An idea meets an event.

When the world follows the Way and there is no pressing danger, it is called peaceful; urgent relays and dispatches are unnecessary. Thus it is said: “Turn the running horses back to fertilize the fields.” When the world lacks the Way, attacks never cease. Armies confront one another for years on end; lice breed in their armor, swallows and sparrows nest in the commanders' tents, and the troops do not return home. Thus it is said: “Warhorses give birth in the borderlands.”

A man of the Di presented Duke Wen of Jin with richly furred fox and black leopard skins. The duke accepted the visitor's skins and sighed: “The beauty of their hides became their own offense.” Among rulers, some bring disaster upon themselves through their titles and reputation, as King Yan of Xu did; others through their cities and land, as Yu and Guo did. Thus it is said: “No offense is greater than being an object of desire.”

The lord of Zhi annexed the territories of the Fan and Zhonghang families and continued his attack on Zhao without respite. Han and Wei turned against him. His army was defeated at Jinyang, and he died east of Gaoliang. In the end his domain was divided, and his head was lacquered to make a chamber pot. Thus it is said: “No calamity is greater than not knowing sufficiency.”

The ruler of Yu coveted a team of horses from Quchan and a jade disk from Chuiji. He did not listen to Gong Zhiqi, and consequently his state perished and he lost his life. Thus it is said: “No fault is more grievous than the desire to obtain.”

If a state makes continued existence its constant concern, hegemony or kingship may be possible; if a person makes continued life the constant concern, wealth and rank may be possible. If one does not harm oneself through desire, the state will not perish and the person will not die. Thus it is said: “The sufficiency of knowing sufficiency is indeed sufficient.”

After King Zhuang of Chu won a victory, he held a hunt at Heyong. On returning, he rewarded Sunshu Ao. Sunshu Ao requested land in the Han region, a place of sand and stones. Under Chu's laws, land granted to salaried ministers was taken back after two generations; Sunshu Ao's grant alone remained. It was not reclaimed by the state because it was so barren. Consequently, sacrifices to him continued without interruption for nine generations. Thus it is said: “What is well established cannot be uprooted; what is well embraced cannot be loosened; descendants will carry on the ancestral sacrifices, generation after generation, without cessation.” This describes Sunshu Ao.

To hold control in oneself is called weight; not to abandon one's position is called stillness. Weight can direct lightness, and stillness can direct restlessness. Thus it is said: “Weight is the root of lightness; stillness is the master of restlessness.” Thus it is also said: “The gentleman travels all day without leaving the baggage wagon.” A state is its ruler's baggage wagon. The Father of the Ruler transferred his state while still alive: this was leaving his baggage behind. Although he enjoyed Dai and Yunzhong, he had withdrawn so far that Zhao was no longer his. He had been lord of ten thousand chariots, yet made his own position light in relation to the world. To lack authority is called lightness; to leave one's position is called restlessness. Therefore he was confined while alive and died in confinement. Thus it is said: “Lightness loses the ministers; restlessness loses the ruler.” This describes the Father of the Ruler.

Weighty authority is the ruler's deep pool. A ruler's authority must outweigh that of the ministers; once lost, it cannot be recovered. Duke Jian lost it to Tian Cheng, and the ruler of Jin lost it to the six ministerial houses: their states were lost and their lives destroyed. Thus it is said: “Fish must not leave the deep pool.” Rewards and punishments are the state's sharp instruments. In the ruler's hands they control the ministers; in the ministers' hands they overcome the ruler. When a ruler reveals a planned reward, ministers may reduce it and then make their own generosity appear a favor. When the ruler reveals a planned punishment, they may increase it to establish their own fearsome authority. If the ruler displays rewards, ministers exploit that power; if the ruler displays punishments, ministers ride upon that terror. Thus it is said: “The state's sharp instruments must not be shown to others.”

