Original Text
If I have even a little understanding and walk on the Great Way, my only fear is straying onto side paths. The Great Way is perfectly smooth, yet some people abandon it to seek narrow trails. The court is already corrupt, the fields are barren, the granaries are empty, yet they wear fine clothes, carry sharp swords, are sated with delicacies, and hoard excessive wealth—these are the ringleaders of thieves! Their actions are truly contrary to the Way of Heaven.
Guide
The ruler's insatiable desires cause the people's suffering and the world's injustice. Laozi exposes some contradictory phenomena in society, severely criticizing rulers who violate the Way and harm the people, pointing out that exploiting and oppressing the people is like being a great robber.Analysis
In this chapter, Laozi primarily discusses the "Dao" from a negative perspective, highlighting its importance by contrasting it with the deviant paths that oppose it. He points out that rulers who abandon the broad, smooth path of the Dao instead prefer to take treacherous byways. In line with Laozi's political philosophy, the broad path here refers to governing the state through quietude and non-action—refraining from issuing excessive decrees, waging unnecessary wars, and disturbing the people as little as possible. At the same time, rulers should restrain their own desires and avoid imposing excessive burdens on the people. Doing so will inevitably lead to national prosperity and a peaceful, contented populace. The so-called treacherous byways, on the other hand, refer to rulers who violate the great Dao of governance: wearing fine clothes to display their nobility, carrying sharp swords to boast of their strength, indulging in lavish feasts, hoarding surplus wealth without aiding others, and behaving like a bandit chief. In short, they fail to show compassion for the people and recklessly indulge their own desires. The inevitable result of taking the wrong path is a corrupt and decaying court, barren fields, and an empty state treasury. Here, Laozi's words are not fully spelled out; the implicit meaning is that when the court is corrupt, the fields are barren, and the treasury is empty, the ruler's downfall is imminent. Clearly, such examples are too numerous to list, and the facts speak for themselves, leaving no need for Laozi to elaborate further. In this chapter, Laozi uses the contrast between rulers walking on the broad path and the treacherous byways to discuss the importance of the Dao. In reality, the ruler is merely one example he provides. The difference between the broad path and the treacherous byway holds a more universal significance. It can be said that not only in governing a state but in any endeavor, there exists a distinction between taking the broad path and the treacherous byway; not only rulers but everyone faces the choice between the broad path and the treacherous byway.
In the Tao Te Ching, Laozi repeatedly admonishes people to follow the Tao in both personal conduct and endeavors, meaning to walk the broad and smooth path. This is specifically manifested in being tranquil and non-interfering, restraining selfish desires, valuing gentleness and maintaining a feminine stance, staying low and not contending, acting in accordance with the nature and laws of things, and refraining from forceful and reckless actions. More concretely, it involves adhering to state laws and secular ethics, avoiding an extravagant lifestyle, being honest and trustworthy, showing filial piety and benevolence, and so on. By doing so, one walks on the great path. Conversely, excessively indulging one's desires, being overly greedy for wealth and fame, bullying the weak, using cunning to chase fame and gain, violating morality, breaking laws, neglecting the essentials for the trivial, and so forth, leads one onto the crooked path. Looking at our reality, how many people truly walk on the great path? Almost everyone deviates from it to some extent. The reason is that although the great path is smooth and easy to travel, requiring only a steady walk to reach the destination, people often find it dull, unexciting, and lacking passion, so they prefer excitement, adventure, and taking shortcuts, believing they can reach their goals faster than others. This manifests in people worldwide liking to play clever tricks and seeking shortcuts in everything. The consequence is that at best, they shoot themselves in the foot, and at worst, they bring great calamity upon themselves.
As Laozi said, the great path is so smooth and level—why insist on taking those uncertain, rugged byways and crooked trails? Think carefully: when Laozi says, "If I had even a little knowledge, I would walk on the great path and be cautious, only fearing to stray onto the wrong road," it is not exaggeration; for one who has seen through the Dao, these words must come straight from the heart.