Management via Softness 柔性管理

Management via Softness 柔性管理
Daoism and LaoZi 道家和老子 Management via Softness 柔性管理 Minder Chen, Ph.D. Martin V. Smith School of Business and Economics CSU Channel Islands

Daoism and Laozi Daoism https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/daoism/
Daoist Philosophy | Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy 《道德經 - Dao De Jing》 Tao Te Ching, Written by Lao-tzu, From a translation by S. Mitchell Tao Te Ching

Tao or Dao and Daoism http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laozi
小篆 ** Tao or Dao: The way, the Way Understanding and actions. The Chinese Character Head, also means Ying and Yang unified into One In oneself.

Daoism “Lao-Zhuang Philosophy” is used to distinguish the philosophical from the more religious “Huang-Lao” (Yellow Emperor-Laozi) strain of Daoist thought. “Daoist” religious groups adopted the institutions of Buddhism (Nuns, monks, monestaries etc.) and become linked to martial-arts, to alchemy, and popular movements (often rebellious or millenarian movements) The Tao is a fundamental idea in most Chinese philosophical schools; in Taoism, however, it denotes the principle that is the source, pattern and substance of everything that exists.

Daoism’s Three Treasures
Taoist ethics vary depending on the particular school, but in general tend to emphasize wu wei (effortless action), "naturalness", simplicity, spontaneity, and the Three Treasures: 慈 "compassion", 儉 "frugality", and 不敢為天下先 "humility". The Three Treasures can also refer to jing, qi and shen (Chinese: 精氣神; pinyin: jīng-qì-shén; jing is usually translated with "essence" and shen with "spirit").

The Tao Te Ching or Dao De Jing (道德經)
《道德經》，又名《老子》 Dào/Tao 道 literally means "way", or one of its synonyms, but was extended to mean "the Way". Dé/Te 德 basically means "virtue" in the sense of "personal character", "inner strength" (virtuosity), or "integrity." The semantics of this Chinese word resemble English virtue, which developed from a (now archaic) sense of "inner potency" or "divine power" (as in "healing virtue of a drug") to the modern meaning of "moral excellence" or "goodness". Compare the compound word dàodé (道德 "ethics", "ethical principles", "morals," or "morality"). Jīng/Ching 經 as it is used here means "canon", "great book", or "classic".

"Three Teachings": Confucianism, Taoism, & Buddhism
Smith, Richard J. (Rice University)

The Background of Chinese Philosophy
The geographic background: Continental country vs. maritime country Economic background: Agricultural (Agrarian) society Cultivating the land is the primary source of wealth. (link) Farming over commerce. 4 Classes in the traditional Chinese society: Scholars, Farmers, Artisans, and Merchants 士農工商 Value of agriculture and farmer: Farmer are down to earth and unselfish. More Conservative innovations are discouraged vs. seek novelty and diversity *** A short history of Chinese philosophy by Feng, Youlan, (epub version; best pdf; pdf) (link) -- can be borrowed online. & Chinese version==> Chapter 2 　

This worldly and other worldly (入世、出世) 內聖外王 The phrase nei-sheng wai-wang (a sage in the inner sphere, a king in the outer sphere) appears in the pre-Qin Daoist classic Zhuangzi. Classicism vs. romanticism in Western thoughts (LiBai vs. Du Fu) Social responsibility (Confucianism) vs. Natural and spontaneous characteristics in human being (Taoism) 3rd~4th centuries New Taoism (Make Taoism closer to Confucianism) 11th~12th centuries New Confucianism (Make Confucianism closer to Taoism and Buddhism)

Reversal is the movement of Tao: Everything involves its own negation (Hegel) Chinese people remain cautious even in time of prosperity , and hopeful in time of extreme danger. “Never too much”  Golden mean  Modesty The succession of 4 seasons and Waxing or Waning of moon Having too much or overdoing, one runs the risk of getting the opposite of what one wants. Criticism by 荀子, Hsunzi: Blinded by nature and had no knowledge of man.

Family System Family live together for economic reasons. Ancestor worship Social relationships Very specific terms for relatives

Idealization of Nature Idealize simplicity of primitive society Marx's Theory of Alienation is the contention that in modern industrial production under capitalist conditions workers will inevitably lose control of their lives by losing control over their work. Workers thus cease to be autonomous beings in any significant sense. Under pre-capitalist conditions a blacksmith, e.g., or a shoemaker would own his own shop, set his own hours, determine his own working conditions, shape his own product, and have some say in how his product is bartered or sold. His relationships with the people with whom he worked and dealt had a more or less personal character. The Industrial Revolution and its consequences have been a disaster for the human race,” it begins. Among the ills he attributes to advances in technology are that they promise to improve our lives but end up imposing burdens we would not have chosen.　 The iPhone X proves the Unabomber was right (link) Steve ChapmanContact Reporter The introduction of the new iPhone X — which features wireless charging, facial recognition and a price tag of $999 — appears to be a minor event in the advance of technology. But it’s an excellent illustration of something that has long gone unrecognized: The Unabomber had a point. Not about blowing people up in an effort to advance his social goals. Ted Kaczynski’s campaign to kill and maim chosen victims with explosives was horrific in the extreme and beyond forgiveness. But his 35,000-word manifesto, published in 1995, provided a glimpse of the future we inhabit, and his foresight is a bit unsettling. ADVERTISING “The Industrial Revolution and its consequences have been a disaster for the human race,” it begins. Among the ills he attributes to advances in technology are that they promise to improve our lives but end up imposing burdens we would not have chosen. He cites the automobile, which offered every person the freedom to travel farther and faster than before. But as cars became more numerous, they became a necessity, requiring great expense, bigger roads and more regulations. Cities were designed for the convenience of drivers, not pedestrians. For most people, driving is no longer optional. Smartphones have followed the same pattern. When cellphones first appeared, they gave people one more means of communication, which they could accept or reject. But before long, most of us began to feel naked and panicky anytime we left home without one. To do without a cellphone — and soon, if not already, a smartphone — means estranging oneself from normal society. We went from “you can have a portable communication device” to “you must have a portable communication device” practically overnight. Not that long ago, you could escape the phone by leaving the house. Today most people are expected to be instantly reachable at all times. These devices have gone from servants to masters. Kaczynski cannot be surprised. “Once a technical innovation has been introduced,” he noted, “people usually become dependent on it, so that they can never again do without it, unless it is replaced by some still more advanced innovation. Not only do people become dependent as individuals on a new item of technology, but, even more, the system as a whole becomes dependent on it. (Imagine what would happen to the system today if computers, for example, were eliminated.)” The problem is hardly a new one. In his book “Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind,” Yuval Noah Harari argues that the agricultural revolution that took place 10,000 years ago was “history’s biggest fraud.” In the preceding 2.5 million years, when our ancestors lived as hunter-gatherers they worked less, “spent their time in more stimulating and varied ways, and were less in danger of starvation and disease” than afterward. Farming boosted the population but chained humans to the land and demanded ceaseless drudgery to plant, tend, harvest and process food — while making us more vulnerable to famine, disease and war. People who had evolved over eons for one mode of life were pushed into a different mode at odds with many of their natural instincts. But it didn’t matter. Eventually, those who preferred to live as foragers — such as the American Indians — no longer had a choice. In the 21st century, such a life is almost impossible. Kaczynski retreated to a remote cabin, off the grid, but 325 million Americans couldn’t do likewise even if they wanted to. Computers and smartphones are also a Faustian bargain, in Harari’s view. Instead of saving time, inventions like “revved up the treadmill of life to ten times its former speed and made our days more anxious and agitated.” It’s easy to romanticize the lives of ancient people while ignoring the perils and hardships they faced. And neither Kaczynski nor anyone else has a way to reverse history. Few of us would be willing to give up modern shelter, food, clothing, medicine, entertainment or transportation. Most of us would say the trade-offs are more than worth it. But they happen whether they are worth it or not, and the individual has little power to resist. Technological innovation is a one-way street. Once you enter it, you are obligated to proceed, even if it leads someplace you would not have chosen to go. Once the latest iPhone is in stores, some consumers will decide they simply can’t live without it. The rest of us may eventually find that whatever our preferences, neither can we. Steve Chapman, a member of the Tribune Editorial Board, blogs at

TAO Yuanming – Drinking 陶淵明 – 飲酒
結廬在人境，而無車馬喧。問君何能爾？心遠地自偏。采菊東籬下，悠然見南山，山氣日夕佳，飛鳥相與還。此中有真味，欲辨已忘言。 (link) I locate my hut in the secular, Yet you hear not traffic uproar. You ask how it could be so? A secluded heart secludes wherever you are. I'd pick chrysanthemums next to the fence on the east, In the distance the Zhongnan Mountains traverse, Mountain air is pleasant day and night, Birds on the wing would gather in pairs as they home return. In amongst all these exists truthfulness, In an attempt to express it I find myself lost for words.

