The Power of Emptiness: Tao Te Ching Chapter 11 | 道德经第十一章：虚无的力量

 道德经简介

《道德经》是中国古代先秦时期道家哲学的经典著作，其作者传统上被认为是老子。这部著作以其深刻的哲学思想和简洁的语言风格，在世界范围内产生了广泛而深远的影响。

Introduction to Tao Te Ching

Tao Te Ching is a classic work of Taoist philosophy in the pre-Qin period of ancient China, and its author is traditionally considered to be Lao Tzu. This work has a wide and far-reaching influence around the world with its profound philosophical thoughts and concise language style.

“ 本章表达了老子关于“无”的哲学思想，强调了无形的“道”才是万物之源，有形之物只是“道”的显现。”

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原文 Original

sān shí fú gòng yī gǔ ，dāng qí wú ，yǒu chē zhī yòng 。

三十辐共一毂，当其无，有车之用。

shān zhí yǐ wéi qì ，dāng qí wú ，yǒu qì zhī yòng 。

埏埴以为器，当其无，有器之用。

zuó hù yǒu yǐ wéi shì ，dāng qí wú ，yǒu shì zhī yòng 。

凿户牖以为室，当其无，有室之用。

gù yǒu zhī yǐ wéi lì ，wú zhī yǐ wéi yòng 。

故有之以为利，无之以为用。

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英文 English

Thirty spokes unite around the nave;

From their not-being (loss of their individuality)

Arises the utility of the wheel.

Mold clay into a vessel;

From its not-being (in the vessel's hollow)

Arises the utility of the vessel.

Cut out doors and windows in the house (-wall),

From their not-being (empty space) arises the utility

of the house.

Therefore by the existence of things we profit.

And by the non-existence of things we are served. 

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逐字解释 Word-by-word explanation

辐（fú）：车轮上的辐条。

Fú: spokes on a wheel.

毂（gǔ）：车轮的中心。 

Gǔ: the center of a wheel.

埏（shān）：堆土。

Shān: pile of earth.

埴（zhí）：黏土。

Zhí: clay.

牖（yǒu）：窗。

Yǒu: window.

室（shì）：房子。

Shì: house.

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整段解释 Whole paragraph explanation

三十个辐条共同组成一个车轮的中心，当没有辐条的时候，车轮就失去了作用。用泥土堆砌成器皿，当器皿还没有成形的时候，器皿就失去了作用。凿开门窗建造房屋，当门窗还没有凿开的时候，房屋就失去了作用。所以，有形的东西虽然有利于事物的存在，但无形的作用才是事物得以运用的根本。

这段文字出自《老子》，表达了老子关于“无”的哲学思想，强调了无形的“道”才是万物之源，有形之物只是“道”的显现。

Thirty spokes together form the center of a wheel. When there are no spokes, the wheel loses its function. Pile up mud to make a vessel. When the vessel is not formed, the vessel loses its function. Cut open doors and windows to build a house. When the doors and windows are not cut open, the house loses its function. Therefore, although tangible things are conducive to the existence of things, the intangible function is the root of the use of things.

This passage comes from "Laozi", expressing Laozi's philosophical thoughts on "nothingness", emphasizing that the intangible "Tao" is the source of all things, and tangible things are just the manifestation of "Tao".

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