*　The　Commentator　insists　at　some　length　that　the　phrase　###　is　hypothetical；　and　must　not　be　taken　as　stating　an　actual　fact。
  The　space　between　Heaven　and　Earth　may　be　compared　to　a　leathern　bag；　or　box；　＇a　receptacle　with　Heaven　for　a　lid　and　Earth　for　a　floor＇。　It　is　a　vacuum　＇outside　which　there　is　nothing＇；　exercising　no　pressure　＇on　that　which　is　within＇；　the　more　it　moves；　the　more　prolific　it　is。　Those　who　talk　too　much　will　often　come　to　an　end　of　their　words。　It　is　better　to　maintain　rectitude　＇inwardly＇。
  6
  The　Spirit　of　the　Depths　is　immortal；　it　is　called　the　Azure　＇Heaven＇　and　the　Mother　＇Earth＇。　The　passage　through　which　these　Two　Influences　＇###＇　emerge　and　enter　is　called　the　root　＇or　nidus＇　of　the　visible　creation。　They　are　ceaseless　in　action　as　though　permanent；　and　may　be　drawn　upon　＇used；　or　laid　under　contribution＇　without　ever　being　exhausted。
  *　Compare　the　passage　###　in　the　###。
  7
  Heaven　is　everlasting；　Earth　endures。　The　reason　of　the　endurance　of　Heaven　and　Earth　is　that　they　were　not　self…produced。　Therefore　it　is　that　they　are　able　to　endure　for　ever。　Thus；　though　the　Sage　＇in　imitation　of　them＇　regards　the　cultivation　of　his　body　as　of　secondary　importance；　his　body　still　progresses　＇of　its　own　accord＇；　he　discards　his　body；　and　yet　his　body　is　preserved。　Is　not　this　because　he　has　no　selfishness？　Wherefore　he　is　able　to　realise　all　his　wishes　＇in　carrying　out　the　principles　of　TAO　in　his　own　person＇。
  8
  The　goodness　of　the　Ruler　resembles　water　＇in　pliancy；　adaptability；　and　fertilising　power＇。　The　goodness　of　water　is　beneficial　to　all　things；　and　that　without　struggling。
  The　abiding…place　＇of　the　Imperial　goodness＇　is　despised　by　the　multitude　＇for　it　is　lowly梤eferring　to　the　downward　course　of　water＇；　and　therefore　it　is　near　to　TAO。　Wherever　it　dwells；　it　sanctifies　the　spot。　In　the　heart；　its　sanctifying　properties　are　unfathomable。　In　bestowing；　it　sanctifies　benevolence；　in　speaking；　it　sanctifies　trustworthiness；　in　administration；　it　sanctifies　government；　in　the　fulfilment　of　daily　work；　it　sanctifies　ability；　in　the　adoption　of　public　measures　it　sanctifies　acting　seasonably。　It　alone　never　strives　against　＇or　places　itself　in　opposition　to＇　anyone；　and　therefore　it　gives　rise　to　no　resentful　feelings。
  9
  It　is　better　to　desist　altogether；　than；　having　once　grasped　＇the　TAO＇；　to　pride　oneself　on　one's　self…sufficiency。　Research；　if　carried　on　to　too　keen　a　point；　prevents　the　preservation　of　the　body　＇q。d。；　hastens　death＇。　When　a　hall　is　filled　up　with　gold　and　jewels；　it　cannot　be　guarded　intact。　When　wealth　and　honours　are　combined　with　arrogance；　they　themselves　invoke　calamity。　To　keep　oneself　in　the　background　when　merit　has　been　achieved　and　fame　has　followed　in　its　wake；　this　is　the　way　of　Heaven。
  10
