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@gerrit82.bsky.social Sep 8, 2026, 4:19 PM

Ellen Chen (1998, p. 144)

In the first stanza we are given the contrast between
human actions (wéi) & natural transformations (huà).

[Ln 1: not (wú), act (wéi) = wú wéi
Ln 3: themselves (zì), transform (huà) = zì huà]

2/4 #Daoism #DaoDeJing Ch. 37

@gerrit82.bsky.social Sep 8, 2026, 4:19 PM

#DaoDeJing (c. 350 BCE) Ch 37

Ch. 37 "can be regarded as an explication of chapter 32.1."
Ellen Chen

32.1: Tao everlasting is the nameless uncarved wood.
Though small,
Nothing under heaven can subjugate it.

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Text:
Dao De Jing 37
Ellen Chen, tr.

1, Tao everlasting does not act (wú wéi),
And yet nothing is not done.
If kings and barons can abide by it,
The ten thousand things will transform by themselves (zì huà).

2. If in transforming desire is aroused,
I shall suppress it by the nameless uncarved wood.
With the nameless uncarved wood,
There shall be no desire.

3. Without desire there is thus quietude.
The world shall be self-ordered.

https://terebess.hu/english/tao/e-m-chen.html#Kap37

Derek Lin’s translation & commentary:
https://terebess.hu/english/tao/DerekLin.html#Kap37

@gerrit82.bsky.social Sep 7, 2026, 5:53 PM

"The power to punish & kill resides in Tao (ch. 74).
To parade one’s military might is to arrogate
the power of punishment to oneself,
which is to court death."
Ellen Chen

[iow no ICE 🤔]

Ron Hogan’s version:
Here, he makes it personal,
but loses the historical context.
4/4 #Daoism #DaoDeJing Ch 36

Text:
Dao De Jing 36
Ron Hogan

To make something small,
you need to appreciate its size.
To make something weak,
you must recognize its strength.
To get rid of something,
you need to hold it tight.
To take something,
you must give it up entirely.

This is a subtle truth.
Sensitivity and weakness overcome unfeeling strength.

https://terebess.hu/english/tao/ron.html#Kap36

@gerrit82.bsky.social Sep 7, 2026, 5:53 PM

“Tao sustains all beings as water sustains fish.
‘Fish must not leave the stream’ means that
creatures must not stand apart from Tao.

For the same reason the ruler must not exhibit
the sharp weapons of a state."

Ellen Chen, 1989, pp.141-3.
3/4 #Daoism #DaoDeJing Ch. 36

@gerrit82.bsky.social Sep 7, 2026, 5:53 PM

#DaoDeJing (c. 350 BCE) Ch 36

If we take the 1st part to be an observation on the rise & fall of political fortunes, we may take the 2nd part also as a political statement against the show of military force. (Chen)

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Text:
Dao De Jing 36
Ellen Chen

1. What is to be reduced,
Must first be expanded.
What is to be weakened,
Must first be made strong.
What is to be abolished,
Must first be established.
What is to be taken away,
Must first be given.
This is called the subtle illumination.

2. The soft and weak overcome the hard and strong.
Fish must not leave the stream.
Sharp weapons of a state,
Must not be displayed.

https://terebess.hu/english/tao/e-m-chen.html#Kap36

Another translation, by Derek Lin: https://terebess.hu/english/tao/DerekLin.html#Kap36

@gerrit82.bsky.social Sep 6, 2026, 7:10 PM

Ellen Chen (1989, p.139-40)

"Because in (3) Tao is said to be flavorless, invisible, & inaudible, most commentators interpret music & dainty dishes as distracting the faithful from the path of Tao.
I disagree...The [DDJ] is not against life’s simple pleasures" ...

2/4 #Daoism #DaoDeJing Ch. 35

@gerrit82.bsky.social Sep 6, 2026, 7:10 PM

#DaoDeJing (c. 350 BCE) Ch 35

Ellen Chen:

"This chapter continues to sing a hymn to Tao
as the peace and benediction of the world...

When the ruler governs the world by Tao,
he is no longer harmful to the people (ch. 60.2)."

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Text & links:
Dao De Jing 35
Ellen Chen

1. Hold aloft the Great Image,
The whole world will go to it.
Going to it, they will meet with no harm,
Only safety, peace, and contentment.

2. When music and dainty dishes are offered,
The passers-by stop.

3. Tao, when it is uttered by the mouth,
Is so bland it has no flavor.
When looked at, it is not enough to be seen.
When listened to, it is not enough to be heard,
When used, it is inexhaustible.

https://terebess.hu/english/tao/e-m-chen.html#Kap35

Derek Lin: https://terebess.hu/english/tao/DerekLin.html#Kap35

@gerrit82.bsky.social Sep 5, 2026, 7:55 PM

Ron Hogan's free translation below, an example of
someone making the Daoist teachings their own.
terebess.hu/english/tao/...

Note: If Dao is to be imaged,
it is as the great mother:
unconsciously all-giving, self-effacing,
ever-overflowing, source, way, and end.

4/4 #Daoism #DaoDeJing Ch. 34

Text:
Dao De Jing 34
Ron Hogan

Tao flows in all directions.
It's in everything, but nothing can contain it.
Everything needs Tao,
so Tao provides,
and never takes credit for its work.

Everything comes from Tao,
but Tao doesn't call attention to itself.
It wants for nothing. Think nothing of it.

Everything leads to Tao,
but Tao still doesn't call attention to itself.
Pretty impressive, huh?

It doesn't strive for success. That's why it succeeds.

@gerrit82.bsky.social Sep 5, 2026, 7:55 PM

This non-being in its reversive movement
“returns” & becomes being.

The “great” is Tao as the creative fertility flooding over
to pour out a world of ten thousand beings.

Ellen Chen
3/4 #Daoism #DaoDeJing Ch. 34

@gerrit82.bsky.social Sep 5, 2026, 7:55 PM

Ellen Chen (1989, p.138)

Chapter 25 describes Tao's cyclical movement
in four stages:
It is the “great that “moves away” to become
the “far away” that “returns.”

As the “far away” Tao is non-being. ...

2/4 #Daoism #DaoDeJing Ch. 34

@gerrit82.bsky.social Sep 5, 2026, 7:55 PM

#DaoDeJing (c. 350 BCE) Ch 34

Read this slowly: 😁
"Tao is portrayed as the principle of plenitude
diffusive of itself." (Chen)

Ellen Chen below:
terebess.hu/english/tao/...
Derek Lin:
terebess.hu/english/tao/...

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1/4 #Daoism