Tao Te Ching

Chapter 81
[Original text]

Small country with few people.Let [1] the people have Shibo [2] weapons and not use them, and make the people die again and not move far away.Although there are boats, there is nothing to take advantage of; although there are armored soldiers, there is nothing to display [3].Let the people re-knot [4] and use it.

Enjoy the food, enjoy the clothes, live comfortably, and enjoy the customs.Neighboring countries face each other, the sound of chickens and dogs is heard, and the people do not communicate with each other until old age and death.

【Note】

[1] Make: even if.

[2] Shibo: There are many, many kinds.

[3] Chen: Tong "array", array.

[4] Knotting: ancient knotting notes, which is extended here as returning to nature.

【Analysis】

Make the country smaller and the number of people smaller.Even if you have a wide variety of utensils, you are unwilling to use them, and at the same time let the people cherish their lives and will not migrate far away.Although there are boats and vehicles, there is no need to ride them; although there are armored weapons, there is no opportunity to use them, so that the people have returned to the situation of knotting ropes and keeping track of events.

People think that their food is rich and sweet, their clothes are gorgeous, their houses are safe and comfortable, and even their customs are a kind of enjoyment.Neighboring countries can see each other, and dogs can hear each other's crowing and barking, but the people will not come and go freely with each other until they grow old or even die.

Both the ruler and the common people should be pure-minded and ascetic. They don’t need to accumulate property for themselves, but should try their best to help others in order to obtain self-satisfaction. Just as "Tao" can "benefit but not harm", people should also " Do not fight".

The last chapter serves as a summary of the whole book, in which the main points of thought, such as faithfulness, acceptance of words, specialization, benefit to the people, and indisputability, can be used as the highest criterion for people to act.

【Explanation by Famous Artists】

Mr. He Shang:
Although a sage governs a large country, he still thinks it is small, and frugality is not extravagant.Although the people are many, they are still few and dare not work hard.Let the people have their own trilogy, so that the high and the low do not interfere with each other.The utensil is the utensil of the peasant.And those who don't use it don't recruit and seize the people at a good time.If the king can benefit the people and remove the harm, and everyone gets what he wants, then the people will value death and be greedy for life.If government orders are not bothered, the people will be safe in their careers, so they will not migrate far away from their usual places.Quiet and inactive, do not bother China, and it is not easy to go in and out for entertainment.There is no hatred in the world.Going against the text and denying the quality, the letter is not deceitful.

Willing to eat vegetables, don't fish and eat common people.Beautiful clothes are not expensive in five colors.An Qi Mao Ci, not a house of decoration.Enjoy its simplicity and customs, and don't transfer it.It is close to each other, and it has no lust.

(End of this chapter)