《道德真經廣聖義》Vol. 22

The Classic: Guangshengyi Commentary on the True Scripture of the Dao and Its Virtue

Volume Twenty-One

Composed by Master Guangcheng, Du Guangting of the Tang

Chapter Twenty-Five: “There Is a Thing Formed in Confusion”

(The previous chapter discussed “seeing oneself” and “being self-righteous,” explaining that a person who has the Dao does not end up in the position of “leftover food and excess baggage.” This chapter, through phrases such as “Greatness is called passing on,” shows that the substantial and true Dao took shape in primordial confusion before Heaven and Earth, and ultimately brings all laws and measures back to the natural. The opening six phrases, beginning “There is a thing formed in confusion,” explain how the wondrous source came into being and how “the thing” carries out its function. The six phrases beginning “I do not know” then explain why it can only be given a name by force. Since its name cannot truly be grasped, the six phrases following “Dao” reveal how the “Four Greats” bring forth all things and warn rulers of the way they should follow. The rest of the chapter teaches people to take the natural as their model, following the Dao through Wuwei (non-action) and stillness.)

Commentary: In remote antiquity, before the Three Qi had separated and before the One Primordial Unity had taken form, physical shapes remained hidden, indistinct and beyond comprehension. What first appeared in primordial confusion was the wondrous source of utter emptiness. Once it conceived spirit and spread transformation, Heaven and Earth arose from it, and all things were nurtured by it. Since it gave birth to them and brought them to completion, it is called the “Mother of Transformation.” Only afterward were names and realities established and functions revealed: “great,” “passing on,” “far-reaching,” and “returning.” It encompasses the Three Powers, sets the cycles of Qi in motion, and holds the place of honor among the Four Greats. It successively serves as the standard and establishes laws and measures, yet again merges into undirected unity, silently embodying the natural. It manifests the function of the great Dao in its openness and responsiveness; once its work is done, all returns to the source of the Dao.

“There is a thing formed in confusion” refers to the Dao’s essential substance.

“It existed before Heaven and Earth” refers to the Dao’s primordial beginning.

“Silent and void” refers to the Dao’s essential nature.

“It stands alone and does not change” refers to the Dao’s constant substance.

“It moves everywhere and is never exhausted” refers to the Dao’s wondrous function.

“It can be regarded as the Mother of all beneath Heaven” refers to the Dao’s merit and De.

“I do not know its name” refers to the Dao’s namelessness.

“I style it ‘Dao’” refers to the Dao being given a name.

“Forced to give it a name, I call it ‘Great’” refers to the Dao’s form and appearance.

“Greatness is called passing on” refers to the Dao’s subtle mystery.

“Passing on is called far-reaching” refers to the Dao’s profound depth.

“Far-reaching is called returning” refers to the Dao’s enduring presence.

“The Dao is great, Heaven is great, Earth is great, and the ruler is also great” means that the Dao encompasses the Three Powers.

“Within the realm there are Four Greats, and the ruler is one of them” explains that the ruler is one of the four in the human world. The ruler takes Earth as the model, Earth takes Heaven as the model, Heaven takes the Dao as the model, and the Dao takes the natural as its model; therefore, the ruler too is great.

Something Formed in Undifferentiated Wholeness, Born Before Heaven and Earth

Commentary (in the tradition of Heshang Gong’s commentary): To explain why the Dao must be given a name, the text first says, “Something formed in undifferentiated wholeness.” There is something that comes into being in a state of profound undifferentiation, embracing all things. Tracing its transformations and generation, we find it existed before Heaven and Earth.

Exegesis: “Something” refers to the wondrous thing: the subtle source at the utmost limit of emptiness. Since the text is about to explain why the Dao is given a provisional name, it cannot simply call it “the Dao” at once, and so it says “something.” This means that this wondrous thing comes into being in undivided wholeness, containing and nurturing all forms. Tracing its generation and transformation, we find it existed before Heaven and Earth; hence the phrase “born before Heaven and Earth.”

