Original Text
Governing a great nation is like dwelling in a lowly place, like a river accepting all streams, remaining still and yielding. Gentleness overcomes strength through stillness and humility. Thus, if a great nation humbles itself before a small one, it wins its trust; if a small nation humbles itself before a great one, it gains its support. Whether the great seeks to unite the small, or the small seeks favor from the great, both achieve their desires through humility. Above all, the great must remain humble.
Guide
During the chaotic Spring and Autumn period, wars raged incessantly. Laozi, witnessing the suffering these annexation wars inflicted on the people, proposed a political doctrine of peaceful coexistence between large and small states. In his view, wars primarily originated from large states; only when great powers remain humble, refrain from bullying the weak through strength, avoid oppressing the small with their size, and willingly take a lower position, can the world come to them in harmony.Analysis
In this chapter, Laozi proposes the attitude a great nation should adopt toward smaller states: remain tranquil and stay low, with the underlying principle being the earlier statement that "the weak overcomes the strong through the use of the Way."
During the late Spring and Autumn period, the wars of annexation among feudal states grew increasingly fierce, with major powers striving for hegemony, smaller states struggling to preserve themselves, and the people suffering immensely. Confronted with the calamities of war, Laozi, deeply pained and unable to bear it any longer, finally uttered the lament that "a great state should be like the lower reaches of a river." Here, "lower reaches" does not refer to baseness or shamelessness, but to the flow of rivers. As we know, water always flows to low places; the sea can embrace all rivers precisely because it willingly occupies a low position and encompasses everything, thus achieving its own greatness. Its actions are in accord with the Way, so it can endure long and broadly. In Laozi's view, if a great state could be as humble and yielding as the sea, willingly taking a lowly position, then the state would be peaceful and the people would be secure.
"The female always overcomes the male by stillness," here Laozi uses the principle that the female can overcome the male to argue for the view that "the great state is like the lower reaches of a river." The greatness of a large state stems partly from objective reasons, namely its advantageous geographical location. During the Spring and Autumn period, large states were generally located on the fringes of Central Plains civilization, where the terrain was low-lying, with abundant water and lush grass, favorable for habitation and agricultural development. On the other hand, it was due to the rulers' effective governance; they understood the relationship between large and small states, and Laozi also discussed this, saying, "Therefore, when a great state humbles itself before a small state, it wins over the small state; when a small state humbles itself before a great state, it wins the support of the great state." This means that if a large state is humble toward a small state, it can make the small state submit to it; if a small state is humble toward a large state, it can gain the support of the large state. Thus, the relationship between large and small states is best described by the phrase "the sea receives all rivers." The sea is humble, tolerant, deep, and lowly... It is precisely because of these qualities that all rivers flow to and join it; it is because of these traits that it achieves its vastness, generosity, and eternal inexhaustibility.
"Thus the large state may take the lower position to win over the small state, or the small state may take the lower position to win over the large state. The large state desires only to annex and nurture others, while the small state desires only to serve and be accepted." In the era of Laozi, the age of fragmentation where large and small states coexisted was coming to an end. The hundreds of feudal states from the Western Zhou period had dwindled to just a few dozen, with many small states reduced to vassals under the coercion of larger ones. Although these small states survived, their circumstances became more difficult; they not only had to pay tribute to the large states but also share the burden of labor on major projects. The large states, meanwhile, not only looked down upon the small states but also enslaved their people, causing them immense suffering. In response to this social reality, Laozi longed to awaken the magnanimity and benevolence of the large states, attempting to change the social situation through his own influence.
Softness can overcome hardness, but reality often contradicts Laozi's view. Should we therefore reject his perspective? In truth, the failure of softness to overcome hardness is only a temporary weakness; overall, softness can indeed triumph over hardness. What seems powerful cannot last long, while what appears insignificant possesses tenacious vitality. Take natural phenomena as an example: the mighty dinosaurs once ruled the entire natural world, yet were ultimately replaced by the weak monkey species; the eagle is a fierce carnivorous bird, while the rabbit is a herbivore. When the eagle darts like an arrow toward the rabbit, the rabbit kicks out its hind legs, striking the eagle's belly hard, repeatedly, causing the eagle to flap its wings and crash to the ground.
"When both sides get what they desire, the greater should take the lower position." A nation can endure only through humility and modesty, and so can humanity. If humanity fails to be humble and modest, it will bring disaster upon itself, leading to destruction. Therefore, as individuals, we should start with ourselves: treat those around us with respect, gentleness, and a willingness to take a lower position; treat the environment with kindness and tolerance, aligning our actions with the natural Way. Only then can "both sides get what they desire," and only then can we truly be worthy of being the most intelligent of all beings and genuinely possess wisdom.