  Having　received；　in　the　birth…process；　a　living　soul；　one　is　able；　by　preserving　its　individuality　＇pure　and　uncorrupted＇；　to　prevent　disunion　＇with　the　pure　original＇。　By　controlling　the　vital　force；　and　bringing　it　to　the　utmost　degre'e　of　pliancy；　one　is　able　to　become　as　a　little　child　again棧evert　to　one's　pristine　state　of　innocence＇。　By　washing　and　cleansing　oneself　of　that　which　Heaven　alone　can　see　＇i。e。；　secret　sins＇；　one　may　become　without　one　blemish。　By　governing　the　Empire　by　love　towards　the　people；　one　is　able　to　keep　them　from　knowing　＇evil；　they　will　live　in　an　atmosphere　of　contentment　and　trust＇。
  When　the　Door　of　Heaven　is　now　open；　now　closed；　then　the　Female　Principle　will　disappear；　＇all　will　be　pure　Yang＇。
  *　The　Commentator　points　out　that　this　is　the　Door　of　Virtue；　through　which　men　are　permitted　by　Heaven　to　pass　to　and　fro；　and　these　will　be　assimilated　with　the　Yang　in　all　its　purity；　which　is　dominated　by　###。　The　admixture　of　Yin　and　Yang　in　a　man's　heart　leads　to　disturbance；　and　is　therefore　to　be　avoided。　The　opening　and　closing　of　the　Door　are　to　be　understood　as　signifying　###　and　###　respectively。
  If　one's　understanding　reaches　in　every　direction；　he　can　disregard　knowledge　＇as　such；　there　will　be　no　such　thing；　to　him；　as　ignorance＇。　What　he　produces；　he　nourishes。　Producing；　he　does　not　claim　the　possession　＇of　virtue＇；　acting；　he　does　not　presume　upon　＇his　ability＇。　Though　he　be　a　veteran　among　his　fellows；　he　assumes　no　seignory　over　them。　This　may　be　called　Sublime　Virtue棧he　highest　development　of　TAO＇。
  11
  Thirty　spokes；　uniting　in　a　nave；　were　employed　＇in　olden　times＇　before　the　invention　of　carriages。　Clay　made　into　utensils　was　employed　before　the　time　of　palaces　and　dwellings　＇when　there　were　no　sacrificial　vases；　goblets；　or　bowls＇。　A　door　and　a　window；　hewn　＇in　a　hill…side＇；　did　duty　for　a　residence　before　the　erection　of　houses。　Wherefore；　the　possession　of　these　things　may　be　regarded　as　beneficial；　while　their　＇former＇　absence　may　be　said　to　have　been　useful　＇in　that　it　led　to　the　necessity　of　their　being　made＇。
  *　In　support　of　this　translation；　vide　the　Commentaries　of　Confucius　on　the　Y？　Ching；　Part　II；　chap。　2。
  12
  The　five　colours　blind　the　eyes　of　men。　The　five　tones　deafen　their　ears。　The　five　flavours　vitiate　their　palates。　Galloping　and　hunting　induce　derangement　of　the　mind。　Objects　that　are　difficult　of　attainment　lead　them　to　incur　obstacles；　＇or　injury梚n　their　pursuit＇。
  Thus　the　Sage　cares　for　his　inner　self；　and　not　for　that　which　his　eye　can　see；　for　which　reason　he　discards　the　latter　and　preserves　the　former。
  13
  Favour　and　disgrace　are　alike　a　cause　of　fear。　Honours　bring　great　calamity　upon　the　body。
  What　is　it　that　one　calls　favour　and　disgrace？　Disgrace　implies　downfal；　the　loss　of　one　and　subjection　to　the　other；　are　equally　causes　of　apprehension。　Therefore　it　may　be　said　that　favour　and　disgrace　both　give　rise　to　fear。
  And　what　is　meant　by　saying　that　honours　bring　calamity　upon　the　body？　The　calamities　which　come　upon　me　are　the　consequence　of　my　possessing　a　body；　had　I　none；　what　calamities　could　I　incur？
