One Universe

AnonymousBashu Publishing House · ChinaNov 2020

1.9

Word count: 1.7K words
Chapters: 6

Summary

Not by a Way that can be spoken; what cannot be spoken is the Way. Not by a Way that can be thought; what cannot be thought is the Way. The things of heaven surge like angry torrents; human affairs tangle in confusion—now turning back, now clashing, now seeming and yet not seeming. Some contend for it, some take their stand on it, some gasp for it, some cry out against it, some turn away from it, some demand it. To speak of it is like blowing at a shadow; to think of it is like carving dust. Sage wisdom manufactures delusion; ghosts and spirits do not know it. Only because it cannot be done, cannot be brought about, cannot be fathomed, cannot be divided, do we call it Heaven, Fate, Spirit, the Origin—and together, the Way.

Editor's review

Yiyu is a short philosophical text built around the Way (dao), written in a spare, archaic style thick with imagery: the things of heaven surge like angry torrents, human affairs tangle, speaking of it is like blowing at a shadow, thinking of it like carving dust. Its core claim is that the Way cannot be spoken, cannot be thought, cannot be done, cannot be brought about, cannot be fathomed, cannot be divided; hence it is forced to name it Heaven, Fate, Spirit, the Origin, and together, the Way. The text does not advance by argument but presses toward the unsayable through cadence and paradox, reading more like an exercise in quiet observation and self-examination. This Bashu Shushe edition is brief and suited to slow reading at one's desk, to be savored again and again. Its value lies not in delivering information but in reminding the reader that some fundamental questions appear precisely where language and thought come to a stop. Read it slowly; do not insist on pinning down every line—attend instead to its rhythm and its white space.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers who enjoy short classical philosophical prose and are willing to revisit it slowly
Thinkers interested in discourse on the Way and the problem of the unsayable
Those who want short, quiet reading material for their desk
Readers interested in traditional forms of thought and literary style

Not a good fit for

Readers expecting systematic argument and a clear conceptual framework
Beginners hoping for a plain-language interpretation or vernacular translation
Readers who prefer plot, narrative, or practical knowledge

Reading tips

Read only a small passage at a time, pausing afterward to let the cadence settle.
When you meet images like blowing at a shadow or carving dust, don't force an explanation; first note your immediate impression.
Read aloud to feel the rhythm and grasp the purpose of its paradoxical expressions.
After finishing, return to the line naming Heaven, Fate, Spirit, and the Origin as together the Way, and trace the text's overall thread.

About the publisher

Bashu Publishing House China · Founded in 1983

Bashu Publishing House is a publisher centered on collating and publishing classical Chinese cultural texts, with its main publishing areas covering classical literature, Eastern philosophy, ancient poetry, and educational classics. Its library currently holds 1,075 titles, including representative works such as Dream of the Red Chamber, the Preface to the Orchid Pavilion Gathering, Renjian Cihua, and Out to the Frontier, involving authors such as Cao Xueqin, Wang Xizhi, Wang Guowei, Wang Changling, Liu Xie, and Yan Yu. These reflect the publisher's focus on literary classics, poetry criticism, and philosophical readings. Its publishing character lies in working around ancient texts and canonical works, with attention to textual collation and presentation. Public information on its more detailed publishing background and series plans is limited; this introduction is based only on the library's book information.

版权信息
正文一
正文二
正文三
正文四
正文五

FAQ

What is this text actually about?

According to the original, it centers on the Way (dao), stressing that the Way cannot be spoken, cannot be thought, cannot be done, cannot be brought about, cannot be fathomed, cannot be divided, and can only be provisionally named Heaven, Fate, Spirit, the Origin, and together, the Way. It does not advance by argument but approaches the unsayable through imagery and paradox.

What if I don't understand it?

Don't insist on pinning down every line. This kind of writing lives in cadence and white space: read it through once for the rhythm, then pick out vividly imagistic sentences to savor repeatedly. If it still feels distant, set it aside and return another day—new impressions often emerge.

Is it meant to be read in one sitting?

Though short, it is dense with imagery and easy to skim through in one sitting. It is better read slowly in stages, pausing after each short passage, or read aloud to feel the rhythm, letting the sentences reveal their layers through repeated savoring.

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About the author

Anonymous Author

Anonymous is not a real personal name but a general Chinese designation for authors whose names are unknown, lost, or unsigned. Neither nationality nor dates of birth and death can be verified, and available public information is limited, so the works attributed to this name are the only basis for description. The collection holds 2,078 works under Anonymous, spanning medicine, classics, historical readings, ancient poetry, classical literature, and philosophy. Representative works include The Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon: Lingshu, Mencius, The Book of Documents, Nineteen Old Poems, Complete Song Ci, and The Peacock Flies Southeast. Most of these works took shape through long transmission and editing, emerging either from collective folk creation or from authors whose names were lost over time. In ancient China, the Book of Songs, the Great Learning, and many popular storybooks and plays were signed Anonymous because their authors could not be traced. Anonymous works cross the classics, histories, philosophical writings, medical texts, and poetry; their subjects are broad, and their styles vary from archaic simplicity to clear naturalness, making them important and influential sources for understanding ancient Chinese thought, medicine, and literature.