Modern Meets Ancient A traveller watches an old man struggling to draw
water from a well in order to irrigate his garden. He suggests to him a vastly more effective, modern, mechanistic solution. One that would produce water far in excess of what the gardener needs. The old man is angry as he replies, “Those who use cunning implements are cunning in their dealings with others, and those who are cunning in their dealings with others lack purity of heart, and those who have cunning in their hearts have restless spirits. I know about solutions such as you propose, but I am ashamed to use them”. Chuang-Tzu the 4th Century BC Chinese sage. (link 84 pages) ancient wisdom for modern workplaces

Chapter 1 of LaoZi The tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao The name that can be named is not the eternal Name. The unnamable is the eternally real. Naming is the origin of all particular things. Free from desire, you realize the mystery. Caught in desire, you see only the manifestations. Yet mystery and manifestations arise from the same source. This source is called darkness. Darkness within darkness. The gateway to all understanding. (玄之又玄，众妙之门 ) S. Mitchell (1988) 玄: 幽遠也，mystic; profound; abstruse

玄學 Xuán Xué Metaphysics, Neo-Daoism
A philosophical sect in the Wei ( ) and Jin ( ) dynasties]∶中国魏晋时代,向秀、何晏、王弼等运用道家的老庄思想揉合儒家经义而形成的一种唯心主义哲学思潮. Two influential Xuanxue scholars were Wang Bi and Guo Xiang, editors and leading commentators on the Dao-de-jing, I-Ching (Yi-jing) (both by Wang Bi) , and Zhuang-zi (by Guo Xiang). Xuanxue philosophers combined elements of Confucianism and Taoism to reinterpret the Yijing, DaoDeJing, and Zhuangzi (i.e.,三玄Three Xuans).

The Nourishing Force Laozi says:
The supreme good is like water, Which nourishes all things without trying to. It is content to take the low places that people disdain. Thus it is like the Dao. Stephen Mitchell, Tao Te Ching: A New English Version: The Nourish Force 上善若水。水善利萬物而不爭，處衆人之所惡，故幾於道。居善地，心善淵，與善仁，言善信，正善治，事善能，動善時。夫唯不爭，故無尤。

Dao De Jing ( LaoTze; Lǎozǐ; )
道德經 (老子): 三十輻，共一轂，當其無，有車之用。埏埴以為器，當其無，有器之用。鑿戶牖以為室，當其無，有室之用。故有之以為利，無之以為用。 (The use of what has no substantive existence) The thirty spokes unite in the one nave; but it is on the empty space (for the axle), that the use of the wheel depends. Clay is fashioned into vessels; but it is on their empty hollowness, that their use depends. The door and windows are cut out (from the walls) to form an apartment; but it is on the empty space (within), that its use depends. Therefore, what has a (positive) existence serves for profitable adaptation, and what has not that for (actual) usefulness.

Bronze Chariots 輻轂 30 spokes in the wheel
30 spokes in the wheel

Xian Terracotta Bronze Chariots

Porcelain from Northern Song Dynasty
谢肇淛《五杂俎》 “陶器，柴窑最古。今人得其碎片，亦与金翠同价矣。盖色既鲜碧，而质复莹薄。可以妆饰玩具而成器者，杳不可复见矣。世传柴世宗时烧造，所司请其色，御批云：“雨过青天云破处，这般颜色做将来。” 北宋汝窯青瓷蓮花式碗 (秘色瓷) 高公分　深7.6公分　口徑公分足徑8.1公分

Chinese Landscape Painting
Leave white space to stimulate your imagination 日本設計師談渾沌

Yellow Mountain

Defining Taoism Any definition of “Taoism” must account for:
“Philosophical” (pre-Qin 秦) vs. “religious” (post-Qin) Daoisms “Contemplative” (mystical), “purposive” (political), and xian 仙 (immortality-seeking) Daoisms Daoism = only post-Qin (only “religious”) “Laoist” (school of Laozi) vs. “Zhuangist” (school of Zhuangzi) vs. … Any definition of “Taoism” must account for: Incredible diversity of items associated with the term Whether/why such items ought to be unified under the term * Source: Jeffrey L. Richey **中国近年来将黄老学派定义为道家和法家的结合，在西方被称为“目的性的道家”（purposive Taoism）或“工具性的道家” （instrumental Taoism）。该学派主要探讨社会政治问题。

Cooking a Small Fish Governing a large country is like cooking a small fish. Chap.60, DaoDeJing by Lao Zi Quoted by President Ronald Reagan at 1988 State of Union Address.

Tao on Leadership When the Master governs, the people are hardly aware that he exists. Next best is a leader who is loved. Next, one who is feared. The worst is one who is despised. If you don't trust the people, you make them untrustworthy. The Master doesn't talk, he acts. When his work is done, the people say, “Amazing: we did it, all by ourselves!” Translated by S. Mitchell 太上，下知有之；其次，親而譽之；其次，畏之；其次，侮之。信不足，焉有不信焉。悠兮，其貴言。功成事遂，百姓皆謂我自然。

Chapter 48 為學日益，為道日損。損之又損，以至於無為。無為而無不為。取天下常以無事，及其有事，不足以取天下。
In pursuit of knowledge, every day something is added. In the practice of the Tao, every day something (such as desire) is dropped. Less and less do you need to force things, until finally you arrive at non-action. When nothing is done, nothing is left undone. True mastery can be gained by letting things go their own way. It can't be gained by interfering. Mindfulness 

《易經》〈雜卦傳〉隨，无故也；蠱，則飭也。《莊子·應帝王》至人之用心若鏡，不將不迎，應而不藏，故能勝物而不傷。
Mindfulness Stress Reduction And Healing

正：止一制心一處念：今心活在當下 Mindfulness 正念 Non-judging Patient Beginner’s Mind
Paying attention on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally to whatever is arising inwardly & outwardly. Working definition: Moment to moment non-judgmental awareness that is cultivated by paying attention. Non-judging Patient Beginner’s Mind Trust Non-Striving Acceptance Letting Be (Letting Go; Letting go is a way of letting things be, of accepting things as they are.) 看破、放下正：止一制心一處念：今心活在當下 Non-doing, Being: When nothing is done, nothing is left undone. ** Adapted from Kabat-Zinn, Jon. Full Catastrophe Living (Revised Edition): Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind to Face Stress, Pain, and Illness. New York. Bantam Books, 2013.

Mindfulness Technique

Wú wéi (無為) Wú wéi (無爲), is an important concept of Taoism with regard to understanding when to act and when not to act. To apply wu wei to any situation is to take natural action. Action without action, "wei wu wei 爲無爲 ", is effortless action. Passive aggressive? The concept of "effortless action" is a part of Taoist Internal martial arts such as Tai chi chuan, Baguazhang and Xing Yi.

無為而無不為老子把自然之道应用到治理国家上，我们同样可以把自然之道用在管理企业上。
海尔的张瑞敏把《道德经》的“无为无不为”当作座右铭，认为海尔十几年的成就主要不在有形的东西，而恰恰在于无形的东西，也就是企业的灵魂即海尔文化。华为公司的高层管理者也把道家思想作为一种无形的规范，信奉管理控制的最高境界就是不控制也能达到目标，不需要管理层疲于奔命，一切工作会自然而然地奔向成功之路。《道德经与无为管理》，凤凰出版社，钟永森著

Non-Duality (Contrarian View)
When people see some things as beautiful, other things become ugly. When people see some things as good, other things become bad. Being and non-being create each other. Difficult and easy support each other. Long and short define each other. High and low depend on each other. Before and after follow each other. Therefore the Master acts without doing anything and teaches without saying anything. Things arise and she lets them come; things disappear and she lets them go. She has but doesn't possess, acts but doesn't expect. When her work is done, she forgets it. That is why it lasts forever. 天下皆知美之為美，斯惡已。皆知善之為善，斯不善已。故有無相生，難易相成，長短相較，高下相傾，音聲相和，前後相隨。是以聖人處無為之事，行不言之教；萬物作焉而不辭，生而不有。為而不恃，功成而弗居。夫唯弗居，是以不去。

