Words to return to.
A little space to read them.
大道廢，有仁義；智慧出，有大偽；
六親不和，有孝慈；國家昆亂，有忠臣。
When the Great Tao (Way or Method) ceased to be observed, benevolence and righteousness came into vogue. (Then) appeared wisdom and shrewdness, and there ensued great hypocrisy.
When harmony no longer prevailed throughout the six kinships, filial sons found their manifestation; when the states and clans fell into disorder, loyal ministers appeared.
The Chinese text follows our sister site, Longhu Mountain. The English is James Legge’s public-domain translation, first published in 1891, transcribed from the Project Gutenberg edition. Paragraph numbering is omitted; wording, parenthetical explanations and period language are retained. Chinese readings vary between editions.
The Tao Te Ching is traditionally attributed to Laozi. Its date and authorship are debated. Chapter titles are reading aids; they are not part of the ancient Chinese chapter text. The reflection boxes on this site are contemporary editorial questions, distinct from the translation.
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Read in order.
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Names, origins and the language of the Dao.
Images of yielding, flexibility and quiet persistence.
The usefulness of emptiness and the practice of less.
Character, leadership and a life beyond accumulation.