Meaning: The Dao arises without source or ancestor, without name or form. Its use is open and empty, gradually becoming manifest as “something.” At first it resembles formless form, imageless image, thingless thing, and nameless name. Before Heaven and Earth were established, before Yin-Yang was divided, and before the clear and turbid were distinguished, all was an undifferentiated, rounded unity. The myriad forms were contained within it but not yet manifest; the transformations of all things were hidden within it but not yet unfolded. It cannot be named or questioned, nor described through images. Thus the text says, “Something formed in undifferentiated wholeness, born before Heaven and Earth.”

The Jing of the Nine Heavens says: “Before Heaven and Earth existed, there was already Dao Qi; this is called the Mysterious.” The three Qi of the Origin and Beginning gave rise to the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing); each of the Three Pure Ones gave rise to three Qi, which together became the nine Qi and formed the Nine Heavens. Only after this division did the distinctions arise between the round and clear, and the square and turbid, and between the Yang sun and the Yin moon. The Three Powers were then born, and the myriad kinds of things were established. Many scriptures explain this principle. Thus, what is “born before Heaven and Earth” is the Great Dao. The five stages of the Great Beginning are explained in detail in volume eight.

The Highest: Those Below Know of It

(This line immediately follows the preceding passage in the original and begins another chapter. It is omitted here; it can be translated separately if needed.)

Silent and Vast, It Stands Alone and Does Not Change; It Moves Everywhere and Is Never Exhausted

Exegesis: “Silent and vast” praises the nature of “something”: silent, vast, empty, and still, its subtle source tranquil and clear. Therefore, it stands alone and does not move or change. When things respond to it, it answers; its activity is free of intention and extends throughout all existence. Thus, it moves everywhere without danger or exhaustion.

Meaning: “Silent and vast” describes “nonbeing”: no sound can be heard, no color seen, no form grasped, no image sought, no name spoken, and no principle understood. “It stands alone and does not change” means that its nature is empty and still, abiding in its original state. “It moves everywhere and is never exhausted” means that it responds to things without obstruction, extending everywhere without decline.

A paraphrase of the corresponding scripture

Thus it says, “silent and void.” “Standing alone” means the Dao is unique and has no companion. “Moving everywhere” means the Dao’s Qi extends in every direction. “Without danger” means that though it is high, there is no need to call it high; though it is vast, there is no need to call it great. It is endless and everlasting in its mystery, and cannot be brought to ruin. “Danger” means peril.

The Dao can be regarded as the mother of all things under Heaven.

Commentary

The substance of the “Something” is silent, void, empty, and still. Its wondrous source is clear and calm, ever silent; thus it stands alone and does not change. Its transformations and responses extend throughout all sentient beings; thus it moves everywhere without danger. All things depend on it for their birth and receive the nourishing virtue it bestows, so it can be called the mother of all things under Heaven.

Explication

The wondrous source brings forth and transforms, extending throughout all sentient beings; nothing among sentient beings is not brought to completion by it. All things receive the nourishing virtue it bestows, so it can be called their mother. “Mother” here refers to nurturing and nourishment.

Meaning

Within the utmost nonbeing, wondrous Qi flows everywhere and brings forth all things. Nothing can come into being without the Dao; because it gives birth to things, it is the mother of all things under Heaven. The Dao’s generation and transformation of things gives rise to every form and kind, so its reach is not limited to Heaven or the world below. “Under Heaven” is used here to name the greatest realm; the Dao’s generative transformation gives rise to everything without exception. According to the Zilin, “nourish” means to nurture things; hence the Dao is called their mother.

Scripture

“I do not know its name. I give it the designation Dao, and, forcing myself to name it, call it Great.”

Commentary

I see something bringing things into being, yet it is hidden and nameless. So I use “pervading generation” to express its virtue and call it “Dao.” To encompass its substance, I give it a designation, and, forcing myself, name it “Great.”

Explication

“Designation” expresses its virtue; “name” establishes its substance. The Lord Lao says: The wondrous source brings forth and transforms, and its applications are without limit. Silent, void, empty, and still, it cannot be assigned a definite form. It came into being before Heaven and Earth, and its lineage is hard to put into words; hence the saying, “I do not know its name.” Yet seeing that it pervades all transformations on a grand scale, I wish to express its virtue of bringing forth all things, so I give it the designation Dao.

