Original Text
Looked for but cannot be seen, it is called "Yi"; listened for but cannot be heard, it is called "Xi"; reached for but cannot be touched, it is called "Wei". These three cannot be clearly distinguished, for they are originally one and undifferentiated. Its top is not bright, its bottom is not dark; it stretches endlessly and cannot be named, yet always returns to the state of nothingness where no objects exist. This is the shape without shape, the image without substance, which is called "Hu Huang". Approach it from the front, you cannot see its head; follow it from behind, you cannot see its tail. By grasping the ancient Way that has always existed, we can examine the present concrete things and thus understand the origin of the universe—this is called the law of the Way.
Guide
The Way cannot be perceived; it is ethereal and intangible, yet truly exists, governing the operation of all things as the formless form and the imageless image. Only by grasping its laws of change and movement can one understand the Way and comprehend all things in the world under its dominion.
Analysis
This chapter focuses on describing the essence of the Tao. In the previous chapters six and eight, Laozi used concrete images—valleys and water—to metaphorically represent the Tao’s emptiness and softness. Here, he abstractly describes the nature of the Tao and discusses the application of its principles. In this context, the Tao as defined by Laozi transcends all things; it is formless and shapeless, thus invisible, inaudible, and intangible. For such an abstract entity without physical form, we cannot experience it through the senses, making it impossible to describe its attributes with language. Yet in earlier chapters, the Tao mentioned by Laozi had two connotations: one refers to the substance of the material world, i.e., the cosmic essence; the other refers to the universal laws governing the movement and change of the material world or actual phenomena. These two aspects are actually interconnected. The “One” (i.e., the Tao) discussed in this chapter encompasses both of these connotations. Laozi describes the Tao as ethereal and elusive, yet it truly exists—it is what is called “the form of the formless, the image of no-thing.” The Tao has its own laws of change and movement; mastering these laws is the key to understanding the essence of all things.
Therefore, in this chapter, to give people a clearer understanding of the Dao that transcends concrete things, Laozi uses concepts from the tangible world to explain it, then negates each one in turn, highlighting the profound mystery of the Dao. However, the universal principles of the Dao have governed concrete things in the real world since ancient times. To recognize and grasp individual existing things, one must understand the laws of movement of the Dao and comprehend its universal principles. The ideal "sage" can master the laws governing the movement and change of the material world that have existed since antiquity, enabling him to harness reality, precisely because he has realized the nature of the Dao.
What is Yi? Things that cannot be seen with the naked eye are called Yi; invisibility does not mean nonexistence, only that they cannot be perceived by our eyes. For example, when we stand on flat ground and gaze into the distance, what we can see is extremely limited, while what lies beyond the horizon is completely invisible to us. Some microorganisms can only be seen with instruments, far beyond the reach of the naked eye. Yet we cannot conclude that what is unseen does not exist; instead, we must affirm with certainty that what lies beyond the horizon exists, and microorganisms exist—they are objective realities independent of human will. This is just like the Great Way, which exists objectively regardless of human will and constantly influences us. Only by recognizing this can we better follow the laws of the Great Way rather than deviate from it.
What is Xi? Xi refers to sounds that our ears cannot hear, characterized by being faint, ethereal, and subtle, which inherently prevents us from perceiving them clearly; additionally, distance plays a role, as the sounds we can hear are limited to a certain range, so distance can also cause us to miss some sounds. Even if the Great Dao had sound, it would not be heard by us, hence we often say, "The Great Dao is soundless."
So, what is "wei"? Wei means small, and small is relative; when something becomes so tiny that it cannot be touched, we call it "wei".
The Great Way is that which cannot be seen, heard, or touched; it cannot be perceived through our ordinary sight, hearing, or touch. The concepts of elusive, rarefied, and subtle cannot exhaust the origin and true essence of the Way, as they are an indivisible whole, which we call the One.
What is the state of being vague and elusive? We say the Great Dao is a thing, and a thing should have form, but it cannot be seen or touched; it is something beyond the material world, existing as if present yet absent, appearing yet hidden, impossible to explain with concepts and only accessible through the mind; impossible to experience with the senses and only perceivable through body and spirit. For this blurred yet profound, real yet illusory state, we call it "the vague and elusive."
For ease of expression, we must give the Dao a name, so we call it the formless form, the imageless image. Though vague is somewhat forced, it is the best word to capture this characteristic. Why is this so? Because the great Dao governs all things, yet it exists in a mysterious realm, leaving no trace to follow; at the same time, it is ever-changing and not easily grasped. It has no advance or retreat, no motion or stillness, no light or darkness, so it is eternal, ceaseless and unending. When we sense its presence, it returns to a state beyond trace, vague and elusive, seemingly present yet absent, dim yet bright, impossible to pin down.
What is meant by "the discipline of the Tao"? Simply put, it refers to the principles and laws of the Tao. Understanding and grasping the discipline of the Tao is more meaningful than knowing the Tao itself, as its laws and principles can effectively guide our daily lives: once our actions align with the Tao, we will sail smoothly and have everything go as we wish; conversely, if we act against the Tao, our actions will encounter obstacles everywhere, and we may even suffer misfortune.
In summary, though the Dao is profound, subtle, and elusive, its emptiness is not absolute nothingness; it is formed by the blending of all things, containing all existence within nothingness and giving rise to subtle reality from nothingness. It is the origin of all things in the universe. Therefore, the principles of the Dao are as eternal as the cosmos, with boundless application—neither its beginning nor its end can be seen. Since ancient times, it has governed all concrete things in the world and commanded all existence. Hence, to know and grasp all things in the world, one must grasp the Dao. By mastering the laws of movement and change in all things, one can understand the waxing and waning of yin and yang, discern the transformations of the five elements, know the past, explore the future, perceive the secrets of nature, and see the finest details with clarity.