Tao Te Ching · 36 of 81 · tr. James Legge

Chapter 36

When one is about to take an inspiration, he is sure to make a (previous) expiration; when he is going to weaken another, he will first strengthen him; when he is going to overthrow another, he will first have raised him up; when he is going to despoil another, he will first have made gifts to him:--this is called 'Hiding the light (of his procedure).' The soft overcomes the hard; and the weak the strong. Fishes should not be taken from the deep; instruments for the profit of a state should not be shown to the people.

Themes

◆Wu Weipraxis

Effortless action aligned with the spontaneous flow of the Dao; non-coercive, non-striving conduct that yields results without forcing — the sage acts without acting.

The assertion that the soft overcomes the hard and the weak the strong reflects the principle of effortless action aligned with the Dao.

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◇Hidden Sayingssoteriology

Esoteric teachings reserved for those ready to receive them; outer meaning conceals an inner liberating truth.

[auto] The text explicitly advises that instruments of state and the light of procedure should not be shown to the people, implying esoteric knowledge.

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◇Paradox As Teachingethics

Using apparent contradiction, reversal, or riddle to destabilise ordinary understanding and induce insight.

[auto] The passage is centrally built upon paradoxical reversals such as weakening by strengthening and soft overcoming hard to induce insight.

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