provides the overarching vision, the ministers provide the active force.
Gao Yao, the first named minister, was revered in ancient China as the ideal judge and administrator — a figure whose wisdom in law and governance embodied the five elements of balanced rule. For Laozi, this model — where the ruler steps back and worthy officials step forward — is the highest expression of sage governance, rooted in the origin and development of Taoism as a tradition of natural order.
Library Resources — 底本
Primary sources include the Shoushanige Congshu edition, the Zhengtong Daozang (Taoist Canon) edition, and the Mohaijinju edition.
