Daodejing Part 1: Article Links

Richard Brown
3 min readMay 31, 2024

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Daodejing Chapter 1: a Dao that can be spoken of
Daodejing Chapter 1 breakdown: the mystery of mysteries
Daodejing Chapter 1: nothing and something at the same time
Daodejing Chapter 2: effortless action
Daodejing Chapter 2 breakdown: teaching without words
Daodejing Chapter 3: like the conductor of an orchestra
Daodejing Chapter 3 breakdown: emptying the heart-and-mind
Daodejing Chapter 3: in the flow of things
Daodejing Chapter 3: perfect harmony
Daodejing Chapter 4: the invisible and ineffable source
Daodejing Chapter 4 breakdown: dark and luminous
Daodejing Chapter 5: straw dogs
Daodejing Chapter 5 breakdown: like a bellows!
Daodejing Chapter 6: the mysterious feminine
Daodejing Chapter 6 breakdown: the spirit of the valley
Daodejing Chapter 7: selfishness and selflessness
Daodejing Chapter 7 breakdown: heaven and earth
Daodejing Chapter 8: like water
Daodejing Chapter 8 breakdown: akin to the Dao
Daodejing Chapter 9: reaching your natural limit
Daodejing Chapter 9 breakdown: a blade that is hammered too sharp
Daodejing Chapter 10: Laozi throws down the gauntlet
Daodejing Chapter 10 breakdown: primal power
Daodejing Chapter 11: the power of emptiness
Daodejing Chapter 11 breakdown: the emptiness inside
Daodejing Chapter 12: sensory overload
Daodejing Chapter 12 breakdown: the sage heeds his stomach
Daodejing Chapter 13: whenever favour is bestowed
Daodejing Chapter 13 breakdown: favour and disgrace
Daodejing Chapter 14: strand upon strand
Daodejing Chapter 14 breakdown: the binding thread of the Dao
Daodejing Chapter 15: the great masters of antiquity
Daodejing Chapter 15 breakdown: subtle and mysterious
Daodejing Chapter 16: knowing constancy
Daodejing Chapter 16 breakdown: returning to the root
Daodejing Chapter 17: the invisible hand
Daodejing Chapter 17 breakdown: leadership through effortless action
Daodejing Chapter 18: when the Great Dao is abandoned
Daodejing Chapter 18 breakdown: artificial values
Daodejing Chapter 19: back to nature or back to basics?
Daodejing Chapter 19 breakdown: undyed silk
Daodejing Chapter 20: aimless like the gusting wind
Daodejing Chapter 20 breakdown: the heart-and-mind of a fool
Daodejing Chapter 21: the greatest power
Daodejing Chapter 21 breakdown: the origin of all things
Daodejing Chapter 22: curved therefore whole
Daodejing Chapter 22 breakdown: embracing the one
Daodejing Chapter 23: nature rarely talks
Daodejing Chapter 23 breakdown: a whirlwind and a rainstorm
Daodejing Chapter 24: like leftover food and excess fat
Daodejing Chapter 24 breakdown: modesty and moderation
Daodejing Chapter 25: I do not know its name
Daodejing Chapter 25 breakdown: nebulous yet whole
Daodejing Chapter 26: the heavy is the root of the light
Daodejing Chapter 26 breakdown: stillness and calm
Daodejing Chapter 27: the heritage of light
Daodejing Chapter 27: the best traveller leaves no tracks
Daodejing Chapter 28: an uncarved block of wood
Daodejing Chapter 28 breakdown: a state of simplicity
Daodejing Chapter 29: a spirit vessel
Daodejing Chapter 29 breakdown: avoiding extremes
Daodejing Chapter 30: a necessary evil
Daodejing Chapter 30 breakdown: brambles and thorns
Daodejing Chapter 31: instruments of doom
Daodejing Chapter 31: in victory there is no glory
Daodejing Chapter 32: the Dao has no name
Daodejing Chapter 32 breakdown: sweet dew drops will fall
Daodejing Chapter 33: know yourself
Daodejing Chapter 33 breakdown: wisdom and enlightenment
Daodejing Chapter 34: free of desire
Daodejing Chapter 34 breakdown: the great Dao flows everywhere
Daodejing Chapter 35: grasp the great image
Daodejing Chapter 35 breakdown: words of the Dao
Daodejing Chapter 36: subtle enlightenment
Daodejing Chapter 36 breakdown: the magic of reversion
Daodejing Chapter 37: the nameless uncarved block
Daodejing Chapter 37 breakdown: the Dao does nothing

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Richard Brown

I live in Taiwan and am interested in exploring what ancient Chinese philosophy can tell us about technology and the rise of modern China.