Tao Te Ching Chapter 13

Original Chinese Text

宠辱若惊，贵大患若身。
何谓宠辱若惊？
宠为下，得之若惊，失之若惊，是谓宠辱若惊。
何谓贵大患若身？
吾所以有大患者，为吾有身，
及吾无身，吾有何患？
故贵以身为天下，若可寄天下；
爱以身为天下，若可托天下。

Pinyin (Pronunciation)

Chǒng rǔ ruò jīng, guì dà huàn ruò shēn.
Hé wèi chǒng rǔ ruò jīng?
Chǒng wéi xià, dé zhī ruò jīng, shī zhī ruò jīng, shì wèi chǒng rǔ ruò jīng.
Hé wèi guì dà huàn ruò shēn?
Wú suǒyǐ yǒu dà huàn zhě, wèi wú yǒu shēn,
Jí wú wú shēn, wú yǒu hé huàn?
Gù guì yǐ shēn wéi tiānxià, ruò kě jì tiānxià;
Ài yǐ shēn wéi tiānxià, ruò kě tuō tiānxià.

白话文翻译 (Plain Chinese Translation)

1. 宠辱若惊，贵大患若身。
   • 得宠和受辱都令人惊慌，重视大患就像重视自身一样。
   • Favor and disgrace cause alarm; valuing great trouble as we value our own bodies.
2. 何谓宠辱若惊？宠为下，得之若惊，失之若惊，是谓宠辱若惊。
   • 什么叫“宠辱若惊”？得宠是卑下的，得到时惊喜，失去时惊恐，这就是“宠辱若惊”。
   • Why “alarmed by favor and disgrace”? Favor is degrading—gaining it shocks, losing it panics.
3. 何谓贵大患若身？吾所以有大患者，为吾有身，及吾无身，吾有何患？
   • 什么叫“重视大患如自身”？我们之所以有大患，是因为我们有自我；如果没有自我，还有什么祸患？
   • Why “value trouble as the self”? Our troubles exist because we have a self—without it, what troubles remain?
4. 故贵以身为天下，若可寄天下；爱以身为天下，若可托天下。
   • 所以，珍视天下如同珍视自身的人，才可以把天下交给他；爱惜天下如同爱惜自身的人，才可以把天下托付给他。
   • Thus: one who values the world as the self may be entrusted with it; one who loves the world as the self may govern it.

Key Concepts Explained

• 宠辱若惊 (chǒng rǔ ruò jīng) – The anxiety caused by external validation (favor/disgrace), showing attachment to ego.
• 贵大患若身 (guì dà huàn ruò shēn) – Recognizing that suffering stems from self-identification (ego).
• 无身 (wú shēn) – The state of ego-transcendence, where personal fears dissolve.
• 托天下 (tuō tiānxià) – True leadership requires selflessness (treating the world as one’s own body).

Philosophical Essence

1. Ego & Suffering
   • Attachment to status (“宠辱”) creates fear, while detachment (“无身”) brings freedom (呼应 Chapter 7’s “无私”).
2. Leadership Paradox
   • Only those who do not seek power are fit to rule (see Chapter 66’s “humility leads”).
3. Universal Compassion
   • “以身为天下” mirrors Chapter 49’s “圣人无常心，以百姓心为心”—the Sage identifies with all beings.

“The greatest ruler leaves no trace, like a shadow behind the people.”
— Metaphor for selfless governance (呼应 Chapter 17).