Reversal Is the Movement of Tao反者道之動
Before considering the difference between these two schools　(Confucianism and Taoism), let us first take up a theory which both of them maintained. This is that both in the sphere of nature and in that of man, when the development of anything brings it to one extreme, a reversal to the other extreme takes place; that is, to borrow an expression from Hegel, “Everything involves its own negation”. This is one of the main theses of Lao Tzu's philosophy and also that of the Book of Changes as interpreted by the Confucianists. It was no doubt inspired by the movements of the sun and moon and the succession of the four seasons, to which farmers must pay particular heed in order to carry on their own work. *** A short history of Chinese philosophy by Feng, Youlan, (pdf) (link) pp

In Returning We See the Mind of Heaven And Earth
In the Appendices of the Book of Changes, it is said: “When the cold goes, the warmth comes, and when the warmth comes, the cold goes.” (Appendix III.) And again: “When the sun has reached its meridian, it declines, and when the moon has become full, it wanes.” (Appendix I.) Such movements are referred to in the Appendices as “Returning." Thus Appendix I says “In Returning we see the mind of Heaven and Earth.” Similarly in the Lao-tzu we find the words: “Reversal is the movement of the Tao” (Ch. 40)

Remain Cautious Even in Time of Prosperity
This theory has had a great effect upon the Chinese people and has contributed much to their success in overcoming the many difficulties which they have encountered in their long history. Convinced of this theory, they remain cautious even in time of prosperity, and hopeful even in time of extreme danger. In the late war (2nd Chinese and Japenese war), the concept provided the Chinese people with a sort of psychological weapon, so that even in its darkest period, most people lived on the hope which was expressed in the phrase: “The dawn will soon come.” It was this “will to believe” that helped the Chinese people to go through the war.

Never Too Much This theory has also provided the principal argument for the doctrine of the golden mean, favored by Confucianist and Taoist alike. “Never too much” has been the maxim of both. For according to them, it is better for one to be wrong by having too little, than to be wrong by having too much, and to be wrong by leaving things undone, than to be wrong by overdoing them. For by having too much and overdoing, one runs the risk of getting the opposite of what one want. Too full of yourself attracts loss, humility gives you benefits. 滿招損，謙受益。

Soft & Weak is Stronger than Stiff & Strong
The stiff and the hard are companions of death. The tender and weak are the companions of life If the tree is stiff, it will break. The strong and the great are inferior, while the tender and the weak are superior. - LaoZi Chapter 76: 人之生也柔弱，其死也堅強。草木之生也柔脆，其死也枯槁。故堅強者死之徒，柔弱者生之徒。是以兵強則不勝，木強則兵。強大處下，柔弱處上。過剛易折過柔易糜 Objects too strong are easy to break. Objects too weak are easy to retreat.

Chapter 64: 治之於未亂其安易持，其未兆易謀。其脆易泮，其微易散。為之於未有，治之於未亂。合抱之木，生於毫末；九層之臺，起於累土；千里之行，始於足下。為者敗之，執者失之。是以聖人無為故無敗；無執故無失。民之從事，常於幾成而敗之。慎終如始，則無敗事。是以聖人欲不欲，不貴難得之貨；學不學，復衆人之所過，以輔萬物之自然，而不敢為。《淮南子·人间训》「圣人敬小慎微，动不失时。」习近平指出，“行是知之始，知是行之成”，文明素质重在实践，重在养成；“尽小者大，慎微者著”，要从大处着眼、小处着手，推动城市文明和市民素质有一个大提升 -- 习近平“慎始慎独慎微”是团员青年追梦的座右铭来源：中原网日期： :31:04 作者：隔山打鸟中共中央总书记、国家主席、中央军委主席习近平20日下午在中南海同团中央新一届领导班子成员集体谈话并发表重要讲话强调，代表广大青年，赢得广大青年，依靠广大青年，是我们党不断从胜利走向胜利的重要保证。共青团要紧跟党走在时代前列、走在青年前列，紧紧围绕党和国家工作大局找准工作切入点、结合点、着力点，充分发挥广大青年生力军作用，团结带领广大青年在实现中华民族伟大复兴的征途中续写新的光荣。（6月21日人民网）中共中央总书记、国家主席、中央军委主席习近平在同团中央新一届领导班子成员集体谈话时强调，广大团员青年要深刻领会中央八项规定的精神实质，养成慎始、慎独、慎微的意识，走好人生每一步。笔者认为，这不仅是对全身会广大团员青年的谆谆教诲，更是团员青年追梦的座右铭。 “慎始”一词出自《左传·襄公二十五年》：“慎始而敬终，终以不困。”在共圆伟大中国梦的当下，我们的团员青年首先要做好造梦和筑梦的好文章，有了追逐的梦想，人生奋斗才有希望，才会不断演绎出彩人生。因此，作为青年人的组织—共青团不仅要站在理想信念这个制高点上，依靠思想上精神上的吸引力和凝聚力，汇聚内在的强大的持久的动力。还要努力帮助广大青年树立远大理想，用科学的理论武装青年，用历史的眼光启示青年，用伟大的目标感召青年，用光明的未来激励青年，使其不断增强实现人生梦想的自信，不断增进对党带领全国人民实现伟大中国梦的信心。所谓“慎独”，是指在无人监督的情况下，凭着高度自觉，不做任何有违道德信念、做人原则之事。“慎独”不仅是个人进行道德修养的方法，也是评定一个人道德水准的关键。更是一种情操、修养、自律和坦荡。这就是习总书记对团干部带头刻苦学习、带头苦干实干、带头严格自律、带头联系青年，并团结带领广大青年为实现党的十八大提出的目标任务而努力奋斗的一种期望。打铁还须自身硬，只有团干部自身硬在作风上，硬在素质上，广大的青年才会前赴后继地紧跟团组织，在建设中华民族伟大复兴梦的道路上有所作为，贡献自己的青春和力量。团组织才会真正成为党与广大青年深深相吸的桥梁，青年人的奉献才能凝聚成中国力量。慎微，本意为认真重视和正确处置细小的事情。结合到团的工作，就是指团员干部不仅要正确识小，而且要管得住小，还要勤于善小而为之。在自身修养上，大节和小节其本质都是一样的。一个在小事上过不了关的干部，也很难在大节上过得硬。正如古人讲：“不矜细行，终累大德”。因此，干部既要把握大节，更要在日常小事和细节问题上坚守住心灵的“防护堤”，防微杜渐，不因恶小而为之，而应自觉纠正。习总书记用“慎始慎独慎微”，其实就是勉励和告诫广大团员青年，特别是团员干部一是要坚持深入实际、深入基层、深入群众，尤其要到工作开展最困难、群众意见最大的地方去，同干部群众一起，从一件件“小事”、实事做起，努力为民谋利，以做好“小事”为起点，为做“大事”打基础。二是要深刻领会中央八项规定的精神实质，坚决反对形式主义、官僚主义、享乐主义和奢靡之风这“四风”，为做好团的工作提供坚强的作风保证。正如习总书记所讲，我们党从来都是在重大政治任务中、在火热社会实践中锻炼干部、培养干部的。团干部要敢于到经济社会发展最需要的地方，到条件艰苦、情况复杂的地方，砥砺品质，提高本领。董仲舒《春秋繁露·立元神》「故为人君者，谨本详始，敬小慎微。」

Chapter 64: Guarding the Minute (Details)
That which is at rest is easily kept hold of; before a thing has given indications of its presence, it is easy to take measures against it; that which is brittle is easily broken; that which is very small is easily dispersed. Action should be taken before a thing has made its appearance; order should be secured before disorder has begun. 其安易持，其未兆易謀。其脆易泮，其微易散。為之於未有，治之於未亂。习近平主席: 养成慎始、慎独、慎微的意识。

Chapter 64 The tree which fills the arms grew from the tiniest sprout; the tower of nine stories rose from a (small) heap of earth; the journey of a thousand miles commenced with a single step. He who acts (with an ulterior purpose) does harm; he who takes hold of a thing (in the same way) loses his hold. The sage does not act (so), and therefore does no harm; he does not lay hold (so), and therefore does not lose his bold. (But) people in their conduct of affairs are constantly ruining them when they are on the eve of success. If they were careful at the end, as (they were) at the beginning, they would not so ruin them. 合抱之木，生於毫末；九層之臺，起於累土；千里之行，始於足下。為者敗之，執者失之。是以聖人無為故無敗；無執故無失。民之從事，常於幾成而敗之。慎終如始，則無敗事。

Chapter 64 Therefore the sage desires what (other men) do not desire, and does not prize things difficult to get; he learns what (other men) do not learn, and turns back to what the multitude of men have passed by. Thus he helps the natural development of all things, and does not dare to act (with an ulterior purpose of his own). 是以聖人欲不欲，不貴難得之貨；學不學，復衆人之所過，以輔萬物之自然，而不敢為。

Chapter 66: 江海善下而為百谷王江海所以能為百谷王者，以其善下之，故能為百谷王。是以聖人欲上民，必以言下之；欲先民，必以身後之。是以聖人處上而民不重，處前而民不害。是以天下樂推而不厭。以其不爭，故天下莫能與之爭。 The reason why the River and the Sea are able to be king of the hundred valleys is that they excel in taking the lower position. Hence they are able to be king of the hundred valleys. Therefore, desiring to rule over the people, One must in one's words humble oneself before them; And, desiring to lead the people, One must personally follow behind them. Therefore the sage takes his place over the people yet is no burden; takes his place ahead of the people yet causes no obstruction (gets out of their ways). That is why the whole world support him joyfully and never tires of doing so. It is because he does not contend (compete) that no one in the empire is in a position to contend with him. -- Adapted from DC Lau’s translation

林則徐越華書院聯 An ocean embraces all rivers because of its tolerance such that to make itself bigger. Facing a high mountain (great difficulties), one will be stronger without personal desires.