The king of Yue entered service in Wu and encouraged its attack upon Qi, intending to wear Wu down. After Wu's troops defeated Qi at Ailing, their reach expanded along the Yangzi and Ji rivers, and their power was displayed at Huangchi; thus they could later be subdued in the region of the Five Lakes. Thus it is said: “What is to be contracted must first be expanded; what is to be weakened must first be strengthened.” When Duke Xian of Jin intended to attack Yu, he sent it a jade disk and horses. When the lord of Zhi intended to attack Qiuyou, he sent it a broad carriage. Thus it is said: “What is to be taken must first be given.” Begin an undertaking before it has taken visible form and secure a great achievement in the world: “This is called subtle discernment.” Occupying a small, weak position while deliberately lowering and diminishing oneself is what is meant by “The weak overcome the strong.”

Among things with form, the great necessarily begins with the small; among things that develop over time, the many necessarily begin with the few. Thus it is said: “The world's difficult undertakings necessarily begin with what is easy; the world's great undertakings necessarily begin with what is minute.” Those wishing to bring things under control therefore act while they are minute. Thus it is said: “Plan for difficulty while it is easy; accomplish greatness while it is small.” A thousand-zhang embankment collapses through holes made by mole crickets and ants; a hundred-foot building burns through smoke escaping a gap by the chimney. Hence the saying: when Bai Gui inspected an embankment, he blocked its holes; when an experienced householder guarded against fire, he plastered its cracks. Bai Gui thus avoided flooding, and the householder avoided fire. Both attended carefully to easy matters to avoid difficult ones, and respected small matters to keep great troubles away.

Bian Que visited Duke Huan of Cai. After standing for a while, he said: “My lord has an illness in the surface tissues. Without treatment, I fear it will go deeper.” The ruler replied: “I have none.” Bian Que left, and the ruler said: “Doctors like treating people who are not sick so they can claim an achievement.” Ten days later, Bian Que returned and said: “Your illness is in the flesh. Without treatment, it will go deeper.” The ruler did not answer. Bian Que left, and the ruler was displeased. After another ten days, Bian Que said: “Your illness is in the stomach and intestines. Without treatment, it will go deeper.” Again the ruler did not answer and was displeased after Bian Que left.

Ten days later, Bian Que saw the ruler from a distance, turned, and hurried away. The ruler sent someone to ask why. Bian Que replied: “An illness in the surface tissues can be reached by hot applications; one in the flesh by needles and stone instruments; one in the stomach and intestines by medicinal decoctions. Once it is in the bone marrow, it belongs to the Lord of Life, and nothing can be done. It is now in the marrow, so I have nothing to propose.” Five days later, the ruler's body ached. He sent for Bian Que, who had already fled to Qin. The ruler then died.

Thus a good physician treats disease while it is still at the surface. Such people confront it while it is small. The misfortunes and blessings of affairs likewise have an early, superficial stage; therefore the sage attends to them early.

Long ago, Prince Chong'er of Jin went into exile and passed through Zheng. The ruler of Zheng did not treat him courteously. Shu Zhan remonstrated: “This is a worthy prince. Treating him generously will accumulate favor.” The ruler did not listen. Shu Zhan remonstrated again: “If you will not treat him generously, it would be better to kill him, leaving no future danger.” Again the ruler did not listen. When the prince returned to Jin, he raised troops against Zheng, inflicted a great defeat, and seized eight cities.

Duke Xian of Jin offered the jade disk of Chuiji to borrow a road through Yu in order to attack Guo. The officer Gong Zhiqi remonstrated: “You must not agree. When the lips are gone, the teeth grow cold. Yu and Guo protect one another, not merely out of gratitude. If Jin destroys Guo today, Yu will surely perish after it tomorrow.” The ruler of Yu did not listen. He accepted the jade and granted passage. After taking Guo, Jin turned back and destroyed Yu.

Both ministers sought to confront danger while it was still at the surface, but neither ruler employed their counsel. Shu Zhan and Gong Zhiqi were the Bian Ques of Zheng and Yu; because their rulers would not listen, Zheng was defeated and Yu destroyed. Thus it is said: “What is settled is easy to maintain; what has not yet shown a sign is easy to plan for.”

