Bao Pu

Dictionaries

I have a few good dictionaries and know of many useful online dictionaries to utilize when one wants to translate or look up a word from the Classical period of Chinese literature. I’m going to list them here and perhaps someone else who reads this can give ME some suggestions. And for the record, I’m am amateur reader of classical Chinese and/but can’t really read modern Chinese. As a result, Chinese-to-Chinese dictionaries are only useful to me if I can make some sense of it. Also I should note, I only work with Traditional Chinese character forms (Fantizi 繁體字).

1) Kangxi Zidian 康熙字典 (1716 C.E.) should be one’s first stop, IMHO. An excellent site, Han Dian 漢典 (www.zdic.net), will give you entries from the Kangxi Zidian (which includes the Erya 爾雅, Shuowen Jiezi 說文解字, Guangyun 廣韻, Yu Pian 玉篇, and others) At the Zdic.net interface I use, I enter a Chinese character and I get access to the Kangxi, the Shuowen, pictures of the graph’s evolution, and some Chinese and English meanings (which aren’t often useful). A typical (multi-tabbed) entry is like this one:
http://www.zdic.net/zd/zi/ZdicE4ZdicB9Zdic85.htm

The Shuowen Jiezi is also available elsewhere online (for instance: http://shuowen.chinese99.com/). As is the Kangxi Zidian (for instance: http://www.kangxizidian.com/index2.php).
– Neither the Shuowen nor the Kangxi are translated into English.

2) I always use Axel Schuessler’s Etymological Dictionary of Old Chinese, which is a true etymological dictionary, giving phonetic reconstructions of Old (Shanggu Hanyu 上古漢語), Middle (Zhonggu Hanyu 中古漢語), etc. Chinese. It also provides cognates within and without ancient Chinese, English meanings, where one can find examples in the Classical literature, dialect forms, etc. He says his English glosses “are mostly taken from, or are based on, Karlgren’s GSR, Schuessler’s Dictionary of Early Zhou Chinese, Gudai Hanyu Cidian 古代漢語詞典, edited by Chen Fuhua 陳復華 (Beijing 1999) and the Zhongwen Dacidian 中文大辭典” [Morohashi Tetsuji?].” As a bonus he also usually provides William Baxter’s Old Chinese reconstructions. I would also use his A Dictionary of Early Zhou Chinese, but I can’t find one at this time.

3) At Shuhai Wenyuan’s website (http://www.shuhai.hawaii.edu/), there is access to full Chinese texts (from the CHANT Database), Edwin Pulleyblank’s Outline of Classical Chinese Grammar (which, I believe, is an authorative book on Classical Chinese grammar), William Baxter’s 1992 reconstructions of Old Chinese pronunciations, John DeFrancis’ ABC Chinese-English Dictionary, Charles Muller’s CJKV-English Dictionary, and some various other resources (like what Roger Ames or James Legge wrote about a particular word). Muller’s dictionary is fairly helpful with ancient meanings. The website is unfinished, partially dysfunctional, and sometimes inaccessible, but still I find it useful. Muller’s dictionary is also available elsewhere on the internet for example:
http://www.buddhism-dict.net/dealt/

4) Lin Yutang’s Dangdai Hanying Cidian 當代漢英詞典 is also one of my favourites, despite the fact that the title refers to modern usage. However, many entries contain “ancient meanings” (AC), and the various meanings, idioms and phrases I have found quite helpful. This dictionary is available online at:
http://humanum.arts.cuhk.edu.hk/Lexis/Lindict/

5) I usually access Lin Yutang’s Dangdai Hanying Cidian from another site, Zhendic by Wengu, by clicking “LD.”
http://afpc.asso.fr/wengu/wg/zhendic.php

At Zhendic, one can search by entering an English word, a Chinese character (not Simplified) or its pinyin transliteration. This is actually my homepage. From Zhendic, one can also view Zhongwen.com’s website on a side frame, which is useful as well. In addition to being able to access Lin Yutang’s dictionary mentioned above, a link to the Unihan database’s entry for the specified word is also provided. Another good feature of Zhendic is there is a search box at the bottom where you can enter a number of Chinese characters at once and get back a full translation of all of them.