Meaning

Things are named according to their substance and designated according to their virtue. Once a thing comes into being, it is given a name; this is ordinary, and no thing is nameless. Only the Great Dao acts before things themselves. Before forms and images appeared, before Heaven and Earth opened, the Dao was already there. Only after the Dao’s function was set in motion and its work carried out did Heaven, Earth, and the myriad things come into being. Its work is so profound and its function so vast, yet it has no form or shape—

One cannot seek it through clan names, nor attain it through personal names—the Old Lord (Laozi) drew his teaching from this.

“Pervading all life, it brings forth the beauty of the myriad things; we call it the Dao.” The meaning of “Dao” is that it pervades and gives life to the myriad things. As that which pervades, the Dao reaches everywhere. The Scripture of the Western Ascent says: “The Dao envelops Heaven and Earth; even the finest autumn down is within it.” The Zhuangzi says: “The Dao is in the barnyard grass; the Dao is among the myriad things. It is everywhere.” Thus, all things that have form and life have the Dao within them; when they lose the Dao, they die.

Commentary: Seeing that the Dao contains all things and excludes nothing, one wishes to define its ultimate, formless nature, and so one gives it the forced name “Great.”

In general, things receive a name first and a courtesy name afterward. Since the courtesy name is secondary, it marks their growth from small to great. The Dao, by contrast, receives a courtesy name before it receives a name: this is a descent from its root to its traces.

Explanation: A thing with a body can contain other things: the great can hold the small, and the outer can conceal the inner. This is the ordinary way of things. The Dao, however, has no body, yet it can contain the myriad things. Because its bodiless body is vast beyond measure, its greatness is without bounds. Its name is therefore established on the basis of its vast nature, and it is called “Great.” To be great is to contain and accommodate everything without exception; things with form and things without form all lie within the Dao’s body.

In general, things receive a name before a courtesy name. According to ritual, when a boy was three days old, his father shot six arrows made of mulberry wood and reed toward Heaven, Earth, and the four directions, using a bow made of mulberry wood to show that the boy would have duties in all directions. Three months later, the child’s mother carried him to meet his father. She entered through the gate and climbed the eastern steps; then she carried the child out and climbed the guest steps. The father took the child’s right hand, gave him his name, and stroked his head.

At twenty, a man was capped and thereby became an adult. The son who would inherit the household was capped on the eastern steps, signifying succession. He then drank wine in the guest position, marking the way of adulthood. His cap was changed three times: first to black cloth, then to a leather cap, and finally to a ceremonial cap. Each change signified increasing honor. After the capping, he was given a courtesy name, out of respect for his personal name. A girl received her hairpin at fifteen and was then given a courtesy name. Thus the capping ceremony was the beginning of ritual observance and the most important of the ceremonies marking adulthood and celebration. In this way, the personal name came first and the courtesy name afterward, expressing growth from small to great. The way of human relations has a beginning and an end: one grows from small to great, then passes from greatness to an end.

In the Spring and Autumn Annals, in the ninth month of the sixth year of Duke Huan, on the day Dingmao, Zitong was born. The Duke asked Shen Xu, a minister, what name should be given to the child.

The following is a plain language interpretation of this passage from the commentary on the Dao De Zhenjing Guang Sheng Yi.

Five ways of choosing a name

Someone asked, “How many kinds of names are there?” The answer was: five—faith, righteousness, image, borrowing, and resemblance.

• Naming by birth as faith: A name is given to record the circumstances of one’s birth, as with Tang Shuyu and the Duke of Lu’s son You.
• Naming by virtue as righteousness: A name is chosen to reflect one’s virtue, as with King Wen, whose name was Chang, and King Wu, whose name was Fa.
• Naming by likeness as image: Something of the same kind is used as a symbol. Confucius, for example, was born near Mount Niqiu, so his name was associated with “Niqiu.”
• Borrowing a name from an object: A name is taken from something at hand. When a fish was presented at the time Boyu was born, for instance, he was named Li, meaning “carp.”
• Naming by resemblance to one’s father: A name reflects a shared circumstance or likeness with one’s father, as with Zitong, who was born on the same day as his father.

