So　they　disregard　death
  Therefore　those　who　do　not　strive　for　living
  Are　better　than　those　who　value　living
  When　people　are　hungry　…　when　their　basic　survival　needs　are　in　question　…　it　is　because　the　ruler　overzealously　imposes　ever　increasing　taxes；　leaving　very　little　for　them　to　sustain　themselves。　As　a　result；　the　people　starve。
  When　people　are　difficult　to　control　…　when　they　are　openly　rebellious　and　refuse　to　obey　orders　…　it　is　because　the　ruler　constantly　meddles　in　their　livelihood　with　more　and　more　restrictive　rules。　In　reaction；　the　people　become　defiant　against　authority。
  When　people　disregard　death　…　when　they　no　longer　care　if　they　live　or　die　…　it　is　because　the　ruler　pursues　an　extravagant　lifestyle；　indulging　in　ever　more　luxuries　while　the　people　suffer　hardship。　Seeing　this；　the　people　brave　death　to　rise　against　the　ruler。
  Therefore；　we　can　see　from　the　above　that　a　ruler　who　does　not　obsessively　focus　on　〃the　good　life〃　would　be　much　better　than　the　ruler　who　values　the　mindless　pursuit　of　luxurious　living。
  Under　such　a　wise　ruler；　the　people　do　not　starve　（their　basic　needs　are　met）；　they　are　not　difficult　to　govern　（they　gladly　follow　wise　leadership）；　and　they　have　no　reckless　disregard　for　death　（their　own　lives　are　worth　living）。
  Notes
  The　last　two　lines　in　this　chapter　are　particularly　difficult　to　translate；　and　they　can　be　difficult　to　understand　even　when　translated　correctly。　It　helps　to　keep　in　mind　that　every　line　in　this　chapter　expresses　one　consistent　concept。　Once　you　grasp　the　concept；　everything　should　fall　neatly　into　place。
  Once　again；　we　see　that　what　appears　to　be　advice　for　the　emperor　is　in　fact　the　Tao　of　better　living　for　all　of　us。
  The　overall　theme　in　this　chapter　is　about　how　we　deal　with　the　material　world。　It　points　out　that　the　excessive　pursuit　and　indulgence　in　materialistic　things　will　end　up　costing　us　in　various　ways。
  Oftentimes　we　overtax　ourselves　when　we　overindulge。　The　bloated　feeling　after　eating　too　much　at　the　buffet；　and　the　hangover　after　drinking　too　much　at　a　wild　party　…　are　both　examples。
  When　we　overtax　ourselves；　we　can　neglect　our　basic　spiritual　needs。　Overextended　and　mentally　exhausted；　we　tend　to　overlook　the　need　to　feed　the　soul　with　uplifting　and　inspirational　sustenance。
  When　we　stray　from　the　simplicity　of　wu　wei　and　meddle　in　everything　around　us；　life　becomes　more　and　more　difficult　to　manage。　Our　excessive　interference　results　in　unintended　side　effects　and　makes　things　more　complicated。
  For　instance；　if　we　meddle　in　the　affairs　of　friends；　we　often　end　up　alienating　them。　They　do　not　appreciate　our　interference；　so　the　relationship　becomes　strained　and　increasingly　distant。
  This　chapter　also　tells　us　that　when　the　mind　is　overly　greedy　in　pursuing　materialistic　indulgences；　the　spirit　suffers。　Life　becomes　an　endless　series　of　sensory　stimulations；　devoid　of　meaning　and　purpose。　It　no　longer　seems　worthwhile；　thus　causing　one　to　question：　Why　bother？　Why　go　on　living？　Why　not　just　end　it　all？
  To　see　vivid　examples　of　this；　we　only　have　to　turn　our　attention　to　celebrity　suicides。　These　are　people　who　seem　to　have　it　all　materially；　and　yet　are　impoverished　spiritually。　They　see　little　point　in　life；　and　no　reason　to　live　…　in　other　words；　they　feel　a　complete　disregard　for　death。
  76
  While　alive；　the　body　is　soft　and　pliant
  When　dead；　it　is　hard　and　rigid
  All　living　things；　grass　and　trees；
  While　alive；　are　soft　and　supple
  When　dead；　become　dry　and　brittle
  Thus　that　which　is　hard　and　stiff
  Is　the　follower　of　death
  That　which　is　soft　and　yielding
  Is　the　follower　of　life
  Therefore；　an　inflexible　army　will　not　win
  A　strong　tree　will　be　cut　down
  The　big　and　forceful　occupy　a　lowly　position
  While　the　soft　and　pliant　occupy　a　higher　place
  Life　is　characterized　by　softness　and　pliancy；　while　death　is　characterized　by　stiffness　and　rigidity。　We　can　see　this　simply　by　looking　around。　Living　plants　and　animals　all　exhibit　flexibility　and　suppleness。　When　they　are　dead；　their　lifeless　forms　invariably　lose　all　moisture；　and　therefore　all　flexibility　and　supplement　as　well。
  We　can　generalize　from　this　observation　and　link　death　to　that　which　is　hard　and　unyielding。　Life　would　be　linked　that　which　which　is　pliable　and　thus　capable　of　growth　and　adaptation。　This　applies　not　only　to　flora　and　fauna　but　also　to　all　aspects　of　human　existence。