6) ChineseEtymology.org (http://www.chineseetymology.org/) is a useful site, (although I remain skeptical about many of the explanations of the graphs. [Whether the graphs themselves are helpful to understanding the words, really depends on the word. Sometimes it is very illuminating, other times the dictionary author is too imaginative. For instance, there are many characters whose phonetic component should not be forced to also provide semantic information about the word’s meaning.] The English meanings given are somewhat useful. The (usually) large number of written versions are great, including Oracle Bone Script, Bronze Script and Seal Script.

7) Gilbert Mattos and Jerry Norman’s Chinese Writing is an English translation of Qui Xigui’s Wenzixue Gaiyao 文字學概要 which has has some essential information on many words/graphs and meaning, which thankfully are all listed in an index.

8 ) The CCDICT is accessible at Chineselanguage.org:
http://www.chineselanguage.org/dictionaries/ccdict/index.php?lang=en

The English meanings are less helpful, but other dialect information and other stuff is sometimes useful.

9) Xu Zhongshu’s 徐中舒 Oracle Bone Script Dictionary (Jiaguwen Zidian 甲骨文字典) is sometimes useful (to me) as well. It contains no English however.

10) Donald Sturgeon’s Chinese Text Project site has a good dictionary, which “merges data from three sources: the Unicode Consortium’s “Unihan” database, the Ancient Text Database, and the CTP Dictionary which is being developed for this site”:
http://chinese.dsturgeon.net/dictionary.pl?if=en

The CTP part of the dictionary lists the various different meanings and readings of a given character and lists exemplary usage for each from the classical literature. Very time-saving!

11) Shuowenjiezi.com is a good Chinese-Chinese website dictionary that has links to many different references, such as the Shuowen Jiezi (of course), the Unihan database, CNS, the Kangxi Zidian 康熙字典 (a scanned image), the Hanyu Dazidian 漢語大字典, Karlgren’s rhyming words, the Yiti Zidian 異體字典 (showing character variants), the Guangyun, Erya, Shiming and Fangyan. It also has examples from Jinwen (bronze script) and Jiaguwen (oracle-bone script).

There’s a Hanyu Zidian online, which seems to be useful. I don’t don’t much about it though.
http://zidian.teachercn.com/

—————- ———— ————————
I don’t have the oft-mentioned Chinese-English Dictionary by Robert Mathews. I’m not sure it would be more useful than anything I’ve already got/have access to. (Professor Elman of Princeton doesn’t recommend it.)

Is the Hanyu Dacidian 漢語大詞典 online?

I’m trying to understand what the character De 德 connotes in the “Inner Workings” (Nei Ye 內業) chapter of the Works of Guan Zhong (Guanzi 管子). The text dates to mid-fourth century B.C.E. Here’s a passage:

是故此氣也，不可止以力，而可安以德。不可呼以聲，而可迎以意。敬守勿失，是謂成德，德成而智出，萬物畢得。

Therefore this Qi,
Cannot be restrained by force (*rək),
Yet can be steadied/calmed by De (*tək).
Cannot be summoned by speech,
Yet can be welcomed by conscious awareness (*ʔəkh).
Respectfully preserve it and do not lose it,
This is called ‘maturing one’s De (*tək),’
One’s De maturing, wisdom emerges,
The myriad things will be fully grasped (*tək).