There were also prohibitions: one should not use the name of a state (lest the state’s name have to be abandoned), the name of an official post (lest the office’s title have to be abandoned), the name of a mountain or river (lest the name of its sacrificial deity have to be abandoned), the name of a sacrificial animal (lest the sacrifice have to be abandoned), or the name of a ritual object that has fallen into disrepair (lest the ritual be abandoned). Hidden ailments, among other things, were also not used in naming; this is why names later had to be avoided out of respect. Thus, Jin abandoned the title Situ because of Marquis Xi, and Song abandoned the title Sikong because of Wu Gong. The former lords Xian Gong and Wu Gong also caused the names of two mountains—Jiao and Yi—to be abandoned. Names belonging to great things or important rites must not be used casually for naming people.

The duke asked, “Is that acceptable?” The reply was: “He was born in the same circumstances as the duke”—on the same day, for example—“so he may be named Tong.”

As for clan names, the Spring and Autumn Annals, under the eighth year of Duke Yin, records that when Gongzi Wuhai died, Yufu asked for a posthumous title and inquired about his clan name. The duke consulted Zhongzhong, who replied: “The Son of Heaven grants surnames to those of virtue, giving a surname according to their origin and assigning a clan name with land as an allotment. Among the feudal lords, a clan name is often taken from a grandfather’s courtesy name or posthumous title. When an official’s family has rendered hereditary service, the clan name may come from its former office or fief; the same applies to a town.” The duke ordered that the courtesy name be used as the clan name, making Wuhai a member of the Zhan clan: Wuhai was the grandson of Gongzi Zhan.

From “name” to the Dao

The Dao is first given a designation and then a name: to show that it descends into the world and serves a purpose, it is designated “Dao”; to convey that its wondrous substance is vast and profound, it is named “Great.” Though it has neither beginning nor end, one has no choice but to establish this name and designation. The marvel of the Great Dao reaches the limit of what words can express.

“Great is called passing away; passing away is called distant; distant is called returning.”

Commentary: Its wondrous workings are inexhaustible, and any name imposed on it can never fully describe it. Pushing beyond “Great,” one calls it passing away—going onward, departing. Pushing beyond “passing away,” one calls it distant—beyond all reach. Once this is fully understood, one returns to body and mind and verifies it through direct experience.

Subcommentary: To cling to one side is to fall short of the all-encompassing way of the world. Heaven’s function is to cover and nurture, but it cannot alone bear the task of giving form; Earth’s function is to give form, but it cannot alone bear the task of bringing forth and nourishing life. If one proceeds from “Great” to “passing away,” and from “passing away” in search of what is distant, even the distant remains beyond reach. One who awakens returns to body and mind and verifies it there—this is the meaning of “distant is called returning.”

Brief explanations of proper terms (terms explained in parentheses in the text are omitted)

• Faith, righteousness, image, borrowing, and resemblance: Five ways of choosing a name.
• Clan, clan name, and posthumous title: Names for a lineage, a clan associated with an allotment of land, and the title given after death.
• Marquis Xi, Situ, and Sikong: Titles of officials in Jin, Song, and other states that were changed because they shared names with rulers.
• “Great is called passing away … distant is called returning”: A line from chapter 25 of the Dao De Jing. Here it is interpreted as proceeding from “Great” to “passing away” and “distant,” then ultimately “returning” to body and mind to verify the Dao.

Commentary: The wondrous source (the root of the Dao) has only its own activity; its way of working follows no fixed pattern. Though we are forced to call it “great,” it does not confine itself to the single idea of greatness.

Meaning: The most all-encompassing thing in the world is the Dao. Things confined to one domain, able to govern only one aspect, include Heaven and Earth. Heaven and Earth, the sun and moon, and the four seasons—spring, summer, autumn, and winter—all operate through Heaven. The Qi of Heaven is vast and brings forth all things everywhere. It can cover but cannot bear, be clear but not turbid, and rise but not descend. The Qi of Earth spreads everywhere and bears things with depth and solidity. It can bear but cannot cover, be turbid but not clear, and descend but not rise. The sun governs the daytime but not the night; the moon governs the night but not the day. Spring governs sprouting and growth, but cannot nurture or store away. Summer governs growth, but cannot store away or bring forth anew. Autumn governs the harvest, but cannot bring forth growth or conceal things. Winter governs concealment, but cannot bring forth growth or bring about the killing force of autumn. Wind disperses but cannot moisten; rain moistens but cannot disperse. There are many things like these, each confined to one domain. Only the Great Dao can cover, bear, illuminate, and oversee; bring forth, grow, and nurture; make cold and hot, disperse and moisten; be Yin and Yang, soft and hard, present and ancient, round and square, clear and turbid, short and long. There is nothing it cannot do, and nothing it fails to do. Thus its “use follows no fixed pattern”: though called great, it is not confined to greatness alone. This is what may be called the most all-encompassing thing in the world.

