The Taoist Idea of Non-action

In contrast to Confucians who extolled civilization, Taoist kept an arm's length from civilization. Both Lao Tzu and Chuang Tzu harshly criticized civilization.

Lao Tzu stated,

Benevolence appears after Tao perishes; deceit appears after wisdom arises; filial piety forms after family harmony loses; faithful officials emerge when a country suffers disturbance. (Lao Tzu, Chapter 18)

A man with great virtue does not present it; a man without virtue strives to present it. A man with great virtue follows the law and believes in non-action; a man without virtue pursues the form and does not act. A man with great benevolence displays unconsciously; a man with great righteousness displays consciously. A man with great rite will ask for when his action has not been rewarded. Therefore, virtue appears after Tao perishes; benevolence appears after virtue disappears; righteousness arises after benevolence loses; rite emerges after righteousness vanishes. Rite indicates the lack of faith and the start of disaster. (Chapter 38)

When there are more rules in a country, citizens become more impoverished; when there are more weapons owned by citizens, a country suffers more wars; when there are more tricks, more treasures appear; when a ruler takes more from citizens with law, thefts increased. (Chapter 57)

As above mentioned, Lao Tzu was dissatisfied with such ideas as wisdom, virtue, benevolence, righteousness, rite, filial piety, faithful officials, weapons, tricks, treasures and rules, which, in his view, were the result of the abolition or loss of Tao.

Accordingly, Lao Tzu advocated that a ruler should rule based on non-action and abandon wisdom, virtue, benevolence, righteousness, rite, and desire:

Do not admire the talented so that citizens will not vie for fame and profit. Do not value treasures, so that citizens will not steal. Do not show desirable things so that citizens will not be disturbed. Therefore, a sage's principal for rule is to eliminate citizen's prejudice, to satisfy citizen's appetite, to reduce citizen's pursuit, to enhance citizen's body, and to make citizens desireless, so that the talented cannot accomplish and the rule of non-action can achieve. (Chapter 3)

If a ruler abolishes knowledge and wisdom, citizens can profit a hundredfold; if a ruler abolishes benevolence and righteousness, citizens become filial; if a ruler abolishes tricks and profit, theft disappears. (Chapter 19)

A ruler does nothing and citizens will cultivate themselves; a ruler remains calm and citizens will control themselves; a ruler makes no rules and citizens will become rich; a ruler has no desire and citizens will be simple. (Chapter 57)

Five Old Taoists, colored painting, in the corridor of the Summer Palace, Beijing. In Northern Song Dynasty, the five famous officials Du Yan, Bi Shichang, Zhu Guan, Wang Huan, and Feng Ping often gathered and studied Taoism after they resigned. They pursued peaceful life and non-action, cultivated their mind, drunk with pleasure, and maintained healthy. They died at over 80 and were called Five Old Taoists later.

It was certainly that Lao Tzu's view on the heaven extended to social issues. In addition, Lao Tzu severely criticized the rulers who obtained without toils and called them "leader of theft" (Dew Kita in Chinese): "who live in grand palace, abandon farming, empty the storehouse, wear elaborate adornment, carry sharp sword, pay too much attention to food, and accumulate wealth." (Chapter 53) Meanwhile, Lao Tzu indicated the obscurantist stance: "A ruler following Tao should fool citizens rather than enlighten them. Citizens are hard to control as they have knowledge. Therefore, a ruler who rules with wisdom means enemy to a country and a ruler who rules without wisdom means bliss to a country. (Chapter 65) Therefore, Lao Tzu admired what he called "A Small Utopian Society":

There was a country with so small area and population that the various tools were of no use. People valued their life and never left their home for the far. There was nowhere to go with boat or carriage or to place armor and weapon. People recorded by tying knot. People were gratified with food, clothes, residence, and custom. Although they could see citizens in their neighbor where rooster crowed and dog barked, they never visited each other. (Chapter 80)

Chuang Tzu inherited the thoughts of Lao Tzu and opposed benevolence and virtue. Chuang Tzu said, "The worst is to pursue virtue with purpose, which meant to let heart observe with eyes" (Chuang Tzu, Lie Yu Kou) Here Chuang Tzu suggested that a man who pursued virtue on purpose was a hypocrite. Chuang Tzu also mentioned that: "Love and interest come from benevolence. There are fewer who relinquish benevolence but more who take advantage of benevolence. To practice benevolence will breed dishonesty and become the tool for the wicked and avaricious man." (Xu Wu Gui) Like Lao Tzu, Chuang Tzu also despised wisdom and technology. In "Heaven and Earth," the bifurcation of Confucianism and Taoism was expressed through the dialogue between Zi Gong and an old man:

Zi Cong travels in Kingdom Chu in the south. He sees an old man irrigating with a jar. Zi Cong says, "There is a machine that can irrigate 100 mu one day with less work and more efficiency. Why do not you try it?" The old man says, "How?" Zi Gong says, "The machine is made from wood. The back is heavy and the front is light. When it pumps so quickly that the water looks like boiling. Its name is Gao. The old man angers and fleers, "Machine results in tricks and tricks result in schemes. When there is scheme in man's heart, honesty is undermined; when honesty is undermined, spirit is disturbed; when spirit is disturbed, Tao cannot be carried. I refuse it not because I do not know it but 1 feel shameful."

A man who used machine must play tricks and bear scheme, so the old man rejected it. Confucianism worshiped San Dai (Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties) and followed Yao and Shun. However, Chuang Tzu denied them, "The root of the riot lies in the reign of Yao and Shun, whose harm will appear 1,000 years later. Then, men will eat each other." (Sang Geng Chu) Chuang Tzu also took heavenly law as the principle of human's activity: "It will harm the nature to rectify with try square and restrictive line. It will weaken the virtue to consolidate with rope and lacquer. It will deform to reform, cultivate, and pacify citizens with rite, music, and benevolence." (Parallel Toe) Here Chuang Tzu compared rite, music, and benevolence with try square and restrictive line that restricted nature. Then how could human nature remain normal? Chuang Tzu said, "Do not act against the heaven, do not destroy the nature, and do not strive for fame." (Qiu Shui)

In particular, Chuang Tzu further developed Lao Tzu's idea Dao Kua and deeply revealed the relationship between sages, aristocrats, and thefts: "Is there a man who is hailed the most knowledgeable does not steal like theft? Is there a man who is hailed as the wisest does not accumulate wealth like theft?" Chuang Tzu replied to the view that even robbers had a code of conduct with Dao Zhi's words:

A virtuous man can guess the treasure in the house, a brave man can vie for the treasure, a righteous man can withdraw, a wise man can predict the result, and a benevolent man can divide the treasure equally. There is no theft that does not possess the five qualities.

Chuang Tzu exposed the inequity: "A man who steals a hook will be killed while a man who steals a country will be respected as a vassal." He stressed that: "There will be thefts when the sages live; there will be no thefts when the sages die." (On Thievery)

Biased as Chuang Tzu's views seemed, they were insightful. In the history of China and Chinese thought, Taoist views on social issues complemented that of Confucianism that was considered orthodox.