Personality Cultivation and Happiness
Happiness and smile bring you longevity. 人要笑，一笑呼吸就出來了，很開心，整個鬆了。一般人都很緊張，那是討債的面孔，一笑就放鬆了，就好了。中國人有一句很好的修道經驗的話，「神仙無別法，只生歡喜不生愁」。修道想成神仙，沒有另外一個法子，只要一切煩惱痛苦都丟掉放開，永遠高興，這樣才會修成神仙。會不會成為神仙不管，至少可以冒充神仙，活得很快活。 Adapted from 《南懷瑾與彼得·聖吉——關於禪、生命和認知的對話》

Zappos Core Values Deliver WOW Through Service
Embrace and Drive Change Create Fun and A Little Weirdness Be Adventurous, Creative, and Open-Minded Pursue Growth and Learning Build Open and Honest Relationships with Communication Build a Positive Team and Family Spirit Do More with Less Be Passionate and Determined Be Humble

Evolution of Zappos Brand Promise
Largest selection of shoes Customer service Culture and core values as our platform 2007 – Personal emotional connection 2009 – Delivering happiness “Our Business Strategy since 2005 has been to invest in company culture, with the belief that the culture will ultimately drive employee productivity, customer service quality and brand strength.” ‐ Tony Hsieh

Holacracy is a new way of running an organization that removes power from a management hierarchy and distributes it across clear roles, which can then be executed autonomously, without a micromanaging boss. The work is actually more structured than in a conventional company, just differently so. With Holacracy, there is a clear set of rules and processes for how a team breaks up its work, and defines its roles with clear responsibilities and expectations.

In Traditional Companies With Holacracy
Job descriptions Each person has exactly one job. Job descriptions are imprecise, rarely updated, and often irrelevant. Delegated Authority Managers loosely delegate authority. Ultimately, their decision always trump. Big Re-Orgs The org. structure is rarely revisited, mandated from the top. Office Politics Implicit rules slow down change and favor people “in the know”. With Holacracy Roles Roles are defined around the work, not people, and are updated regularly. People fill several roles. Distributed Authority Authority is truly distributed to teams and roles. Decisions are made locally. Rapid Iterations The org. structure is regularly updated via small iterations. Every team self-organizes. Transparent Rules Everyone is bound by the same rules, CEO included. Rules are visible to all.

Tianshi Dao天師道 Way of the Celestial Masters (Tianshi Dao)
Scroll painting of the immortal Zhang Daoling (張陵or 張道陵), the founder of religious Daoism, riding a tiger. The immortals had great spiritual and physical powers and would appear from time to time to help people in need.

