《道德真經集義(二)》Vol. 14

The True Meaning of the Dao De Jing, Volume Fourteen: Annotations, Part Three

The Chapter “Holding and Filling”

Edition and Editors

This is Volume Fourteen of The True Meaning of the Dao De Jing, compiled by Master Ningyuan and Liu Weiyong, supervisor of affairs at the Xuanmiao Abbey in Changde Circuit, and collated by Ding Yidong, a former court official who served as registrar of the Court of the Treasury and editor at the Privy Council.

Variations in the Chapter Title

Different editions give different titles. The Heshanggong edition calls it “The Chapter on Moving Through the Level”; the Zhaoshi’an edition calls it “The Chapter on Seeing Retreat as Advance.”

Commentary by Emperor Xuanzong of Tang (Overview)

The previous chapter says that the Perfected One is skilled at gentleness and weakness, and therefore avoids mistakes. This chapter says that ordinary people become mired in arrogance and excess, and so suffer calamity. The opening phrase, “Holding and filling it,” points out that fullness is difficult to sustain. “Grinding it sharp” shows that a keen edge cannot be kept for long. The text then turns to gold, jade, and wealth, warning people against greed. In the closing phrase, “When the work is done and the name is established, withdraw,” it teaches that after achieving success, one should not claim credit. Only then does one accord with the Dao of Heaven.

Du Guangting

The previous chapter used water as a metaphor to illuminate the path of cultivation. This chapter begins with “holding to fullness,” making even clearer the folly of clinging to excess. Its purpose is to teach people to forget their achievements and withdraw from public life, in keeping with the De of the Perfected One.

Zhang Chongying

“Level” refers to the vast, empty clarity of space, without form or color, which people cannot fathom. Even if a person’s fortunes flow as freely as the vast, empty clarity of space, if others cannot fathom them, that person is concealing the Shen and keeping the body unharmed.

Main Text

Holding and filling it is not as good as stopping in time.

Grinding it sharp cannot keep it sharp for long.

A hall full of gold and jade—no one can keep it safe.

To be wealthy and honored, then arrogant, is to bring calamity upon oneself.

When the work is done and the name is established, withdraw: this is the Dao of Heaven.

(The editions of Yan Zun, Yang Fu, and Wang Bi agree with this ancient text.)

Heshanggong’s Commentary (Plain-Language Version)

“Holding and filling it is not as good as stopping in time”: To fill something and then insist on holding it full is not as good as stopping. “Stopping” means bringing it to an end. Hold something full and it will inevitably spill; better to stop when it is enough.

“Grinding it sharp cannot keep it sharp for long”: “Grinding” means shaping and polishing. Something first ground to a sharp edge will eventually be discarded; its sharpness cannot last.

“A hall full of gold and jade—no one can keep it safe”: No one can safeguard a hall full of gold and silver treasures. Craving harms the Shen, and an abundance of wealth burdens the body.

“To be wealthy and honored, then arrogant, is to bring calamity upon oneself”: To become arrogant after gaining wealth and status is to invite disaster. The wealthy should relieve the poor, and the honored should show compassion to the lowly. To act arrogantly and without restraint instead is bound to bring calamity.

“When the work is done and the name is established, withdraw: this is the Dao of Heaven”: If someone has completed their work, established their achievements, and made their name known, yet does not withdraw and yield their position, they will meet with harm. This is the constant way of Heaven. It is like the sun moving westward once it reaches its zenith, the moon waning once it is full, things declining after reaching their peak, and joy turning to sorrow when taken to excess.

The Chapter’s Meaning

Do not keep pouring into a cup until it overflows; do not grind a blade too sharp. A hall full of gold and jade cannot be kept safe, and arrogance in wealth and status invites disaster. Once you have achieved success and renown, understand when to withdraw. This is the “Dao of Heaven,” in accord with the natural law that things decline after reaching their peak, and that what is full must eventually diminish.

Wang Fusi’s Explanation

“Grasping and filling it to the brim is not as good as stopping.” “Grasping” means not losing De (Virtue/Power). Once one has preserved De, seeking to make it still more complete will inevitably lead to danger and collapse. So it is better to stop. Here, “not as good as stopping” means that even this is preferable to having neither De nor achievement.

“Sharpening a point until it is keen cannot be maintained for long.” If one cuts the end to a point and then grinds it sharp, it will inevitably break; therefore, it cannot last.

“When the hall is filled with gold and jade, no one can keep it safe.” Better to stop at what is sufficient. To be wealthy and noble yet arrogant is to invite disaster, and likewise cannot last.

“When the work is done and one’s name is established, withdraw: this is the way of Heaven.” The seasons turn in succession; when a task is complete, one should yield one’s place. This is the way of Heaven.

Tang Xuanzong’s Explanation

Grasping and filling it to the brim is not as good as stopping.

Holding on to fullness and refusing to let it diminish turns abundance into a burden, and regret is bound to follow. So it is better to stop. “Stop” means to cease. The human heart is greedy and never satisfied in its desires. It clings to what it has and seeks to accumulate still more, until wealth becomes a burden and regret follows. For this reason, the sage admonishes us: it is better to stop.

Sharpening a point until it is keen cannot be maintained for long.

“To assess” means to weigh and consider; “keen” means sharp. To scheme for advantage and pursue fame and honor will inevitably lead to arrogance in wealth and rank, bringing disaster upon oneself. Thus, it cannot be maintained for long. Human beings become absorbed in greed for profit and honor. They weigh past events and sharpen their desires to gain an advantage over others, provoking resentment and inviting disaster upon themselves. Thus, it cannot be maintained for long.

When the hall is filled with gold and jade, no one can keep it safe.

This explains why fullness is difficult to sustain for long. Suppose one’s greed never ends: even with a hall full of gold and jade, one might be like an elephant whose tusks bring its death, or a rooster whose fine plumage leads to its tail being cut off—both images of wealth bringing disaster. One would also lose the treasure of being free from greed and invite the danger of attracting thieves. If possessions bring harm to one’s own life, how could one keep them safe? This further explains the saying about holding on to fullness.

To be wealthy and noble yet arrogant is to bring disaster upon oneself.

This explains why one must not keep sharpening the keen edge. Arrogance arises from within; disaster is not bestowed from outside. When people are wealthy, others seek their favor, so they are apt to mistreat those around them. When people are noble, others defer to them, so they are apt to domineer. When arrogance and extravagance reach their extreme, disaster arrives unexpectedly. Who can suffer it in their place? Since arrogance brings disaster and arrogance arises in one’s own heart, the text says, “bring disaster upon oneself.” This further explains the saying about sharpening the keen edge.

When the work is done and one’s name is established, withdraw: this is the way of Heaven.

When the work is done and one’s name is established, one should withdraw and yield one’s place rather than remain at the height of one’s success. This accords with the way of Heaven.

1. Explaining “Heaven’s Way of Fullness and Decline”

This passage explains the principle of 戒 (admonition and discipline).

When things become full, they invite harm; humility and yielding, by contrast, bring benefit. Even the workings of Heaven’s Way cannot remain “full” forever. Thus, those who achieve success may have their reputations ruined, and those who attain renown may suffer loss. If one wishes to preserve oneself over time, few lessons are more important than this. One should forget fame and achievement, withdraw of one’s own accord, and yield when one’s influence is at its height. By following Heaven’s Way, without clinging to fullness forever, one can naturally move between abundance and decline—and need not spend every day worrying and blaming oneself.

2. Du Guangting’s Explanation of “Holding and Filling It Is Not as Good as Stopping”

The image of “holding to fullness”—keeping something going until it overflows—can refer to roughly four situations:

1. Holding fast to desire until it overflows;

2. Amassing worldly wealth until one is laden with possessions;

3. Persisting in wrongdoing until one has gone to extremes;

4. Relying on rank and salary until power and privilege reach their peak.

Those who know only how to press forward and never yield, who give no thought to the good Way and stubbornly refuse to turn back, often suffer consequences once they have become so “full” that nothing more can be added:

• Desire overflowing → weakness and illness that damage one’s life;
• Worldly wealth overflowing → attack, robbery, and seizure;
• Wrongdoing overflowing → punishment, calamity, and injury;
• Power and privilege overflowing → downfall and ruin.

That is why Laozi admonishes us: it is better to stop here. If one does not stop, the consequences will sooner or later come to pass.

3. “Honing and Sharpening It Cannot Last” and “A Hall Filled with Gold and Jade”

Honing and sharpening oneself—calculating advantage and disadvantage, displaying one’s edge, and pressing forward to seize profit—cannot be sustained for long.

If a ruler relentlessly pursues territorial expansion, he will invite resentment and bring about the state’s ruin. If a minister aggressively seeks profit and fame, he will endanger himself and bring disaster upon his family. Even if such people gain something for a time, they cannot keep it for long. What is more, pressing forward brings no real benefit, while yielding can avert trouble. Hence the saying: it cannot be sustained for long.

“A hall filled with gold and jade—no one can keep it safe.” Even the most clever person, able to calculate advantage and pursue profit with keen resolve, may pile gold, jade, and other treasures throughout the hall, enriching and flaunting the household. Yet this cannot prevent the danger of robbery. How could such a fortune be kept safe? Human life is limited, while desire has no bounds. Since no one can escape death, how could anyone keep a hall full of gold and jade forever?

4. A Historical Example: “The Elephant Had Tusks and Was Slain for Them”

This story from history illustrates how greed for excess invites disaster.

In the Spring and Autumn period, during the twenty-fourth year of Duke Xiang of Lu, Fan Xuanzi (Fan Gai) governed the state of Jin. The burden placed on the other feudal lords was heavy, and Zheng was especially hard-pressed. In the second month, the Earl of Zheng (Duke Jian of Zheng) went to Jin. Zichan asked Zixi to deliver a letter to Fan Xuanzi. It said, in essence:

“You bring stability to Jin’s neighboring states, yet the feudal lords have heard nothing of your virtue. They hear only that their burdens are heavy. This is arrogance and delusion. A gentleman governing a state worries not that he lacks wealth, but that he may lack a good reputation. If the gifts from the feudal lords all accumulate in the ducal household, they will become alienated. If our state depends on these gifts, it will be in danger.”

After reading the letter, Fan Xuanzi reduced the levies. The story is often used to express the idea that, like an elephant killed for its tusks, one who greedily accumulates too much may bring harm upon oneself.

