<i>Ziran</i> and Continuous Orderly Transformation: New Interpretation of <i>Ziran</i> in <i>Daodejing</i>
The term <i>ziran</i> first appears in the <i>Daodejing</i>, yet its precise meaning and attribution remain ambiguous in this book, sparking ongoing scholarly debate. This paper argues that Laozi’s idea of <i>ziran</i> fundamentally pertains to all things and the...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Religions |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/16/7/902 |
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| Summary: | The term <i>ziran</i> first appears in the <i>Daodejing</i>, yet its precise meaning and attribution remain ambiguous in this book, sparking ongoing scholarly debate. This paper argues that Laozi’s idea of <i>ziran</i> fundamentally pertains to all things and the common people, rather than the Dao or the ruler, and its realization depends on the noncoercive action (<i>wuwei</i>, 無為) of the Dao and the ruler. While <i>ziran</i> is commonly understood as “natural” or “free from external force”, Laozi reinterprets it beyond its literal meaning, integrating the notion of order through its relationship with <i>wuwei</i> and thus imbuing it with theoretical significance. In this framework, <i>ziran</i> encompasses orders of internal senses and orders of external activities inherent in all things while simultaneously excluding excessive and disorderly desires. It thereby serves as a criterion for assessing the orderliness of desires. Furthermore, by elucidating <i>ziran</i> as the continuous transformation of things, the standard to which the ideal ruler or the sage resorts to curb the disorderly desires of the common people is established. |
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| ISSN: | 2077-1444 |