Original Text
Standing on tiptoe is not steady. Taking too long strides cannot carry one far. Those who show off their opinions are not enlightened. Those who are self-righteous are not distinguished. Those who boast of themselves achieve no merit. Those who are arrogant do not last long. From the perspective of the Tao, these rash and ostentatious behaviors are like leftover food and tumors, repulsive to all. Therefore, one who understands the way of the Tao does not act thus.
Guide
"Self-display," "self-righteousness," "self-boasting," and "self-conceit" are all frivolous and impetuous actions that a person of the Way does not abide by. Rash and aggressive behavior or self-glorification leads to failure, and policies that go against the natural order will likewise not yield corresponding results. Laozi advises people to be humble and cautious in personal conduct and gentle and yielding in governance.
Analysis
This chapter primarily discusses the principle of "naturalness." Naturalness means following the Way without arbitrary action. Arbitrary action is not only superfluous but also counterproductive. The specific issues elaborated here still pertain to social politics and their gains and losses, while also containing dialectical viewpoints, such as "Those who stand on tiptoe do not stand firm," "Those who stride cannot walk far," "Those who seek self-promotion are not enlightened," "Those who claim self-righteousness are not distinguished," "Those who boast of their achievements have no merit," and "Those who are self-conceited do not endure." These reveal that the manifestations and their outcomes are often opposites, which is precisely the essence of Laozi's thought.
In this chapter, Laozi lists several prominent manifestations of not understanding the Dao. In fact, such a list could be extended indefinitely, because any perspective or action not aligned with the Dao is a sign of not understanding it. Here, Laozi uses personification, stating that "things" do not like behaviors that go against the Dao. This is because things always operate according to the laws of the Dao, so there are no things that operate contrary to the Dao. Making things violate the Dao's laws is utterly impossible, which is the meaning of "things may detest it" in the text. Anyone who truly understands and comprehends the Dao will never do anything that violates it.
Laozi also explained to us in extremely concise language the contradiction between human subjective will and objective laws, and then put forward his own view: only by following the natural way and acting in accordance with objective laws can people achieve good results and avoid excessive opposition between their actions and outcomes.
"Those who stand on tiptoe do not stand firmly; those who stride cannot walk far." Standing on tiptoe is difficult because it is determined by the structure of the human body. When a person stands upright, all the body's weight falls on the two feet, so the feet are thick and broad to support the heavy frame. Once this balance is broken, the entire weight shifts to the tiptoes, which are narrow and weak, unable to bear the full burden. If people try to stand upright on tiptoes, they inevitably violate natural laws, which is not in accordance with the Way and its Virtue. In the act of standing on tiptoe, there is an intention to resist inherent limitations through personal effort. Here, "standing on tiptoe" and "striding" refer to the behaviors of those who defy nature, are arrogant, and flaunt themselves excessively, yet the results are the opposite of what they intend.
Similarly, "stride" means taking two steps in one motion, lifting one leg before it lands to take the next step, which also defies natural law—how could it be possible? Striding aims to increase speed, but the result often backfires, because with that single stride, you can no longer walk.
Why do people stride while walking? It is a manifestation of emotional anxiety. From this, one can understand that rushing for results and being impatient will not accomplish anything. The act of striding itself is not wrong; the key lies in whether one's actions and behaviors can achieve the goal. If they cannot, it goes against the laws of nature and is considered immoral behavior, thus failing to reach the expected objective.
"Those who see themselves are not clear; those who assert themselves are not distinguished; those who boast of themselves have no merit; those who pride themselves do not endure." These lines appeared in earlier chapters. Why does Laozi repeat them here? It is precisely to emphasize the harm of unvirtuous conduct. This also implies Laozi's philosophy of retreating in order to advance and stooping to conquer. "To yield is to be preserved," meaning that not deliberately showing off or flaunting oneself is a wiser behavior. Those who are self-righteous cannot manifest their abilities and strengths, self-glorification brings no merit, and arrogance cannot last long.
"Self-assertion" generally contains four layers of meaning: one is seeing only the self as the master of life, rather than the entire world as the master of life; another is acting only according to one's own will, rather than according to the will of the entire world; another is seeing only what one has achieved, while ignoring what the entire world has achieved for oneself; and finally, based on these misconceptions, people see only the significance and value of their own activities for their lives, while overlooking the significance and value of the entire world's activities for their lives, thus making the meaning and value of self-existence extremely small and insignificant.