  For　instance；　an　army　that　cannot　adapt　to　the　ever…changing　conditions　on　the　battle　field　will　soon　find　itself　outmaneuvered　and　defeated　by　an　enemy　that　is　more　nimble　and　flexible。　A　tree　that　grows　hard　and　strong　makes　excellent　timber；　and　so　will　quickly　find　itself　chopped　down　and　put　to　use。　Both　are　great　examples　where　rigidity　leads　to　death。
  Therefore；　that　which　is　forceful　and　aggressive　may　seem　to　have　the　upper　hand；　but　in　fact　occupies　a　lower　position　of　disadvantage。　Conversely；　being　yielding　and　flexible　may　be　perceived　as　a　weakness；　but　is　in　fact　a　great　strength　that　occupies　a　higher　position　leading　to　victory　and　success。
  Notes
  As　mentioned　above；　this　Tao　principle　pervades　all　aspects　of　life。　That　is　why　the　hard　sell　never　yield　long…term　success。　Salesmen　who　study　〃closing　techniques〃　and　apply　pressure　to　seal　a　deal　are　not　the　ones　with　the　best　results；　the　most　satisfied　customers；　and　repeat　business。
  Master　practitioners　of　the　soft　sale　…　the　salesmen　who　apply　no　pressure；　but　only　provide　attention；　service；　and　assistance　to　customers；　and　thereby　win　their　trust。　Once　the　trust　has　been　earned；　no　techniques　are　necessary　to　close　the　transaction。　That　trust　may　also　lead　to　repeat　business　as　well　as　referrals。
  77
  The　Tao　of　heaven
  Is　like　drawing　a　bow
  Lower　that　which　is　high
  Raise　that　which　is　low
  Reduce　that　which　is　excessive
  Add　to　that　which　is　insufficient
  The　Tao　of　heaven
  Reduces　the　excessive
  And　adds　to　the　insufficient
  The　Tao　of　people　is　not　so
  Reducing　the　insufficient
  In　order　to　offer　to　the　excessive
  Who　can　offer　their　excess　to　the　world？
  Only　those　who　have　the　Tao
  Therefore　sages　act　without　conceit
  Achieve　without　claiming　credit
  They　do　not　wish　to　display　their　virtue
  The　workings　of　the　Tao　can　be　compared　to　archery　…　specifically　to　the　act　of　drawing　the　bow　to　fire　off　an　arrow。
  If　the　arrow　is　pointing　too　high；　the　archer　must　lower　the　aim。　If　the　aim　isn't　high　enough；　the　archer　must　compensate　by　tilting　up。
  The　amount　of　strength　that　goes　into　pulling　back　the　bowstring　has　to　be　just　right。　If　it's　too　much；　the　arrow　will　overshoot　the　target；　so　one　has　to　reduce　any　excessive　force。
  On　the　other　hand；　if　the　archer　fires　off　the　arrow　with　insufficient　force；　it　will　fall　short　of　the　target。　In　order　for　the　arrow　to　fly　true；　the　archer　must　put　more　strength　into　the　bow　and　draw　back　further。
  This　is　similar　to　natural　laws　in　that　the　Tao　also　acts　in　a　balanced　way。　It　tends　to　reduce　whatever　is　too　much；　and　add　to　that　which　is　not　enough。　Thus；　everything　in　the　world　is　constantly　moving　toward　equilibrium。
  （For　instance；　a　pot　of　hot　water；　if　left　alone；　will　gradually　cool　off。　Just　as　certainly；　ice　cubes　will　melt　and　become　cold　water　that　will；　over　time；　approach　room　temperature。　This　is　the　way　of　the　heavenly　Tao。）
  The　way　of　people　isn't　quite　like　that。　People　often　act　in　ways　opposite　to　the　balancing　principle　of　the　Tao。　They　cut　down　that　which　is　already　lacking　and　give　to　that　which　already　has　too　much。
  （We　can　see　an　aspect　of　this　by　noting　that　all　over　the　world；　it　is　the　rule　rather　than　the　exception　that　the　rich　get　richer　while　the　poor　get　poorer。）
  Who　are　the　ones　that　can　see　this　clearly　and　choose　not　to　follow　the　herd？　Only　those　who　have　the　Tao。　Whenever　they　have　too　much　of　something；　they　offer　the　surplus　to　those　who　do　not　have　enough。
  In　this　way；　the　Tao　sages　act　in　accordance　with　nature　and　give　in　the　same　way　that　nature　does　…　without　having　expectations；　claiming　credit；　or　feeling　that　they　are　somehow　superior　for　having　given。
  Just　like　the　Tao；　they　contribute　and　nurture　others　without　needing　to　show　off。　It　makes　no　difference　to　them　if　people　never　find　out　about　the　good　that　they　have　done。　Having　the　Tao　is　its　own　reason　and　justification。
  Notes
  The　lines　〃Lower　that　which　is　high　/　Raise　that　which　is　low〃　can　also　be　interpreted　as　what　happens　to　the　bow　when　the　archer　pulls　back：　the　top　of　the　bow　lowers　and　the　bottom　goes　up。
  The　same　line　of　thought　leads　to　the　idea　that　the　next　two　lines　〃Reduce　that　which　is　excessive　/　Add　to　that　which　is　insufficient〃　refer　to　the　process　of　adjusting　the　length　of　the　bowstring　when　making　the　bow。
  We　have　chosen　the　classical　interpretation　that　refers　to　aiming　instead；　because　it　is　clear　from　the　first　line　that　the　simile　is　all　about　the　process　of　drawing　open　the　bow　（to　fire　an　arrow）　rather　than　the　process　of　crafting　a　bow。　All　fou