Inspirational Quotes by Zhiming Yuan

“He who acts (with an ulterior purpose) does harm; he who takes hold of a thing (in the same way) loses his hold.”

“In this way though he has his place above them, men do not feel his weight, nor though he has his place before them, do they feel it an injury to them.”

“The five colors make man's eyes blind, the five notes make his ears deaf, the five tastes injure his palate.”

“This world has no need for weapons, Which soon turn on themselves. Where armies camp, nettles grow; After each war, years of famine. The most fruitful outcome Does not depend on force, But succeeds without arrogance Without hostility Without pride Without resistance Without violence.”

“This honouring of the Tao and exalting of its operation is not the result of any ordination, but always a spontaneous tribute.”

“Very few are aware of the highest. Then comes that which they know and love,”

“The gentle outlast the strong The obscure outlast the obvious Hence, a fish that ventures from deep water is soon snagged by a net A country that reveals its strength is soon conquered by an enemy”

“If you want to shrink something, you must first allow it to expand. If you want to get rid of something, you must first allow it to flourish. If you want to take something, you must first allow it to be given. This is called the subtle perception of the way things are. The soft overcomes the hard. The slow overcomes the fast. Let your workings remain a mystery. Just show people the results.”

“Its admirable words can purchase honor; (its) admirable deeds can raise their performer above others.”

“Know the male, but hold to the female. Imagine a river flowing through a valley, never departing from its original path. Do this and you will return to a state of innocence. Perceive the bright, but hold to the dark. Like a river, let yourself flow with virtue, and set a faultless example for the world. Do this and you will return to a state of perfection. Be aware of honour, but hold to humility. Like a valley, let virtue fill you, sufficient yet everlasting. Do this and you will return to the state of the uncarved block.”

“He will strike the blow, but will be on his guard against being vain or boastful or arrogant in consequence of it.”

“it brings them to maturity and exercises no control over them;—”

“it carries them through their processes and does not vaunt its ability in doing so;”

“The work is done, but how no one can see; 'Tis this that makes the power not cease to be.”

“It produces them and makes no claim to the possession of them;”

“I will be fond of keeping still, and the people will of themselves become correct.”

“Let him keep his mouth closed, and shut up the portals (of his nostrils), and all his life he will be exempt from laborious exertion.”

“Will work but ill, and disappointment bring.”

“If I were suddenly to become known, and (put into a position to) conduct (a government) according to the Great Tao, what I should be most afraid of would be a boastful display.”

“The thirty spokes unite in the one nave; but it is on the empty space (for the axle), that the use of the wheel depends. Clay is fashioned into vessels; but it is on their empty hollowness, that their use depends. The door and windows are cut out (from the walls) to form an apartment; but it is on the empty space (within), that its use depends. Therefore, what has a (positive) existence serves for profitable adaptation, and what has not that for (actual) usefulness.”