Original Text
Heaven and earth are not benevolent; they treat all things as straw dogs, allowing them to grow naturally. The sage is not benevolent; he treats the people as straw dogs, letting them develop on their own. Is not the space between heaven and earth like a bellows? It is empty yet never exhausted; the more it is worked, the more it produces. Abundant decrees only hasten the nation's decline; it is better to hold to stillness. Heaven and earth are not benevolent; they treat all things as straw dogs.
Guide
Laozi expressed his atheistic inclination, opposing the personification of heaven, earth, and the Dao. He believed that heaven and earth exist naturally, with no concept of benevolence or malevolence, holding no specific affection for all things in the world, merely allowing them to arise, perish, and develop freely. Similarly, a sage governing the world should do the same, letting the people labor and rest on their own, revering natural rules, and adopting a governance of non-action. Too many cumbersome decrees and regulations will only leave people at a loss, causing chaos.
Analysis
In this chapter, Laozi moves from the "non-benevolence" of heaven and earth to the "non-benevolence" of the sage, and further proposes the idea of "holding to the center." This is consistent with the earlier thoughts of not clinging to one extreme, "not exalting worth," and "governing by non-action." Its content mainly includes two aspects: first, Laozi once again expresses his atheistic tendencies, denying the prevailing view in intellectual circles at the time that personified heaven and earth. He believes that heaven and earth are natural existences, devoid of reason and emotion, and their existence has no effect on all things in nature, because all things change and develop according to their own natural laws between heaven and earth, unaffected by heaven, gods, or humans. Second, Laozi discusses the socio-political thought of "non-action," which is a further elaboration of the previous four chapters. He believes that as a sage—an ideal ruler—one should follow natural laws, adopt a policy of non-action, and allow the people to live, reproduce, and thrive on their own, without taking an interventionist stance or measures.
"Heaven and Earth are not benevolent; they treat all things as straw dogs." Wang Bi said: "Heaven and Earth follow nature, doing nothing and creating nothing, and all things govern themselves, so they are not benevolent." Heaven and Earth show no partiality, indicating that they are a physical, natural existence without human rationality or emotion; all things operate between Heaven and Earth according to natural laws, not as theists imagine that natural laws favor or despise certain things—this is merely a projection of human emotions. This insight expresses Laozi's atheistic thought opposing supernatural arts and divination. Deduced from inaction, atheism is a logical necessity. He believed that Heaven and Earth are inactive, and all things in nature only need to grow and change according to their own developmental laws, without any ruler needing to command or arrange them from above.
"The sage has no partiality, treating the common people as straw dogs." Similarly, the sage shows no favoritism, following the natural way of heaven and earth. That is, the enlightened ruler should not treat the people with discrimination but with equality, allowing them to arrange their own work and rest according to their needs. On this, Laozi made a vivid metaphor: the sage, being impartial, treats the common people just like straw dogs.
"Between heaven and earth, is it not like a bellows! Empty yet never exhausted, the more it moves, the more it produces." A bellows is a hand-operated tool for blowing air, like a forge blower. Laozi compares heaven and earth to a bellows that can be pushed and pulled back and forth, producing wind endlessly without depletion. Between heaven and earth, wind, frost, rain, snow, thunder, and lightning are all stirred and purified by the two forces of yin and yang, and the endless generation of all things depends on this energy. Heaven and earth are like a bellows, empty yet never exhausted; the more it is worked, the more wind it produces. The human body is like a small bellows, whose function is to make the furnace fire burn brighter. If one cultivates the self using the principle of the bellows, life will be more passionate and vitality stronger.
"Many words lead to exhaustion; it is better to hold to the center." Through the above metaphor, Laozi aims to illustrate: "Harsh and numerous decrees only hasten failure; it is better to maintain a state of emptiness and stillness." That is, forcing the people to comply with many words and laws will soon lead to defeat; it is better to act according to natural principles, remaining empty and still, so that all things can thrive endlessly without depletion. The "center" mentioned here does not refer to the path of impartiality, but to emptiness and stillness.
This chapter uses specific metaphors to explain how to understand and treat nature, discussing that heaven and earth are inherently natural, and society should follow nature by maintaining emptiness and stillness, with vivid and lively metaphors. It also builds on the previous chapter to further discuss the concept of the Way being empty. Here, it infers the human way from the heavenly way and society from nature, with the core idea being to expound the benefits of tranquility and non-action.