How this relates to the scripture’s main idea: Chapter Nine of the Laozi says that “holding to fullness,” “honing and sharpening,” and “a hall filled with gold and jade” cannot last. This explanation, Du Guangting’s commentary, and the story from the Zuo Tradition all convey the same lesson: fullness brings loss, sharpness brings danger, and greed brings deprivation. One should know when to stop, be humble and yielding, and avoid relying on one’s abundance.

This passage brings together several pre-Qin historical episodes and phrases from the Commentaries on the Changes to explain the importance of reputation and virtue, freedom from greed, knowing one’s place, and guarding against arrogance. Its general meaning is as follows.

First, consider the relationship between Jin and the other feudal states. If Jin loses its authority among them and leaves them divided in their loyalties, the foundations of Jin will be shaken. If Jin falls, your own house will fall with it. Why sink into bribery and gift-giving? Reputation and De (Virtue) are the “carriage” that carries you forward, and De is the foundation of a state. If you have a foundation and do not destroy it yourself, should you not do everything you can to preserve it? With De, the heart is at ease; with an easy heart, one can endure. A poem says: “A gentleman takes pleasure with restraint; this is the foundation of the state and the household.” Another says that a good name and De, made manifest through the practice of forbearance, are carried in one’s deeds; then those who live far away will come, and those nearby will be at peace. Do not let people say, “You truly sustained me,” only for it to become, “In truth, you harmed and exploited me.” Ivory tusks bring harm to the elephant that bears them; so, too, bribery can turn against the giver.

After hearing this, Xuanzi came to his senses and reduced the tribute and levies required for travel. The Zheng ruler also went to pay court to Jin because the tribute had become too burdensome.

The chicken that cut off its own tail: In a story associated with the line of Zichao, son of King Jing of Zhou, Meng went into the countryside and saw a rooster pecking off its own tail. He sighed: “A sacrificial animal is prized for being whole and well-fed. By cutting off its tail, it makes itself incomplete, hoping to escape being offered as a sacrifice. If a chicken acts this way to preserve itself, how can a person be less wise? To covet profit and forget one’s own life is to have less resolve and integrity than a chicken.”

“Freedom from greed” is the true treasure: A man from Zheng found a piece of jade and offered it to Zihan, saying it was a treasure. Zihan replied: “You regard the jade as your treasure; I regard freedom from greed as mine. If I take the jade, we will both lose our respective treasures. Better for each of us to keep what we treasure.” He refused the gift.

“Inviting robbers” (the third line of the Jie hexagram in the Changes): To carry a heavy load on one’s shoulders and yet ride in a carriage is to confuse the station of a petty person with the conveyance of a gentleman. When a petty person abandons his burden to ride in a carriage, it is like a petty person occupying a gentleman’s place; naturally, robbers will come to take it. The text also says, “The wealthy and high-ranking who grow arrogant bring misfortune upon themselves.” Those with much wealth are called rich, and people come to ask things of them; those in high positions are called noble, and people bow before them. Only by being full without overflowing can one remain rich for long; only by being high without becoming precarious can one remain noble for long. As the saying goes: “Wealth and high rank do not necessarily come with arrogance and extravagance, but arrogance and extravagance often come of their own accord.” If one fails to guard against them, treats others with contempt, and invites retaliation, disaster will follow. The blame does not descend from outside; it arises from arrogance within the heart. To hold high rank without danger and to be wealthy without excess—so that no one bears resentment and calamity does not arise—is the way to keep a state secure and cultivate oneself.

In the context of the original book, these passages are often used to draw parallels with cultivating the Dao and conducting oneself in the world: preserve De as you would preserve a foundation, be free from greed like Zihan, and guard against arrogance as the Changes advises. Their meanings illuminate the principles of the scriptures; they are not merely accounts of a state or historical events.

This passage continues the discussion of arrogance and conceit. “When the work is done, the name established, withdraw”—this accords with the Way of Heaven and is a teaching for warding off calamity and dispelling trouble. Here, “work” means wealth, honor, and distinction; “name” means reputation and renown.

Those who have completed their work and attained their reputation, yet do not know when to be content and withdraw to keep within their proper bounds, rarely escape calamity. Why? Favor invites disgrace; a peak of prosperity gives way to decline; when things reach their extreme, regret follows. When the high-flying birds are gone, the fine bow is put away; when the cunning hares are dead, the hunting dogs are cooked. Such is the way of events. Fan Li escaped calamity by leaving in a small boat, while Wen Zhong (Lord Zhong) clung to his position and lost his life. This is the lesson.

At noon the sun begins to decline; when the moon is full, it wanes. Summer passes and cold arrives; spring blossoms, then autumn brings falling leaves. This is simply the Way of Heaven. If people can grasp the principle of fullness and emptiness in Heaven’s Way, and avoid clinging tightly to the honors of achievement and success, then they might, like Zhang Liang (Zifang), abstain from grain and live at ease, or, like Shu Guang, resign his seal of office and depart with dignity. They could then avoid the bitter regret of Shang Cai and Hua Ting. How much more should one who occupies the Nine-Five Position, facing the countless people, whose radiance reaches all lands and whose halls extend across the four seas, heed the cautions against holding on to fullness and filling the hall?

Emperor Huizong of Song (the Daoist Sovereign) said: To hold fullness and become overfull is to reach a point that cannot last. What is full will overflow; what is sharp will be blunted. This is the way of all things. Fullness must give way to lack. If one does not know how to remain behind while taking the lead, or to govern fullness by holding to emptiness, but instead sinks into the desire for abundance, one only deepens the danger of collapse. Better to stop at what is enough. The transformations of things are endless, but human schemes are limited. Foreknowledge—premature calculation and cleverness—is the superficial display of the Dao and the beginning of folly. To probe the feelings of external things and hasten to seize what is near may leave even the cleverest plans exhausted. How could such a state last?

A hall filled with gold and jade invites trouble upon itself. Wealth and rank in gold and jade do not belong to the inherent way of nature and life. External things cannot be relied upon, nor are they truly “possessed.” Treat gold and jade as treasures, and you become burdened by things; once burdened by things, how can you avoid losing them? Pride in wealth and rank harms De (Virtue/Power); how could harm to De fail to bring calamity? That is why it is said that one leaves behind the seeds of trouble.

The sage does not claim the benefits of an age as private property, nor regard ruling the realm as something he owns and occupy a position of prominence. How, then, would he treat gold and jade as treasures or let wealth and rank become a burden? Thus, at the height of wealth, the state’s resources are gathered together; at the height of rank, the state’s honors are gathered together. His rank is unmatched and his wealth beyond compare, yet the Dao remains unchanged.

“When the work is done, the name established, withdraw: this is the Way of Heaven.” Work accomplished is followed by decline; a name established is followed by loss. At noon the sun begins to decline; when the moon is full, it wanes. Such is the principle of things.

The sage sees that success and failure are bound together, and that fullness and depletion each have their natural measure. So the sage remains at ease and above it all, unburdened by external things, and no longer falls prey to arrogance born of abundance. Who could do this without knowing Heaven—that is, understanding the patterns of the Way of Heaven? Thus Laozi says, “When the work is done, the name established, withdraw from the scene.” This is the Way of Heaven, the natural order. The four seasons turn: when their work is done, they give way. That is the Way of Heaven. If one knows only how to advance and not how to yield, only how to keep and not how to let go, only how to gain and not how to lose, can one avoid regret? Yi Yin once said that a minister must not take favor and profit as grounds for resting permanently on his success.

Wang Anshi says: “Holding something full to the brim is not as good as stopping in time.” A vessel filled too full is easily overturned. “Sharpening a blade to a keen edge cannot preserve it for long.” When a hall is full of gold and jade, it is no longer empty and ready to receive; it has become “full,” and so “no one can keep it safe.” Arrogance that comes with unexpected wealth and rank arises of its own accord, and one thereby brings trouble upon oneself. After the work is done and the name established, withdrawing from the scene is the Way of Heaven. Heaven’s way is to bring down what is high and raise up what is low. This is what the Book of Documents means when it says, “Humility brings benefit; fullness brings loss.”

Su Yingbin says: Hold something full and it must overflow; better not to fill it, so it remains secure. Sharpen something keen and it must break; better not to rely on its sharpness. The sage “has, yet does not possess”: the sage acts in accord with principle, so why would there be any need to “hold something full” or “sharpen it keen”? The lines about a hall full of gold and jade and withdrawing from the scene express the Way of Heaven: when the sun reaches its zenith, it begins to move away; when the moon is full, it begins to wane. The four seasons turn, and what has completed its work departs. If even Heaven and Earth are subject to this, how could human beings be exempt?

Lü Jifu says: “Holding something full to the brim is not as good as stopping in time.” “Holding” is meant to prevent overflow, but the more one pursues fullness, the more severely it overflows. To prevent overflow, do not fill it to the brim. “Sharpening a blade to a keen edge cannot preserve it for long.” “Sharpening” is meant to prevent loss, but the more keenly one sharpens it, the greater the loss. To prevent loss, do not make it too sharp.

Plain-Language Interpretation

Filling a vessel without letting it overflow is how one can hold on to wealth for a long time; trying to keep it full to the brim means that even a hall filled with gold and jade cannot be kept. To be wealthy and honored yet arrogant is to invite disaster; to be elevated without becoming endangered is how one can hold on to honor for a long time. Sharpening a blade to a keen edge leads to wealth and honor accompanied by arrogance, and brings misfortune upon oneself. When the work is done, one’s name established, and one withdraws—that is the Way of Heaven. How, then, can these disasters be avoided? Simply by following the Way of Heaven. Completing the work, establishing one’s name, and withdrawing is precisely Heaven’s Way; in this way, one can “achieve one’s own ends without acting from self-interest.” A border guardian—a worthy man in ancient times who protected the realm’s frontiers—advised Yao, the sage king of antiquity: understanding when to yield is to follow the Way of Heaven.

Wang Yuanzhe says:

“Holding it full is not as good as stopping in time.” A single-minded effort to “keep it full” is less effective than knowing when enough is enough. Deliberately seeking fullness means clinging to “being” and thereby losing one’s balance. Only by forgetting “being” can “being” take shape within “nonbeing,” so that one can be full without overflowing.

“Sharpening it to a keen edge cannot be maintained for long.” “Reading” means probing people’s minds; “keen” means displaying one’s sharpness and becoming adept at taking things from others. The world’s affairs are endless, while one person’s capacity to respond to change is limited. However skillful one may be at reading others and displaying one’s sharpness, that skill will eventually run out. How could it last? The sage, therefore, moves with the times and follows the circumstances, meeting others without a fixed self and responding to events without a set method. In this way, the sage can meet every situation without exhaustion.

