Make a country smaller, and its people independent. Own various appara
獨立 · Dú Lì
Classical Chinese Text
小国寡民。使有什伯之器而不用；使民重死而不远徙；虽有舟舆，无所乘之；虽有甲兵，无所陈之。使人复结绳而用之。至治之极。甘美食，美其服，安其居，乐其俗，邻国相望，鸡犬之声相闻，民至老死不相往来。
Translation & Meaning
Make a country smaller, and its people independent. Own various apparatuses but do not need to use them; make people cherish life and not want to migrate; maintain boats and wagons, but do not have the need to ride them; keep an army, but no need to use it. Make people live the simplest life. For the best governance. People eat gourmet food, dress in fine clothes, live in peace, love their customs. People from adjacent countries can see each other, hear the sound of roosters and dogs from each side, but never have the need to cross the border until death.
Linguistic & Character Analysis
- 小 (xiǎo): classical character (xiǎo)
- 国 (guó): classical character (guó)
- 寡 (guǎ): classical character (guǎ)
- 民 (mín): classical character (mín)
- 使 (shǐ): cause / make / command
- 有 (yǒu): manifest being / cosmos / to possess
- 什 (shén): classical character (shén)
- 伯 (bó): classical character (bó)
- 之 (zhī): particle: of / possessive / it
- 器 (qì): classical character (qì)
- 而 (ér): yet / and / but
- 不 (bù): not / un- / without
- 用 (yòng): use / function / apply
- 重 (zhòng): classical character (zhòng)
- 死 (sǐ): classical character (sǐ)
- 远 (yuǎn): classical character (yuǎn)
- 徙 (xǐ): classical character (xǐ)
- 虽 (suī): classical character (suī)
- 舟 (zhōu): classical character (zhōu)
- 舆 (yú): classical character (yú)
- 无 (wú): formless void / non-being / without
- 所 (suǒ): place / frontier / that which
- 乘 (chéng): classical character (chéng)
- 甲 (jiǎ): classical character (jiǎ)
- 兵 (bīng): classical character (bīng)
- 陈 (chén): classical character (chén)
- 人 (rén): person / human
- 复 (fù): classical character (fù)
- 结 (jié): classical character (jié)
- 绳 (shéng): classical character (shéng)
- 至 (zhì): classical character (zhì)
- 治 (zhì): govern / bring order / rule
- 极 (jí): classical character (jí)
- 甘 (gān): classical character (gān)
- 美 (měi): beauty / aesthetic ideal
- 食 (shí): classical character (shí)
- 其 (qí): its / their / his / her
- 服 (fú): classical character (fú)
- 安 (ān): classical character (ān)
- 居 (jū): reside in / carry oneself
- 乐 (lè): classical character (lè)
- 俗 (sú): classical character (sú)
- 邻 (lín): classical character (lín)
- 相 (xiāng): mutually / each other
- 望 (wàng): classical character (wàng)
- 鸡 (jī): classical character (jī)
- 犬 (quǎn): classical character (quǎn)
- 声 (shēng): sound / voice
- 闻 (wén): classical character (wén)
- 老 (lǎo): classical character (lǎo)
- 往 (wǎng): classical character (wǎng)
- 来 (lái): classical character (lái)