This is another chapter of Lao Zi's Dao De Jing (Formerly Lao Tzu: Tao Te Ching). This is chapter 9, and talks about how overdoing things causes the reverse action of what was initally intended. Lao Zi talks about how it is better to withdraw or retire when satisfied with the results. Carrying on, or pushing for more than what was originally desired; that is both arrogant and will cause your cup to spill.

This is a quote from - Dao De Jing (Lao Zi) previously known as Tao Te Ching (Lao Tsu) in the Wade Giles Romanisation. But has been updated for the new pinyin format.

It is Chapter 11 of the second most sold book in the world. It is also one of my favourite Quotations of all time. Part of me really does want to be able to read this properly in its purest form, understanding the intricacies of such a profound book.


It describes the power vested in nothing, emptiness and how non-existance can be harnesed for purpose.

Chapter 11 : - Dao

三十輻共一轂，
當其無，有車之用。
埏埴以為器，
當其無，有器之用。
鑿戶牖以為室，
當其無有室之用。
故有之以為利，
無之以為用。

sānshí fú gòng yī gǔ,
dāng qí wú, yǒu chē zhī yòng.

shān zhí yǐwéi qì,
dāng qí wú, yǒu qì zhī yòng.

záo hùyǒu yǐwéi shì,
dāng qí wú yǒu shì zhī yòng.

gù yǒu zhī yǐwéi lì,
wú zhī yǐwéi yòng.

----------------------------------------
san1 shi2 fu2 gong4 yi1 gu3,
dang1 qi2 wu2, you3 che1 zhi1 yong4.

shan1 zhi2 yi3 wei2 qi4,
dang1 qi2 wu2, you3 qi4 zhi1 yong4.

zao2 hu4 you3 yi3 wei2 shi4,
dang1 qi2 wu2, you3 shi4 zhi1 yong4.
gu4 you3 zhi1 yi3 wei2 li4,
wu2 zhi1 yi3 wei2 yong4.


Thirty spokes join together in a wheel's hub,
It is the center hole that makes the wheel useful.
We shape clay to fashion jugs;
It is the hollowness within that makes a jug useful.
We cut doors and windows in a house wall;
It is these empty spaces that make the house useful.

Thus things are valuable because of what they have
And they are useful because of what they lack.

--------------------------------------

This is just one translation, and there are many. Dao De Jing has been translated into many languages, and even Chinese scholars still argue over the true translations due to the lack of ClassicalChinese punctuation marks, seperations of commas and full stops can drastically alter the meanings of passages.

This verse also for me is a metaphor; that we make sound; but it is the silence, which makes sound useful.


Translation Source:
English
Chinese Characters
Pinyin (I did myself, so I hope it is ok.)

Picture Source:
Flickr

The Chinese creation myth, as most others serves as the explanation of the birth of the world, and equivalent Heaven and Earth, as in many other cultures. There are several creation myths in China, however Pan Gu, previously traslated as P’an Ku (盘古) is most widely known as the Creator, whilst Lao Tzu puts forward a more philosophical approach to creation.

The term creation myth here, refers to the imaginative expression in narrative form, of the beginning of things, whether by the will and act of a transcendent being, by emanation from some ultimate source, or in any other way. Here are the two most popular and influential of the Chinese Creation Myths.


The most influential of these two creation myths is included in Tao Te Ching written by Lao Tzu, who says of the universe;

“There was something undefined and complete, existing before Heaven and Earth. How still it was, how formless, standing alone and undergoing no change, reaching everywhere with no danger of being exhausted. It may be regarded as the mother of all things. Truthfully it has no name, but I call it Tao. (or The Way).”

Tao Te Ching, Chapter 25.

Tao is often compared to water: clear, colourless, unremarkable, yet all beings depend on it for life, and even the hardest stone cannot stand in its way forever. This way of thought has spawned Taoism, Chinese Buddhism as well as philosophical schools of thought.
The creation though for most is described in the tale of Pan Gu and the creation not only of heaven and earth, but of the separation of Yin and Yang.

The P'an Ku Creation story though there are many many translations and versions, goes something like this:

"In the beginning the heavens and earth were still one and all was chaos.

The universe was like a big black egg with Pan Gu asleep inside.
After 18 thousand years Pan Gu woke from his long sleep. He took a
broad axe and swung it with all his might to crack open the egg. The light part of it floated up and formed the heavens and the other, colder matter stayed below to form the earth. Pan Gu stood in the middle, his head touching the sky, his feet planted on the earth.

The heavens and the earth began to grow and Pan Gu grew with them. After another 18 thousand years the sky was higher and Pan Gu stood between the heavens and earth so they would never join again.

When he died, he filled in the rest of the world. His breath created the wind and clouds. His flesh became soil, his bones rock, and his blood filled the rivers and seas. His limbs and body became the five major mountains in China. His hair became the stars in the sky. From his sweat came the rain to nourish the land. His eyes became the sun and the moon. And finally, from the small creatures on his body, which has been equated to parasites in some translations, came man.

Others say that the half-dragon goddess Nuwa was born after Pan-gu died, from part of the mixture of yin and yang that he had separated. She decided to create humans to have some other beings to talk to and share ideas with, but mostly just to love.

Nuwa went down to the edge of the Yellow River where there were vast, soft mud banks. She began forming figures out of clay. She decided that it would be much more practical for her creations to have legs instead of a dragon tail, thus her humans were not made in her image.

No sooner did she set the first little mud man on the ground did he start to jump, and dance and sing. He began to speak. “Look at me!”

Nuwa was delighted and began making more and more humans.

She made hundreds and hundreds of mud humans, but soon realized that it would take centuries for her to make enough people to fill the vast earth completely. Nuwa grabbed hold of a muddy stick and flung drops of mud across the land.

As the sun dried each drop, it became a new man or woman. Some say that these humans were the less intelligent ones. Those formed by Nuwa’s own hands became great leaders.

She told them to go and populate the earth. As they grew she loved them and protected them, and was revered as the mother of all humans."


The Pan Gu or P’an Ku myth is similar to that of Lao Tzu’s theory, as the egg or planet was still, and undisturbed, prior to Pan Gu awakening. Both of which could be seen to have existed prior to what we know now as Heaven and Earth. This creation story is one of many told across China, because of its dis-separate tribal history.

If you have any further creation stories that are told in China, please let me know andi will try to include them in a further post.



Sources:

Mythic Journeys
Living Myths
Brittanica

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