Chapter 1

Original Text

道可道，非恆道；名可名，非恆名。非長常之道。
無名天地之始；有名萬物之母。名可名，非長常之名。
無名，天地之始；有名，萬物之母。
故常無欲，以觀其妙；常有欲，以觀其徼。
此兩者同出而異名，同謂之玄。同謂之玄；玄之又玄，眾妙之門。

Translation

The Dao that can be spoken is not the constant, enduring Dao.
The name that can be named is not the constant, enduring name.
“Nameless” is the beginning of Heaven and Earth; “with a name” is the mother of the myriad beings.
Therefore, constantly without desire, one views its marvel; constantly with desire, one views its threshold.
These two arise from the same source yet bear different names; both are called “mysterious.” Mysterious, and yet more mysterious—the gate of all marvels.

Word Notes

• 道:道 principle;— “Dao”: the Way.Way; the fundamental principle.
• 可道:可道 — “can be spoken”: expressible in words.
• 常（長常）— “constant, enduring”: abiding, unperishing.
• 名 — “name”: designation, signifier, manifest label.
• 可名 — “can be named”: can be spoken/expressed.affixed with a label.
• 常:妙 constant;— enduring;“marvel”: unperishing.the numinous, wondrous aspect.
• 名:徼 name;— designation;“threshold”: signifier.the hinge/knack, the keyhole or pivot by which a thing opens.
• 可名:玄 can be named/labelled.
• 妙: marvelous; numinous.
• 徼: the— “knack,” “keyhole,” pivot, or threshold.
• 玄:mysterious”: deep, recondite,far-reaching, unfathomable.

Chapter Explanation

Any “way”Dao that can be put into words is not the constant, unperishing Way.Dao. Any name that can be affixed is not the constant, unperishing name.

“Nameless” names the beginningstarting point from which Heaven and Earth arise; “havingwith a name” names the mother from whom the myriad beings flock forth.

Therefore, takinguniting the WayDao as a single whole, constantly empty of desire, one beholds its marvel; constantly existentkeeps true emptiness—without intentional thought—in order to behold the Dao’s marvel. One constantly keeps wondrous existence—with directedintentional intention,attention—in oneorder beholdsto itsbehold threshold/knack.the Dao’s “threshold.” These two—“empty”true emptiness and “existent”—wondrous existence—issue from the sameunspeakable sourceDao, yetbut bear two different names; both may be called “mysterious.” “MysteriousMysterious, and yet more mysterious”—this is the gatewaygate offrom allwhich marvels.every marvel comes forth.

TranslationDiscourse

This chapter says that Dao is the source of Heaven, Earth, and the myriad beings,beings; and that De (Virtue) is the turning orDao’s movement ofand Dao. Whenturning. Laozi speaks of Dao and De,De heby beginsstarting from a pre-celestial, formless ground—numinous,mysterious and beyond reckoning, soundless and scentless, beyond anyone’s grasp. Confucius called it “like a dragon,” praising a WayDao and VirtueDe that, like a dragon, sometimes submerges,submerges and sometimes soars,leaps, now seen,appears and now hidden—hides—its changes incalculable, its being or non-being unknown. His languagewords isare of this sort: if onesomeone clings to post-celestial principles that have shape and substance, how could onehe even glimpse a single scale or claw of the dragon?

Yet thoughalthough Laozi speaks from pre-celestial emptiness, what he says isthis emptiness that is supremely substantial,substantial; this “non-being thatbeing” is supremely being—havingbeing. It has both body and function, root and branch.branch; Itit is not emptya vacuity without use. For example, in thethis sensevery of useless. For example:chapter he says the true and constant Dao cannot be spoken; “Dao” itself is only a forced, provisional label forced into service.term. If Dao cannot be spoken, one should not force a name upon it shouldn’t be forcibly named either—this is “emptiness.” YetBut only because there is an unspeakable Dao can there arisebe all the speakable “ways.”ways”; Onlyonly because there is an unnameable “name” can there arisebe all the nameable names. It is the beginning of Heaven and Earth, the mother of the myriad beings. So although “emptiness,”Thus it is “emptiness” yet not vacuity; and although it is “not vacuity,” the Dao that engendersgives Heavenbirth andto EarthHeaven, Earth, and the myriad beings remainscannot beyondbe seeingseen andor hearing—presentheard—presence yetthat notis present, andnon-presence; what is present returns to non-being. Thus,Hence “non-being” and “being” arise from the same source yet bear different names; both are mysterious and unfathomable.

Human beings receive the whole of Dao; thereforethus we should embody Dao’s spontaneity: spontaneity—in true emptiness weto contemplatebehold Dao’s marvel;marvel, and in wondrous existence weto contemplatebehold Dao’s threshold. Later alchemistsinner-alchemy interpreters took “threshold and marvel” asto themean a single “single gate of the Mysterious Pass,” claiming that byif cultivatingone trains and passes through this gate“pass,” one becomes an undying “golden immortal.” ButThey thisdo sortnot ofrealize readingsuch seesreadings see only a scale or a claw, notwithout grasping the dragon’s wholeentire virtue. Bai Juyi once wrotesaid: that Laozi does not talk about elixirsdrugs orand cinnabar, nor of “ascending to the blue heavens in broad daylight.” “ThresholdThreshold” and “marvel” arecertainly indeedname Dao’s body and function—function; but in fact every realm, whether under Heaven, in thestates state,and ornations, and in one’s person—matters of body, mind, nature, and life—allin haveevery theiraffair and object—each has its own threshold/knackthreshold and its own marvel. A lock’sThe spring of a lock is its “threshold”; when the key meets the threshold, the lock opens—thatthe opening is the “marvel.” If one does not grasp thisthreshold threshold/knack,and marvel, one may break the lock and still fail to open it; if one does grasp it,them, openingit is veryeasy.

