The next sentence of "A journey of a thousand miles" is: "It begins with a single step."
Source: Laozi's "Tao Te Ching·Chapter 64" in the Spring and Autumn Period.
Excerpt from the original text:
It is easy to maintain its security, and it is easy to plan when it is not foreboding.
It is brittle and easy to spread, and its texture is easy to scatter.
Prepare it before it exists, and cure it before it is in chaos.
The tree that hugs each other is born from the smallest millimeter; the nine-story platform starts from tired soil; the journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.
Translation: When the situation is stable, it is easy to maintain and maintain; when there are no signs of events, it is easy to plot; when things are fragile, it is easy to dissolve; when things are subtle, they are easy to lose; when doing things, they must be handled properly before they happen.
To govern national affairs, we must make preparations before disasters occur. The big trees that embrace each other grow from tiny sprouts; the nine-story high platform is built from every pile of soil; the journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step.
Extended information
Creative background
According to literature records, Lao Tzu was quiet, studious and knowledgeable. In the process of teaching knowledge by his teacher Shang Rong, I always inquired about the root cause and was very eager for knowledge. In order to solve his doubts, he often looked up at the sun, moon and stars, thinking about what the sky was, so that he often couldn't sleep.
Later, teacher Shang Rong "really knows everything I have learned." He recommended me to study in Zhoudu. Documentary records: "Laozi entered the Zhou Dynasty, met with doctors, and entered Taixue. He learned everything from astronomy, geography, and human relations. He read everything in "Poetry", "Books", "Yi", "Calendar", "Rituals" and "Music", and cultural relics. He was familiar with all the classics, canons, and history books, and made great progress in his studies. The doctor recommended him to the Shou Cang Room as an official.
The Shou Cang Room was the place where the classics of the Zhou Dynasty were collected and collected. There are a lot of books, everything is included." Through this experience, Lao Tzu accumulated a wealth of knowledge, which also made him famous far and wide.
Laozi was born in the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period. The environment at that time was that the Zhou Dynasty was weak, and wars continued among the various princes to compete for dominance. The severe turmoil and changes made Laozi witness the suffering of the people. As the guardian of Tibet in the Zhou Dynasty, he put forward a series of ideas for governing the country and bringing peace to the people.
Yin Xi, the commander of Hangu Pass, also played a huge role in the completion of the Tao Te Ching. When he was young, he was fond of astronomy, loved reading ancient books, and was deeply cultivated. Sima Qian recorded in the "Historical Records of Laozi" that Laozi "lived in Zhou for a long time, and saw the decline of Zhou, so he left.
When he arrived at the pass, Guan (order) Yin Xi said: "You will be in hiding, and you will be strong for me. "I wrote a book, so I left with five thousand words of morality, but I don't know the end." Yin Xi moved Laozi, and Laozi used his own life experience and the rise and fall of the dynasty, the safety and misfortune of the people as a guide to trace its origin, and wrote , the next two chapters, a total of five thousand words, are the Tao Te Ching.
Baidu Encyclopedia-Tao Te Ching