Jiàn Sù Bào Pǔ from Tao Te Ching Chapter 19
见素抱朴|See Su Pu
- Literal Breakdown:（It’s time we all understood）
- 见 (Jiàn): To perceive, recognize, or embrace.
- 素 (Sù): “Unadorned” – Original simplicity, the natural state without artificiality.
- 抱 (Bào): To hold fast to, embrace.
- 朴 (Pǔ): “Uncarved wood” – A metaphor for innate purity and unpretentiousness.
- Core Meaning:
- “See simplicity, embrace plainness.”
- A call to reject artificial complexity (e.g., excessive desires, social pretenses) and return to one’s authentic, unrefined nature aligned with the Tao (Way).
- Key Principles:
- Simplicity (素): Value essence over ornamentation.
- Authenticity (朴): Cultivate spontaneity and humility, like uncarved wood’s raw potential.
- Non-Action (无为): Let things unfold naturally without forced interference.
- Practical Implication:
- Personal: Live frugally, shed ego-driven ambitions.
- Leadership: Rule with humility, avoiding rigid doctrines (cf. Tao Te Ching’s critique of Confucian rituals).
- Contrast:
- Opposes “wisdom” (智) that breeds cunning, or “benevolence” (仁) imposed as dogma.
Analogy: Like a blank canvas (素) or a raw log (朴), it honors innate potential over artificial constructs.
Note: Central to Laozi’s critique of societal decay and advocacy for harmony with nature’s spontaneity.