反朴 · 知雄守雌

Fǎn Pǔ

Classical Chinese Text

知其雄，守其雌，为天下溪。为天下溪，常德不离，复归于婴儿。
知其白，守其黑，为天下式。为天下式，常德不忒，复归于无极。
知其荣，守其辱，为天下谷。为天下谷，常德乃足，复归于朴。朴散则为器，圣人用之，则为官长，故大制不割。

Translation & Meaning

深知刚强雄健的力量，却安守柔顺谦和的位置，甘愿做汇聚天下流水的溪涧。做天下的溪涧，恒常的本德便不会背离，复归于初生婴儿般的纯真。 深知光明昭著的显耀，却安守沉潜缄默的暗处，成为天下效法的准则。成为天下的准则，恒常的本德便毫无差忒，复归于无边无际的真理本源。 深知荣耀尊崇的地位，却安守卑下受垢的处境，甘愿做容纳天下的虚旷山谷。做天下的山谷，恒常的本德便丰沛充足，复归于未雕原木般的淳朴。 淳朴的原木一旦剖散便做成具体有限的器具；圣人涵养完整的淳朴并任用百才，便能统摄全局，所以最高明的制度与裁化从来不强行割裂整体。

Commentary

青禾散人评注：并非无能而示弱，而是“知雄守雌、知白守黑、知荣守辱”——明明拥有锋芒与洞见，却自觉选择谦退包容，此乃真正的强者定力。

Linguistic & Character Analysis

  • 知 (zhī): know / distinguish / recognize
  • 其 (qí): its / their / his / her
  • 雄 (xióng): classical character (xióng)
  • 守 (shǒu): classical character (shǒu)
  • 雌 (cí): classical character (cí)
  • 为 (wèi): act / deem / become
  • 天 (tiān): heaven / nature / cosmos
  • 下 (xià): under / earthly realm / humble
  • 溪 (xī): classical character (xī)
  • 常 (cháng): constant / dynamic invariable
  • 德 (dé): Intrinsic Virtue / inner power
  • 不 (bù): not / un- / without
  • 离 (lí): classical character (lí)
  • 复 (fù): classical character (fù)
  • 归 (guī): classical character (guī)
  • 于 (yú): to / at / in
  • 婴 (yīng): classical character (yīng)
  • 儿 (ér): classical character (ér)
  • 白 (bái): classical character (bái)
  • 黑 (hēi): classical character (hēi)
  • 式 (shì): classical character (shì)
  • 忒 (tè): classical character (tè)
  • 无 (wú): formless void / non-being / without
  • 极 (jí): classical character (jí)
  • 荣 (róng): classical character (róng)
  • 辱 (rǔ): classical character (rǔ)
  • 谷 (gǔ): classical character (gǔ)
  • 乃 (nǎi): classical character (nǎi)
  • 足 (zú): classical character (zú)
  • 朴 (pǔ): classical character (pǔ)
  • 散 (sàn): classical character (sàn)
  • 则 (zé): classical character (zé)
  • 器 (qì): classical character (qì)
  • 圣 (shèng): sage / enlightened one
  • 人 (rén): person / human
  • 用 (yòng): use / function / apply
  • 之 (zhī): particle: of / possessive / it
  • 官 (guān): classical character (guān)
  • 长 (cháng): long / enduring / grow
  • 故 (gù): therefore / thus / consequence
  • 大 (dà): classical character (dà)
  • 制 (zhì): classical character (zhì)
  • 割 (gē): classical character (gē)