People's bodies are soft when they are alive, but they become stiff after death. Vegetation grows soft and fragile, but becomes hard and withered after death. So strong things belong to the category of death.
Source: Tao Te Ching by the philosopher Laozi in the Spring and Autumn Period.
Original text:
People's hunger, plus its food tax, is hunger; Ordinary people are difficult to treat, and it is also difficult to do something on it; People's light death, with its thick existence, is light death. It is virtuous to be a husband who has nothing to do with life.
Born weak, died strong. The life of vegetation is soft and brittle, and it dies and dries up. Therefore, the strong die and the weak live.
It is the power of the army that destroys it, and the power of wood will be folded. Strong place, weak place.
Heaven or bow?
The highest person suppresses it, and the lower person lifts it; If you have more, you will lose, and if you have less, you will make up.
Vernacular translation:
The people suffered from famine because the rulers swallowed too much taxes, so the people were hungry. The reason why the people are difficult to rule is that the rulers are complex and like to do something, so the people are difficult to rule.
People bring about their own destruction because the rulers have cleaned up the people's fat and paste in order to feed themselves, so people think that death is nothing. Only those who don't pursue the enjoyment of life are better than those who value their own lives too much.
People's bodies are soft when they are alive, but they become stiff after death. Vegetation grows soft and fragile, but becomes hard and withered after death. So strong things belong to the category of death, and weak things belong to the category of growth.
Therefore, striving to be brave will be destroyed, and trees that are strong will be cut down. The strong are always in the lower position, and the weak are in the upper position.
Isn't the law of nature a lot like shooting an arrow with a bow? If the rope is pulled high, lower it; If it is low, raise it a little; If it is too full, just relax; If it is not enough, add it.
Extended data
Creative background:
According to the literature, Lao Tzu is quiet, studious and knowledgeable. In the process of teaching knowledge by his teacher, Shang Rong, Laozi always gets to the bottom of the matter and is very eager for knowledge. In order to solve doubts, he often looks up at the sun, moon and stars and thinks about what the sky is, so that he often can't sleep. Later, Mr. Shang Rong "really learned everything from the old lady."
Recommend Laozi to study in Zhoudu. The literature records: "When I went to see a doctor in Zhou, I went to imperial academy, and I learned all about astronomy, geography and human feelings. When I read all my poems, I could easily experience rituals and music, and I learned all my cultural relics, laws and history books, and I made great progress in my studies. The doctor also recommended him to be an official in the Tibetan room.
The sutra depository is a collection of ancient books in the Zhou Dynasty, which is full of articles and books from all over the world. "Through this experience, Lao Tzu has accumulated a wealth of knowledge and made him famous.
Laozi was born in the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period. At that time, the environment was weak in the Zhou Dynasty, and various governors constantly competed for hegemony. The violent turmoil and changes made Lao Tzu witness the sufferings of the people, which was regarded as the Tibetan history of the Zhou Dynasty, so he put forward a series of thoughts on governing the country and protecting the people.
Yin also played a great role in the compilation of Tao Te Ching. When he was young, he was fond of astronomy, reading ancient books, and had a profound cultivation. Sima Qian recorded in Historical Records Biography of Laozi that Laozi "lived in Zhou for a long time and saw Zhou decline, so he went away."
Guan Guan (Order) Yin said: My son must be hidden, and his book must be written by me. Therefore, Lao Tzu said, I should leave with five thousand words of morality and never know what to do. Yin moved Lao Tzu, who traced his life experience, learned lessons from the rise and fall of the dynasty and the safety of the people, and wrote the first and second books, * * * five thousand words, namely the Tao Te Ching.