"Self-display," "self-righteousness," "self-glorification," and "self-conceit" are common human failings. Laozi repeatedly emphasizes here that when a person harbors these mental afflictions of "self-display," "self-righteousness," "self-glorification," and "self-conceit," they must promptly reflect and correct themselves. However, from the perspective of principle and law, behaviors driven by these mental states are like "surplus food and a burdensome tumor." "Surplus food" refers to what is excessive. "Tumor" is a growth. Any growth on any part of our body is superfluous. "Things may find them odious" — everything has its natural form, and any variation is abnormal. Even plants, when they grow an extra appendage, not only burden themselves but also become repulsive. If even plants are like this, how much more so for us humans? Therefore, a person of the Way, in their self-conduct, will never engage in "self-display," "self-righteousness," "self-glorification," or "self-conceit," and only then can they be considered aligned with the Way.
From the above, it is clear that one should not be overly vain, ostentatious, or arrogant. In real society, how can people abandon vanity while living in a bustling world and become morally upright individuals? This requires us not only to recognize the meaning and value of our own existence and actions but also to perceive the meaning and value of the entire world. Only by doing so can people avoid developing a sense of self-importance and self-display. A person who can truly understand the meaning and value of the whole world will surely inspire within themselves a sense of gratitude and reverence for it.
Classic Translation
In some versions of the Tao Te Ching, this chapter is placed before Chapter 22, as their content is consistent and their language style similar, both discussing the philosophy of "seeking completeness through bending and advancing through retreating," containing dialectical viewpoints.
"One who stands on tiptoe is not steady; one who strides forward cannot go far." Laozi uses this vivid metaphor to illustrate that actions must follow natural laws; violating these laws in pursuit of quick success or aiming too high will lead to failure. In modern society, where efficiency is highly valued, improving work speed is certainly beneficial, but often people, in their rush to gain the benefits of timeliness, forget the fundamental rules that should be upheld. The media once reported a story about a county that accelerated its work progress and built a large building in an extremely short time. However, this news raised suspicion among many experts, as it is well known that ordinary construction materials like cement and concrete require a certain hardening time, and proceeding to the next step before reaching the required strength violates engineering standards. Later, during use, the building indeed developed many problems, such as excessive wall cracks and structural deformation after completion. The construction company had to invest further in repairs and reinforcement, ultimately not only failing to achieve timeliness but also losing more funds.
"He who sees himself is not clear-sighted." As the saying goes, "Good wine also fears a deep alley." A certain degree of self-expression is certainly necessary, but it must have a limit. Excessive self-expression not only fails to earn praise but instead makes others perceive you as immature, lacking depth, and even annoying. No one likes having someone around who constantly flaunts their strengths, and often such excessive boasting invites trouble, just as Laozi earlier said, "Wealth and pride bring their own ruin."
"Those who boast are not recognized" means self-righteous people fail to gain approval. Being acknowledged by others is a universal desire, but few can truly remain indifferent to fame and fortune, undisturbed by favor or disgrace. To make others see their strengths and contributions, many resort to excessive self-praise, even hiring professional teams to package and hype themselves. Yet everyone knows that "barking dogs seldom bite, and meowing cats catch no mice." Those immersed in self-promotion have no time to pursue genuine knowledge or accomplish real work. After all the hype, their true abilities will eventually be exposed, turning them into a laughingstock.
"Those who boast of their own achievements accomplish nothing; those who are self-conceited do not endure." This principle, like the previous two, teaches people to be modest and prudent, neither arrogant nor impatient. Modesty is a traditional virtue of the Chinese nation. The Book of History says, "Complacency brings loss, while modesty brings gain." The Book of Songs says, "The modest gentleman humbly cultivates himself." The Analects of Confucius describes Confucius as "gentle, kind, respectful, frugal, and deferential." All these teachings urge people to understand the way of humility and yielding.
"Self-display," "self-righteousness," "self-boasting," and "self-conceit" are like leftover food and unwanted warts, turning what is originally meritorious and capable into something ugly. Thus, common people detest them, let alone those who cultivate the Way. These things are easy to speak of but difficult to practice; perhaps only those who, as Laozi said, attain emptiness and maintain stillness can truly achieve this. Therefore, in daily life, we should often reflect on whether we maintain a humble and cautious heart, whether we have been proud or complacent in any area, and through daily introspection, we can remain undefeated and unspoiled.