#57 The Tao of Governance
Tao Te Ching, Chapter 57: Discover Lao Tzu's political philosophy of governance through wu-wei (non-interference) and spontaneous transformation.
Welcome back to The Wisdom of Lao Tzu.
This week, we delve into Chapter 57 of the Tao Te Ching.
Starting from this chapter, Lao Tzu elaborates on his political thinking and theory on improving the human condition.
In the following chapters, I will compare Lao Tzu’s political philosophy to two other influential schools in traditional China: Confucianism and Legalism. This will help us gain a more comprehensive understanding of them.
Let’s get started.
**57**
以正治國,以奇用兵,以無事取天下。
吾何以知其然哉?以此:
天下多忌諱,而民彌貧;
人多利器,國家滋昏;
人多伎巧,奇物滋起;
法令滋彰,盜賊多有。
故聖人云:我無為,而民自化;我好靜,而民自正;
我無事,而民自富;我無欲,而民自樸。
Border-crossing: English translations
#1 Lin Yutang’s version
Rule a kingdom by the Normal.
Fight a battle by (abnormal) tactics of surprise.
Win the world by doing nothing.
How do I know it is so?
Through this —
The more prohibitions there are, the poorer the people become.
The more sharp weapons there are,
The greater the chaos in the state.
The more skills of technique,
The more cunning things are produced.
The greater the number of statutes,
The greater the number of thieves and brigands.
Therefore the Sage says:
I do nothing and the people are reformed of themselves.
I love quietude and the people are righteous of themselves.
I deal in no business and the people grow rich by themselves.
I have no desires and the people are simple and honest by themselves.
#2 Edmund Ryden’s version
Use orthodox methods to govern a state;
Use stratagems to manoeuvre armies;
Use doing nothing to gain the world.
How do I know that this is so? By this:
Now,
When heaven issues many prohibitions and ordinances, Then the people are more likely to revolt.
When the people have more sharp weapons,
Then the state is disordered.
When others have more cunning and tricks,
Then strange things arise.
When laws and commands are promulgated,
Then brigands and robbers will be more.
For this reason
The words of the Sage say:
I do not act yet the people act of themselves;
I appreciate examining yet the people are correct of
themselves;
I do not interfere yet the people become rich of
themselves;*
I long to be without longing, yet the people are lumpen of
themselves.1
#3 D. C. Lau’s version
Govern the state by being straightforward;
wage war by being crafty; but win the empire by not being meddlesome.
How do I know that it is like that? By means of this.
The more taboos there are in the empire
The poorer the people;
The more sharpened tools the people have
The more benighted the state;
The more skills the people have
The further novelties multiply;
The better known the laws and edicts
The more thieves and robbers there are.
Hence the sage says,
I take no action and the people are transformed of themselves;
I prefer stillness and the people are rectified of
themselves;
I am not meddlesome and the people prosper of
themselves;
I am free from desire and the people of themselves
become simple like the uncarved block.2
Deeper dive
Lao Tzu goes straightforwardly in this chapter to elaborate on his political philosophy of governance that revolves around two pillars:
the enlightened way of governing with wu-wei (non-interference)
and the spontaneous actions of the individual
1) Governing with wu-wei
Lao Tzu’s conception of wu-wei as a political principle and technique is primarily concerned with the quality of leadership.
In his political thinking, the most significant political crises and social problems arise from the incompetency of unfit rulers. Moral character is also an essential component of competency.
In the Tao Te Ching, he does not shy away from poignant criticism of some corrupt and problematic political leaders, calling them thieves and brigands. This is unusual in ancient China, particularly given the country’s long history of dynastic rule.
Taoism is concerned with the organic whole of a system and the overall harmony in a society. In this sense, low-quality political leadership does not bode well for the polity and must be dealt with.
Thus, his practical solution focuses on the adoption of wu-wei in governance.
Wu-wei is based on the philosophical foundation of the Tao and the principle of naturalness. Since the Tao is fundamentally liberating and follows that which is natural (see below for more), wu-wei is a restrictive principle that regulates the actions of political leaders.
In this context, wu-wei can be interpreted as a non-meddling and non-interfering way of managing public affairs.
A polity’s decline results from political leadership’s degeneration into tyrannical and oppressive ruling at the expense of society.
From Lao Tzu’s perspective, a tyrannical rule for satisfying material possessions and contending for power is like a storm destined to pass away. (Chapter 23)
In other words, political failures and destructions are brought about by the rulers themselves.
So, Lao Tzu has been sending warning messages throughout the text,
The Tao never does,
Yet through it everything is done.
If princes and dukes can keep the Tao,
The world will of its own accord be reformed. (Chapter 37)
The sage has no mind of his own. He takes as his own the mind of the people. (Chapter 49)
By appreciating wu-wei, wise and enlightened rulers may learn not to enforce their will and policies upon ordinary people. Instead, it is necessary that they adjust their ways of governing to assist people in self-transformation and self-establishment.
2) Spontaneous transformation
Based on the same philosophical foundation, individuals can awaken to connect with the Tao within.
In Taoist thinking, the spiritually awakened and liberated individual understands that, by following the Tao, it is possible to craft a life by self-design.
In this sense, they do not need religious or political authority from the outside to dictate and control their thinking, actions, and ways of leading in this life.
In other words, a social and political order based on the principle of naturalness empowers individuals to seek self-fulfillment and self-governance. From Tao’s perspective, everyone is on an equal footing.
Because of such a political awakening, individuals and the political order can coexist harmoniously.
More importantly, spiritually awakened individuals are responsible for preserving the liberating and empowering character of the natural order.