Long ago, King Zhou had ivory chopsticks made, and Jizi became afraid. He reasoned that ivory chopsticks would not be used with earthenware bowls: cups of rhinoceros horn or jade would surely follow. Ivory chopsticks and jade cups would not be used for bean soup and greens, but for delicacies such as wild cattle and the fetuses of elephants and leopards. Eating these, one would not wear short coarse clothing and dine under a thatched roof: there would be layer upon layer of brocade, spacious chambers, and lofty terraces. “I fear the end of this,” he thought, “and therefore am frightened by its beginning.”

Within five years, Zhou had made a garden of meat, installed the heated-bronze punishment, climbed a mound of wine lees, and stood over a pool of wine. In the end he perished. Jizi saw ivory chopsticks and recognized the calamity awaiting the realm. Thus it is said: “Seeing the small is called clarity.”

Goujian entered service in Wu, personally carried shield and spear, and washed the king of Wu's horses. Consequently, he was able to bring about Fuchai's death at Gusu. King Wen was reviled at the royal gate but did not change his expression; afterward King Wu captured Zhou at Muye. Thus it is said: “Keeping to softness is called strength.” The king of Yue's rise to hegemony was not prevented by his servitude, nor King Wu's kingship by the insults endured by his father. Thus it is said: “The sage is not afflicted: because he does not make this an affliction, he is free from affliction.”

A countryman of Song obtained a piece of unworked jade and offered it to Zihan, who refused it. The countryman said: “This is a treasure. It should become a gentleman's vessel, not be used by an insignificant person.” Zihan said: “You regard jade as a treasure; I regard refusing your jade as my treasure.” The countryman desired jade, while Zihan did not. Thus it is said: “Desire not to desire, and do not prize goods that are difficult to obtain.”

Wang Shou was traveling with books on his back when he met Xu Feng on a road in Zhou. Feng said: “Affairs are actions; actions arise from their time. The knowledgeable have no fixed business. Books are words; words arise from understanding. The knowledgeable do not hoard books. Why, then, are you alone carrying them as you travel?” Wang Shou thereupon burned his books and danced over them.

Thus the knowledgeable do not rely upon talk to teach, and the discerning do not make a chest of stored books their wisdom. This is what the world overlooks, but Wang Shou returned to it: this is learning not to learn. Thus it is said: “Learn not to learn, and return to what the multitude has passed over.”

Things have their regular forms and tendencies; one guides them by relying upon and working with these. Following their tendencies, one establishes virtue in stillness and accords with the Way in movement.

A man of Song made a paper-mulberry leaf from ivory for his ruler. It took three years. Its stalk and branches, its broad and tapering parts, its tiny points and rich luster were so exact that it could not be distinguished when mixed with real paper-mulberry leaves. For this achievement the man received a stipend from Song. Liezi heard of it and said: “If heaven and earth took three years to produce one leaf, few things would have leaves!”

To carry the burden on one person's body instead of drawing on the resources of heaven and earth, or to imitate one person's cleverness instead of following the patterns of the Way, is the conduct of making a single leaf. Hou Ji could not make a crop planted in winter flourish; even an unskilled servant could hardly ruin the great grain of a plentiful year. Relying on one person's strength, even Hou Ji is insufficient; following what is natural, even a servant has more than enough. Thus it is said: “Rely on the natural course of the myriad things, and do not dare impose your own doing.”

The openings of the body are the doors and windows of spiritual awareness. When ears and eyes exhaust themselves on sounds and colors, and spirit and vitality are spent on outward appearances, there is no master within. With no master within, even misfortunes and blessings as large as hills and mountains cannot be recognized. Thus it is said: “Without going out of the door, one can know the world; without looking through the window, one can see the Way of Heaven.” This means that spiritual awareness does not depart from its own substantial basis.