“No one can keep a hall full of gold and jade.” If you treat external things as treasures to be guarded, what you are guarding is not truly your own. How, then, can you rise above attachment to things?

“To be wealthy and honored yet arrogant is to bring misfortune upon oneself.” Arrogance comes from relying on external things; those who rely on external things are not worthy of being relied upon. These four cases all involve clinging to external things and competing with others in arrogance; there is no difference among them. Yet ordinary people who try to keep things full and sharpen their edge often sink ever deeper.

“When the work is done, one’s name established, and one withdraws: this is the Way of Heaven.” Cold and heat alternate, things reverse once they reach their extreme, and Yin-Yang turns in cycles: this is simply how the Way of Heaven works. When foolish people encounter changes or violate established bounds, they bear the burden for the rest of their lives. Unaware that change works unseen and that good fortune and misfortune depend on each other, they eventually sit and suffer their troubles, unable to protect themselves. The sage is different: the sage keeps gold and jade without regarding them as supreme treasures, and dwells amid wealth and honor without pride. When external things arrive, they are like shadows clinging to the body. The sage is at a loss to tell whether things are within the self or the self is within things. How, then, could the sage still take keeping things full as an achievement, or sharpening an edge as a skill? Without the subtlety of “no-self,” how could this be possible? This is the Way of Heaven.

Following the meaning of the previous chapter: the Dao is boundless and vast; there is no higher standard than it.

Liu Jujì says: “‘To hold it and fill it to the brim is not as good as stopping’—to insist on grasping something until it is full and overflowing is to seek wealth. When fullness can be made empty, there is no need to keep straining to fill it. What cannot bear the strain will topple, so it is better to stop here. ‘Stopping’ means bringing it to an end.

“‘To temper it and make it sharp cannot be maintained for long’—to judge the proper measure and grind something to a keen edge is to seek rank. When one is bent on sharpness, there is no need to keep measuring. What cannot bear the strain of such efforts will be damaged and broken. The saying that it cannot be maintained for long does not mean that one might preserve it by luck; even if one succeeds for a time, in the end it will be lost. ‘A hall full of gold and jade—no one can keep it safe’ elaborates on ‘not as good as stopping’: a deep and secluded hall may be fit for storing gold and jade, but the danger lies in its being full. If calamity does not come from Heaven, it will come from human hands. ‘The rich and noble who grow arrogant bring trouble upon themselves’ elaborates on ‘cannot be maintained for long’: wealth and rank breed negligence, and negligence breeds mistakes. To treat others arrogantly is to invite both ill repute and resentment.

“‘When the work is done and fame is established, withdraw: this is the Way of Heaven.’ Benefiting others is called achievement; having one’s name spread far and wide is called fame. Achievement is like the substance of wealth and rank; fame is like their ornament. Even sages cannot wholly avoid achieving things and gaining renown. If these do not end in ruin, it is because they were appropriate to the time: the benefits gained did not come from calculation alone, and one was able to remain inwardly empty, preserve them without arrogance, and then withdraw. That is the right course. Ordinary people use achievement and fame to push ahead; sages use them to step back. Only those who embody the Way of Heaven can do this. The sun and moon alternate in giving light, and the four seasons succeed one another in order: this is the Way of Heaven. The previous chapter spoke of ‘the highest goodness being like water,’ showing that one can dwell amid wealth and rank; this chapter follows to carry that idea forward.

“Liu Ji says: From ‘to hold it and fill it to the brim’ through ‘withdraw: this is the Way of Heaven,’ and then on to ‘the Great Dao is broad and level, yet people love bypaths’—people of the world covet life and abundant gain, are confused by action and seek quick results, and do not understand the subtle workings of nature. They cling to things until they are full; fullness leads to decline, so it is better to stop. They judge and grind things to a sharp edge; sharpness leads to blunting, so it cannot be maintained for long. A hall full of gold and jade means being burdened by external things; when one is burdened by possessions, many will covet them, and so they cannot be kept safe. To grow arrogant amid wealth and rank is to damage one’s conduct; when one’s conduct is damaged, many will attack, and so one brings calamity upon oneself.”

Why are sages, even when they reach the height of wealth and status, not burdened by “overflowing”?

Because once their work is done and their name established, they willingly step aside. How could they keep “holding a full cup” or “clutching a sharp edge”? The sun and moon take turns illuminating the world, and the four seasons follow one another in turn. When one’s work is done, one withdraws: this is the way of Heaven. Sages follow the way of Heaven, so they find it hard to advance and easy to yield. They focus their efforts on themselves rather than seeking help from others. That is why the text next speaks of “nurturing the spirit and soul.”

Zhao Shian says:

Chapter Nine says: Do not hold a full cup; do not clutch a sharp edge. This is not empty talk urging people simply to “be utterly empty.”

The body is not hard to govern, and the Great Dao is not hard to fathom—the key lies only in recognizing the mind. The mind is originally nothing. At first, craving and attachment gathered to form this body: the Four Great Elements came together, the Five Aggregates collected, blood and Qi took hold, and the hundred limbs took shape. All of this came about because of deluded thoughts.

Once we recognize the mind, the hundred bones, nine apertures, five organs, and six viscera may still remain in the body, but whom do I regard as close, and whom as distant? There was no “I” to begin with; it arose through mistaken identification. This is delusion. When the mind clings to deluded thoughts, delusion arises; when the mind sees through illusion, delusion breaks apart on its own.

Knowing this, the sage says: Since I have a body, the body is already an illusion. When external things happen to come my way, I forget them; I forget both the body and external things. In true forgetting, the light of Heaven shines forth within. One no longer knows whether things have forgotten me or I have forgotten things. “When the room is empty, light appears”: the Dao comes of itself. How, then, could there still be anything to “hold in fullness”? To hold in fullness means that something remains in the mind; where there is something, one is far from the Dao.

The text says, “To fill it while holding it”: “full” means the vessel is already filled; “hold” means the hand refuses to let go. It takes something from nothing and fills emptiness with substance. One cannot bear to pour it out, and cannot forget what one holds. One walks without daring to raise dust; one sits without daring to shift position. The mind and spirit are strained, all for the sake of a vessel or an object. Before the vessel or object is damaged, the body is already worn out. Such is the result of deluded calculation and stubborn attachment. This is because one does not view the body by way of the body: the body is not truly a body, so where could things lodge? When I forget myself, what do things matter to me? We can infer what it means for what was close to become distant. To stop here is called liberation.

“Sharpen it to a point, and it cannot be kept for long”: an edge made too sharp wounds its owner. The nature of desire should be still; if it is not, good fortune, misfortune, regret, and trouble arise. Qi should be calm; if it is not, anger and desire arise, and one becomes hostile toward things and must seek to prevail. If one does not act, one cannot obtain what one wants; to obtain it, the still must rise and move. And so the cycle repeats.

Notes on specialized terms in the text:

• The Four Great Elements: Earth, Water, Fire, and Wind. In ancient thought, they explained the body as formed through the combination of various elements.
• The Five Aggregates: form, feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness. This Buddhist term is used here to explain how body and mind arise from the gathering of many factors.
• “Nurturing the spirit and soul”: From Chapter Ten of the Dao De Jing, referring to settling and governing the spirit and soul so that they become unified and do not disperse.
• “When the room is empty, light appears”: When the mind is clear and empty, wisdom appears naturally.

Collected Meanings of the True Scripture of the Dao and Its Virtue (2): A Plain-Language Interpretation

Contention for profit and keeping still

One who contends relentlessly will not stop unless he gets what he wants. To gain an advantage, he sharpens his edge until it is keen and cutting. The result is often that he compromises his integrity for a small profit. How could he hold on to it for long? Those who understand stillness can quiet the urge to contend. Without contention, they are less likely to harm one another through their dealings with external things. A peaceful heart brings inner calm; with calm, one can remain in accord with the spirit’s intent. Do not let private gain burden the body, or let excessive efforts to preserve health end up harming it. As the ancients put it, “cut through the great opening and guide through the great aperture.” To live among people without attachment or contention: this is the virtue the ancients called preserving life—safeguarding life and living in accordance with one’s nature. How could anyone greedily chase a small profit, act with the ferocity of a wolf, forget their own well-being for gain, or exhaust themselves scheming for power, then walk into danger and ruin? Those who do not understand this are like Chao Cuo, the Western Han official who proposed stripping territory from the feudal lords: before the state was made rich and strong, he had already lost his life. Or like Deng Ai, the Wei general of the Three Kingdoms period, who advocated an attack on Eastern Wu: before the court had reached a decision, he was killed. Both examples show how being “too sharp” can destroy a person. Should we not take them as warnings?

Gold and jade filling the halls, and seeking the Dao within oneself

As the saying of Laozi goes, “Gold and jade fill the halls, but no one can keep them.” The Dao is already present in one’s nature, while a house full of gold and jade cannot be held on to. Those who are good at seeking the Dao seek it within the self; those who are good at preserving De hold to what is rightfully theirs and do not covet what lies outside. Without seeking the Dao, one has no foundation for cultivating De; without cultivating De, one cannot make the Great Dao manifest. Even in hardship and haste, if one can still hold firm, external things cannot enter the heart. When Dao and De are lost, a person depends entirely on what is outside: carved beams, painted walls, splendid houses and lavish decorations. Without gold and jade filling them, such things no longer seem “wealthy and noble.” Gold and jade are treasures regarded in Daoism as the essence of pure Yang, condensed from Yang energy, and prized by the world. Making oneself rich through them is no lasting way: they can adorn a house, but not enrich the person; they readily invite thieves, but do little to bring good fortune. So the love of profit is like a disease that has reached the vital organs, and sudden wealth often becomes an excuse for extravagance and indulgence. Why cling so desperately to something that has come to one only by chance?

Pride in wealth and rank

A noble person stays alert and cautious: to grow proud because of wealth and rank is to invite calamity upon oneself. The Great Plan (Hongfan), a chapter of the Book of Documents that sets out principles of good governance, lists five blessings. The first is longevity; the second, wealth. It never mentions “rank”—perhaps because rank often follows once a person has wealth. Zhuangzi says that the height of wealth is to gather the wealth of the whole state in one person, and the height of rank is to gather the state’s honors in one person. One who can attain the highest wealth and rank will have both wealth and rank come to him. Yet the son of a house worth a thousand pieces of gold does not sit near the edge of a hall, for fear of falling. In such circumstances, it is hard not to become proud. If, before attaining wealth and rank, a person acts with courtesy, benevolence, and righteousness, then wealth and rank need not damage their De. With “noble worth”—an inner dignity—in the heart, one can withstand the lure of outward status. Arrogance and indulgence harm De; how can someone who harms De escape calamity? Zigong asked Confucius, “What about being poor without being servile, and wealthy without being arrogant?” Confucius went on to teach that the wealthy should love ritual and propriety: even in wealth and rank, one must hold oneself in check through courtesy.

