Chapter 17 of Laozi's Tao Te Ching presents four types of rulers who govern the people and explains what the greatest ruler ('太上', Tàishàng), who best aligns with the Tao (道), should be like. It illustrates the ideal of 'governing by non-action' (無為之治, Wúwéi zhī zhì), which involves minimizing artificial intervention and control, allowing the people to live 'of themselves so' (自然, Zìrán).
📜 Original Text (原文)
太上 下知有之
其次 親而譽之
其次 畏之
其次 侮之
信不足焉 有不信焉
悠兮其貴言
功成事遂 百姓皆謂我自然
📃 Meaning of the Original Text
With the greatest ruler, the people only know of his existence.
The next best, they love and praise.
The next, they fear.
The next, they despise.
When there is not enough trust, there is no trust at all.
He is relaxed and values his words.
When his work is done and his tasks are accomplished, the people all say, "We did this ourselves, naturally."
🌲 Line-by-Line Translation
太上 下知有之 (tài shàng, xià zhī yǒu zhī)
With the greatest ruler, the people only know of his existence.
其次 親而譽之 (qí cì, qīn ér yù zhī)
The next best, they love and praise.
其次 畏之 (qí cì, wèi zhī)
The next, they fear.
其次 侮之 (qí cì, wǔ zhī)
The next, they despise.
信不足焉 有不信焉 (xìn bù zú yān, yǒu bù xìn yān)
When there is not enough trust, there is no trust at all.
悠兮其貴言 (yōu xī qí guì yán)
He is relaxed and values his words.
功成事遂 百姓皆謂我自然 (gōng chéng shì suì, bǎi xìng jiē wèi wǒ zì rán)
When his work is done and his tasks are accomplished, the people all say, "We did this ourselves, naturally."
💧 Verse-by-Verse Commentary and Interpretation (逐句解說與解釋)
1. 太上 下知有之 (tài shàng, xià zhī yǒu zhī)
o Literal Meaning: The highest, those below are aware of its existence.
o Commentary: '太上' (tài shàng) means 'the highest' or 'supreme,' referring here to the most ideal, the greatest ruler. '下' (xià) means those below, i.e., the people. '知有之' (zhī yǒu zhī) means 'to know (知) that it (之) exists (有).' The phrase '下知有之' (xià zhī yǒu zhī) expresses a very faint level of awareness: 'the people are aware of the ruler's existence.'
o Interpretation: The greatest ruler does not prominently display or boast about his existence to the people. His governance is so subtle and natural that the people are barely aware he even exists. This is the result of governing through non-action (無為, wúwéi), with minimal artificial interference, allowing the people to live their lives on their own terms.
2. 其次 親而譽之 (qí cì, qīn ér yù zhī)
o Literal Meaning: The next, they feel close to and praise.
o Commentary: '其次' (qí cì) means 'the next best' or the second type. In '親而譽之' (qīn ér yù zhī), '親' (qīn) means to feel close to or intimate with, and '譽之' (yù zhī) means to praise him or hold him in high esteem.
o Interpretation: The second-best ruler interacts with the people to some extent, and they praise his accomplishments or character and feel a sense of closeness to him. This method relies on winning the people's hearts through artificial good deeds or virtuous governance, but it involves more exposure of the ruler and an artificial response (praise) from the people compared to the first type.
3. 其次 畏之 (qí cì, wèi zhī)
o Literal Meaning: The next, they fear.
o Commentary: '其次' (qí cì) indicates the third type. '畏之' (wèi zhī) means 'to fear him (畏).'
o Interpretation: The third type of ruler controls the people through power, force, and strict laws and systems. The people submit to his authority, but this submission is based on fear rather than voluntary respect or affection. This is a prime example of artificial control.
4. 其次 侮之 (qí cì, wǔ zhī)
o Literal Meaning: The next, they despise.
o Commentary: '其次' (qí cì) points to the fourth and worst type of ruler. '侮之' (wǔ zhī) means 'to despise him (侮),' 'to insult,' or 'to hold in contempt.'
o Interpretation: The worst ruler is either incompetent or tyrannical, completely losing the trust of the people and ultimately earning their contempt and ridicule. This represents a complete collapse of the ruler's authority.