Therefore, making things happen by themselves leads to authentic and natural existence. Political wu-wei serves to protect the authentic way of life of creative individuals.
Yet, we know from history that political realities were not always like this. Wars, political adventures, conflicts, and dominations have always been the themes of political history.
In the 20th century, totalitarian regimes driven by a few political opportunists had the power to stimulate entire societies into fanatic and radical movements guided by abstract and enchanting ideologies and ideals. These movements often destroyed social order, moral foundations, and traditions, causing irreversible damage.
From the late 19th to early 20th centuries, China struggled to find its path toward transitioning into a modern and democratic state. The country was deeply lost during rapid intellectual development, regime changes, foreign invasions, and civil wars.
Unfortunately, foreign ideologies like Communism and socialism, along with intellectual radicalism,3 overtook China in the early 20th century, culminating in the rise to power of the communists in 1949.
Since then, Communist China continued to struggle to find its place in the world. The essence of this struggle lies in imposing the Soviet model by sheer force onto a land with incompatible cultural traditions.
After decades of efforts to build a socialist state, Communist China still lacks crucial elements for a successful transition, including the rule of law, accountability, and, most importantly, respect for human dignity.
In the foreseeable future and in a new era, China needs to learn from liberal democratic ways of governance, particularly the practices of checks and balances and democratic experience from the U.S., Japan, Taiwan, and other liberal democracies.
This building process also requires listening to and practicing Lao Tzu’s lessons on humility, open-mindedness, and adaptability.
A rediscovery of Chuang Tzu’s philosophy on transformation, cultural pluralism, and tolerance is necessary and critical.4 Such efforts need to be creatively connected to liberal and universal values and ways of doing things.
More importantly, authentic transformation occurs when one recognizes the problems of a self-centered worldview and human conceit. The same logic applies to a nation’s fate.
In Chuang Tzu’s writings, we find not only a spiritual treasure to guide living but also the development of a country.
“To compare China with all the space between the oceans, is it not like one single piece of grain in a granary? When talking of all life, we count them in tens of thousands, and humanity is just one of them. People inhabit the Nine Provinces, but humanity is just one portion of all the life that is sustained by grain, wherever carriages or boats can go. In comparison to all the multitudinous forms of life, isn’t humanity like just a single hair on a horse?”5
Therefore, fundamental social transformation can happen only based on changes in the mode of thinking among ordinary people.
Before becoming a truly modern nation, China still has a long way to go. Spiritual transformation lies at the heart of the issue.
Spiritual Taoism
In an age where ideological control and disinformation are prevalent, Lao Tzu’s idea of wu-wei offers a pathway to authentic living.
Wu-wei is not about inactivity but aligning one's actions with the natural flow of things.
Applied in the context of governance, it essentially means non-interference, which can be used to assess the quality of leadership.
As a personal principle, wu-wei is a state of being that encourages detachment from rigid doctrines and heightened awareness of the values and beliefs that shape our actions.
1) Embracing cultural pluralism
Wu-wei calls for open-mindedness and tolerance, as it means not imposing our opinions and will on others and not being driven by external influences.
As a result, it encourages us to flow with the changes of the world. In doing so, we recognize our individuality while respecting others’ unique existence.
This flexibility is the foundation of a natural and pluralistic society where diverse perspectives and lifestyles can coexist peacefully.
In such a society, individuals can embrace their unique identities without fear of persecution or marginalization.
By embracing wu-wei, we create a space for spontaneous associations and mutual respect. We learn to appreciate the richness of different cultures and ideas, understanding that diversity strengthens rather than weakens the foundation of social order.
This approach contrasts sharply with the rigid, dogmatic systems that seek to impose uniformity and stifle dissent.
2) Being watchful of the political order
One concerning challenge in the Information Age is not the lack of information but rising above it with clarity and direction.
In such a world, wu-wei teaches us to remain detached from these influences.
By not unconsciously absorbing information that burdens our minds, we can avoid becoming pawns in a game of mass manipulation.
Wu-wei encourages us to cultivate inner stillness and simplicity, enabling us to see through society’s specious values and norms.
Rather than unthinkingly following the herd and sleepwalking into mass behavior, wu-wei reminds us of the possibility of a life of conscious existence.
This awareness allows us to discern the truth from falsehoods, guiding our actions in a manner that is authentic to our nature.
While wu-wei offers a guide for individual and social conduct, it also reminds us to be watchful of the political order in which we live.
A natural political order that aligns with the principles of wu-wei and naturalness benefits all members of society. However, political systems are prone to degeneration and decay, and it is our duty to monitor their development vigilantly.
A degenerating political order can lead to widespread harm that undermines society’s foundation. It can lead to corruption, oppression, and predatory actions, which harms the potential for authentic living.
When the political system is in harmony with the principles of wu-wei, it sustains a society where individuals can live authentically and harmoniously.
Thanks for reading!
Wishing you peace and freedom,
Yuxuan
Daodejing, trans. Edmund Ryden. (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008), 119.
Tao Te Ching, trans. D. C. Lau. (London: Penguin Classics, 1963), 64.
Yü, Ying-shih. "The radicalization of China in the twentieth century." Daedalus 122, no. 2 (1993): 125-150.
On the compatibility of Taoist philosophy and liberal values, see Chen Guying, “Dao: A Spiritual Home,” in The Humanist Spirit of Daoism, ed. David Jones and Sarah Flavel (Leiden: Brill, 2018), 121-137.
Martin Palmer, “Season of Autumn Floods,” in The Book of Chuang Tzu (New York: Penguin Books, 1996), 138.