Note: The original interweaves the central ideas of chapters of the Dao De Jing with historical examples—Chao Cuo and Deng Ai—and terms from Confucian and Daoist traditions, including the Great Plan, Zhuangzi, and Zigong. This plain-language interpretation follows the original sentence order and briefly explains specialized names at their first mention.

This passage draws on stories from the past and several ideas in the Dao De Jing to make a point: do not be complacent or forceful, and know when to step back from wealth and status.

Someone said, “That may be so, but it is still not as good as being poor yet content, or wealthy yet courteous.” In the past, a member of the Fan clan was humiliated in Qiu Kai’s presence and eventually lost heart. A member of the Yu clan, over a rotten rat, accidentally injured a knight-errant. These people habitually wore a look of contempt for others. Later, events turned against them, and even the greatest reputation could not be preserved. Once your work is done, you should stop. The sages often kept such lessons in mind when they acted.

If you are already holding something “full” and insist on carrying it that way, you spend all day afraid it will spill. It is better not to be attached to the idea of “full” at all, so you need not constantly guard against spilling. That is why Laozi says: carrying a full cup is not as good as setting it down. Wuwei (non-action) is easy; deliberate action is difficult. Once you act deliberately, schemes begin to stir. When schemes arise, you are likely to compete with others; when you compete, you want to win, and if you win, your opponent loses. Is sharpening your edge to a fine point really a way to preserve it for long? Remaining unmoved by gold and jade, and staying free of arrogance amid wealth and status, are both difficult for ordinary people. Thus, having something is not as good as having nothing, and acting is not as good as stopping. These are the ideas behind “holding something full is not as good as stopping” and “sharpening an edge is not as good as withdrawing.”

To follow the way of Heaven, and to withdraw once your work is done—this is the way of Heaven. When the sun has begun to set, if you still do not beat a clay basin and sing, you will reach old age with nothing but anxious sighs. Those who follow the Dao withdraw once their work is done and their reputation established. Who says that withdrawing will bring hardship?

Shao Ruoyu said: From “holding something and filling it” through “withdrawal is the way of Heaven,” the passage speaks of holding high office and enjoying great profits. It is like carrying a full vessel and constantly fearing it will tip over. Better to stop at what is enough, and avoid the burden of serious mistakes. A person can maintain what they have precisely by not letting their heart become full. If you carry a sharp edge in your breast, you cannot preserve its keen force for long. A hall filled with gold and jade cannot be kept secure. When wealth and status bring arrogance, mistakes follow in its wake. These are not calamities sent down by Heaven; people bring them upon themselves. How can they be avoided? The sages observe the turning of the seasons: things come to life and develop in spring, and when their work is complete, they withdraw rather than remain in summer. This is the way of Heaven.

Wang Zhiran said: These lines explain that what is above physical form is called the Dao, while what is below it is called a vessel. Vessels are subject to fullness and emptiness, flourishing and decline. If you insist on holding a full vessel and guarding it, you will always fear that it may overflow; once it is too full, it risks tipping over. That is why the ancients acted before events had begun and brought order before disorder arose, staying alert and watchful, with cautious hearts.

The phrases “holding something full is not as good as stopping,” “sharpening an edge,” “a hall filled with gold and jade cannot be kept secure,” “wealth and status bring arrogance,” and “withdrawal is the way of Heaven” all correspond to Chapter Nine of the standard text of the Dao De Jing and to the idea of withdrawing once one’s work is complete. The Fan and Yu clans, and the story of a rotten rat injuring a knight-errant, are historical anecdotes or parables used by commentators to warn against arrogance; they need not be treated as verifiable historical facts.

Fear losing the means of self-cultivation and reflection; propriety, righteousness, integrity, and a sense of shame are the four enduring principles of conduct.

Fear losing the means of cultivating oneself and reflecting on one’s conduct. Propriety, righteousness, integrity, and a sense of shame are the four enduring principles for conducting oneself in the world.

Keep to what is substantial rather than what is showy; choose what is solid and grounded rather than what is shallow and frivolous.

Hold to substance instead of pursuing appearances. Take the side of what is solid and grounded, not what is shallow and flashy.

The Book of Changes says: “The Way of Heaven diminishes what is excessive and adds to what is humble. The Way of Earth transforms what is excessive and brings forth what is humble. Spirits diminish what is excessive and bless what is humble. The way of humankind dislikes excess and favors humility.” The beauty of humility reaches the highest point! Its root lies here—in humility—and its branches and fruits lie there—in abundance.

The Book of Changes says: “The Way of Heaven diminishes what is overfull and increases what is humble. The Way of Earth transforms what is overfull and makes what is humble flow and spread. Spirits bring harm to what is overfull and blessings to what is humble. The way of humankind dislikes what is overfull and favors humility.” The virtue of humility could hardly be more beautiful! Its root lies here, in humility; its branches and fruits lie there, in abundance.

Those who hold to the ancient Way have always prized humility. Carried to its ultimate point, its teaching is to guard against overflowing.

Those who hold to the ancient Way have always prized humility. Taken to its fullest expression, the teaching is to beware of excess.

As the saying goes, “To keep filling a vessel when it is already full is not as good as stopping.” So it is better to preserve fullness without overflowing than to keep adding to it; better to blunt an edge than to keep honing it sharp.

As the saying goes, “Filling a vessel and keeping it full is not as good as stopping in time.” So it is better to preserve fullness without letting it overflow than to keep striving to fill it; better to blunt a sharp edge than to keep honing it.

To “measure” is to gauge the nature of things; “sharpness” is the power to pierce them. One should not wield sharpness to assert one’s cutting power, for that power can wound things. Mencius said, “The shield-maker fears only that his shields will fail to protect people; the arrow-maker fears only that his arrows will fail to injure people.” This is precisely a case in which one should gauge things and blunt the edge, rather than harbor sharpness and use it to pierce.

To “measure” is to gauge the nature of things; “sharpness” is the power to cut or pierce them. Sharpness should not be used to show off its cutting power, for doing so can harm things. Mencius said, “The shield-maker fears only that his shields will not protect people; the arrow-maker fears only that his arrows will not injure people.” This is the kind of situation in which one should judge matters carefully and blunt the edge, rather than carry sharpness within oneself and use it to pierce.

One who advances too sharply is bound to retreat just as quickly. Can such a position be maintained for long? The same principle applies.

One who advances too fiercely is bound to retreat just as quickly. Can such a position last? The same principle applies.

What lies outside oneself cannot be secured with certainty, yet people often regard it as their own. So the sages cite teachings to guide them and dispel this attachment.

What lies outside oneself cannot be guaranteed, yet people often treat it as their own. The sages therefore cite teachings to guide them and dispel this fixation.

Wealth and rank are things people desire; gold and jade are things they prize. If someone knows only how to accumulate and not how to share, knows only how to take and not how to give, then that person is accumulating just like a great robber.

Wealth and rank are things people desire; gold and jade are things they value. If they know only how to accumulate and not how to distribute, only how to take and not how to give, then they too are accumulating like a great robber.

Some go so far as to indulge their own selfish desires, remaining unsatisfied throughout their lives. They forget to nourish the roots of their nature and life, and instead harm their own bodies. Many die without ever waking to this—how foolish they are!

Some go so far as to indulge their private desires, remaining unsatisfied all their lives. They forget to nourish the roots of their nature and life, and end up harming themselves. So many die without ever realizing it—how foolish!

Laozi made the point explicitly: “Excessive attachment must bring great expense; hoarding much must bring heavy loss.”

Laozi made the point explicitly: “Excessive attachment must bring great expense; hoarding much must bring heavy loss.”

That is why the discerning know that wealth and rank, in the end, cannot preserve their lives. They do not lay claim to the gains of a lifetime as their private share, nor do they treat ruling the world as a way to display their status.

That is why discerning people know that wealth and rank cannot, in the end, preserve their lives. They do not keep the gains of a lifetime as their private property, nor do they regard ruling the world as a means of displaying their status.

When a state is supremely wealthy, its wealth belongs to the state; when it is supremely honored, its ranks and titles belong to the state. The difference between Heaven and Earth is established in this way, and so is the distinction between great and small. A person may live amid wealth and rank while remaining calm and detached at heart, never letting worldly things become even a speck lodged in the mind. Though gold and jade fill the hall, they are neither arrogant nor stingy. Their actions meet with good fortune—what calamity could there be?

When a state is supremely wealthy, its wealth is held by the state; when it is supremely honored, its ranks and titles belong to the state. The difference between Heaven and Earth is marked out in this way, and the distinction between great and small is established. A person may live amid wealth and rank yet remain calm and detached at heart, never letting worldly things become so much as a speck lodged in the mind. Though gold and jade fill the hall, the person is neither arrogant nor stingy. Their actions accord with good fortune—what calamity could there be?

The troubles that come with having a body are already great enough. The Book of Changes says, “Examine your steps carefully”; what matters is to incur no blame. Once there is no blame, how could misfortune, regret, or disgrace arise?

The troubles that come with having a body are already great indeed. In the Book of Changes, the counsel to “examine one’s steps carefully” points to what matters most: incurring no blame. Once there is no blame, how could misfortune, regret, or disgrace arise?

If one knows how to advance but not how to withdraw, how to preserve but not how to lose, how to gain but not how to forfeit, can one escape regret? Once success and fame have been achieved, if one becomes arrogant, self-reliant, conceited, and boastful, who in the world will not oppose such a person?

If one knows how to advance but not how to withdraw, how to preserve but not how to lose, how to gain but not how to surrender, can one avoid regret? Once success and fame have been achieved, if one becomes arrogant, self-reliant, conceited, and boastful, who in the world will not turn against such a person?

The references to “shield-maker” and “arrow-maker” come from “Gongsun Chou I” in the Mencius. The crafts of making shields and arrows serve as metaphors for the need to use judgment and sharpness with care. “Filling a vessel and keeping it full” and “Excessive attachment must bring great expense; hoarding much must bring heavy loss” correspond to chapters 9 and 44 of the Daodejing. “Examine your steps carefully” appears in a line of the “Lü” hexagram in the Book of Changes and refers to acting cautiously and reflecting so as to incur no blame.

