Original Text
Bending preserves wholeness, twisting straightens, hollowness fills, decay renews, scarcity gains, abundance confuses. Therefore the sage holds to this principle as a model for governing the world. Not self-displaying, thus clear; not self-justifying, thus distinguished; not self-boasting, thus meritorious; not self-important, thus enduring. Because he does not contend, no one in the world can contend with him. How could the ancient saying "bending preserves wholeness" be empty words? It is truly attainable.
Guide
Laozi uses six consecutive statements, "Bent becomes whole, crooked becomes straight, hollow becomes full, worn becomes new, little becomes gain, much becomes confusion," to express a way of life that advances by retreating and contends without contending. Solely seeking strength and fullness only leads to failure.
Analysis
In this chapter, Laozi focuses on the concept of non-contention. From his perspective, non-contention aligns with the essence of the Dao, while those who flaunt, are greedy, or seek to dominate violate the Dao and are thus destined for misfortune.
Laozi said at the beginning: "To be bent is to become whole, to be crooked is to become straight, to be empty is to become full, to be worn out is to become new, to have little is to gain, to have much is to be confused." Although these six phrases refer to six completely different things, they all reflect a common truth, which is "bending to preserve oneself." For humans, this is a humble attitude towards life. For many living beings other than humans, bending to preserve oneself can actually save their lives and protect them from external harm, which to a certain extent can be defined as a great wisdom of seeking self-preservation.
"The towering tree is the first to be broken by the wind" and "The old man lost his horse, but it turned out to be a blessing in disguise" reflect that everything has two opposing yet unified aspects. This chapter once again reveals Laozi's dialectical thinking, as he uses "bent and whole, crooked and straight, hollow and full, worn and new, little and gain, much and confusion" to explain the theory of following the natural way. For example, "hollow and full": "hollow" is like an empty cup, while "full" is like a cup filled with water; only an empty cup can hold more water. Yet ordinary people view things one-sidedly, either failing to see the deeper content or the opposite side. But the sage can follow and apply the Way, comprehensively and deeply understanding the essence of things.
Even in the biosphere beyond humans, there exists an interlocking food chain where various creatures must employ their survival skills to live. For example, the chameleon, a "changeable" arboreal reptile, alters its skin color with changes in background and temperature, primarily to protect itself from attack and ensure its survival. To evade predators and approach prey, some reptiles often change their body color imperceptibly, blending into their surroundings. This physiological change helps both conceal themselves and capture prey, making them true "masters of camouflage" in nature. Another example is the snake, the most flexible animal; because of its suppleness, it can arbitrarily change its shape, evade enemy attacks, and move freely without environmental hindrance. If a snake were as rigid as a stick, could it move freely? This sounds absurd, but the root issue is that it defies common sense, which we call the "Great Way." Though the Great Way is invisible and intangible, it can be perceived by humans; "Virtue" is the manifestation of the Way, embodying its non-action and formlessness.
We often use the solitary pride of the winter plum and the gentle nature of the willow to describe completely different styles of conduct. The winter plum, unafraid of harsh cold, stands tall and proud, quietly blooming while enduring the wild assault of frost and ice. The willow, however, dances with the wind, its posture graceful and charming. These distinct "personalities" inevitably lead to two entirely different fates: because the winter plum is so firm and unyielding, even a slight touch causes its petals to fall; while the willow sways left and right, even when touched, it remains unharmed, earning instead the beautiful reputation of "the willow gently swaying."
Laozi's way of yielding to achieve preservation releases immense power in interpersonal dealings. He teaches us: being too aloof invites jealousy and attack; being too aggressive and domineering creates too many enemies to endure; being too harsh isolates you. Staying low-key and yielding not only avoids harm but also attracts benefit—this is the wise one's choice. Those who have attained the Way understand this best, always dwelling in the state of bending and twisting. Without concepts and distinctions, there are no contradictions; without contradictions, there is no suffering; without suffering, one is free and effortless, moving in sync with the great Way. In the eyes of the enlightened, there is no self, so naturally there is no other or external thing—hence nothing obscures, making them clear and bright, able to see all. The sage has no concept of hierarchy, thus no standards of good and evil, right and wrong; they neither boast nor harm others, naturally earning praise, support, and love. They never flaunt their achievements, having no concept of merit or fault in their minds, so they never become arrogant. But ordinary people are different: a small success makes them smug, eager for the whole world to know; perhaps others tolerate it at first, but repeated boasting breeds weariness, failing to win recognition or praise, instead inviting mockery and sarcasm—a loss that outweighs the gain.