Commentary: The more deeply one seeks into “greatness,” the farther it passes away. The more one seeks into this passing away, the more remote and unreachable it becomes. Yet if one seeks back from that remoteness, one returns to the human body and mind. Hence the saying, “The far-reaching returns.” Zhuangzi says that the Great Dao “has no end in what is vast, and omits nothing in what is minute.”

Meaning: Seek in what is vast, and it becomes ever more expansive; hence “it passes away and goes on.” Seek in what passes away, and it becomes ever more remote; hence “it is far and unreachable.” Yet seeking from afar does not take one beyond this very body; hence “it returns.” A person’s daily life and movements—bending, looking up, stretching, and flexing—never depart from the Dao. How, then, could the Dao be far away? As for “having no end in what is vast,” in the “Way of Heaven” chapter of the Zhuangzi, Laozi tells Shicheng Qi that the Dao has no end in what is vast and omits nothing in what is minute, so all things are complete within it. It is so vast that nothing lies beyond its embrace, and so deep that it cannot be measured. Form, De, benevolence, and righteousness are all brought about by Shen (the wondrous workings of the Dao).

General meaning of the scripture

At the end, unless someone is supremely benevolent, who could determine these principles? The passage says that Heaven and Earth are the greatest of all forms, while an autumn hair—the fine new down of birds and beasts in autumn, used here to illustrate something extremely small—is the smallest. When things reach the utmost in greatness, the Dao enlarges them further; its greatness has no limit, so it never comes to an end. When things reach the utmost in minuteness, the Dao is present even there, so nothing is left out. The Dao is everywhere. How could it be measured by any limited standard? It cannot be confined by the measure of any one place, nor can any one of the four—Heaven, Earth, the king, and the Dao—be questioned in a way that exhausts it.

Thus it is said: the Dao is great, Heaven is great, Earth is great, and the king is great as well.

Commentary

This explains what each is great in: Heaven is great in its power to cover, Earth in its power to bear, and the king in his power to take Earth as his model. One who “attains the One” is united with the Dao. Heaven follows the Dao’s course; therefore, the king too is said to be great.

Explanatory notes

Because the Dao is given the name “great” only as an expedient, the text goes on to describe the forms of greatness. Heaven hangs high above, covering all things from the distant heights; Earth settles below, still and substantial, bearing all things; the king, through stillness and Wuwei (non-action), transforms the people. These are the three great powers, all joined together by my wondrous Dao.

Explanation

Heaven is clear, with Qi (vital energy) gathered above. Its nature is pure Yang; it moves without cease, strong and vigorous, bright and orderly. Therefore it is placed after the Dao. Earth is turbid, with its form gathered below. Its nature is pure Yin; it is still and unmoving, yielding, compliant, and secure. Therefore it is placed after Heaven. The king is upright, holding the power of Yin and Yang in his hands and standing foremost among all living beings. He follows the order of Yin and Yang, models himself on what is fitting in Heaven and Earth, observes above and examines below, and studies the ancient Dao in accordance with what he finds. By being clear, he models himself on Heaven; by being still, he responds to Earth. Thus he stills his mind and transforms through Wuwei, matching the three great powers.

These three great powers each have a virtue confined to one aspect. They lack the wondrous function of being all-encompassing and empty, so my wondrous Dao runs through them all and governs them. “Joined together by one thread” comes from the Analects: Confucius said to Zeng Shen, “Shen, my Dao is joined together by one thread.” “Summit” means the top; “mysterious heights” means what is distant and profound.

Within the realm there are four great powers, and the king is one of them

Commentary

The king is the leader of humanity, and the rise and fall of all things depend on him. To make the lesson and warning clear, the text says, “and the king is one of them.” This is meant to alert rulers to take what follows as their model.