  Wherefore；　if　the　honours　which　come　upon　me　personally　are　on　account　of　my　position　as　a　ruler；　then　the　whole　Empire　will　subject　itself　to　me；　and　those　who　cultivate　personal　benevolence　in　ruling　may　commit　themselves　to　the　Empire　for　ever。
  14
  That　which　may　be　looked　for；　but　proves　invisible；　is　called　the　Distant。　That　which　may　be　listened　for；　but　proves　inaudible；　is　called　Vacancy。　That　which　may　be　clutched　at；　but　proves　intangible；　is　called　the　Subtle。　Words　are　inadequate　thoroughly　to　examine　these　three　properties；　therefore　they　blend　together　and　become　One。
  Above；　it　is　not　bright；　below；　it　is　not　dim。　Continuous　in　endurance；　it　cannot　be　named。　In　reverting　to　vacuity　it　may　be　called　the　Form　of　Formlessness；　the　Image　of　the　Non…existent；　for　which　reasons　it　is　unsearchable。
  Standing　opposite　to　it；　one　cannot　see　its　head　＇front＇；　following　it；　one　cannot　perceive　its　back　＇or　foot…prints＇。
  Obtaining　the　TAO　of　ancient　times；　and　applying　it　as　an　aid　to　the　methods　in　vogue　at　the　present　day；　so　that　one　is　able　to　arrive　at　a　knowledge　of　its　long…past　origin；　may　be　called　＇getting＇　the　Germ；　or　Clue；　of　TAO。
  15
  ＇The　TAO　of＇　those　eminent　for　wisdom　in　the　olden　times　was　subtle；　mysterious；　recondite；　and　penetrating；　its　depths　were　uncognizable　by　others。　These；　＇the　non…adepts＇；　being　unable　to　learn　it；　strove　by　main　force；　therefore；　to　act　it　out　in　practice。　They　endured　＇the　hardships　of　their　search＇　as　those　who　ford　streams　in　the　winter。　Cautious　were　they；　as　those　who　dread　＇the　ridicule　of＇　their　neighbours；　reverent　were　they；　as　those　who　entertain　a　visitor；　expansive　were　they；　as　ice　on　the　point　of　melting；　simple　and　unpolished　were　they；　as　unhewn　wood；　vacant　were　they；　as　a　ravine；　undiscerning　were　they；　as　turbid　water。
  Who　is　able　to　make　turbid　water　grow　gradually　clear　by　reducing　it　to　quiescence？　Who　is　able　to　impart　＇unending＇　life　to　that　which　is　at　rest　by　setting　it　in　perpetual　motion？　Those　who　preserve　this　TAO　desire　no　fulness；　wherefore；　having　no　fulness；　they　are　able　to　guard　it　in　their　hearts　for　ever　and　it　never　requires　to　be　renewed。
  16
  When　the　extreme　of　emptiness　is　reached　＇as　by　Heaven＇；　and　quiescence　rigidly　preserved　＇as　by　Earth＇；　then　all　things　are　simultaneously　produced；　and　by　this　＇example＇　I　observe　their　revolutions。　All　things；　after　flourishing　like　the　herb　yün；　return　each　to　what　it　sprang　from。　Returning　to　this　source　is　called　quiescence；　and　this　implies　a　reversion　to　the　original　ordinance　＇of　Heaven＇。　Reversion　to　the　original　ordinance　＇of　Heaven＇　is　called　the　basis　or　pivot　＇###＇　of　TAO。　Knowledge　of　this　may　be　called　enlightenment；　while　ignorance　of　it　leads　to　a　reckless　working…out　of　one's　own　ruin。　He　who　knows　it；　bears　with　others。　Bearing　with　others；　he　is　just；　being　just；　he　is　fit　to　be　a　king；　being　a　king；　he　is　the　associate　of　Heaven　＇whose　decree　he　holds　and　whose　ordinancee　he　carries　out＇。　Heaven　is　＇the　offspring　of＇　TAO；　and　TAO　survives　the　death　of　him　who　is　the　embodiment　of　it；　living　on　unharmed　for　ever。