Tao Te Ching Chapter 12
Original Chinese Text
五色令人目盲；
五音令人耳聋；
五味令人口爽；
驰骋畋猎，令人心发狂；
难得之货，令人行妨。
是以圣人为腹不为目，故去彼取此。
Pinyin (Pronunciation)
Wǔ sè lìng rén mù máng;
Wǔ yīn lìng rén ěr lóng;
Wǔ wèi lìng rén kǒu shuǎng;
Chíchěng tiánliè, lìng rén xīn fā kuáng;
Nándé zhī huò, lìng rén xíng fáng.
Shì yǐ shèngrén wéi fù bù wéi mù, gù qù bǐ qǔ cǐ.
白话文翻译 (Plain Chinese Translation)
- 五色令人目盲；五音令人耳聋；五味令人口爽；
- 缤纷的色彩使人眼花缭乱；嘈杂的音乐使人听觉失灵；丰盛的美食使人味觉迟钝。
- Excessive colors blind the eyes; too many sounds deafen the ears; rich flavors dull the palate.
- 驰骋畋猎，令人心发狂；难得之货，令人行妨。
- 纵情狩猎使人心神狂乱；稀有珍宝使人行为败坏。
- Frenzied hunting drives the mind wild; rare treasures corrupt one’s conduct.
- 是以圣人为腹不为目，故去彼取此。
- 因此，圣人只求温饱，不追逐感官享乐，所以摒弃后者而选择前者。
- Thus, the Sage seeks only sustenance, not sensory indulgence—rejecting excess for simplicity.
Key Concepts Explained
- 五色/五音/五味 (wǔ sè/wǔ yīn/wǔ wèi) – The “Five Colors/Sounds/Tastes” symbolize excessive sensory stimulation leading to spiritual degradation.
- 为腹不为目 (wéi fù bù wéi mù) – Prioritizing basic needs (nourishment) over superficial desires (sensory pleasure).
- 去彼取此 (qù bǐ qǔ cǐ) – The Taoist principle of letting go of excess to embrace inner peace.
Philosophical Essence
- Critique of Materialism
- Lao Tzu warns against overindulgence in sensory pleasures, which dull perception and disturb inner harmony.
- Simplicity Over Excess
- The Sage follows wuwei (无为) by focusing on essentials (food, shelter) rather than luxuries.
- Mindful Living
- A precursor to modern minimalism—true fulfillment comes from detachment, not accumulation.
“The more you chase pleasure, the farther peace escapes.”
— A reflection on how desires create inner turmoil (呼应 Chapter 46’s “祸莫大于不知足”).