Explanatory notes

“Realm” means a bounded region or sphere. If we speak of greatness “within the realm,” the Dao is not confined to it. And if we speak only of what can be seen, Heaven and Earth each form their own bounded sphere; neither is contained within the “realm.” These words are meant to preserve the profound principle, so there is no need to cling rigidly to their literal wording.

Overall explanation in plain language

The preceding passage moves from “supreme benevolence” to the question of greatness and smallness: Heaven and Earth are the greatest, the finest hair is the smallest. The Dao that reaches the greatest scale never ends, and the Dao present in the smallest things leaves nothing out. It cannot be confined to one corner, nor can any single item among the “four great powers” fully explain it. The text then introduces Laozi’s saying, “the Dao is great, Heaven is great, Earth is great, and the king is great as well.” The commentaries explain why Heaven, Earth, and the king are called great through their powers to cover, bear, model themselves on Earth, and follow the Dao. They also stress that each of the three has virtue in only one domain, while the Dao joins them all together. The explanation then describes the order of Heaven, Earth, and the king through Yin and Yang, clarity and turbidity, stillness, and Wuwei, and explains how the king can match the three great powers. It also identifies “joined together by one thread” as a phrase from the Confucian Analects. Finally, in explaining “within the realm there are four great powers, and the king is one of them,” the commentaries remind rulers to model themselves on Heaven, Earth, and the Dao, and caution against taking the word “realm” too literally: the Dao is not limited to the visible world.

Qu Sheng offers another interpretation, using scripture to resolve difficult questions, though the various commentators have yet to explain the underlying principles fully.

Meaning (explanation): The “realm” in question can be understood in several ways. Broadly, it has four levels.

First, the realm of generation and transformation: within the two Qi of Yin and Yang, all things are born through the shaping power of Yin and Yang.

Second, the realm of wondrous being: beyond the two Qi, between “wondrous nonbeing” and “wondrous being.”

Third, the realm of wondrous nonbeing: beyond wondrous being, at the stage where primordial Qi is gathering and about to condense, but has not yet fully transformed into “being.”

Fourth, beyond wondrous nonbeing lies the realm of the Dao: neither being nor nonbeing, without limit or end. What is meant here by “within the realm” is that which the Dao brings forth and nourishes: from nonbeing, being arises; the two Qi of Yin and Yang divide, and Heaven and Earth take shape. Within Heaven and Earth, the myriad kinds of beings assume form, and the ruler presides over them all. This is like saying that first there is the greatness of the Dao, then Heaven and Earth, then the ruler. The name “Four Greats” describes them as successively encompassing one another: they pass from nonbeing into being, and from being return to nonbeing, embracing both beginning and end. The text later says, “Humanity models itself on Earth, Earth models itself on Heaven, Heaven models itself on the Dao.” Since they model themselves on one another in succession, the Four Greats encompass one another.

Commentary (explanation): “Realm” is a designation; a “name” expresses the substance. The realm is the substance encompassed beyond what has no name, which is why it is called “within the realm.” When the name “Dao” is invoked, the Dao is included within it; when the name “Heaven” is invoked, nothing is left outside Heaven. Thus, “within the realm” means within the substance of what has a name: these Four Greats are present there, and “the ruler is one of them.” The ruler is foremost among human beings. When the Dao is present, the myriad things receive its De; when the Dao is absent, Heaven and Earth suffer harm. The text therefore singles out the ruler as one of the Four Greats to encourage people to model themselves on the Dao and follow their own nature.

Meaning: The sage’s intent is to treat names as expressions of substance. The “realm” encompasses all meanings and is itself a wondrous truth. The Dao, too, is a name for the substance that encompasses Heaven and Earth. Within Heaven and Earth, the ruler stands foremost; the meaning is the same. When a ruler has the Dao, the sun and moon shine together like paired jewels, and the five planets align like a string of pearls. Sweet dew descends, and sweet springs emerge; rivers do not overflow, and the sea’s waves remain calm. Auspicious stars appear and clouds of good omen gather; a divine dragon swims in the marsh, and qilin and phoenixes come to the court. The four seasonal Qi are in harmony, like a lamp of jade, and all things fulfill their own nature; the world is at peace. When a ruler lacks the Dao, Heaven overturns the seasons and brings calamities; Earth departs from its ordinary course and produces strange creatures; people turn away from De and fall into disorder. Ominous Qi and portents of calamity appear above, while monstrous creatures and strange forms emerge below. Such signs are followed by events like the disappearance of stars and eclipses of the sun.

