cademic　subject；　we　would　be　extremely　interested　in　preserving　the　original　meaning　as　much　as　humanly　possible。　Our　commitment　would　go　far　beyond　that　of　the　typical　scholar　or　writer。　Our　purpose　in　translating　the　Tao　Te　Ching　is　to　embark　on　a　quest　to　deepen　spiritual　understanding。
  We　would　use　#4　and　#5　as　our　overriding　principles。　Every　Chinese　character　will　be　linked　to　an　English　word　or　phrase。　If　we　encounter　a　particularly　difficult　character；　we　will　spend　the　time　to　do　the　research　rather　than　to　gloss　over　it。　All　English　words　except　articles　and　prepositions　must　correspond　with　the　Chinese　original。　Anything　extra　will　be　summarily　discarded。
  We　would　deal　with　#6　by　utilizing　the　contextual　nature　of　Chinese。　Not　only　is　Chinese　gender…neutral；　it　is　also　unspecific　in　terms　of　plurality。　Any　given　sentence　about　a　type　of　person　can　refer　to　either　a　single　individual　or　multiple　individuals。　This　means　it　is　perfectly　acceptable　for　us　to　use　the　plural　form　in　the　translation；　which　would　in　turn　let　us　use　the　gender…neutral　〃their〃　instead　of　the　gender…specific　〃his〃　or　〃her。〃　This　takes　care　of　the　common　distortion　in　an　elegant　way；　and　yields　a　more　faithful　translation。
  *　Special　thanks　to　Master　Wu　Han　Yih　and　Grand　Master　Lin　De　Yang。
  1
  The　Tao　that　can　be　spoken　is　not　the　eternal　Tao
  The　name　that　can　be　named　is　not　the　eternal　name
  The　nameless　is　the　origin　of　Heaven　and　Earth
  The　named　is　the　mother　of　myriad　things
  Thus；　constantly　free　of　desire
  One　observes　its　wonders
  Constantly　filled　with　desire
  One　observes　its　manifestations
  These　two　emerge　together　but　differ　in　name
  The　unity　is　said　to　be　the　mystery
  Mystery　of　mysteries；　the　door　to　all　wonders
  The　Tao　that　can　be　completely　explained　or　expressed　in　words　is　not　the　constant；　eternally　unchanging　and　true　Tao。
  If　the　name　of　this　Tao　can　be　defined　with　words；　then　it　is　not　the　constant；　eternally　unchanging　name　of　the　true　Tao。
  Names　did　not　exist　prior　to　Creation。　The　nameless　Tao　is　therefore　the　source　of　the　universe。
  Once　it　manifests　itself　as　the　physical　universe；　it　can　be　named。　Everything　is　derived　from　it　through　natural　processes。　It　is　therefore　the　mother　of　all　things。
  If　we　approach　the　Tao　without　self…serving　desires；　we　can　readily　observe　its　inner　wonders　and　marvels。　This　establishes　a　direct　connection　with　the　source；　the　vast　intelligence　of　universal　consciousness。　This　gives　us　flashes　of　powerful；　intuitive　insights；　as　well　as　free…flowing　creativity。
  If　we　approach　the　Tao　full　of　self…serving　desires；　then　we　can　only　observe　its　external　physical　manifestations；　rather　than　its　inner　essence。　These　desires　block　the　connection　and　interfere　with　the　Tao　process。　We　often　do　this　to　ourselves。
  The　Tao's　external　manifestations　（life；　nature；　the　cosmos；　and　so　on）　and　its　inner　wonders　（oneness；　the　living　void；　the　flow；　etc。）　are　both　properties　of　the　ultimate　reality。　Although　we　call　them　by　different　names；　they　are　but　two　sides　of　the　same　coin。
  This　unity　of　these　two　aspects　gives　us　an　interesting　paradox。　They　seem　distinctively　different；　and　yet　they　lead　to　one　another。　Understanding　of　the　Tao's　inner　essence　gives　us　greater　understanding　of　its　outer　manifestations；　and　vice　versa。
  Our　recognition　and　acknowledgement　of　this　paradox　will　open　the　door　for　us　to　further　explore　the　infinite　wonders　of　the　Tao。
  Notes
  The　Tao　that　can　be　spoken　（expressed　in　words）
  Is　not　the　constant　（eternal）　Tao
  The　Name　that　can　be　named
  Is　not　the　eternal　Name
  The　〃Nameless　Name〃　…　that　which　existed　before　there　was　anything　to　name　…　is　a　synonym　for　the　Tao。
  The　main　idea　here　is　that　the　Tao　is　a　concept　beyond　reason　and　logic。　It　is　the　universal　principle　that　permeates　every　action　and　every　phenomenon；　but　it　cannot　be　adequately　understood　through　the　rational　mind。　To　comprehend　it　completely；　you　must　exercise　your　intuition　and　get　in　touch　with　the　fundamental　divinity　that　connects　everyone。
  Lao　Tzu　is　also　pointing　out　the　limitation　of　spoken　words　and　written　texts。　Our　tendencies　to　categorize；　define　and　analyze　only　give　us　the　limited　understanding　of　how　the　Tao　acts　upon　the　material　world。　This　is　exactly　what　happens　when　we　study　physics；　biology；　chemistry；　and　other　natural　sciences。
