| Ah Heng's Daoism Page |
| Chapter Eighty A small country with little citizens. Allow them to have unlimited apparatus but they are not used, allow them to be fearful of death but all will not migrate. Although there are ships and carriages, none of the people will board them; although there are armors and weapons, none of these will be left to age. The people will unite together as a bond and use the apparatus if necessary. Give them good food, beautify their clothings, assure their lodgings, glorify their cultures. The neighboring countries will look over, and hear one another's mundane life across the borders; Even when the citizens are dead, there is no need to cross over the borders. (Heng: This Chapter describes that there should be no strict boundaries between states. To govern the people is not to force them to do anything, including picking up arms. Then the people will self-strengthen themselves. If necessary, people will pick up arms to defend the state, hence the armors will not be left to age. Also, if there is no barriers between states, even the 'dogs barking and chicken crowings' of the next country can be heard. With such transparency, is there a need to conquer one another? Only if a state define its own barrier that they are entrapped and thinking of the need to conquer others. This Chapter rounds up the ideal state-to-state relationship in Daoism.) |
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