People who contend over merit are merely that. The Book of Changes says: “To know when to advance and retreat, and how to preserve what is right amid life and death—perhaps only a sage can do this.” Heaven is impartial and assists only those who possess De. Heaven and Earth, through the transformations of Yin and Yang, bring forth the myriad things; the seasons run their course, and the year’s work is completed. Once it is complete, they withdraw. What does Heaven say? Whoever can understand this joins De with Heaven and Earth, shares the brightness of the sun and moon, follows the order of the four seasons, and accords with the fortunes and misfortunes of spirits. Heaven does not oppose such a person, much less do other people. Thus the scripture says: “When the work is done and the name established, withdraw.” This is the Dao of Heaven. How could those who study the Dao not strive to put it into practice?

Huang Maocai says: “‘Holding it while filling it’ through to ‘cannot be preserved for long’ means that the Dao cannot be grasped, yet one tries to make it empty—is that possible? The Dao has no fixed form, yet one tries to make it round—is that possible? ‘Hammering it sharp’ is another such attempt. All these are ‘not the Dao.’ Once one has already departed from the Dao, how can one preserve things for long? ‘A hall full of gold and jade’ invites calamity. Here, gold and jade mean what is meant by ‘wearing coarse clothes while carrying jade within,’ not the gold and jade of the world. Wealth and rank mean what is meant by ‘Those who know me are few; that is why I am valued,’ not worldly wealth and rank. The ancients had what they sought within themselves; nothing in the world could stir their hearts. They valued the inner and took the outer lightly, prized themselves and looked down on things. Thus pride and fullness culminate in ‘arrogance.’ Men such as Ji Kang in the Jin dynasty discoursed on the mysteries of the Dao and were not entirely without insight, yet their contempt for others and arrogance toward worldly things ultimately brought disaster. Laozi uses this as a warning. ‘When the work is done and the name established, withdraw’ is the Dao of Heaven. Merit here is merit without merit, not what the world calls merit; a name is a name without a name, not what the world calls a name. That the work is done, the name established, and one then withdraws can also be seen in the order of the four seasons. Laozi, Zhuangzi, Liezi, Fan Li, the Four Whiteheads, An Qisheng, and Dongfang Shuo were people of the Dao in ancient times. The histories often do not record how their lives ended. Could it be that they withdrew once they had realized the Dao, and so no one knew what became of them?”

Cheng Taizhi says: “‘Holding it while filling it’ is not as good as stopping. When merit, fame, wealth, and rank reach their limit, that is called ‘fullness.’ Nothing can be added beyond fullness; all that can follow is collapse and overflow. Rather than holding on anxiously and pushing things to their utmost, it is better to let go of the thought and leave room to ease the fullness.”

A Plain-Language Interpretation

“When something is full, it overflows, so it is better to stop at what is enough. Sharpening your edge too keenly cannot be sustained for long.”

If someone is intent on holding on to office and income, fearing that things will become “too full,” yet also worries that they may seem insufficiently sharp when pursuing advancement, they will try to read the situation in advance. The moment an opportunity appears, they will rush to act and show how clever they are. If a person’s ambitions and conduct have both come to this, does that mean they are bound to succeed? They may try to read the situation, but whether they have guessed correctly depends on others and on circumstance. When they happen to guess right, it is mostly luck. Even if they are right repeatedly, there will always be times when they are not. What cannot be guaranteed is treated as certain to succeed—but what can come of that? They also want each lucky guess to become the norm. That is why this kind of sharpness and calculation cannot be sustained for long.

“Though halls may be filled with gold and jade, they cannot be kept safe. Knowing when to withdraw is what accords with the Dao.”

When wealth and possessions accumulate, they become difficult to protect. This is often because “fullness breeds pride, and pride leads to ruin.” Only those who understand that abundance and decline take turns, and who do not claim achievements and fame as their own, walk in step with the Dao of Heaven. Simply avoiding pride does not fully explain the point.

Consider the turning of the four seasons: once a task is accomplished, one should withdraw. This is the Dao of Heaven described by Laozi. People hear this, yet seem not to have heard it: they cling to the place of success and cannot see the truth of fullness and decline.

Duke Jing of Qi was attached to his country’s wealth and prosperity, and grieved at the thought of death. Yanzi laughed and said, “If people had never died since ancient times, Taigong and Duke Huan would still be holding on to Qi. Your Majesty would have to live out in the fields, wearing a rain cape and a bamboo hat. How would you have time to weep over death? To weep as you do is unkind.” His words apply the turning of the four seasons and the alternation of fullness and decline to life and death, gain and loss.

Liezi spoke emphatically of life and transformation urging one another on: “Those who are born cannot help but be born; those who transform cannot help but transform.” He also described loss and gain, completion and decline as counterparts: “When something diminishes there, something increases here; when something is completed here, something declines there.” Those who transform cannot help but transform; those who are alive cannot help but move toward death. If fullness and completion here do not draw upon what is taken from elsewhere, then elsewhere must suffer loss. What, then, could be borrowed to bring about fullness and completion here? From this perspective, things come and go in turn, sometimes present and sometimes absent. This is the meaning of Laozi’s words: “When the work is done and the name established, withdraw.”

Fame and achievement are the standing that comes from successfully completing one’s work; wealth and rank are gathered through office and income. The accounts given by Duke Jing, Yanzi, and Liezi all make the same point: guarding fullness leads to pride and ruin, while following the course of events calls for withdrawal. This is to move in step with the Dao of Heaven, rather than treating good fortune or a moment of abundance as eternal.

Plain-Language Interpretation

This passage discusses why Daoists were reluctant to remain in positions of power for long and why they withdrew once their work was done. It uses figures such as Zhang Liang to illustrate that, once one sees how fullness inevitably gives way to decline, one should not live by the same rules as those who struggle for fame and profit.

On the “Offices and Stipends of an Age” and the Succession of Talent

From the perspective of surveying the realm as a whole, the offices and stipends available in any given age are limited in number. Those to whom affairs and responsibilities can be entrusted must also come from among the people of that generation.

If people of talent and wisdom always held on to their positions and refused to relinquish power, the worthy people arriving generation after generation—described by the phrase “masters and masters, flourishing in succession”—would have almost nowhere to serve.

The pattern, then, is that those who arrive should take the stage, while those whose time has come should leave it. This is like the turning of the four seasons and the cycles of growth and decline among all things: there can be no endless refusal to make way. Thus, when Daoists face great affairs of the realm, they do not lightly take on weighty responsibilities in the first place; and when the time comes to conclude their work, they do not cling for long to success, fame, or office.

Zhang Liang, Yuan and Qi, and “Looking on with a Smile at Xiao and Han’s Misfortunes and Humiliation”

People such as Zhang Liang and Yuan and Qi—reclusive worthies also known as the Four Elders, though the sources differ—could even look down on the misfortunes and humiliation suffered by Xiao He and Han Xin (the “Xiao and Han” of the text), and privately take warning from them or smile at them. They had seen through the principle described above: at the height of prosperity lies danger, and high office brings peril. It is better to withdraw early.

The Way of the Sage: More Than “Fearing Fullness and Seeking Safety”

The sage stands on a still higher level. To “match Heaven and Earth in virtue, and the four seasons in their order” is to advance or withdraw, survive or perish, without losing the Middle Way.

This is not the same as the ordinary worldly retreat of someone who fears reaching the height of prosperity and seeks only personal safety. The two are on entirely different levels.

Zhan Qiupu’s Commentary on the Dao De Jing: “To Hold and Fill It … to Withdraw Once the Work Is Done: This Is the Way of Heaven”

Zhan Qiupu says that the passage from “To hold and fill it” to “to withdraw once the work is done: this is the Way of Heaven” expresses the point of the chapter on “keeping one’s course level”—that is, keeping to what is balanced and even, without going to extremes.

To hold a vessel until it overflows, or to hone one’s edge to the utmost sharpness; to fill a hall with gold and jade, or to become arrogant and extravagant through wealth and rank: none of these follows the way of balance. They lead instead to disaster and ruin.

Peace lies in keeping one’s course level and knowing when to stop. Once one’s achievements are established and one’s reputation secured, one should boldly withdraw. This is simply the Way of Heaven: one must not know only how to advance and forget how to retreat.

Zhang Chongying: Heaven Dislikes Excess; People Should Know When to Stop

Zhang Chongying says: when the sun reaches its fullness, it begins to decline; when the moon is full, it begins to wane; and a violent rain cannot last all day. Even Heaven dislikes fullness—how much more should people understand this?

Once people understand that Heaven’s Way rejects excess, they should act accordingly. In their own affairs, when they have reached fullness, they should stop at once. Continuing to crave wealth or office harms the spirit and the body. In their dealings with others, if their edge has become too sharp, they should temper it and avoid harming people for long, lest they stir up resentment and bring ruin upon themselves.

If they forget that fullness must be stopped, they will find that even a hall full of gold and jade cannot be held onto; it becomes a source of harm. Those who grow arrogant through wealth and rank, or use their sharpness to oppress others, bring trouble upon themselves. Shi Chong’s inability to keep his gold and jade, which led to his execution, and the calamity that befell Zhang Hua are often cited as examples.

Brief Notes on Names and Terms

“Offices and stipends” refers to official posts and their salaries.

The Four Elders, or Yuan and Qi, were reclusive worthies of the Qin and Han periods, often discussed alongside Zhang Liang.

“To hold and fill it” and “to withdraw once the work is done: this is the Way of Heaven” paraphrase the gist of chapter nine of the Dao De Jing: it is better not to hold on to what is full; withdrawing once one’s work is done accords with Heaven’s Way.

“Keeping one’s course level” here means acting with calm restraint and balance, avoiding both excess and sharpness.

Plain-Language Commentary

Some people think that law and power can preserve wealth and status forever. But once body and spirit separate and Jing and Qi are exhausted, in what future age could they gather again? Human life is hard to attain, and once this life has passed, it is hard to return. Most likely, the fault lies in being “too full” and “too sharp.”

Thus, to assist the world and accomplish great deeds, and to win renown through one’s own efforts, will all seem extraordinary to people. But what is too extraordinary can easily become bizarre. Credulity can give rise to doubt, and extreme joy can turn to sorrow. At such a time, one should draw back and withdraw, avoiding these fluctuations. This is the principle of Yin-Yang rising and descending, what is called “the Dao of Heaven.”