easy. So,

Therefore, in the world, infor dealing with people and affairs, knowing the threshold is the first necessity is to know the threshold/knack.necessity. In self-cultivation, if weone ignoredoes not know it weone injureinjures ourone’s nature and life; in governance,administration, if weone ignoredoes not know it weone throwdisorders the state into disorder.state. Scientists who build airships and steamers that canmove traversethrough sky and sea do so by knowinggrasping the thresholds of matter. Emperor Shun’s “non-action” by which allthe under Heavenrealm was ordered, and howthe way Confucius put Lu in order inwithin three months—both were by graspingknowing governance’sthe thresholds.thresholds of governance.

But each thingeverything has its own threshold—some are known without laboringlaborious to know.seeking. What, then, is the threshold/knackthreshold of this Dao?Dao? The world todayglobe is now riven by war and slaughter, decaying beyond endurance,endurance; power-grabs and profit-seizure brutalize human relations. Where, then, liesis the threshold forthat savingwill save the world? I will cry it aloud:out loudly: I respectfully reveal Laozi’s secret for endingstopping warfare to the peoplepeoples of all nations. WhatThe is the “marvel”?—itmarvel is the empty Dao.Dao; Whatthe threshold is the “threshold”?—it is the virtue of life-cherishing life.De. Otherwise, when private desire fills one’s chest and cruelty has hardenedhardens into habit, how could one not wage war and kill?

Alas—these years of war and slaughter—countless lives have been lost, and wealth consumed beyond reckoning. Fellow humans, fellow humans, awaken! Let us all putpractice Laozi’s Dao and De into practice; together we canDe; turn back the tide of killing so that all nations may share the blessing of kinship in peace and wellbeing.

Discourse

This chapter teaches that “Dao” is the source of all things, and “De” is the turning/function of Dao. Laozi’s Dao-De begins from pre-celestial Non-Being—mysterious, measureless, soundless, scentless, untouchable. Confucius likened it to a dragon—praising a Dao-De that is like a dragon: diving or leaping, appearing or hiding, its changes incalculable and its being or non-being unknown. His words are like this: if one clings to post-celestial principles that have form and substance, how could one even glimpse a single scale or claw?

Yet though Laozi speaks from pre-celestial Non-Being, this is an emptiness that is supremely real; a Non-Being that is supremely being; it has both substance and function, root and branch—not a vacuity without use. Take this chapter as an example: it says the true and constant Dao cannot be spoken; “Dao” is a forced, provisional name. If Dao cannot be spoken, one should not force a name upon it either—this is emptiness. Yet only because there is an unspeakable Dao do the speakable “ways” arise; only because there is an unnameable “name” do all nameable names arise. It is the beginning of Heaven and Earth, the mother of the myriad beings. So it is “empty” yet not vacuous. And although not vacuous, the Dao that gives birth to Heaven, Earth, and the myriad beings cannot be seen or heard; it is presence that is non-presence; what is present returns to Non-Being. Hence, “being” and “non-being” arise from the same source yet bear different names; both are mysterious and unfathomable.

Humans receive Dao in its entirety; thus one should conform to Dao’s spontaneity: in true emptiness contemplate the marvel of Dao; in wondrous existence contemplate its threshold/knack. “Threshold and marvel”—later adepts of inner alchemy interpreted this as “the single gate of the Mysterious Pass,” and claimed that if one cultivates and passes through this “gate,” one becomes an undying immortal of gold. They do not realize such readings glimpse only a scale or claw—without grasping the dragon’s whole virtue. Bai Juyi once said: Laozi does not speak of drugs and cinnabar, nor of “ascending to the blue heavens in daylight.” “Threshold” and “marvel” surely are Dao’s body and function; but under Heaven, in states and nations, in one’s body, mind, nature, and life, in every affair and thing—each has its threshold/knack. A lock’s spring is its threshold; when the key fits the threshold, the lock opens—that opening is the marvel. If one does not understand threshold and marvel, one may ruin the lock and still fail to open it; if one does, it is easy. In this world, then, when dealing with people and affairs, the first necessity is to grasp the threshold/knack. If in self-cultivation we do not grasp it, we harm our nature and life; if in administration we do not grasp it, we disorder the state. Scientists who have built airships and steamers that traverse sky and sea have done so by discerning the thresholds of matter. Emperor Shun’s “non-action” by which the realm was ordered, and how Confucius brought Lu to order within three months—both sprang from knowing governance’s thresholds.

But every matter has its threshold; some are known without seeking. What is Dao’s own threshold? Now the whole globe is at war and slaughters without end; morals rot; human bonds are trampled. Where is the threshold that saves all? I dare cry it out: the secret lies here— the marvel is the empty Dao; the threshold is the life-cherishing De. Otherwise, when private desires saturate the breast and cruelty hardens into habit, how could killing not follow?

Ah! In these years of war, life after life has been cut down; wealth has been consumed beyond reckoning. Fellow humans everywhere, awaken! Let us together put Laozi’s Dao and De into action; turn back the current of killing so that all nations may share the blessings of kinship, peace, and wellbeing.