5. 信不足焉 有不信焉 (xìn bù zú yān, yǒu bù xìn yān)
o Literal Meaning: When trust is insufficient, there is distrust.
o Commentary: '信不足' (xìn bù zú) means 'trust (信) is insufficient (不足).' This can encompass both the ruler not trusting the people and the people lacking trust in the ruler. '焉' (yān) is a final particle. '有不信' (yǒu bù xìn) means 'there is (有) distrust (不信).'
o Interpretation: This verse is primarily a consequence related to the third and fourth types of rulers. When a ruler does not trust the people and tries to control them by force (the ruler's lack of trust), or when the people cannot trust their ruler (the people's lack of trust), mutual distrust naturally arises. A lack of trust breeds distrust, revealing the fundamental limitation and problem of artificial governance.
6. 悠兮其貴言 (yōu xī qí guì yán)
o Literal Meaning: Relaxed, he values his words.
o Commentary: '悠兮' (yōu xī) is an adjective implying a state of being relaxed, at ease, distant, and of few words. '兮' (xī) is a particle. '其' (qí) is a pronoun referring to the greatest ruler ('太上'). '貴言' (guì yán) means 'to value words,' which implies speaking sparingly and only when necessary. This verse returns to describe the characteristics of the first type, the '太上'.
o Interpretation: The greatest ruler ('太上') is not hasty or anxious; he is very relaxed and speaks little, using precious words only when essential. This characteristic shows that his governance is not loud or coercive but is carried out quietly and naturally.
7. 功成事遂 百姓皆謂我自然 (gōng chéng shì suì, bǎi xìng jiē wèi wǒ zì rán)
o Literal Meaning: When work is done and tasks are accomplished, the people all say, "We are like this of ourselves."
o Commentary: '功成事遂' (gōng chéng shì suì) means 'merits (功) are completed (成), and affairs (事) are successful (遂).' It describes a state where the people's lives are prosperous and stable, and they achieve what they set out to do. '百姓皆謂' (bǎi xìng jiē wèi) means 'the hundred families (the people) all say (謂).' '我自然' (wǒ zì rán) means 'we (我) are of ourselves so (自然).' '自然' (zìrán) signifies a state of being spontaneous, without artificial manipulation.
o Interpretation: Under the non-action governance of the greatest ruler ('太上'), the lives of the people become successful and prosperous. However, the people do not attribute this success to the ruler's special ability or intervention. Instead, they feel as if it were the result of their own efforts, saying, "We became this way naturally, on our own." This shows the highest form of governance, where instead of being praised or feared, the ruler enables the people to feel a sense of ownership over their lives, believing that everything was achieved spontaneously. This ideal outcome is only possible because the ruler's presence is barely felt by the people.
🌳 Overall Interpretation
The seventeenth chapter discusses the different types of rulers who govern the people and identifies who is the greatest among them.
Laozi says:
The greatest ruler is one who governs so quietly that the people are barely even aware of his existence. The next best is a ruler whom the people feel close to and praise. After that comes the ruler whom the people fear. And the worst ruler is one whom the people despise.
When a ruler does not trust the people, or when the people cannot trust the ruler—a 'lack of trust'—it naturally gives rise to a state of 'distrust.'
So what is the greatest ruler like? He is very relaxed, never hasty, and is a person who uses words sparingly, speaking only when necessary.
Under the governance of such a great ruler, the lives of the people are successful, and their affairs are accomplished. But the interesting thing is, the people do not think this success is due to the ruler. Instead, they believe, "We have prospered through our own efforts," as if everything happened naturally.
🌟 The Meaning and Importance of Chapter 17
Chapter 17 presents the following core ideas:
- Hierarchy of Ruler Types: The Tao Te Ching categorizes rulers into four levels based on how they are perceived by the people (barely known > praised > feared > despised). The greatest ruler is the first type.
- The Ideal of 'Governing by Non-Action' (無為之治): The greatest ruler ('太上') governs through non-action (wu wei), minimizing artificial interference and control. His defining characteristic is that his presence is barely felt by the people.
- The Importance of Trust: It points out that a lack of trust between the ruler and the people leads to distrust and poor governance. The best form of rule is based on implicit trust.
- The Ruler Who Values Words: The greatest ruler values his words (貴言), and his governance is not loud or ostentatious (悠兮).
- Respect for the People's Autonomy: Under the best rule, the people attribute their success to their own efforts and natural processes ('我自然', wǒ zìrán). This signifies a state where the people are not passive subjects of control but are autonomous agents of their own lives.
Chapter 17 is a key chapter presenting the political philosophy of Taoism, especially the ideal of 'governing by non-action.' It contains the paradoxical wisdom that when a ruler relinquishes artificial power and humbles himself, the people are better able to thrive on their own, achieving true peace and prosperity.
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