Governing a big country, is like cooking a small fish, follow Tao to l

居位 · Jū Wèi

Classical Chinese Text

治大国，若烹小鲜①，以道莅天下，其鬼不神。非其鬼不神，其神不伤人。非其神不伤人，圣人亦不伤人。夫两不相伤，故德交归焉

Translation & Meaning

Governing a big country, is like cooking a small fish, follow Tao to lead all that is under heaven, the devils are not powerful. Not that the devils (have) no power, but their power cannot hurt people. Not only their power cannot hurt people, (the power of) sages also cannot hurt people. As neither can hurt people, their virtues converge and return (to Tao).

Linguistic & Character Analysis

  • 治 (zhì): govern / bring order / rule
  • 大 (dà): classical character (dà)
  • 国 (guó): classical character (guó)
  • 若 (ruò): classical character (ruò)
  • 烹 (pēng): classical character (pēng)
  • 小 (xiǎo): classical character (xiǎo)
  • 鲜 (xiān): classical character (xiān)
  • 以 (yǐ): in order to / by means of
  • 道 (dào): The Way / Logos / to speak
  • 莅 (lì): classical character (lì)
  • 天 (tiān): heaven / nature / cosmos
  • 下 (xià): under / earthly realm / humble
  • 其 (qí): its / their / his / her
  • 鬼 (guǐ): classical character (guǐ)
  • 不 (bù): not / un- / without
  • 神 (shén): classical character (shén)
  • 非 (fēi): is not / false / not equal to
  • 伤 (shāng): classical character (shāng)
  • 人 (rén): person / human
  • 圣 (shèng): sage / enlightened one
  • 亦 (yì): classical character (yì)
  • 夫 (fū): for / indeed / now
  • 两 (liǎng): two / duality / polarity
  • 相 (xiāng): mutually / each other
  • 故 (gù): therefore / thus / consequence
  • 德 (dé): Intrinsic Virtue / inner power
  • 交 (jiāo): classical character (jiāo)
  • 归 (guī): classical character (guī)
  • 焉 (yān): classical character (yān)