– The translation is mine, based on translators W. Allyn Rickett and Harold Roth. The words in parentheses are the ancient phonetic reconstructions to show that rhyme is being use. It’s in these cases, I believe, that we should careful about reading characters too literally. They may not be intended that way. Or they just might.
– One’s inner power (De) is said to “welcome/secure/calm/stabilize” the inflow of Qi. (An 安 here is probably best understood as “steady” [Schuessler p. 150] and could be read as An 按 “to cause to be settled, calmed.” Roth translates it as “to secure”; Rickett: “to bring to rest”) De here could mean “calm disposition” as it apparently does in the Zhuangzi. (For Zhuangzi, a calm atmosphere or situation was perceived to exist when a person with De was present.) Therefore, the text states, when a person is in a peaceful state (a state of De), Qi can be inhaled/imbibed/absorbed. Li 力 and De 德 are contrasted: Li is brute strength or force whereas De is inner strength or the capacity to pacify (incoming vitalizing vapour: Qi 氣, and probably other people too). Both De and Li may have a common origin in the sense of strength, power, force: one inner, one external. Although, William Baxter says they aren’t cognate.
– I am tempted to interpret the second instance of De as “character”: when Qi is preserved within, we build/mature/complete our character (Cheng De 成德) and when this occurs, wisdom also develops (智出). Qi 氣 can be lost (Shi 失), but if it is not, then we will “mature,” “completely realize,” “develop” or “build” (Cheng 成 *gieŋ) our De, our “calm disposition” and have a thriving inner power, or, build (Cheng 成) “character.” But I’m, not sure. On the surface, it looks strange to say that Qi 氣 can be calmed by De (可安以德) and then say that this whole process can be called 成德. It seems that the two De’s might not be referring to the exact same thing, (despite being in the same “sentence”). Thoughts anyone?
– Cheng may imply its cognate Sheng 盛 “abundant, flourishing, great” ala Zhuangzi 27 “the fullest De appears deficient” (盛德若不足), spoken by Laozi; the Hanfeizi 20 “being empty/open, De is abundant/flourishing” (虛，則德盛); Mengzi (盛德), Yijing Xici (盛德, 德之盛), Liji (盛德), Huainanzi (盛德), Heguanzi (德之盛), the Xinshu (盛德). Cheng De 成德 appears in the Chunqiu Fanlu 55, Guoyu, Zuozhuan, Zhuangzi, Shangshu, Guanyinzi…
– Whether 成 or 盛 the idea is of De maturing, flourishing, developing, reaching abundance. This could refer to one’s character or one’s inner strength/power, which is dependent upon an inner calm. Put another way, Qi-energy enhances and/or matures one’s innate inner strength, the same innate inner strength needed to “calm it.” Zhuangzi made a related claim: “De is the (the result of) cultivation of complete/flourishing harmony/peace.” (德者，成和之脩也.)

The text goes on to mention: “Daily we make use of our/it’s De” (日用其德)
– Might refer to the Dao’s De (道之德); thus, meaning Inherent power, vitality, potency, or “stock of credit”?
– And daily we need to renew it (日新其德), as the text says later on. Then:

形不正，德不來，中不靜，心不治。正形攝(var. 飾/飭)德，則淫然而自來。

“If one’s mind and body are not correct or upright, De will not arrive, one will not be calm in one’s centre, and one’s heart and mind will be out of control. If one’s mind and body are correct and upright and one gathers up De, it [De? an orderly mind?] will “soak in” and arrive naturally.”

– The first part: Zheng means “to correct, to rectify” and “upright, correct” – Rickett adopts this meaning because he believes this text is about the mind (not the body), whereas Roth, “to square up, or to align” (p. 4, 109), believes it is about sitting correctly or aligned (in meditation). Roth takes (德不來) to be caused by (形不正) and (心不治) to be caused by (中不靜), thus making a correlation between one’s physical form and one’s De (and between 靜 and 治).
– She 攝 means : to assist, to collect, to absorb, to gather up, to attract, to regulate, “to conserve (life, energy)” (Lindict) – Shesheng 攝生 is “the art of conserving life energy.”
Roth (p. 66) translates it as “assists” and Rickett (p. 45) “hold on to.”

– De is portrayed as something which can arrive (from where?). It is also something which can be “gathered up” or assisted by being Zheng 正. Elsewhere in the Neiye and related chapters, it is Dao (道), Shen (神) or Jing (精) that arrives (來).