Chapter 33: Knowledge and Humility
Knowing others is wisdom; Knowing the self is enlightenment. Mastering others requires force; Mastering the self requires strength; He who knows he has enough is rich. Perseverance is a sign of will power. He who stays where he is endures. To die but not to perish is to be eternally present. 知人者智，自知者明。勝人有力，自勝者強。知足者富，強行有志。不失其所者久，死而不亡者壽。 (chap. 33, tr. Feng and English) One The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao. The name that can be named is not the eternal name. The nameless is the beginning of heaven and Earth. The named is the mother of the ten thousand things. Ever desireless, one can see the mystery. Ever desiring, one sees the manifestations. These two spring from the same source but differ in name; this appears as darkness. Darkness within darkness. The gate to all mystery. Two Under heaven all can see beauty as beauty only because there is ugliness. All can know good as good only because there is evil. Therefore having and not having arise together. Difficult and easy complement each other. Long and short contrast each other: High and low rest upon each other; Voice and sound harmonize each other; Front and back follow one another. Therefore the sage goes about doing nothing, teaching no-talking. The ten thousand things rise and fall without cease, Creating, yet not possessing. Working, yet not taking credit. Work is done, then forgotten. Therefore it lasts forever. Three Not exalting the gifted prevents quarreling. Not collecting treasures prevents stealing. Not seeing desirable things prevents confusion of the heart. The wise therefore rule by emptying hearts and stuffing bellies, by weakening ambitions and strengthening bones. If men lack knowledge and desire, then clever people will not try to interfere. If nothing is done, then all will be well. Four The Tao is an empty vessel; it is used, but never filled. Oh, unfathomable source of ten thousand things! Blunt the sharpness, Untangle the knot, Soften the glare, Merge with dust. Oh, hidden deep but ever present! I do not know from whence it comes. It is the forefather of the gods. Five Heaven and Earth are impartial; They see the ten thousand things as straw dogs. The wise are impartial; They see the people as straw dogs. The space between heaven and Earth is like a bellows. The shape changes but not the form; The more it moves, the more it yields. More words count less. Hold fast to the center. Six The valley spirit never dies; It is the woman, primal mother. Her gateway is the root of heaven and Earth. It is like a veil barely seen. Use it; it will never fail. Seven Heaven and Earth last forever. Why do heaven and Earth last forever? They are unborn, So ever living. The sage stays behind, thus he is ahead. He is detached, thus at one with all. Through selfless action, he attains fulfillment. Eight The highest good is like water. Water give life to the ten thousand things and does not strive. It flows in places men reject and so is like the Tao. In dwelling, be close to the land. In meditation, go deep in the heart. In dealing with others, be gentle and kind. In speech, be true. In ruling, be just. In daily life, be competent. In action, be aware of the time and the season. No fight: No blame. Nine Better to stop short than fill to the brim. Oversharpen the blade, and the edge will soon blunt. Amass a store of gold and jade, and no one can protect it. Claim wealth and titles, and disaster will follow. Retire when the work is done. This is the way of heaven. Ten Carrying body and soul and embracing the one, Can you avoid separation? Attending fully and becoming supple, Can you be as a newborn babe? Washing and cleansing the primal vision, Can you be without stain? Loving all men and ruling the country, Can you be without cleverness? Opening and closing the gates of heaven, Can you play the role of woman? Understanding and being open to all things, Are you able to do nothing? Giving birth and nourishing, Bearing yet not possessing, Working yet not taking credit, Leading yet not dominating, This is the Primal Virtue. Eleven Thirty spokes share the wheel's hub; It is the center hole that makes it useful. Shape clay into a vessel; It is the space within that makes it useful. Cut doors and windows for a room; It is the holes which make it useful. Therefore benefit comes from what is there; Usefulness from what is not there. Twelve The five colors blind the eye. The five tones deafen the ear. The five flavors dull the taste. Racing and hunting madden the mind. Precious things lead one astray. Therefore the sage is guided by what he feels and not by what he sees. He lets go of that and chooses this. Thirteen Accept disgrace willingly. Accept misfortune as the human condition. What do you mean by "Accept disgrace willingly"? Accept being unimportant. Do not be concerned with loss or gain. This is called "accepting disgrace willingly." What do you mean by "Accept misfortune as the human condition"? Misfortune comes from having a body. Without a body, how could there be misfortune? Surrender yourself humbly; then you can be trusted to care for all things. Love the world as your own self; then you can truly care for all things. Fourteen Look, it cannot be seen - it is beyond form. Listen, it cannot be heard - it is beyond sound. Grasp, it cannot be held - it is intangible. These three are indefinable; Therefore they are joined in one. From above it is not bright; From below it is not dark: An unbroken thread beyond description. It returns to nothingness. The form of the formless, The image of the imageless, It is called indefinable and beyond imagination. Stand before it and there is no beginning. Follow it and there is no end. Stay with the ancient Tao, Move with the present. Knowing the ancient beginning is the essence of Tao. Fifteen The ancient masters were subtle, mysterious, profound, responsive. The depth of their knowledge is unfathomable. Because it is unfathomable, All we can do is describe their appearance. Watchful, like men crossing a winter stream. Alert, like men aware of danger. Courteous, like visiting guests. Yielding like ice about to melt. Simple, like uncarved blocks of wood. Hollow, like caves. Opaque, like muddy pools. Who can wait quietly while the mud settles? Who can remain still until the moment of action? Observers of the Tao do not seek fulfillment. Not seeking fulfillment, they are not swayed by desire for change. Sixteen Empty yourself of everything. Let the mind become still. The ten thousand things rise and fall while the Self watches their return. They grow and flourish and then return to the source. Returning to the source is stillness, which is the way of nature. The way of nature is unchanging. Knowing constancy is insight. Not knowing constancy leads to disaster. Knowing constancy, the mind is open. With an open mind, you will be openhearted. Being openhearted, you will act royally. Being royal, you will attain the divine. Being divine, you will be at one with the Tao. Being at one with the Tao is eternal. And though the body dies, the Tao will never pass away. Seventeen The very highest if barely known. Then comes that which people know and love. Then that which is feared, Then that which is despised. Who does not trust enough will not be trusted. When actions are performed Without unnecessary speech, People say, "We did it!" Eighteen When the great Tao is forgotten, Kindness and morality arise. When wisdom and intelligence are born, The great pretense begins. When there is no peace within the family, Filial piety and devotion arise. When the country is confused and in chaos, Loyal ministers appear. Nineteen Give up sainthood, renounce wisdom, And it will be a hundred times better for everyone. Give up kindness, renounce morality, And men will rediscover filial piety and love. Give up ingenuity, renounce profit, And bandits and thieves will disappear. These three are outward forms alone; they are not sufficient in themselves. It is more important To see the simplicity, To realize one's true nature, To cast off selfishness And temper desire. Twenty Give up learning, and put an end to your troubles. Is there a difference between yes and no? Is there a difference between good and evil? Must I fear what others fear? What nonsense! Other people are contented, enjoying the sacrificial feast of the ox. In spring some go to the park, and climb the terrace, But I alone am drifting, not knowing where I am. Like a newborn babe before it learns to smile, I am alone, without a place to go. Others have more than they need, but I alone have nothing. I am a fool. Oh, yes! I am confused. Others are clear and bright, But I alone am dim and weak. Others are sharp and clever, But I alone am dull and stupid. Oh, I drift like the waves of the sea, Without direction, like the restless wind. Everyone else is busy, But I alone am aimless and depressed. I am different. I am nourished by the great mother. Twenty-one The greatest Virtue is to follow Tao and Tao alone. The Tao is elusive and intangible. Oh, it is intangible and elusive, and yet within is image. Oh, it is elusive and intangible, and yet within is form. Oh, it is dim and dark, and yet within is essence. This essence is very real, and therein lies faith. From the very beginning until now its name has never been forgotten. Thus I perceive the creation. How do I know the ways of creation? Because of this. Twenty-two Yield and overcome; Bend and be straight; Empty and be full; Wear out and be new; Have little and gain; Have much and be confused. Therefore the wise embrace the one And set an example to all. Not putting on a display, They shine forth. Not justifying themselves, They are distinguished. Not boasting, They receive recognition. Not bragging, They never falter. They do not quarrel, So no one quarrels with them. Therefore the ancients say, "Yield and overcome." Is that an empty saying? Be really whole, And all things will come to you. Twenty-three To talk little is natural. High winds do not last all morning. Heavy rain does not last all day. Why is this? Heaven and Earth! If heaven and Earth cannot make things eternal, How is it possible for man? He who follows the Tao Is at one with the Tao. He who is virtuous Experiences Virtue. He who loses the way Is lost. When you are at one with the Tao, The Tao welcomes you. When you are at one with Virtue, The Virtue is always there. When you are at one with loss, The loss is experienced willingly. He who does not trust enough Will not be trusted. Twenty-four He who stands on tiptoe is not steady. He who strides cannot maintain the pace. He who makes a show is not enlightened. He who is self-righteous is not respected. He who boasts achieves nothing. He who brags will not endure. According to followers of the Tao, "These are extra food and unnecessary luggage." They do not bring happiness. therefore followers of the Tao avoid them. Twenty-five Something mysteriously formed, Born before heaven and Earth. In the silence and the void, Standing alone and unchanging, Ever present and in motion. Perhaps it is the mother of ten thousand things. I do not know its name Call it Tao. For lack of a better word, I call it great. Being great, it flows I flows far away. Having gone far, it returns. Therefore, "Tao is great; Heaven is great; Earth is great; The king is also great." These are the four great powers of the universe, And the king is one of them. Man follows Earth. Earth follows heaven. Heaven follows the Tao. Tao follows what is natural. Twenty-six The heavy is the root of the light. The still is the master of unrest. Therefore the sage, traveling all day, Does not lose sight of his baggage. Though there are beautiful things to be seen, He remains unattached and calm. Why should the lord of ten thousand chariots act lightly in public? To be light is to lose one's root. To be restless is to lose one's control. Twenty-seven A good walker leaves no tracks; A good speaker makes no slips; A good reckoner needs no tally. A good door needs no lock, Yet no one can open it. Good binding requires no knots, Yet no one can loosen it. Therefore the sage takes care of all men And abandons no one. He takes care of all things And abandons nothing. This is called "following the light." What is a good man? A teacher of a bad man. What is a bad man? A good man's charge. If the teacher is not respected, And the student not cared for, Confusion will arise, however clever one is. This is the crux of mystery. Twenty-eight Know the strength of man, But keep a woman's care! Be the stream of the universe! Being the stream of the universe, Ever true and unswerving, Become as a little child once more. Know the white, But keep the black! Be an example to the world! Being an example to the world, Ever true and unwavering, Return to the infinite. Know honor, Yet keep humility. Be the valley of the universe! Being the valley of the universe, Ever true and resourceful, Return