Chapter 60

Leadership Wu Wei
Governing a great state is like cooking small fish. Let the kingdom be governed according to the Tao, and the manes of the departed will not manifest their spiritual energy. It is not that those manes have not that spiritual energy, but it will not be employed to hurt men. It is not that it could not hurt men, but neither does the ruling sage hurt them. When these two do not injuriously affect each other, their good influences converge in the virtue (of the Tao).

Commentary

Commentary

HOW TO MAINTAIN ONE'S PLACE. 1. Govern a great country as you would fry small fish: [neither gut nor scal e them.] 2. If with Reason the empire is managed, its ghosts will not spook. Not only will its ghosts not spook, but its gods will not harm the people. Not only will its gods not harm the people, but neither will its holy men harm the people. Since neither will do harm, therefore their virtues will be combined. Next: 61. The Virtue of Humility | « Previous: The Canon of Reason and Virtue (Tao te Ching): The Old Ph... Nex...
Sources: Paul Carus (1913) - Chapter heading; Paul Carus (1913) - Canon of Reason and Virtue