Reflections on Excerpts from the Tao Te Ching

     What is crooked will become straight; what is bent will become upright; what is low will become full; what is worn out will become new; what is little will be gained; what is much will be confused. Therefore, the sage embraces oneness as the model for the world. He does not show himself, therefore he is enlightened

    ;

    he does not assert himself, therefore he is distinguished; he does not boast of his achievements, therefore he has merit; he does not pride himself, therefore he endures. Because he does not contend, no one in the world can contend with him. How could the ancient saying "what is crooked will become straight" be empty words? Indeed, it leads to completeness and return to its source. It is truly achievable.

    [Quote]

    In this chapter, Lao Tzu further deepens the dialectical thought expounded in Chapter Two from the perspective of life experience. Chapter Two focuses on the transformation of contradictions. At the beginning of this chapter, Lao Tzu uses six ancient idioms to describe the dialectical thought contained in the change of things from positive to negative: yielding and preservation, bending and straightening, dissatisfaction and overflowing, old and new, lack and gain, greed and confusion. He uses dialectical thought as a principle for observing and dealing with social life, and finally he concludes that "non-contention" is the best approach.

    [Analysis]

    Ordinary people only see the appearance of things and cannot see their essence. Lao Tzu summarizes wise thoughts from his rich life experience, giving people profound enlightenment. People living in real society cannot do everything smoothly and are very likely to encounter various difficulties. In this situation, Lao Tzu tells people that they can first take the approach of retreating, wait, observe and wait for the change, and then take action to achieve their goals.

    In the "Tianxia" chapter of the Zhuangzi, Zhuangzi says that Laozi's way is "Everyone seeks blessings, but I alone seek complete preservation. I say, 'If only I could avoid blame.'" Here, "complete preservation" is equivalent to "avoiding blame." Laozi believed that things often arise from opposing relationships, and people should observe both ends of a situation, seeing the negative from the positive. Understanding the negative reveals the positive. In fact, positive and negative are not entirely different things, but rather often intertwined. Ordinary people only know how to crave immediate gains and are impatient for quick success, which is not necessarily a good thing. Laozi admonishes people to broaden their horizons, be humble, and steadfastly move towards their goals. However, if one ignores objective circumstances and acts recklessly, the result will only be counterproductive.

    Within "crookedness" lies the principle of "completeness," within "bentness" lies the principle of "straightness," within "lowness" lies the principle of "fullness," and within "weariness" lies the principle of "newness." Therefore, by grasping these mysteries, one can achieve "non-contention." Of course, this isn't entirely true. Some things can be achieved without striving, while others cannot.

    [My Reflection]

    This passage has been very enlightening for me, someone who was once overly assertive. Ten years ago, people told me that "the tallest tree catches the most wind," and that "the nail that sticks out gets hammered down." They also quoted Lao Tzu, saying, "I have three treasures: compassion, frugality, and not daring to be the first in the world." They wanted me to learn the Doctrine of the Mean, but I was too young and impetuous then to listen, thinking these were outdated theories. However, over the years, I've found that the more I try to tell others what I can do, the less they believe me. It's better to give up arguing, quietly get things done, and present the results. Often, it's more important to bide your time and accumulate experience before unleashing your potential. Sometimes, it's about seeing clearly what you truly want, and not being so attached to things that are unimportant; you should let go of what needs to be let go.

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