Winter thunder, summer frost, cracks opening in the sky, stones falling, rivers drying up, and mountains collapsing—although these events are brought about by people in the human realm, human Qi (vital energy) resonates with Heaven, and Heaven and Earth suffer as a result. A ruler holds a position of great consequence, bound up with the well-being of Heaven and Earth. How could he fail to embrace and preserve what is natural, take Heaven’s Dao (the Way) as his model, make Wuwei (non-action) his foundation, and put the Dao into practice?

“Humanity models itself on Earth; Earth models itself on Heaven; Heaven models itself on the Dao; the Dao models itself on what is natural.”

Note: “Humanity” here refers to the ruler. A ruler should first model himself on Earth, remaining still and steady. On this foundation, he should then model himself on Heaven, bringing things forth through its cycles. Once this work of generation is complete, he should model himself on the Dao: quiet and free of action, allowing the myriad things to transform of themselves. If the ruler can do this, he accords with the Dao’s nature of being what is natural.

Commentary: “Humanity” refers to the ruler. He is called “humanity” because, by modeling himself on Earth’s power to generate and on the Dao’s stillness, he can bring all under Heaven to follow him; this is what makes him a king. Otherwise, the myriad things would have nowhere to turn. The text therefore uses “humanity” as a warning: a ruler must model himself on Earth’s stillness; from stillness, he must model himself on Heaven’s power to bring forth and transform, extending its efficacy and virtue to the myriad things; then he must model himself on the Dao’s quiet and Wuwei, forgetting his own achievements among things and allowing them to transform of themselves. If a ruler can do this, he accords with the Dao’s modeling itself on what is natural.

Meaning: The Dao governs generation, Heaven encompasses, and Earth bears all things. The forms of Heaven and Earth are made manifest, and the shapes of the myriad things are laid out. The ruler dwells among them. If he puts the Dao’s transformative power into practice, follows Heaven’s seasons, and models himself on what suits Earth, then the people will be calm and govern themselves. Generation and transformation will follow their proper course; stillness and purity will prevail without disturbance. This accords with the principle of the Great Dao’s being natural.

Clarifying the meaning of “the Dao models itself on what is natural”

Commentary: To say that “the Dao models itself on what is natural” does not mean that the Dao imitates some thing called “Nature.” To imagine, as the confused do, that the Dao takes “Nature” as its model is to suppose there is another great power called “Nature” within the cosmos. This would make five great powers instead of four. The argument also cites the Scripture of Ascension to the West (Xisheng Jing): “Emptiness gives birth to what is natural; what is natural gives birth to the Dao.” This portrays the Dao as the grandson of “Emptiness” and the child of “Nature,” arbitrarily setting up a sequence and ranking what is higher and lower. It blocks the source and uproots the root, reversing what is deep and shallow.

Meaning: Those who are confused do not understand the meaning of the scriptures, so they suppose that the Great Dao imitates “Nature.” If “Nature” truly stood above the Dao, then “Nature” would have to be counted as a fifth great power within the cosmos. Likewise, to regard the Dao as the child of “Nature” and the grandson of “non-action” is mistaken. The text explains this in detail below.

1. Historical Account Cited (from a record such as the Zuo Tradition)

This passage concerns the ninth year of Duke Zhao of the Spring and Autumn period. Liang Bing and Zhang Ti of Jin led the Yin Rong to attack Ying. The conflict arose because the Gan people of Zhou and Yan Jia of Jin were contesting Xun fields, a tract of land.

King Jing of Zhou sent his minister Zhan Huanbo to Jin to make the case. He said, in essence: Since the Xia dynasty, places such as Houji, Wei, Tai, Rui, Qi, and Bi have all lain to the west of our realm; Ba, Pu, Chu, and Deng to its south; after King Wu defeated the Shang, Pugu and Shangyan lay to its east; and Sushen, Yan, and Bo to its north. These have always been territories granted by the Zhou royal house and handed down through generations. How could they have been assigned to you only recently?