Bai Yuchan said: To keep holding on to fullness, neither lacking nor having excess, is not as good as stopping at what is sufficient. To hone an edge until it is sharp is not as good as valuing the stillness of Wuwei (non-action); such sharpness cannot be maintained for long. Be cautious and do not lose things recklessly. Even if a hall is filled with gold and jade, be sparing in what you see and hear, and keep a generous reserve within. Only then can you preserve what you have. Remain foolish in appearance throughout the day, and do not grow arrogant on account of wealth and rank. Quietly turn inward and refrain from striving, and you will not bring misfortune upon yourself. Once your work is complete and your name established, be as cool and free as the moon at the center of the sky, or a breeze over water. Withdraw while leaving yourself room to spare. This is the retreat within “the Dao of Heaven.”

Liao Cuiran said: For those who cultivate the Dao, “holding on to fullness” means not becoming self-satisfied. It is better to keep to one’s proper limits; that is the way to endure. “Honing an edge until it is sharp” means not letting stray thoughts arise. Cut them off decisively; otherwise, nothing can be preserved for long, and troubles will be endless. “A hall filled with gold and jade” means not coveting wealth from outside, but cherishing one’s own inner treasure. Only then can it be preserved. “Growing arrogant through wealth and rank” means not yearning for luxury; honor and prosperity will come of themselves. “Bringing blame upon oneself”—if I practice Wuwei, where could disaster come from? “Accomplishing one’s work and establishing one’s name” means keeping to oneself through the Dao and letting things come to completion naturally; one must not cling to them. “Withdrawing” means retreating into hiddenness, in accord with the Dao of Heaven, naturally and without strain. From beginning to end, one does not misstep—not exceeding one’s proper place or seeking attention.

Chen Bixu said: “‘Holding on to fullness: better to stop in time.’ When fullness reaches its peak, one should stop. If you keep clinging to what is full and do not know how to yield, you are bound to fall. Rather than wait for the disaster of collapse, it is better to plan to stop early. This is a warning handed down for our instruction. Yan Junping’s original text reads ‘accumulating until full,’ referring to the hoarding of wealth. “‘Honing an edge until it is sharp: it cannot be preserved for long.’” To hone means to assess, and also to work on something—to sharpen it. Sharp means keen. This refers to people who know only how to sharpen their edge and greedily seek wealth and rank, but do not examine their reckless desires or restrain their arrogance and excess. In the end, they bring disaster upon themselves.

Once calamity has struck, it is difficult to remain safe for long. Yan Junping once said, “Wealth and high status are to me like climbing a mountain and gazing into the distance; fame and power are to me like a bolt of lightning, flashing past in an instant.” This explains that certain conditions cannot be sustained for long.

The Huainanzi, also known as the Honglie, records that after Bai Gongsheng seized the state of Chu, he refused to share the goods in the storehouses with anyone. Seven days later, Shi Qi advised him: “What is gained unjustly, and cannot be used to benefit the people, will surely bring calamity. Since you cannot share these goods with others, you would do better to burn them, so they cannot be seized.” Bai Gongsheng would not listen. On the ninth day, Lord Ye entered the city, opened the Grand Storehouse and distributed its supplies to the people, then took weapons from the High Storehouse and gave them to the people. He raised an army against Bai Gongsheng and captured him nineteen days later.

The state did not belong to Bai Gongsheng, yet he wanted to make it his own: he was greed itself. He could neither grant benefits to others nor protect himself properly: he was utter folly. How was Bai Gongsheng’s hoarding any different from an owl’s devotion to its young, which brings about its own ruin? Thus it is said, “Better to stop in time than to hold a vessel filled to the brim”; “A blade held with its edge exposed cannot remain safe for long”; and “When the halls are full of gold and jade, no one can keep them safe.” These sayings explain the principle that what is full must inevitably collapse. This is a necessary truth. Piling gold and jade in a hall merely adorns the house; when a great thief arrives, he carries off the chests and bags, sweeping everything away. Even the clever cannot protect it. Thus the elephant is burned because of its ivory tusks, and the chicken, afraid of being chosen as a sacrifice, cuts off its own tail. If even birds and beasts act this way, why should people not reflect deeply? To be wealthy and high-ranking, then grow arrogant and indulgent, is to invite calamity. “Bequeath” means “to give”: when you make others wealthy, they come to seek what you have, and you are more likely to mistreat them; when you make others subordinate to you, you are more likely to oppress them. As oppression and indulgence grow day by day, calamity is certain to follow. If this is not calamity brought upon oneself, what is?

Yan Junping also said: “Gold and jade are to the body as fame and power are to the spirit: like ice and charcoal, they cannot coexist. Fame is a stain upon the spirit; profit is a harm to the body. If you nurture a stain within the spirit and accumulate harm upon the body, damaging what has made you whole and benefiting what brings you ruin, and treat gain and loss as though they were benefit and harm, your thoughts will become confused and your choices perverse.” He also said: “What increases my wealth diminishes my spirit; what gives rise to my fame injures my body. Calamity arises from within me, not from other people; good fortune arises from within me, not from Heaven.”

Lu Xisheng said: “When you hold a great vessel filled to the brim, no matter how fearful you are, it is better to stop in time. When you occupy a high position at its utmost, no matter how anxious you are, it is better to withdraw in time. When you wield power with its edge exposed, even if you wish to keep yourself safe, you cannot remain so for long.”

Plain-Language Interpretation

(Continuing the ideas of “holding until it is full,” “a hall filled with gold and jade,” and “being wealthy and arrogant”)

If the heart is set only on reaching the highest point and becoming completely full, even success at first cannot be kept for long. If you crave a hall piled high with gold and jade, even if you possess it for a time, you will not be able to hold on to it. When people grow proud after rising to high status, disaster comes looking for them. When they grow proud after becoming wealthy, their mistakes only accumulate. Pride grows in the heart, and misfortune is brought on by one’s own actions. How could you blame Heaven or resent other people?

“Once the work is done, the name established, withdraw.” This is the Dao of Heaven. That is where this passage’s meaning comes to rest.

The great work is complete, and one’s reputation has reached its height, yet one still does not know when to stop and step away. What sort of person is that? As the old saying goes: “When the high-flying birds are gone, the fine bows are put away; when the crafty hares are dead, the hunting dogs are cooked.” When circumstances reach that point, this is often what happens. Only those who understand fullness and emptiness, advance and retreat, and survival and destruction within the Dao of Heaven can be called Perfected Ones.

Xie Tunan says:

“Holding until it is full”: once fullness reaches its limit, it truly cannot be kept for long. The heart should not even entertain the thought of wanting to be fuller still. The Classic of Changes says: “Fullness brings loss; humility brings increase.” The intentions of Heaven, Earth, humanity, and the spirits can all be seen in this.

“Holding” means keeping something within. “Testing” means calculating and displaying one’s sharpness outwardly. When what is within keeps trying to spill out, it is easy to become arrogant toward others. Fullness must give way to loss, so it is better to stop. When one’s sharpness is exposed outwardly, it is easy to harm people and things. What is sharp must break, so it cannot last.

For this reason, the sage does not deliberately make himself great or deliberately place himself above others.

The passage moves from “a hall filled with gold and jade” to “bringing misfortune upon oneself.” Gold and jade are precious things; who would not love them? But if you only accumulate and never give anything away, you are bound to lose even more. Who does not desire wealth and high status? But once you become arrogant and treat others with contempt, you will make more enemies. Whom could you blame for the resulting misfortune?

“Once the work is done, the name established, withdraw”—this is the Dao of Heaven. In a lifetime, to work hard without benefiting the many is a source of shame for the noble person. To pass one’s whole life without anyone remembering one’s name is also a source of shame. But once the work is done and the name established, the tasks that needed doing are complete. One should then withdraw, taking oneself out of the way. Knowing when to stop keeps one from danger. The cycles and changes of the Dao of Heaven happen naturally.

It is often said that Heaven has four seasons: when something is complete, it must recede, and reputation follows the same pattern. The workings of creation do not let people stay at the summit forever. Once success has been achieved and one’s wishes fulfilled, if one cannot keep oneself safe from harm by withdrawing into a life of leisure, but instead craves honors and clings to favor, misfortune will come looking. This is mostly because one does not understand waxing and waning, fullness and emptiness, advance and retreat, survival and destruction. When Yang passes its peak, regret follows; when Yin is exhausted, contention arises. Even Heaven and Earth cannot escape these patterns, much less human beings. That is why the Yellow Emperor humbled himself and sought instruction from Guangchengzi; and why Zhang Zifang (Zhang Liang)… (the original ends here).

Note: The final phrase, “and why Zhang Zifang…” is incomplete in the manuscript. Its commonly understood meaning concerns Zhang Liang’s withdrawal after achieving success; here the break is retained as in the original text. Proper names such as Guangchengzi and Zifang (Zhang Liang) have been clarified according to common usage.

Some believe that traveling with the immortal Red Pine is one path of Daoist cultivation.

Lin Yanzhai says: From “holding it and filling it” to “withdrawing when the work is done is the Way of Heaven,” this chapter makes one point: pressing forward is less wise than yielding. It illustrates this with “holding a cup filled to the brim” and “honing a sharp edge.” Once a vessel is full, it will inevitably overflow. Straining to hold it steady is difficult; it is easier to keep it steady before it is full. This is the meaning of “stop in time”: know when enough is enough, and do not fill it to the brim. “Honing” means shaping and refining an object, and “sharp” means keen-edged. An object sharpened to the extreme will inevitably break; if it is not made quite so sharp, it can be preserved for longer. When wealth piles up until the halls are filled with gold and jade, it cannot be kept for long. Holding the rank of a prince or lord with pride and self-satisfaction is sure to bring calamity. Those who wish to preserve their achievements and reputation must know how to yield in good time. This is what accords with the Way of Heaven. “The work is done, the name is made” describes being able to preserve oneself, whatever the scale of the undertaking; that is why the text speaks of the work being “done” and the name being “made.” If one does not know when one has enough, when can anything be called “done”? When can anything be called “made”?