– De is the power or inner strength that manifests from a calm centre or “inner peace.” Here De is also spoken of as a synonym for Dao, which itself seems to be a synonym of Jing 精 or Qi 氣 or even Shen 神 and He 和. This is because all five of the above are considered to be external to us in a sense, necessitating some sort of self-cultivation practice to prepare ourselves to be “filled with” Dao, De, Jing, Qi, or Shen. These are treated as substances. This “self-cultivation” is primarily the practice of remaining calm inside and acutely perceptive (allowing the “myriad things to be fully grasped” 萬物畢得 and 遍知天下，窮於四極). In this way, the adept will notice the manifestation or “filling with” a power that allows him or her to perceive with absolute clarity and his or her actions will be completely effective and appropriate, backed by an extraordinary inner strength or power. This is a Quietist approach to living, which most of the ancient Daoist texts affirm. This shows the shamanic/mediumistic roots (i.e., what enters one’s body is like a spirit 神 entering a medium), the mystical development (i.e., sharing in the same energy as the entire universe in a profound union), and the practical manifestations of Daoism (i.e., one will find that everything that one does is always effective and appropriate).

Later:
敬慎無忒，日新其德，遍知天下，窮於四極，敬發其充，是謂內得。

“Respectful and mindful (*t’ək), daily renewing one’s De (*tək), fully knowing the four corners of the world (*gək), respectful and expressive of one’s full capacity: this is called ‘Inner Achievement/De (*tək).”
— “Inner obtainment” (Nei De 內得) could point to “Inner Power (Nei De 內德),” which occurs in the Xinshu Xia … the Xinshu Shang below says that De is De (德者得也).
– Russel Kirkland observes: “the Nei-yeh – unlike the more familiar ‘Lao-Chuang’ texts – states that one’s De is something that one must work on, each and every day.”

Later:
…不以物亂官，不以官亂心，是謂中得。
“… not letting things confuse the senses, not letting the senses confuse the mind; this is called ‘Inner achievement.”
The Xinshu Xia, a sort of commentary on the Nei ye, has:
是故曰，無以物亂官毋以官亂心此之謂內德。
“Hence, it is said: ‘Do not let thing confuse the senses; do not let the senses confuse the mind.’ This is called inner Power.” (Rickett p. 59)
– Being confused/disordered (Luan 亂) is not conducive to having De. Being ordered (Zheng 正) and calm (Jing 靜) fosters De.
Inner Peace = Inner Power, Inner Strength (i.e., De 德). (Nei De 內德 appears once in Shiji 49 and twice in the Hanshu.)

The Xinshu Xia also has:
正靜不失，日新其德，昭知天下，通於四極。
“Since good judgment [rectification] and quiescence are never lost, he daily renews his De. He is brilliant in knowing the entire world and penetrates its four extremities.” Rickett p. 62

– De is something which needs daily replenishing – just like Qi or Jing – by means of inner calm and an aligned body. And results in perceptual clarity. De 德 = Inner Strength Inner Power Potency.

The notion of daily renewing our De is also found in the Shang Shu 尚書: “Zhong Hui Zhi Gao 仲虺之誥” – The Announcements of Zhong Hui:
德日新．萬邦惟懷．志自滿．九族乃離．
“When his De is renewed daily, the myriad states harbour affection for him alone. When he is self-satisfied and conceited, the nine clans/generations will abandon him.”
– De is the opposite of self-satisfaction (Ziman 自滿); thus, it connotes selflessness and/or the continual practice of generosity and humility. Perhaps De is here “goodwill, kindly attitude and behaviour.” This may be unrelated to the Nei Ye’s reference to renewing De.

Not Dao? Not in harmony with the Dao? Is it possible? Here’s some of the things we find:

Zhongyong

道也者，不可須臾離也，可離非道也。

“The Dao cannot be left for an instant; If it could be left, it would not be Dao.”

Daodejing, Robert Henricks translations:

Daodejing 1

As for the Dao, the Dao that can be spoken of is not the constant Dao 非常道.

DDJ 8

The highest good is like water;
Water is good at benefiting the ten thousand things and yet it [does not] compete [with them].
It dwells in places the masses of people detest,
Therefore it is close to the Dao.
In dwelling, the good thing is the land;
In the mind, the good thing is depth;
In giving, the good thing is [being like] Heaven;
In speaking, the good thing is sincerity;
In governing, the good thing is order;
In affairs, the good thing is ability;
In activity, the good thing is timeliness.
It is only because it does not compete, that therefore it is without fault.