to the state of the uncarved block. When the block is carved, it becomes useful. When the sage uses it, he becomes the ruler. Thus, "A great tailor cuts little." Twenty-nine Do you think you can take over the universe and improve it? I do not believe it can be done. The universe is sacred. You cannot improve it. If you try to change it, you will ruin it. If you try to hold it, you will lose it. So sometimes things are ahead and sometimes they are behind; Sometimes breathing is hard, sometimes it comes easily; Sometimes there is strength and sometimes weakness; Sometimes one is up and sometimes down. Therefore the sage avoids extremes, excesses, and complacency. Thirty Whenever you advise a ruler in the way of Tao, Counsel him not to use force to conquer the universe. For this would only cause resistance. Thorn bushes spring up wherever the army has passed. Lean years follow in the wake of a great war. Just do what needs to be done. Never take advantage of power. Achieve results, But never glory in them. Achieve results, But never boast. Achieve results, But never be proud. Achieve results, Because this is the natural way. Achieve results, But not through violence. Force is followed by loss of strength. This is not the way of Tao. That which goes against the Tao comes to an early end. Thirty-one Good weapons are instruments of fear; all creatures hate them. Therefore followers of Tao never use them. The wise man prefers the left. The man of war prefers the right. Weapons are instruments of fear; they are not a wise man's tools. He uses them only when he has no choice. Peace and quiet are dear to his heart, And victory no cause for rejoicing. If you rejoice in victory, then you delight in killing; If you delight in killing, you cannot fulfill yourself. On happy occasions precedence is given to the left, On sad occasions to the right. In the army the general stands on the left, The commander-in-chief on the right. This means that war is conducted like a funeral. When many people are being killed, They should be mourned in heartfelt sorrow. That is why a victory must be observed like a funeral. Thirty-two The Tao is forever undefined. Small though it is in the unformed state, it cannot be grasped. If kings and lords could harness it, The ten thousand things would come together And gentle rain fall. Men would need no more instruction and all things would take their course. Once the whole is divided, the parts need names. There are already enough names. One must know when to stop. Knowing when to stop averts trouble. Tao in the world is like a river flowing home to the sea. Thirty-three Knowing others is wisdom; Knowing the self is enlightenment. Mastering others requires force; Mastering the self needs strength. He who knows he has enough is rich. Perseverance is a sign of willpower. He who stays where he is endures. To die but not to perish is to be eternally present. Thirty-four The great Tao flows everywhere, both to the left and to the right. The ten thousand things depend upon it; it holds nothing back. It fulfills its purpose silently and makes no claim. It nourishes the ten thousand things, And yet is not their lord. It has no aim; it is very small. The ten thousand things return to it, Yet it is not their lord. It is very great. It does not show greatness, And is therefore truly great. Thirty-five All men will come to him who keeps to the one, For there lie rest and happiness and peace. Passersby may stop for music and good food, But a description of the Tao Seems without substance or flavor. It cannot be seen, it cannot be heard, And yet it cannot be exhausted. Thirty-six That which shrinks Must first expand. That which fails Must first be strong. That which is cast down Must first be raised. Before receiving There must be giving. This is called perception of the nature of things. Soft and weak overcome hard and strong. Fish cannot leave deep waters, And a country's weapons should not be displayed. Thirty-seven Tao abides in non-action, Yet nothing is left undone. If kings and lords observed this, The ten thousand things would develop naturally. If they still desired to act, They would return to the simplicity of formless substance. Without form there is no desire. Without desire there is tranquility. And in this way all things would be at peace. Thirty-eight A truly good man is not aware of his goodness, And is therefore good. A foolish man tries to be good, And is therefore not good. A truly good man does nothing, Yet leaves nothing undone. A foolish man is always doing, Yet much remains to be done. When a truly kind man does something, he leaves nothing undone. When a just man does something, he leaves a great deal to be done. When a disciplinarian does something and no one responds, He rolls up his sleeves in an attempt to enforce order. Therefore when Tao is lost, there is goodness. When goodness is lost, there is kindness. When kindness is lost, there is justice. When justice is lost, there ritual. Now ritual is the husk of faith and loyalty, the beginning of confusion. Knowledge of the future is only a flowery trapping of Tao. It is the beginning of folly. Therefore the truly great man dwells on what is real and not what is on the surface, On the fruit and not the flower. Therefore accept the one and reject the other. Thirty-nine These things from ancient times arise from one: The sky is whole and clear. The earth is whole and firm. The spirit is whole and strong. The valley is whole and full. The ten thousand things are whole and alive. Kings and lords are whole, and the country is upright. All these are in virtue of wholeness. The clarity of the sky prevents its falling. The firmness of the earth prevents its splitting. The strength of the spirit prevents its being used up. The fullness of the valley prevents its running dry. The growth of the ten thousand things prevents their drying out. The leadership of kings and lords prevents the downfall of the country. Therefore the humble is the root of the noble. The low is the foundation of the high. Princes and lords consider themselves "orphaned", "widowed" and "worthless". Do they not depend on being humble? Too much success is not an advantage. Do not tinkle like jade Or clatter like stone chimes. Forty Returning is the motion of the Tao. Yielding is the way of the Tao. The ten thousand things are born of being. Being is born of not being. Forty-one The wise student hears of the Tao and practices it diligently. The average student hears of the Tao and gives it thought now and again. The foolish student hears of the Tao and laughs aloud. If there were no laughter, the Tao would not be what it is. Hence it is said: The bright path seems dim; Going forward seems like retreat; The easy way seems hard; The highest Virtue seems empty; Great purity seems sullied; A wealth of Virtue seems inadequate; The strength of Virtue seems frail; Real Virtue seems unreal; The perfect square has no corners; Great talents ripen late; The highest notes are hard to hear; The greatest form has no shape; The Tao is hidden and without name. The Tao alone nourishes and brings everything to fulfillment. Forty-two The Tao begot one. One begot two. Two begot three. And three begot the ten thousand things. The ten thousand things carry yin and embrace yang. They achieve harmony by combining these forces. Men hate to be "orphaned," "widowed," or "worthless," But this is how kings and lords describe themselves. For one gains by losing And loses by gaining. What others teach, I also teach; that is: "A violent man will die a violent death!" This will be the essence of my teaching. Forty-three The softest thing in the universe Overcomes the hardest thing in the universe. That without substance can enter where there is no room. Hence I know the value of non-action. Teaching without words and work without doing Are understood by very few. Forty-four Fame or self: Which matters more? Self or wealth: Which is more precious? Gain or loss: Which is more painful? He who is attached to things will suffer much. He who saves will suffer heavy loss. A contented man is never disappointed. He who knows when to stop does not find himself in trouble. He will stay forever safe. Forty-five Great accomplishment seems imperfect, Yet it does not outlive its usefulness. Great fullness seems empty, Yet cannot be exhausted. Great straightness seems twisted. Great intelligence seems stupid. Great eloquence seems awkward. Movement overcomes cold. Stillness overcomes heat. Stillness and tranquillity set things in order in the universe. Forty-six When the Tao is present in the universe, The horses haul manure. When the Tao is absent from the universe, War horses are bred outside the city. There is no greater sin than desire, No greater curse than discontent, No greater misfortune than wanting something for oneself. Therefore he who knows that enough is enough will always have enough. Forty-seven Without going outside, you may know the whole world. Without looking through the window, you may see the ways of heaven. The farther you go, the less you know. Thus the sage knows without traveling; He sees without looking; He works without doing. Forty-eight In the pursuit of learning, every day something is acquired. In the pursuit of Tao, every day something is dropped. Less and less is done Until non-action is achieved. When nothing is done, nothing is left undone. The world is ruled by letting things take their course. It cannot be ruled by interfering. Forty-nine The sage has no mind of his own. He is aware of the needs of others. I am good to people who are good. I am also good to people who are not good. Because Virtue is goodness. I have faith in people who are faithful. I also have faith in people who are not faithful. Because Virtue is faithfulness. The sage is shy and humble - to the world he seems confusing. Others look to him and listen. He behaves like a little child. Fifty Between birth and death, Three in ten are followers of life, Three in ten are followers of death, And men just passing from birth to death also number three in ten. Why is this so? Because they live their lives on the gross level. He who knows how to live can walk abroad Without fear of rhinoceros or tiger. He will not be wounded in battle. For in him rhinoceroses can find no place to thrust their horn, Tigers no place to use their claws, And weapons no place to pierce. Why is this so? Because he has no place for death to enter. Fifty-one All things arise from Tao. They are nourished by Virtue. They are formed from matter. They are shaped by environment. Thus the ten thousand things all respect Tao and honor Virtue. Respect of Tao and honor of Virtue are not demanded, But they are in the nature of things. Therefore all things arise from Tao. By Virtue they are nourished, Developed, cared for, Sheltered, comforted, Grown, and protected. Creating without claiming, Doing without taking credit, Guiding without interfering, This is Primal Virtue. Fifty-two The beginning of the universe Is the mother of all things. Knowing the mother, one also knows the sons. Knowing the sons, yet remaining in touch with the mother, Brings freedom from the fear of death. Keep your mouth shut, Guard the senses, And life is ever full. Open your mouth, Always be busy, And life is beyond hope. Seeing the small is insight; Yielding to force is strength. Using the outer light, return to insight, And in this way be saved from harm. This is learning constancy. Fifty-three If I have even just a little sense, I will walk on the main road and my only fear will be of straying from it. Keeping to the main road is easy, But people love to be sidetracked. When the court is arrayed in splendor, The fields are full of weeds, And the granaries are bare. Some wear gorgeous clothes, Carry sharp swords, And indulge themselves with food and drink; They have more possessions than they can use. They are robber barons. This is certainly not the way of Tao. Fifty-four What is firmly established cannot be uprooted. What is firmly grasped cannot slip away. It will be honored from generation to generation. Cultivate Virtue in your self, And Virtue will be real. Cultivate it in the family, And Virtue will abound. Cultivate it in the village, And Virtue will grow. Cultivate it in the nation, And Virtue will be abundant. Cultivate it in the universe, And Virtue will be everywhere. Therefore look at the body as body; Look at the family as family; Look at the village as village; Look at the nation as nation; Look at the universe as universe. How do I know the universe is like this? By looking! Fifty-five He who is filled with Virtue is like a newborn child. Wasps and serpents will not sting him; Wild beasts will not pounce upon him; He will not be attacked by birds of prey. His bones are soft, his muscles weak, But his grip is firm. He has not experienced the union of man and woman, but is whole. His manhood is strong. He screams