King Xiang of Zhao learned chariot driving from Wangzi Yuqi. Soon he raced against Yuqi, changing horses three times and falling behind three times. He said: “Have you not taught me the whole art of driving?” Yuqi replied: “I have taught the whole art, but you apply it wrongly. The essential thing in driving is that the horse's body be at ease with the carriage and the driver's mind be attuned to the horse; only then can one move swiftly and go far. When you fall behind, you want to catch me; when you are ahead, you fear I will catch you. In a race along the road, one is either ahead or behind. Yet in both positions your mind remains fixed on me. How can you be attuned to your horse? That is why you fall behind.”

Bai Gong Sheng was considering a rebellion. On leaving court, he held his staff upside down, and its sharp point pierced his chin. Blood ran to the ground, but he did not notice. Someone from Zheng heard of it and said: “If he forgets his chin, what will he not forget?” Thus it is said: “The farther one goes out, the less one knows.” This means that when understanding is occupied with distant things, it neglects what is near.

Therefore the sage has no fixed course of action. Being able to bring knowledge together, “without traveling, one knows”; being able to bring vision together, “without seeing, one is clear.” Undertaking affairs according to their time, establishing achievements through available resources, and employing the capacities of the myriad things to obtain their benefits: this is “accomplishing without forcing.”

For three years after King Zhuang of Chu took charge of government, he issued no commands and undertook no administration. The Right Marshal attended him and posed a riddle: “A bird has settled on a hill in the south. For three years it has not spread its wings, flown, or called. It remains silent and soundless. What is its name?” The king replied: “For three years it has not spread its wings because it is growing its feathers. It neither flies nor calls because it is observing the people's patterns. Though it has not flown, when it does, it will soar into the sky. Though it has not called, when it does, it will astonish everyone. Leave it be; I understand.”

Half a year later, he began personally attending to government. He abolished ten measures and instituted nine, executed five high ministers, and promoted six men living outside office. The state became well governed. He raised troops to punish Qi and defeated it at Xuzhou, defeated Jin at Heyong, and assembled the feudal lords at Song, becoming hegemon of the realm. King Zhuang did not let small undertakings damage greater excellence, and so gained a great name. He did not display himself too early, and so achieved great things. Thus it is said: “A great vessel is completed late; the greatest sound is scarcely heard.”

King Zhuang of Chu wished to attack Yue. Duzi remonstrated: “Why does Your Majesty wish to attack Yue?” He replied: “Its government is disordered and its army weak.” Duzi said: “In my foolishness, I find this worrying. Understanding is like the eye: it can see a hundred paces away but cannot see its own eyelashes. Your army has been defeated by Qin and Jin and has lost several hundred li of land: this is military weakness. Zhuang Qiao commits banditry within your borders, and officials cannot stop him: this is disorder in government. Your weakness and disorder are no less than Yue's, yet you wish to attack Yue. This is understanding behaving like the eye.” The king then abandoned the expedition.

The difficulty of knowing lies not in seeing others, but in seeing oneself. Thus it is said: “Seeing oneself is called clarity.”

Zixia visited Zengzi. Zengzi asked: “Why have you grown plump?” He replied: “I won a battle, and so I have grown plump.” Zengzi asked what he meant. Zixia said: “When I went within and saw the righteousness of the former kings, I admired it. When I went out and saw the pleasures of wealth and rank, I admired those too. The two fought within my breast, and the outcome was uncertain; that is why I was thin. Now the righteousness of the former kings has won, and so I have grown plump.”

The difficulty of firm resolve lies not in overcoming others, but in overcoming oneself. Thus it is said: “Overcoming oneself is called strength.”

Zhou possessed a jade tablet. King Zhou of Shang ordered Jiao Ge to ask for it, but King Wen would not give it. When Fei Zhong came to request it, he gave it to him. Jiao Ge was worthy, while Fei Zhong lacked the Way. Zhou did not want a worthy man to gain influence at the Shang court, so it gave the tablet to Fei Zhong. King Wen's promotion of the Grand Duke from the banks of the Wei showed his esteem for a teacher; his supplying Fei Zhong with the jade tablet showed his care for a resource. Thus it is said: “Not esteeming one's teacher and not caring for one's material, though one is clever, is great confusion. This is called the essential subtlety.”