  On　the　other　hand；　if　we　free　ourselves　of　this　limiting　human　desire　to　put　everything　into　words；　and　become　aware　of　our　wordless　communion　with　nature；　we　can　catch　glimpses　of　a　divine　wisdom。　Beyond　categories；　definitions；　and　analyses；　it　is　wisdom　far　more　profound　than　anything　that　academic　knowledge；　science　and　technology　can　offer。
  Translation　Notes
  One　translation　renders　the　first　line　as　〃The　way　that　can　be　trodden；〃　which　fails　to　take　the　above　into　account。　Another　translation　mistakes　〃can〃　as　〃possible〃　and　waxes　poetic　about　〃The　possible　Tao。〃　That's　even　further　away　from　the　original　meaning。
  In　this　context；　this　character　means　〃ever…lasting。〃　In　one　instance　a　translator　renders　it　as　〃absolute；〃　which　is　close；　but　not　quite　correct。
  2
  When　the　world　knows　beauty　as　beauty；　ugliness　arises
  When　it　knows　good　as　good；　evil　arises
  Thus　being　and　non…being　produce　each　other
  Difficult　and　easy　bring　about　each　other
  Long　and　short　reveal　each　other
  High　and　low　support　each　other
  Music　and　voice　harmonize　each　other
  Front　and　back　follow　each　other
  Therefore　the　sages：
  Manage　the　work　of　detached　actions
  Conduct　the　teaching　of　no　words
  They　work　with　myriad　things　but　do　not　control
  They　create　but　do　not　possess
  They　act　but　do　not　presume
  They　succeed　but　do　not　dwell　on　success
  It　is　because　they　do　not　dwell　on　success
  That　it　never　goes　away
  Tao　sages　have　long　recognized　the　relative　nature　of　the　world。　While　one　can　certainly　find　absolutes　in　abstract　theory；　in　the　real　world　they　rarely；　if　ever；　exist。　For　instance；　no　metal　is　absolutely　free　of　impurities。　In　fact；　hardly　anything　in　nature　is　absolutely　pure。　One　can　come　close　to　100％　purity；　but　never　quite　get　there。
  It　is　the　same　with　people。　Absolute　good　and　evil　can　exist　as　concepts；　but　will　probably　never　be　found　among　human　beings。　Everyone　is　a　mixture　of　varying　proportions。　No　person　is　any　one　thing。
  If　the　world　is　by　and　large　relative；　then　descriptions　require　comparison；　perspective　and　proportion　to　have　meaning。　One　can　be　〃short〃　among　NBA　players　and　still　be　〃tall〃　among　kindergarten　kids。　Which　description　is　correct？　Both。　Neither。　It　depends。
  〃Difficult〃　and　〃easy〃　bring　about　each　other
  〃Long〃　and　〃short〃　reveal　each　other
  〃High〃　and　〃low〃　support　each　other
  〃Voice〃　and　〃music〃　harmonize　each　other
  〃Front〃　and　〃back〃　follow　each　other
  〃Hard〃　and　〃easy〃　are　concepts　relative　to　one　another。　〃Long〃　and　〃short〃　need　each　other　to　have　meaning。
  The　universe　is　full　of　dualities。　Everything　is　relative；　values　have　meaning　only　by　comparison。　For　instance；　a　task　can　only　be　〃easy〃　if　it　is　being　compared　to　some　other　task　that　is　relatively　more　difficult。　If　there抯　nothing　else　to　compare　against；　the　task　cannot　be　rated　in　terms　of　difficulty。　Similarly；　we　can　only　say　an　object　is　〃long〃　if　we抮e　comparing　it　against　another　similar　object　that　is　shorter。　Each　half　of　a　duality　cannot　exist　without　the　other　half。　A　descriptive　concept　creates　its　own　opposite。
  3
  Do　not　glorify　the　achievers
  So　the　people　will　not　squabble
  Do　not　treasure　goods　that　are　hard　to　obtain
  So　the　people　will　not　become　thieves
  Do　not　show　the　desired　things
  So　their　hearts　will　not　be　confused
  Thus　the　governance　of　the　sage：
  Empties　their　hearts
  Fills　their　bellies
  Weakens　their　ambitions
  Strengthens　their　bones
  Let　the　people　have　no　cunning　and　no　greed
  So　those　who　scheme　will　not　dare　to　meddle
  Act　without　contrivance
  And　nothing　will　be　beyond　control
  When　we　glorify　achievers　and　set　them　aside　for　special　treatment；　people　will　compete　aggressively　and　step　over　one　another　to　achieve　that　glory。　Similarly；　when　we　place　a　high　value　on　certain　goods；　there　will　be　those　who　plot　to　take　them　by　force　or　by　trickery。
  This　determination　of　value　can　be　rather　arbitrary。　For　instance；　what　intrinsic　goodness　does　gold　have　that　makes　it　so　much　more　valuable　than　other　metals？　What　is　so　great　about　gold　other　than　a　particular　number　that　people　determine　and　agree　upon？
  In　general；　whenever　we　point　to　anything　as　desirable；　a　wave　of　disruption　ripples　through　society。　People　begin　to　think　of　ways　to　get　more　of　the　desirable　thing；　often　at　the　expense　of　others。
  Because　of　this；　a　sagacious　ruler　would　refrain　from　setting　aside　certain　individuals　for　glorification；　or　designating　certain　goods　as　extremely　valuable　and　putting　them　on　display。　These　are　sure…fire　ways　of　stimulating　materialistic　desire；　which　is　a　bottomless　pit。