Fan Yingyuan says: From “holding it and filling it” to “it cannot be kept for long”: once something is full, it overflows. Instead of forcing oneself to hold it steady, it is better to stop in time; what is too sharp will be blunted. If one tries to hone something to a keen edge, how can it be kept that way for long? A hall full of gold and jade ultimately invites calamity. Greed for wealth and disregard for life leave the possessions behind while the person perishes. Pride and extravagance in wealth and rank bring ruin to oneself and calamity upon one’s descendants. The Duke of Heshang says: When wealthy, one should aid the poor; when honored, one should show compassion to the lowly. To become arrogant and unrestrained instead is to invite disaster. When the work is done and the name is made, one should withdraw: this is the Way of Heaven. Yin and Yang revolve; when a task is accomplished, one withdraws. This is the Way of Heaven, which people should emulate. From ancient times to the present, calamity has often befallen those who completed their work and made their name but did not withdraw. Laozi’s words are a mirror for all generations. Only someone like Zhang Liang, courtesy name Zifang, acted in accord with the Way of Heaven.

Xue Yongzhai says: From “holding it and filling it” to “better to stop”: the admonitory vessel that rights itself by tilting will topple when full. Holding it upright is of no use; better to stop in time and keep it balanced. “Hone it to a sharp edge, and it cannot be kept for long”: if a person’s angularity and sharpness are not ground down, every movement will cause harm. Yet even deliberate honing cannot preserve them for long. “A hall full of gold and jade—no one can keep it”: when Shi Chong was about to be executed, he said, “Those slaves are after my wealth,” yet he still could not keep it. “Pride in wealth and rank brings calamity upon oneself”: Han Xin said to Liu Bang, “The more, the better,” and later displayed his power in Qi; in the end, he brought calamity upon himself.

A Vernacular Interpretation

Original scripture:

This is nothing more than bringing ruin upon oneself and inviting disaster. Guo Ziyi, a celebrated Tang dynasty general who received the emperor’s commendation twenty-four times, enjoyed wealth, rank, longevity, and honor from beginning to end. He may be regarded as a model of how a minister should serve, without any shortcoming. What, then, is there to blame Ma Yuan, the renowned general of the Eastern Han? Those who have rendered great service should withdraw in good time once their work is done and their reputation established. This is the way of Heaven. Fan Li and Zhang Liang understood this principle, but how could Wen Zhong and Li Si have understood it?

Commentary from the Abode of Rest:

On the passage from “holding to fullness” through “withdrawing is the way of Heaven”:

Holding fast while pursuing fullness, and probing for a cutting edge while waiting to strike—people who understand the Way do not act like this.

Those who hold fast and wait for fullness should know that after fullness comes loss. It is a waste of effort; better to stop for now. Those who probe for a cutting edge should understand that what is sharp will eventually break, and cannot remain sharp forever.

“Gold and jade fill the hall, but no one can keep them.” Time is limited and change comes swiftly. The riches and honors of this world are like dreams and bubbles.

Those who enjoy wealth and rank should reflect deeply and awaken in time. They should seize the opportunity to cultivate the Dao and nurture their De, rising beyond the ordinary to sagehood. To indulge in arrogance and extravagance out of ignorance is to obscure the Dao within oneself and bring guilt upon oneself.

Those who have completed their work and established their reputations should withdraw early to protect themselves, planting good causes and reaping good results. Only then can they accord with the way of Heaven. Zhang Liang, who went to study with the ancient immortal Chisongzi, is an example.

Commentary by Chu Boxiu:

On the passage from “holding to fullness” through “withdrawing is the way of Heaven”:

Holding on to something while seeking to make it full is a metaphor for greedily advancing without end. Hence the warning: “Better to stop and not do it.” Probing for its sharpness is a metaphor for competing for gain and courting danger, hence the counsel that “it cannot be kept for long.”

Those who rush about competing forget their lives and sacrifice themselves for profit. If they come to have “gold and jade filling the hall,” are they not likely to repeat the old mistake of becoming wealthy without benevolence? Remaining in wealth and rank for a long time without using ritual and law to restrain oneself allows arrogance and extravagance to corrupt the heart, and unrestrained indulgence to ruin one’s nature. One cannot escape the blame of people or the judgment of spirits. All this begins with reaching fullness and not knowing when to stop: evil accumulates, disaster grows, and in the end one is destroyed. The stories of Meiwu, Dong Zhuo’s fortress, and Jingu, the estate of Shi Chong, are ample warnings.

The point, then, is simply that those who hold on should not let things become full, and those whose possessions are already full need not keep holding on. Fools know this but fail to take warning, willingly stepping into danger. A gentleman weighs what matters and decides whether to advance or withdraw. This does not mean abandoning achievement and reputation and doing nothing. Rather, one must clearly discern how Heaven’s principles turn and shift, and observe what is possible and appropriate in human affairs. Knowing that once one’s work is done and one’s reputation established, others may grow wary, one withdraws and keeps out of sight to preserve one’s De. Only then can one appreciate the dignity of Heaven’s bestowed rank; in comparison, worldly profit and status are too small to stain one’s character.

A Plain-Language Reading of the Collected Meanings of the True Classic of the Dao and Its Virtue

1. Knowing When to Advance and Withdraw, and Preserving One’s Reputation in Later Life

When fortune reaches its peak, one should know when to stop. To go against this principle is to disrupt the constant order of Heaven—how much more so in human affairs? Looking across the ages, there have been many heroes and outstanding men, but few who managed to preserve their good name in old age. This is cause for regret. Only those who can discern the slightest signs, know what is enough, and know when to stop can avoid calamity and leave a good name both during their lifetime and after death. The ancients said: “Without the strength to lift a cauldron and uproot a mountain, how can one turn back from a place of obscurity and see the situation clearly?” This saying is indeed credible.

2. “To Hold and Fill It Is Not as Good as Stopping”

Niu Miaochuan explains: “‘To hold and fill it is not as good as stopping’—‘hold’ means to restrain oneself and stop at what is appropriate; ‘fill’ means to make something so full that it is about to overflow. When what you hold in your hands is full, it spills. So, rather than wait until it is full and overflowing, it is better to stop at the right point. If you remain on the Middle Way, you will naturally avoid overflowing. That is why Laozi says, ‘It is not as good as stopping.’”

Confucius once saw an yiqi, a tipping vessel, in the temple of Duke Huan of Lu. This vessel would tilt when empty, stand upright when filled to the proper level, and overturn when full. Confucius asked the temple keeper what it was called. The keeper replied, “It is the vessel placed beside one’s seat as a warning.” Confucius said, “I have heard that this vessel placed beside one’s seat tilts when empty, stands upright when filled to the proper level, and overturns when full. The enlightened rulers of antiquity regarded it as a supreme admonition.” Does this not express the meaning of “it is not as good as stopping”?

3. “To Temper and Sharpen It Cannot Be Kept for Long”

“To temper” means to test or reveal oneself; “sharp” means forceful and showing one’s edge. Those who reveal themselves at once as hard, ruthless, and sharp-edged are mostly lacking in benevolence. Confucius said, “The unbenevolent cannot remain long in hardship, nor can they remain long in comfort.” In other words, people who lack benevolence cannot endure poverty for long, nor can they stay in comfort for long.

The ancients said: “Associating with good people is like walking through morning mist and dew. Though you do not notice yourself getting wet, you are constantly being nourished. Associating with bad people is like standing among swords. Though you do not notice yourself being wounded, you are constantly being harmed.” People do not even like to approach someone whose clothes and headwear are disheveled. How, then, could anyone remain for long with a person who is harsh and severe?

Mencius said: “When Shun possessed all under Heaven, he selected Gao Yao from among the people, and the unbenevolent went far away. When Tang possessed all under Heaven, he selected Yi Yin, and the unbenevolent likewise went far away.” The unbenevolent know that people cannot stay with them for long. That is why Laozi says, “To temper and sharpen it cannot be kept for long.”

4. “A Hall Filled with Gold and Jade—No One Can Keep It”

Gold and jade are precious treasures in the eyes of the world. Even if they fill a hall, they are merely external possessions valued in themselves; they do little to help one cultivate oneself and develop De (Virtue/Power), or to accomplish worthy deeds. This is one meaning of “no one can keep it.”

The Celestial Worthy, a title in Daoist scriptures for exalted deities, says: “People in the world regard wealth, status, and external possessions as true treasures. But once the Five Heavenly Emissaries, divine messengers who govern matters such as the span of human life, arrive with the Ghosts of Impermanence and Death, symbols of death and the taking of life, how could any of these things be kept?”

To clutch at one’s spirit and leave the splendid halls and deep mansions, no longer living there in comfort; how could a grand carriage and fine horses remain with you forever? Gold, jade, and precious treasures will ultimately be seized by others—this is what “nothing can keep them safe” means.

Wealth and rank accompanied by arrogance invite disaster. “Wealth and rank” means honor and distinction; “arrogance” means pride. “To bring upon oneself” means to take on one’s own accord, while “misfortune” refers to regret and hardship. The ancients asked: Is it the wealthy and honored who look down on others, or the poor and lowly? A common saying goes, “The wealthy and honored do not lord it over others,” yet arrogance often arises of its own accord. Confucius said, “The noble person is at ease but not arrogant; the petty person is arrogant but not at ease.” To hold a high position without being at ease is itself a source of regret. The Book of Documents says, “Indulging in pleasure, idleness, and arrogance is to bring disaster upon oneself.” All good fortune and misfortune are summoned by one’s own actions—is this not what “bringing misfortune upon oneself” means? In ancient times, the Zhou house was benevolent and enjoyed eight hundred years of good rule. Emperor Yang of Sui indulged in arrogance and extravagance; the people throughout the realm rebelled in resentment, bandits rose everywhere, and the empire fell into chaos and soon collapsed. What was this, if not a disaster he brought upon himself? The Supreme One (Laozi) said, “Misfortune and good fortune have no doors; people summon them themselves.” This is precisely the principle at issue.

When one’s work is complete and one’s name established, one withdraws—this is the Way of Heaven. To serve at court and have one’s name recorded in history is to have completed one’s work and established one’s name. To know when to seek retirement, hang up one’s official cap, and leave office is to withdraw. Withdrawing without becoming complacent accords with the Way of Heaven. Zhang Liang assisted the Han and rose to the rank of marquis, but did not dare accept a fief of thirty thousand households, asking only to be enfeoffed at Liu. Later, he left office and traveled with Master Red Pine. What is this, if not withdrawal? Fan Li helped King Goujian of Yue achieve supremacy. He said that one cannot remain long beneath a great name, so he surrendered his ministerial seal and departed by sea. These two may be said to have completed their work without claiming credit, and, once their names were established, withdrawn from public life. They grasped the Way of Heaven’s principle of “not being full”—how could they be anything but worthy?