all day without becoming hoarse. This is perfect harmony. Knowing harmony is constancy. Knowing constancy is enlightenment. It is not wise to rush about. Controlling the breath causes strain. If too much energy is used, exhaustion follows. This is not the way of Tao. Whatever is contrary to Tao will not last long. Fifty-six Those who know do not talk. Those who talk do not know. Keep your mouth closed. Guard your senses. Temper your sharpness. Simplify your problems. Mask your brightness. Be at one with the dust of the Earth. This is primal union. He who has achieved this state Is unconcerned with friends and enemies, With good and harm, with honor and disgrace. This therefore is the highest state of man. Fifty-seven Rule a nation with justice. Wage war with surprise moves. Become master of the universe without striving. How do I know that this is so? Because of this! The more laws and restrictions there are, The poorer people become. The sharper men's weapons, The more trouble in the land. The more ingenious and clever men are, The more strange things happen. The more rules and regulations, The more thieves and robbers. Therefore the sage says: I take no action and people are reformed. I enjoy peace and people become honest. I do nothing and people become rich. I have no desires and people return to the good and simple life. Fifty-eight When the country is ruled with a light hand The people are simple. When the country is ruled with severity, The people are cunning. Happiness is rooted in misery. Misery lurks beneath happiness. Who knows what the future holds? There is no honesty. Honesty becomes dishonest. Goodness becomes witchcraft. Man's bewitchment lasts for a long time. Therefore the sage is sharp but not cutting, Pointed but not piercing, Straightforward but not unrestrained, Brilliant but not blinding. Fifty-nine In caring for others and serving heaven, There is nothing like using restraint. Restraint begins with giving up one's own ideas. This depends on Virtue gathered in the past. If there is a good store of Virtue, then nothing is impossible. If nothing is impossible, then there are no limits. If a man knows no limits, then he is fit to be a ruler. The mother principle of ruling holds good for a long time. This is called having deep roots and a firm foundation, The Tao of long life and eternal vision. Sixty Ruling the country is like cooking a small fish. Approach the universe with Tao, And evil is not powerful, But its power will not be used to harm others. Not only will it do no harm to others, But the sage himself will also be protected. They do not hurt each other, And the Virtue in each one refreshes both. Sixty-one A great country is like low land. It is the meeting ground of the universe, The mother of the universe. The female overcomes the male with stillness, Lying low in stillness. Therefore if a great country gives way to a smaller country, It will conquer the smaller country. And if a small country submits to a great country, It can conquer the great country. Therefore those who would conquer must yield, And those who conquer do so because they yield. A great nation needs more people; A small country needs to serve. Each gets what it wants. It is fitting for a great nation to yield. Sixty-two Tao is source of the ten thousand things. It is the treasure of the good man, and the refuge of the bad. Sweet words can buy honor; Good deeds can gain respect. If a man is bad, do not abandon him. Therefore on the day the emperor is crowned, Or the three officers of state installed, Do not send a gift of jade and a team of four horses, But remain still and offer the Tao. Why does everyone like the Tao so much at first? Isn't it because you find what you seek and are forgiven when you sin? Therefore this is the greatest treasure of the universe. Sixty-three Practice non-action. Work without doing. Taste the tasteless. Magnify the small, increase the few. Reward bitterness with care. See simplicity in the complicated. Achieve greatness in little things. In the universe the difficult things are done as if they are easy. In the universe great acts are made up of small deeds. The sage does not attempt anything very big, And thus achieved greatness. Easy promises make for little trust. Taking things lightly results in great difficulty. Because the sage always confronts difficulties, He never experiences them. Sixty-four Peace is easily maintained; Trouble is easily overcome before it starts. The brittle is easily shattered; The small is easily scattered. Deal with it before it happens. Set things in order before there is confusion. A tree as great as a man's embrace springs up from a small shoot; A terrace nine stories high begins with a pile of earth; A journey of a thousand miles starts under one's feet. He who acts defeats his own purpose; He who grasps loses. The sage does not act, and so is not defeated. He does not grasp and therefore does not lose. People usually fail when they are on the verge of success. So give as much care to the end as to the beginning; Then there will be no failure. Therefore the sage seeks freedom from desire. He does not collect precious things. He learns not to hold on to ideas. He brings men back to what they have lost. He help the ten thousand things find their own nature, But refrains from action. Sixty-five In the beginning those who knew the Tao did not try to enlighten others, But kept it hidden. Why is it so hard to rule? Because people are so clever. Rulers who try to use cleverness Cheat the country. Those who rule without cleverness Are a blessing to the land. These are the two alternatives. Understanding these is Primal Virtue. Primal Virtue is deep and far. It leads all things back Toward the great oneness. Sixty-six Why is the sea king of a hundred streams? Because it lies below them. Therefore it is the king of a hundred streams. If the sage would guide the people, he must serve with humility. If he would lead them, he must follow behind. In this way when the sage rules, the people will not feel oppressed; When he stands before them, they will not be harmed. The whole world will support him and will not tire of him. Because he does not compete, He does not meet competition. Sixty-seven Everyone under heaven says that my Tao is great and beyond compare. Because it is great, it seems different. If it were not different, it would have vanished long ago. I have three treasures which I hold and keep. The first is mercy; the second is economy; The third is daring not to be ahead of others. From mercy comes courage; from economy comes generosity; From humility comes leadership. Nowadays men shun mercy, but try to be brave; They abandon economy, but try to be generous; They do not believe in humility, but always try to be first. This is certain death. Mercy brings victory in battle and strength in defense. It is the means by which heaven saves and guards. Sixty-eight A good soldier is not violent. A good fighter is not angry. A good winner is not vengeful A good employer is humble. This is known as the Virtue of not striving. This is known as ability to deal with people. This since ancient times has been known as the ultimate unity with heaven. Sixty-nine There is a saying among soldiers: I dare not make the first move but would rather play the guest; I dare not advance and inch but would rather withdraw a foot. This is called marching without appearing to move, Rolling up your sleeves without showing your arm, Capturing the enemy without attacking, Being armed without weapons. There is no greater catastrophe than underestimating the enemy. By underestimating the enemy, I almost lost what I value. Therefore when the battle is joined, The underdog will win. Seventy My words are easy to understand and easy to perform, Yet no man under heaven knows them or practices them. My words have ancient beginnings. My actions are disciplined. Because men do not understand, they have no knowledge of me. Those that know me are few; Those that abuse me are honored. Therefore the sage wears rough clothing and holds the jewel in his heart. Seventy-one Knowing ignorance is strength. Ignoring knowledge is sickness. If one is sick of sickness, then one is not sick. The sage is not sick because he is sick of sickness. Therefore he is not sick. Seventy-two When men lack a sense of awe, there will be disaster. Do not intrude in their homes. Do not harass them at work. If you do not interfere, they will not weary of you. Therefore the sage knows himself but makes no show, Has self-respect but is not arrogant. He lets go of that and chooses this. Seventy-three A brave and passionate man will kill or be killed. A brave and calm man will always preserve life. Of these two which is good and which is harmful? Some things are not favored by heaven. Who knows why? Even the sage is unsure of this. The Tao of heaven does not strive, and yet it overcomes. It does not speak, and yet is answered. It does not ask, yet is supplied with all its needs. It seems to have no aim and yet its purpose is fulfilled. Heaven's net casts wide. Though its meshes are course, nothing slips through. Seventy-four If men are not afraid to die, It is no avail to threaten them with death. If men live in constant fear of dying, And if breaking the law means that a man will be killed, Who will dare to break the law? There is always an official executioner. If you try to take his place, It is like trying to be a master carpenter and cutting wood. If you try to cut wood like a master carpenter, you will only hurt your hand. Seventy-five Why are the people starving? Because the rulers eat up the money in taxes. Therefore the people are starving. Why are the people rebellious? Because the rulers interfere too much. Therefore they are rebellious. Why do the people think so little of death? Because the rulers demand too much of life. Therefore the people take death lightly. Having little to live on, one knows better than to value life too much. Seventy-six A man is born gentle and weak. At his death he is hard and stiff. Green plants are tender and filled with sap. At their death they are withered and dry. Therefore the stiff and unbending is the disciple of death. The gentle and yielding is the disciple of life. Thus an army without flexibility never wins a battle. A tree that is unbending is easily broken. The hard and strong will fall. The soft and weak will overcome. Seventy-seven The Tao of heaven is like the bending of a bow. The high is lowered, and the low is raised. If the string is too long, it is shortened; If there is not enough, it is made longer. The Tao of heaven is to take from those who have too much and give to those who do not have enough. Man's way is different. He takes from those who do not have enough and give to those who already have too much. What man has more than enough and gives it to the world? Only the man of Tao. Therefore the sage works without recognition. He achieves what has to be done without dwelling on it. He does not try to show his knowledge. Seventy-eight Under heaven nothing is more soft and yielding than water. Yet for attacking the solid and strong, nothing is better; It has no equal. The weak can overcome the strong; The supple can overcome the stiff. Under heaven everyone knows this, Yet no one puts it into practice. Therefore the sage says: He who takes upon himself the humiliation of the people is fit to rule them. He who takes upon himself the country's disasters deserves to be king of the universe. The truth often sounds paradoxical. Seventy-nine After a bitter quarrel, some resentment must remain. What can one do about it? Therefore the sage keeps his half of the bargain But does not exact his due. A man of Virtue performs his part, But a man without Virtue requires others to fulfill their obligations. The Tao of heaven is impartial. It stays with good men all the time. Eighty A small country has fewer people. Though there are machines that can work ten to a hundred times faster than man, they are not needed. The people take death seriously and do not travel far. Though they have boats and carriages, no one uses them. Though they have armor and weapons, no one displays them. Men return to the knotting of rope in place of writing. Their food is plain and good, their clothes fine but simple, their homes secure; They are happy in their ways. Though they live within sight of their neighbors, And crowing cocks and barking dogs are heard across the way, Yet they leave each other in peace while they grow old and die. Eighty-one Truthful words are not beautiful. Beautiful words are not truthful. Good men do not argue. Those who argue are not good. Those who know are not learned. The learned do not know. The sage never tries to store things up. The more he does for others, the more he has. The more he gives to others, the greater his abundance. The Tao of heaven is pointed but does no harm. The Tao of the sage is work without effort.

