Having Something from Non-Acting — On the Political Thoughts of “Boshu Loa Tzu”
Author: Ya-tang Hsu
Abstract / Chinese PDF Download
“Tao Te Ching”, a great fountain of imagination, has long been affecting thethinking mode、ways of cultivation、personnel management、warring、arts 、governing and politics in China. But the essay talks about only one dimension, i.e.,governing and politics. And this maybe the original intention of Lao Tzu’ “Tao TeChing”.The main point of this essay is to investigate the central mode of Lao Tzu’political thoughts and its problems. For Lao Tzu, his main political persuasion is tointroduce one basic thinking mode of governing: having something from non-acting.It tries to persuade the ruler or governor one basic lesson, i.e., free your hands, andflourishing everywhere. This is just like the way the Heaven treats all the creatures,so the ruler should treat all his officials and people.The problem is: can the human enterprise of governing really be analogous tothe shapless and silent Way of Heaven?The essay tries to remind the difference of the human governing enterprise andthe Heavenly governing enterprise in Lao Tzu’ mind. The political governing can’tjust free the hands and let it go, i.e., it cannot have something just from non-acting, asLao Tzu’ primary anticipation. When he wants the officials keep on his duty andthe people keep his life and mind primitive, the ruler can’t only abstain from doingsomething bad, but must do something positively to meddle with. And this is, I think,the basic dilemma of Lao Tzu’ political thoughts.