Daoist Great Wisdom

Author: Zhang Yi
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-11-01
Features: The source of Chinese culture, the crystallization of civilized wisdom. Taoist wisdom, sharp and insightful, rules the world with the mind. The highest virtue is like water, overcoming rigidity with gentleness, piercing the heart. Success, fame, retreat—this is the Taoist way in the world. This is the Taoist wisdom applied to the officialdom, the Bible of Taoist wisdom in the court. Fan Li retired to become a rich man, Wen Zhong was obsessed and ultimately betrayed. Zhang Liang feigned illness to live a good life, while Han Xin, despite his achievements, was executed. Crying is a highly skilled political art; as long as you cry at the right time and with genuine emotion, you will cry with distinction. Liu Bei cried to win the empire, Liu Jin cried to gain power, and Zeng Guofan cried to earn a reputation for filial piety. Taoism and wine are inseparable. Wine is the finest blessing of heaven, with the fiery temperament of fire and the embodiment of water. Wine is the greatest love of the Chinese people. They drink to celebrate joy and to drown in sorrow. In official circles, it is essential; in business, it is hard to part with. A new life begins with a bowl of wine, and an executioner still needs a bowl of wine to behead. Wine can inspire wisdom: Li Bai wrote a hundred poems after drinking, Su Shi asked the blue sky while holding wine. Wine can inspire strategy: Fan Zeng cleverly set the Hongmen Banquet, and Zhao Kuangyin released military power with a cup of wine. Wine can grant power: "The High-Yang Wine Drinkers" rose through the ranks. Wine can strengthen courage: thus there was Jing Ke assassinating Qin, Wu Song slaying a tiger, and Xiang Yu breaking through the boat and sinking. Wine can inspire ambition: Hero Guan Yu beheaded Pang De. But it can also diminish ambition: Liu Aodu, the wine-bag and rice-bag.
A tree that embraces both arms grew from a hair;
A nine-story platform began with a heap of soil;
A thousand-li journey starts with a single step. —Laozi
The hardest tasks in the world are often done easily;
The greatest affairs in the world are often done by force. —Laozi
The friendship of a gentleman is as pure as water;
The friendship of a petty man is as sweet as nectar;
A gentleman remains detached yet close;
A petty man is sweet yet distant. —Zhuangzi
To act without acting, then nothing will be left undone. —Laozi
If you want to contract it, first expand it;
If you want to weaken it, first strengthen it;
If you want to abolish it, first promote it;
If you want to take it, first give it. —Laozi
Taoist wisdom is the most clever strategy in traditional Chinese culture. Laozi is a philosophical master who combines the cosmic view with the political view. The most distinct feature of Taoist wisdom lies in its profound insight into the transformation of interests in human life. Taoism stands at the edge of life, observing the absurdity and contradictions of reality with a transcendent perspective, criticizing the shallowness and folly of human reason, and viewing the world through the lens of the "Dao," acknowledging the rationality of all things, and preventing the arrogance and overreach of human intellect. Taoist philosophy emphasizes flexibility and adaptability, avoiding absolutism. Rigidity and gentleness complement each other; extreme rigidity is easily broken, while extreme gentleness leads to decay. When rigidity and gentleness are balanced, there is nothing they cannot overcome. In the relationship between rigidity and gentleness, Taoism advocates that gentleness overcomes rigidity. Laozi believed: "Nothing in the world is softer or weaker than water, yet nothing can pierce the hardest stone before it." Guiguzi explained this with the principle of quantitative change leading to qualitative change: "Gentleness overcomes rigidity, so accumulated weakness can become strength; the most straight seems curved, so accumulated curvature can become straight; the few can gather the many, so accumulated insufficiency can become surplus." Things that are rigid and strong are brittle and easily broken, while things that are flexible are dull but resilient, making them easier to defend but harder to attack. Therefore, rigidity is advantageous for offense, while gentleness is advantageous for defense. When Taoist wisdom is applied to governing a country, it must combine culture and military, virtue and punishment, balancing rigidity and gentleness, ruling the people from a macro perspective, and controlling the national situation. Thus, the art of balancing rigidity and gentleness is the highest ruling art of feudal monarchs and the fundamental method of maintaining rule. In handling interpersonal relationships, ancient politicians often valued leniency and gentleness. Gentleness connects with others, while leniency gains the support of many. This is the philosophy of feudal politicians in dealing with matters. Rigidity and harshness in dealing with others will lead to failure, while familiarity and disrespect will bring disgrace. The traditional Chinese philosophy of "seeking extension through yielding" and "subduing others with kindness and patience" actually originates from Taoism. Kindness, in this context, means selfless love, like parents treating their children, an unconditional giving that surpasses Confucianism's emphasis on justice and virtue. It is an emotion that arises from the heart, where kindness subdues others not through external control but by allowing those subdued to fully experience love. It can make those who are subdued willingly and forever repay and defend the giver. Related to this is patience, which is not mere endurance but an emotion that arises from understanding the laws of all worldly changes. It is a form of self-cultivation, a profound wisdom for avoiding misfortune and seeking good fortune, and a harmonious way of dealing with the world. This book selects excerpts from the Tao Te Ching and Zhuangzi, gathering the most influential, timeless, and valuable quotes, accompanied by translations and brief analyses. To enhance readability, classic stories are paired with each quote and translation, allowing readers to easily and joyfully grasp the essence of the sages' wisdom.