小國寡民。使有什伯之器而不用；使民重死而不遠徙。雖有舟輿，無所乘之，雖有甲兵，無所陳之，使民復結繩而用之。
Chapter 80: 小國寡民小國寡民。使有什伯之器而不用；使民重死而不遠徙。雖有舟輿，無所乘之，雖有甲兵，無所陳之，使民復結繩而用之。甘其食，美其服，安其居，樂其俗。鄰國相望，雞犬之聲相聞，民至老死，不相往來。

Dao De Jing Chapter 80: Standing Alone
Small is beautiful: Taoism’s Utopian Society In a little state with a small population, I would so order it, that, though there were individuals with the abilities of ten or a hundred men, there should be no employment of them; I would make the people, while looking on death as a grievous thing, yet not remove elsewhere (to avoid it). Though they had boats and carriages, they should have no occasion to ride in them; though they had buff coats and sharp weapons, they should have no occasion to don or use them.

Chapter 80: Taoism’s Utopian Society
I would make the people return to the use of knotted cords (instead of the written characters). They should think their (coarse) food sweet; their (plain) clothes beautiful; their (poor) dwellings places of rest; and their common (simple) ways are sources of enjoyment. There should be a neighboring state within sight, and the voices of the fowls and dogs should be heard all the way from it to us, but I would make the people to old age, even to death, not have any interactions with it.

Shi Ji Biographies 69: The Biographies of The Money Makers
Through only commoners with no special ranks or titles, they were able, without interfering with the government or hindering the activities of the people, to increase their wealth by making right moves at the right time. Wise men will find something to learn from them. Thus I made “The Biograghies of the Money-making”. 〈太史公自序〉：布衣匹夫之人，不害於政，不妨百姓，取與以時而息財富，智者有采焉。作貨殖列傳第六十九。 Source: p. 433

《史記‧貨殖列傳》老子曰：「至治之極，鄰國相望，雞狗之聲相聞，民各甘其食，美其服，安其俗，樂其業，至老死，不相往來。」必用此為務，輓近世涂民耳目，則幾無行矣。輓，同晚。涂，堵塞。幾無行，幾乎是行不通的。 The LaoZi’s idea world is not going to work at the modern society.

Opening Statement of Biographies of Merchants
Sustainability vs. globalization Globalization is unstoppable.

天下熙熙，皆為利来；天下攘攘，皆為利往。《史記‧貨殖列傳》
Records of the Grand Historian or Shiji by Sima Qian, Biographies of Merchants 天下熙熙，皆為利来；天下攘攘，皆為利往。 Classic vs. History Theories vs. Cases Jostling and joyous, The whole world comes after profit; Racing and rioting, After profit the whole world goes! 經史參合 Integration of theory-based and case-based learning. 貨殖列傳經濟學作者／白鷺出版社／海鴿文化出版圖書有限公司出版日期／ 2009/11/25 商品語言／中文/繁體裝訂／平裝定價／ NT$249 售價／ 79折, NT$ 197

是以無財作力，少有鬥智，既饒爭時，此其大經也。今治生不待危身取給，則賢人勉焉。是故本富為上，末富次之，姦富最下。
《史記‧貨殖列傳》是以無財作力，少有鬥智，既饒爭時，此其大經也。今治生不待危身取給，則賢人勉焉。是故本富為上，末富次之，姦富最下。無巖處奇士之行，而長貧賤，好語仁義，亦足羞也。 Labor  Knowledge  Timing

《周書》曰：農不出則乏其食，工不出則乏其事，商不出則三寶絕，虞不出則財匱少。
《史記‧貨殖列傳》《周書》曰：農不出則乏其食，工不出則乏其事，商不出則三寶絕，虞不出則財匱少。

Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove
竹林七賢出之《列子》的天瑞篇，原文為「吾樂甚多：天生萬物，唯人為貴。而吾得為人，是一樂也。男女之別，男尊女卑，故以男為貴；吾既得為男矣，是二樂也。人生有不見日月、不免襁褓者，吾既己行年九十矣，是三樂也。貧者士之常也，死者人之終也，處常得終，當何憂哉？」《竹林七賢與榮啟期》，南朝大墓磚畫。由上至下，左至右分別為春秋隱士榮啟期、阮咸、劉伶、向秀、嵇康、阮籍、山濤、王戎

Chinese Calligraphy by Wang Xizhi 王羲之
Preface to the Poems Composed at the Orchid Pavilion (蘭亭集序) in the running script (行書).

Chinese Calligraphy

快雪時晴帖晉王羲之羲之頓首。快雪時晴。佳想安善。未果為結。力不次。王羲之頓首。山陰張侯。
快雪時晴帖晉王羲之羲之頓首。快雪時晴。佳想安善。未果為結。力不次。王羲之頓首。山陰張侯。原文快雪时晴图 [3] 　　羲之顿首：快雪时晴，佳。想安善①。未果为结②，力不次③。王羲之顿首。山阴张侯④。[4]注解　　①安善：安吉，安好。[5]②结：比喻心情烦闷，心里有结。[6]③不次：书信结尾用语，意谓不详说。王羲之《道护帖》：“得二十三日书，为慰。及还，不次。王羲之报。”[7]④张侯：人名，未详。“山阴张侯”四字位于末行下端，为尺牍的收件人。由此可见东晋书仪形式。[8]大意　　王羲之拜上：快雪过后天气放晴，佳妙。想必你可安好。事情没有结果，心里郁结，不详说。王羲之拜上，山阴张侯启。[9] for explanation

The Secret of the Golden Flower

Golden Elixir 金丹 (External and Internal)
*wai-dan (external alchemy) 外丹術 *nei-dan (internal alchemy) 內丹術 Chinese alchemy, a part of the larger tradition of Taoism, centers on the tradition of body-spirit cultivation that developed through the Chinese understandings of medicine and the body. The Immortal Fetus graphic from The Secret of the Golden Flower, Harvest/HBJ, New York and London, 1962

Golden Elixir 金丹

《内景图》《内景图》 Visualization of the inside of Human Body
铁牛耕地种金钱，刻石儿童把贯穿。一粒粟中藏世界，半升铛内煮山川。白头老子眉垂地，碧眼胡僧手托天。若问此玄玄会得，此玄玄外更无玄

修真圖

Stretching Exercise Baduanjin (8 sections of brocade)

References Secret of the Golden Flower: A Chinese Book of Life by Richard Wilhelm (Translator), Carl Gustav Jung (Foreword), Cary F. Baynes 金丹养生的秘密张其成 Chinese version 纯阳吕祖功理功法诠释——太乙金华宗旨今译（王魁溥）

Daoyin - An Ancient Way of Preserving Life

Daoyin - An Ancient Way of Preserving Life
健身气功导引术马王堆

References Taoism from Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taoism
Introduction of Daoism by Giles (Taoism in Religions of Ancient China) "On Taoism" from the harmony project Tao Te Ching trans. by S. Mitchell 《道德經》《莊子》 James Autry and Stephen Michell, Real Power: Business Lessons from the Tao Te Ching, Riverhead Books, 1998.

塞翁失馬，焉知非福（福禍相倚）禍福可以互轉！正向思考：當下發生的所有事情，可能都是最好的安排！
圖片來源：故事：年輕的國王剛登基，打獵的時候折斷了兩根手指大臣安慰國王：「當下發生的所有事情，都是最好的安排！」國王一怒之下，就把大臣治罪關進監牢後來國王被蠻族俘虜的時候，因為身體有殘缺而能留得性命。後來國王回來後放出大臣，大臣說：「當年若您沒有把我關起來，被蠻族俘虜的時候，被殺的就是我啊！」

養德章道生之，德蓄之，物形之，勢成之。乾為智慧，坤為能力。

The Art of Business Raymond Yeh

Management via Softness 柔性管理

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