Ruling over the empire
Is like mixing pancake batter.
Follow Dao to govern the world
And its ghosts will have no power.
Not that its ghosts won’t have power 5
But their power won’t hurt people.
Not only won’t their power hurt people
But the Sage also does no harm.
Truly
Both together, not doing harm 10
Is the invocation of De.
***
NOTES
lines 1 and 2: I have taken a liberty here. More literally, the original reads, “Ruling over the empire is like cooking small fish.” The point however remains the same: Don’t over-stir.
COMMENTARY
Laozi’s insight that good governance does not over-stir the population is another way of saying good governance follows Dao. And when you follow Dao, nationally or personally, De is released, which means other beings start paying more attention. Some are the physical people around you; others are not, but they’re around too. And the attention they all pay is more than beneficial, it comes to define who you are and does it naturally – always the case when De is invoked.
Links To:
The Classic of Dao and De by Laozi: Contents
For more on Daoism, see:
Film Dreams: Frank Capra
Music: KALW Radio Show #3, Ancient China in 20th-Century Music
Music: SFCR Radio Show #8, Daoism in Western Music, part 1
Music: SFCR Radio Show #9, Daoism in Western Music, part 2
NICOLE V. GAGNÉ 