Words as Tallies

AnonymousBashu Publishing House · ChinaJul 2024

4.3

Word count: 545 words
Chapters: 2

Summary

Laozi said: The Way is highest with nothing above it, deepest with nothing below it; level as the water level, straight as the plumb line, round as the compass, square as the square; it wraps heaven and earth without inner or outer, penetrates and covers all without anything left out. Therefore one who embodies the Way is neither angry nor pleased; sitting, he has no anxious thoughts; sleeping, he does not dream; seeing things, he names them; when matters arrive, he responds. Laozi said: One who wishes to make a name his own will surely stir up affairs; once affairs arise, he will abandon the public and pursue the private, turn against the Way and rely on himself, do good for the sake of praise, and establish himself as worthy. Then governance will not follow principle and affairs will not accord with the times. If governance does not follow principle, there will be much blame; if affairs do not accord with the times, there will be no achievement. Acting rashly in hopes of hitting the mark, success will not be enough to make up for blame, and failure will be enough to destroy the self.

Editor's review

"Fuyan" takes Laozi's words as its lead and unfolds around the Way being highest with nothing above it and deepest with nothing below it, emphasizing the cultivated state of one who embodies the Way: neither angry nor pleased, naming things when seeing them, and responding when matters arrive. The piece also discusses how "one who wishes to make a name his own will surely stir up affairs," pointing out that love of fame leads one to abandon the public for the private and turn against the Way in favor of oneself, until governance does not follow principle and affairs do not accord with the times; success is not enough to make up for blame, and failure is enough to destroy the self. The language is simple, ancient, and condensed, and the argument points straight at the human heart; it is suited to slow, careful reading in a quiet setting. Readers may use it to appreciate a Daoist-style wisdom for conducting oneself: not chasing empty fame, not acting rashly, and responding to things according to principle. Its analysis of the relationship between "fame" and "affairs" also has a cautionary meaning for today's readers who find themselves within systems of competition and evaluation. The piece as a whole is concise and should be savored repeatedly as a short classical essay on thought, rather than read as a work seeking plot or story.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in pre-Qin Daoist thought and classical philosophy
Readers who hope to reflect on fame, gain, and ways of acting through traditional wisdom
Readers who enjoy short classical Chinese texts and are willing to read slowly and savor them
Office workers who need quiet reading to adjust the pace of daily life

Not a good fit for

Readers expecting full narrative, plot, or character stories
Beginners who prefer modern vernacular and are unwilling to engage with classical Chinese expression
Readers seeking systematic textbooks on the history of philosophy or scholarly annotations

Reading tips

First read through the original once, mark words and sentences you do not understand, then read closely paragraph by paragraph against the annotations.
After each paragraph, summarize in your own words the relationship between "the Way" or "fame" and "affairs."
Write a sentence or two of commentary based on your own experience, thinking about the practical difficulty of being "neither angry nor pleased, responding when matters arrive."
You may read only a small passage each day and savor it repeatedly; there is no need to finish it all at once.

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
符言第十二

FAQ

Was "Fuyan" written by Laozi himself?

The source gives the author as "Anonymous," and the main text introduces its discussion with "Laozi said," but it does not state that it was written by Laozi himself. When reading, it is best to regard it as a work attributed to him or quoting Laozi's words, and to focus on the Daoist thought conveyed by the text rather than insist on identifying it as Laozi's original work.

What does "one who wishes to make a name his own will surely stir up affairs" mean?

"Making a name one's own" can be understood as taking fame as a goal to pursue and claiming fame for oneself. The general meaning is: one who single-mindedly seeks to win fame will inevitably stir up many affairs; once affairs arise, one will abandon the public mind and accommodate private intentions, depart from the great Way and rely on one's own views, and in the end governance will not go smoothly and actions will not suit the times.

Can I read this book without a foundation in classical Chinese?

You can try, but it requires patience. It is best first to use annotations or a plain-language translation to understand the general meaning, then return to the original and compare sentence by sentence. If you are completely unwilling to engage with classical Chinese expression, the reading experience will be rather difficult; you might start with more accessible books on traditional culture.

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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.