The former kings of Xia and Shang, and Kings Wen, Wu, Cheng, and Kang of Zhou, enfeoffed their kinsmen to protect the Zhou house, and they did not abandon this practice. How could we discard the practice of placing the Taowu—the wicked—at the four borders as a shield against demons and monsters, as casually as tossing away a hat’s tassel or a worn-out garment? The treacherous people of the Yun clan—that is, the Yun Rong—lived in Guazhou. After returning from Qin, our uncle Lord Hui—that is, Duke Mu of Qin—enticed them over and brought them close to the states of our Ji clan. They invaded our outskirts and suburbs, and the Rong seized the land. Who brought about the calamity of the Rong penetrating deep into the Central States?

Houji once spread agriculture widely here and brought stability to the realm. Now the Rong have brought him under their control—is this not a troubling state of affairs? Uncle, you should give this serious thought. To you, I am like a crown atop a garment, roots beneath a tree, or a guiding mind among the people. If you tear off the crown, destroy the cap, pull up the roots, block the source, abandon the ancestral Zhou house, and act arbitrarily, then even among the Rong and Di, what room would remain for the “One”—the Son of Heaven?

Shu Xiang said to Xuanzi, Han Xuanzi: Did Duke Wen of Jin achieve hegemony by changing the constant order of Heaven and Earth? He did so by supporting and honoring the Son of Heaven, and by showing reverence. Since Duke Wen’s time, people’s Virtue has often declined, yet they have treated the ancestral Zhou house with contempt and used their wealth to flaunt extravagance. Is it any wonder the feudal lords have become divided in their loyalties? Besides, the Zhou king’s words are well founded. You should consider the matter carefully. Xuanzi was pleased by what he heard. When a relative of the Zhou king died, the king sent Zhao Cheng to offer condolences at the Zhou court and returned the Xun fields. He also sent funeral gifts and returned the captives from Ying. The king, in turn, sent Bin Hua, together with the Gan minister Xiang, to Jin to explain his position. The people of Jin treated them with courtesy and allowed them to return home.

2. The Commentary’s Discussion of “Emptiness, Nature, and the Dao”

The commentary also offers the following interpretation:

Emptiness is the substance of the “wondrous origin,” the subtle root. Its substance is not any fixed, tangible thing, and so it is called emptiness.

Nature is the inherent quality of the wondrous origin. This quality is not created by human effort, and so it is called nature.

The Dao is the function of the wondrous origin. The Dao, whose name is “provisionally given,” is simply what runs through the arising of all things; hence it is called the Dao.

Taken together in terms of substance, function, and name, these are emptiness, nature, and the Dao. Since they all point to the same wondrous origin, how could they amount to imitation of one another or to two separate teachings? This shows how difficult it is for the deluded to truly awaken to the Daoist mystery—the hidden hinge of the Dao.

Brief Notes on Names and Terms

• Guangsheng Yi: A Tang-dynasty commentary on the Daodejing by Du Guangting, whose full title is Guangsheng Yi on the True Scripture of the Dao and its Virtue.
• Yin Rong, Xun fields, and Guazhou: Names of tribes and places involved in disputes over territory between the Rong, Zhou, and Jin during the Spring and Autumn period.
• “Wondrous origin”: In Daoist thought, the subtle source from which everything arises, identified with the Dao.
• “Provisionally given name”: From the Daodejing: “I do not know its name; I provisionally call it the Dao.”

Explanation: “Key gate” means “crucial point.” This passage explains that the Great Dao takes emptiness and nothingness as its substance, naturalness as its nature, and the Dao’s wondrous function as its activity. Considered separately, the one divides into three; considered together, the three blend into one. They are generally called emptiness and nothingness, naturalness, and the Great Dao. In the end, they are one in substance. This is not like the Five Phases giving rise to one another and depending on one another, a principle marked by sequence and differences of rank.

Without naturalness, the Dao’s “nature” cannot be explained clearly; without emptiness and nothingness, its “substance” cannot be explained; without pervading generation—the Dao’s power to extend through all things and bring all beings into existence—its “function” cannot be explained. To examine this wondrous meaning closely is to have reached the key to the profound and mysterious gate.