The sage has no discriminating mind, treating all things with equal regard, without favoritism or concern for fame and gain; everything follows nature, tranquil and serene. They do not contend with others, but remain one with the Great Way, from which all things originate. Those who are one with the Great Way already possess the entire universe—what is there left to contend for? The enlightened person does not contend, thus has no gain; having no gain, there is no loss. Without gain or loss, there is no anxiety over possession; without such anxiety, there is no torment of suffering. Freedom from suffering is a beautiful state of life, a wonderful experience born of non-contention. Therefore, yielding and bending is a wise strategy in dealing with affairs, an extraordinary conduct of those who understand the Great Way, and can be called true "great virtue." Only such a person possesses a calm mind and radiates greater brilliance in life, for they regard all giving as a natural phenomenon, thus have no concept of "loss." Once this state is reached, they are truly one with the Great Way.
Classic Analysis
Ordinary people focus too much on the surface of things, thus missing the essence. They chase wealth and status, but often bring disaster upon themselves; they seek to hold high office and power for long, yet frequently end up dead and their families ruined; they desire to leave a good name for posterity, but instead leave a legacy of infamy. Laozi believed that excessive desire and pursuit only lead to the opposite outcome; only by not contending, by not self-displaying, not self-righteous, not self-praising, and not self-conceited, can one ultimately become prominent, distinguished, meritorious, and enduring.
Laozi advises that in handling affairs, one should not rush for quick results or act recklessly, but instead wait patiently for the right moment to observe changes before taking action. All things have interconnected and opposing aspects, and people must clearly understand both sides of any matter—thinking of danger in times of safety and guarding against misfortune while seeking blessings. One should cultivate a broad perspective, remain open-minded like an empty valley, and consider things comprehensively, clearly recognizing the hidden crises within comfort, beauty, and nobility.
Similarly, from another perspective, when people are in danger, they should not give up on themselves but remember the principle that existence and non-existence give rise to each other, and misfortune and fortune depend on each other. Calm down and seek opportunities to escape difficulties. Be adept at discovering the straight in the crooked, the full in the hollow, and the many in the few.
It is important to note that "non-contention" does not mean inaction or doing nothing and waiting idly. Laozi's "non-contention" means not rushing for success and not acting recklessly. Some things can be achieved without contention, but the success of other things requires active effort to realize.
"Bent becomes whole, crooked becomes straight, hollow becomes full, worn becomes new, little becomes gain, much becomes confusion" can also be understood as an attitude for living in the world.
The crooked becomes whole: when logging, the tall and straight trees are often cut down, while the twisted and curled ones survive. For trees, being too straight leads to felling; for people, being too upright invites attack. The ancients said: "The lofty are easily broken, the pure are easily stained. The tune of 'Spring Snow' has few who can harmonize with it; beneath great fame, the reality is hard to match."
A straight rod must endure some bending; only by bearing a certain amount of grievance can one ultimately achieve vindication. If one insists on being overly rigid in everything and leaves no room for compromise, they will inevitably end up in a deadlock. The ancients said, "Do not exhaust all possibilities in any matter," which conveys the same principle.
The low becomes full: one should remain humble and open-minded. The ocean lies low, thus it can embrace all rivers.
The worn becomes renewed: only by not forgetting the old can one continuously renew, which is the essence of "learning and regularly practicing it."
Less is gain, more is confusion: Those who take little will gain, while greed only leads to chaos. For all things, taking with restraint ensures a steady and lasting flow.
Thus, Laozi's "Tao" encompasses all phenomena, with each person interpreting it according to their own perspective. By constantly maintaining an empty mind and gradually understanding it, one can continue to advance on the path of wisdom.