Different people have different understandings on Tao Te Ching, which was written nearly 2,500 years ago in ancient Chinese language. As the words it used is very simple while the meaning is very thoughtful, it gave us huge space for imagination.
Wu-Wei (无为)is a frequently quoted word from Tao Te Ching. People usually understand it as “do not do” or “do nothing.” I found totally 10 sentences mentioned Wu-Wei in Tao Te Ching’s full-text. I think from the meaning of these sentences, our understanding of Wu-Wei is basically right.
To dig it further, why Laozi taught people to “do nothing”? Let’s see what he said.
1、是以圣人处无为之事,行不言之教,万物作焉而不辞,生而不有,为而不恃,功成而弗居。
I would like to translate this sentence as “Therefore, the sages do things without action, teach without words. Everything goes on without giving up, live without being, act without relying on it, and live without success.” To my understanding, because everything goes on without giving up, the sages don’t need to do anything. Just like the nature, everything goes on without giving up, no matter we do anything or not.
2、为无为,则无不治。
I would like to translate this sentence as “If we intentionally don’t do things, everything will go well.” It may be difficult to understand it if we see only this sentence. If we put it under the context that Laozi is talking about following the nature’s law, it will be easy for us to understand that we’d better don’t do anything that will affect the law of nature.
3、爱民治国,能无为乎?
I would like to translate it as “To love your people and govern your country, can you do nothing?” In this sentence, Laozi suggested the ruler of the country should do nothing to interfere the life of people and natural development of country.
4、道常无为而无不为,侯王若能守之,万物将自化。
I would like to translate as “The Tao (which means nature in my mind)usually does not do things like what people do, but it actually does everything. If the princes and kings can insist to follow it, all things will automatically go well.”
5、上德无为而无以为,下德为之而有以为。
This is a sentence difficult to be translated. I would like to put it as “The higher virtue does nothing and has noting to purposely do, the lower virtue does and has things to purposely do.”
6、天下之至柔,驰骋天下之至坚,无有入无间,吾是以知无为之有益。不言之教,无为之益,天下希及之。
I’ll put “(Just like water, ) it is soft, but it is also powerful. (And just like the air,) we can’t see it, it looks like not exist, but it goes everywhere. So I know the goodness of doing nothing. Teaching without words, doing nothing for goodness, all the people want to reach this kind of goal.”
7、为学日益,为道日损。损之又损,以至于无为,无为而无不为。
I’ll put “By studying, we get more. By following the nature, we do less. Less and less, we stop taking actions. Stop taking actions, we actually do everything.”
8、故圣人云:“我无为而民自化,我好静而民自正,我无事而民自富,我无欲而民自朴。
I’ll put “The sages said, I do nothing but the people automatically turn to be more civilized, I keep quiet but the people keep behaving right, I don’t pursue anything but the people help them self to get rich, I don’t want anything and the people are living simple.”
9、为无为,事无事,味无味。
This sentence is easy to understand: “Do nothing, pursue nothing, enjoy plain taste.”
10、是以圣人无为,故无败;无执,故无失。
This is also easy: “Therefor the sages do nothing and never suffer defeat, keep nothing and suffer no loss.”
I am not 100% sure I am right on the understanding of these ancient words. That’s only my personal interpretation for your reference.
I think the “Wu-Wei” -- Doing Nothing philosophy reveals the deep root in Chinese traditional culture of respecting the nature. It is also explained why ecological civilization transformation is more widely accepted in China then in some other countries.
Thank you for sharing these beautiful and profound words.