Yang Zhiren says: From “To hold it and fill it” through “Withdrawing is the Way of Heaven”: To hold something and fill it is like the sun, which declines once it reaches fullness, or the moon, which wanes once it is full. The same is true of cultivating reality and learning the Dao. When the nine yang lines grow and the two and eight yin lines diminish, lead and mercury produce the supreme treasure. Once the Qi of the firing process is sufficient, one should withdraw and reverse course. If one does not know when to stop, great disgrace is sure to follow; therefore, it is better to stop at the right point. Holding on to fullness leads to overflow; better to stop. If one still refuses, greed is sure to take hold. How could one sharpen a blade and expect to keep it whole for long? “Gold and jade fill the hall…” continues the meaning of the earlier phrase, “nothing can keep them safe,” and connects with the principles of knowing when to stop and withdrawing in the firing process of the Elixir arts.

This passage comes from Collected Interpretations of the True Scripture of the Dao and De. It gathers commentaries on Chapter 9 of the Dao De Jing—including “holding until full,” “tempering until sharp,” “a hall filled with gold and jade,” and “withdrawing once one’s work is done.” The general meaning is explained below in plain language.

(Continuing the meaning of the scripture) A house piled high with gold and jade cannot be kept secure. When wealth and status have reached the point where one ought to stop and withdraw, doing so accords with the Dao of Heaven.

Commentary (general explanation)

Guang Wei, Shou Yue, and others say: “I have heard that knowing contentment keeps one from disgrace, knowing when to stop keeps one from danger, and withdrawing once one’s work is done is the Dao of Heaven.” If one attains high office and establishes a reputation but still refuses to let go, one may later have cause for regret. Arrogance, indulgence, and excessive desire inevitably harm one’s spirit and vital energy; they bring trouble upon oneself. The Dao is complete when one does not claim credit for one’s accomplishments or flaunt one’s reputation.

Yu Qingzhong

From “holding until full” through “withdrawing is the Dao of Heaven,” the passage teaches that fullness invites loss while humility brings benefit, and that one should follow the timing of Heaven. This is the chapter’s central idea. A vessel filled to the brim will inevitably tip over, so one who is skilled at holding on is less wise than one who knows when to stop. A blade sharpened too keenly will inevitably break; keep grinding it to make it sharper, and you will not be able to keep it for long. These images teach people to understand when to advance and when to withdraw. A hall filled with gold and jade ought to be enough, yet if one keeps grasping for more, even such riches cannot be kept. When Heaven grants wealth and status, one should know when to stop; to become proud and unrestrained is to bring blame upon oneself. The sun leans westward once it reaches its height; the moon wanes once it is full. The waxing and waning of Heaven and Earth follow the rise and decline of the seasons. After completing one’s work and achieving fame, is it not in accord with the natural Dao of Heaven to withdraw? Fan Li helped Yue achieve hegemony, then sailed across the Five Lakes. Lu Zhonglian lifted the siege of Liaocheng, refused a thousand pieces of gold, and declined a title under the Qin emperor. Zhang Liang helped overthrow the Ying house and defeat Xiang Yu, then quietly went off to travel with Master Red Pine. All were far above ordinary people of the Qin and Han dynasties; they embodied the principle of “accomplishing the work without claiming credit for it.” The Yi Jing says that the exemplary person sees the first signs and acts, without waiting even a day. These men did just that.

Xu Liuxu

“Better to stop than to hold until full”: when one holds on to worldly affairs to the utmost and fills them to the brim, disaster is bound to follow. So the text advises people to stop in time. “Yi” means “to stop”; it is better to stop early. This is especially true of power and status. “Tempering until sharp, one cannot keep it for long”: the Dao is gained when sought and lost when abandoned. The kind of “gain” that benefits me depends on my own efforts. But if I now scheme and strive single-mindedly for profit, then even if I get what I want, it will not have come through the path of benevolence, righteousness, and virtue. I will be far from the ancient way of gaining what truly benefits one, and will be unable to keep it for long. Is that not to be expected? A hall filled with gold and jade cannot be kept secure; withdrawing when wealth and status call for it accords with the Dao of Heaven. The citations from Guang Wei and Shou Yue in the commentary teach people to know contentment, know when to stop, and withdraw once their work is done, all in keeping with the scripture’s meaning.

This passage explains several chapters of the Dao De Jing: “Hold it full, and it will overflow”; “Temper it to a sharp point, and it cannot remain sharp for long”; “A hall full of gold and jade”; “Being wealthy and honored, yet arrogant”; and “When your work is done and your name established, withdraw.” It brings together the views of commentators such as Chai Yuangao, Su Jingjing, and Ben Yian.

General meaning

Gold and jade are treasures prized by Heaven and Earth and admired by the world. Even if a hall is filled with them, a person whose greed is never satisfied will ultimately be unable to keep them; in effect, he is storing up wealth for a great thief. To be wealthy and honored yet arrogant is to invite calamity. Lords and kings are the wealthiest and most honored people in the world. If they remain humble, Heaven’s blessings can endure; if they treat the world with pride and conceit, calamity will befall them. Whom could they blame?

Achievement and renown are matters that sages throughout history have valued most. Only by completing one’s work, establishing one’s name, and then knowing when to withdraw can one preserve what one has accomplished. This is a discipline for people of great De, not something that can be managed through petty cleverness. Thus “withdraw” accords with the Dao (the Way): as spring brings forth life, summer flourishes, autumn bears fruit, and winter brings decline, all eventually return to the root, in an unending cycle.

Main points from the commentators

Chai Yuangao: Holding on to fullness inevitably becomes tiresome; sharpening something to a point cannot last; a sharp advance must soon be followed by retreat. Gold and jade gathered in a hall will inevitably disperse, and arrogance amid wealth and honor will invite calamity. Completing one’s work and withdrawing, and the waxing and waning of fullness and emptiness, are constant patterns of the Dao. Knowing contentment is what accords with the Dao.

Su Jingjing: The seasons turn, and what has reached completion must give way; this is the Dao, just as the seasons must succeed one another. Laozi’s original intention was to urge people to withdraw in good time once their work was done and their name established. What is full overflows; what is sharp breaks. Rather than forcing oneself to keep holding a vessel that is already full, it is better to set it down. The more a cone is sharpened, the more certain it is to break in time. A hall full of gold and jade invites thieves; arrogance in wealth and honor invites blame. These are common truths. Laozi urges people to know contentment and avoid disgrace, and to know when to stop so as to avoid danger. Most people in the world pursue achievement and renown. Once their work is done and their name established, they should withdraw. The Dao of Heaven abhors fullness and favors humility. Otherwise, clinging to fullness, sharpening to a point, growing arrogant in wealth and honor, and failing to know when to stop will inevitably bring disgrace and danger.

Ben Yian: What is full overflows; what is sharp breaks. Rather than anxiously exerting yourself to keep something from overflowing, it is better to stop at what is enough. However sharp a cone is made by grinding, it cannot remain unbroken forever. “Temper” means grinding a cone to make it sharper. A hall full of gold and jade invites thieves and is hard to guard; arrogance in wealth and honor brings blame upon oneself. These are inevitable truths.

Modern Commentary

There is no need to strain to hold a full cup or keep a sharp blade in your grasp

There is no need to cling to fullness to the very end, nor to keep your edge perpetually clenched in your hand.

“Fullness” refers to power and status; “sharpness” refers to talent and intelligence. “Gold and jade filling the hall” describes talent and intelligence displayed openly, filling the room with brilliance. “Wealth and rank accompanied by arrogance” describes a position so elevated that it breeds pride. “Achievement completed” and “one’s name established” correspond respectively to status and talent.

Gold and jade are things everyone envies. Even hidden away in a house, they are hard to keep safe—how much more so when displayed in the hall? If they are hard to guard in the hall, how much harder when piled up to overflowing? Even if watched by someone with Li Zhu’s keen eyesight and guarded by warriors as fierce as Ben and Yu, they will still be stolen. This is a metaphor: people who boast of their talent, put it on display, and flaunt it will in the end be defeated by external forces. That is why it is difficult to hold on to great renown for long.

Wealth and rank invite danger by their very nature. Even humility and self-restraint may not be enough to escape it; how much less so if one becomes arrogant and indulgent? Disaster does not descend from Heaven or get forcibly imposed from outside. More often, people bring it upon themselves. Great achievements, too, are therefore hard to preserve for long. The wise often withdraw when their achievements are complete and their names established. This is in accord with the Way of Heaven.

“Withdraw” has two meanings: with regard to status, it means retiring and letting go; with regard to talent, it means being modest and keeping one’s abilities in check. The Way of Heaven refers to ideas such as emptiness, fullness, increase, and humility in the Book of Changes, as well as the account in the Commentary of the seasons’ turning and those who have completed their work withdrawing. When a man of Jin praised Lin Gong for having “gold and jade filling the hall,” he was referring to his talent and intelligence. To take this as merely a lesson about guarding wealth is to miss the point. Later, when the sage is said to “wear coarse clothes and keep jade close to his heart,” does “keeping jade close” really mean carrying a piece of jade?

Supporting passages from other masters

The Han Feizi, citing Laozi, says: “To gain things unjustly and then refuse to give them away brings calamity upon oneself. One can neither help others nor protect oneself; this is the height of foolishness, like an owl that loves its young.” Hence: “To hold something full and keep filling it is not as good as stopping in time. To sharpen something to a keen edge is not something one can preserve for long.”

Shi Tan’s comment

Better to stop than to keep holding something full. An edge brought out by constant honing cannot last. Gold and jade filling the hall will eventually disperse; they cannot be guarded forever. To be wealthy and high-ranking yet arrogant is to invite blame and disaster: high status breeds slander, and a wealthy household gathers resentment.

This passage explains the principle of “withdraw once the work is done.” Laozi says that after achieving success and renown, one should willingly step back; this is how calamity can be avoided. Why? Because when things reach their extreme, they turn in the opposite direction: what is full must diminish, and what is strong must fade. This is the way the Dao operates.

The “Qian” hexagram in the Book of Changes makes the point clearly: Heaven’s way reduces what is full and benefits what is humble; Earth’s way transforms what is full and lets what is humble flow; spirits bring harm to the full and blessings to the humble; and human nature dislikes fullness and favors humility. The Book of Documents also says, “Fullness invites loss; humility brings benefit.” This is precisely the law of Heaven. The meaning of this chapter of Laozi accords with the spirit of the “Qian” hexagram in the Book of Changes.

Later Confucian scholars also said that Laozi had indeed grasped the true meaning of the “Qian” hexagram.