–therefore, the opposite behaviour and attributes are “far from the Dao”?

DDJ 9

To hold it upright and fill it,
Is not so good as stopping [in time].
When you pound it out and give it a point,
It won’t be preserved very long.
When gold and jade fill your rooms,
You’ll never be able to protect them.
Arrogance and pride with wealth and rank,
On their own bring on disaster.
When the deed is accomplished you retire;
Such is Heaven’s Dao!

– Thus the morals being: sustain some level of emptiness within, do not over-self-cultivate/ carve your Uncarved Wood (pu), do not burden yourself with luxuries, a humble attitude lessens one’s suffering, do what is needed - no more. Doing the opposite is not Nature’s Dao - it is the Human Dao - and is not in accord with the Dao?

DDJ 14

– The Dao is invisible, inaudible, intangible, boundless, formless. The opposites are Not-Dao? –
(Also Zhuangzi 22: The Dao cannot be heard; heard, it is not the Dao 非(道). The Dao cannot be seen; seen, it is not the Dao. The Dao cannot be described; described, it is not the Dao. That which gives form to the formed is itself formless - can you understand that? There is no name that fits the Dao.)

DDJ 18

When the Great Dao is rejected, it is then that we have the virtues of humanity and righteousness.

– Thus ” the virtues of humanity and righteousness” are Not Dao?
(Also ZZ 9: If the Dao and its Virtue had not been cast aside 道德不廢, how would there be any call for benevolence and righteousness?… That the Dao and its Virtue were destroyed 毀道德 in order to create benevolence and righteousness - this was the fault of the [Confucian?] sage. - Watson)

DDJ 24

One who boasts is not established;
One who shows himself off does not become prominent;
One who puts himself on display does not brightly shine;
One who brags about himself gests no credit;
One who praises himself does not long endure.
In the Dao, such things are called:
“Surplus food and redundant action.”
And with things-there are those who hate them.
Therefore, the one with the Dao in them does not dwell.

– Therefore, “surplus food and redundant action” are Not Dao?

DDJ 30

When things reach their primes, they get old;
We called this “not the Dao.”
What is not the Dao 不道 will come to an early end.
(since Bu is used only with verbs, this should probably be translated “what does not follow the Dao will come to an early end.”)

DDJ 31

As for weapons-they are instruments of ill omen.
And among things there are those that hate them.
Therefore, the one who has the Dao, with them does not dwell.

– Therefore one who “dwells with weapons” is not in accord with the Dao?

DDJ 34

The Dao floats and drifts;
It can go left or right.
It accomplishes its tasks and completes its affairs, and yet for this it is not given a name [fame].
The ten thousand things entrust their lives to it, and yet it does not act as their master.
Thus it is constantly without desires.
It can be named with the things that are small.
The ten thousand things entrust their lives to it, and yet it does not act as their master.
It can be named with the things that are great.

– Thus what acquires fame, acts as a master over others, has desires, is Not Dao?

DDJ 38

Therefore, when the Dao is lost, only then do we have virtue;
When virtue is lost, only then do we have humanity;
When humanity is lost, only then do we have righteousness;
And when righteousness is lost, only then do we have propriety.
As for propriety, it’s but the thin edge of loyalty and sincerity, and the beginning of disorder.
And foreknowledge is but the flower of the Dao, and the beginning of stupidity.
Therefore the Great Person
Dwells in the thick and doesn’t dwell in the thin;
Dwells in the fruit and doesn’t dwell in the flower.
Therefore, he rejects that and takes this.

– Therefore there is is a path which leads away from the Dao? - is not in accord with the Dao?
(Also ZZ 22: So it is said, When the Dao was lost 失道, then there was virtue; when virtue was lost, then there was benevolence; when benevolence was lost, then there was righteousness; when righteousness was lost, then there were rites. Rites are the frills of the Dao and the forerunners of disorder.)

DDJ 46

When the world has the Dao, ambling horses are retired to fertilize [fields].
When the world lacks the Dao 無道, war horses are reared in the suburbs.

DDJ 51

The Dao gives birth to them, nourishes them, matures them, completes them, rests them, rears them, supports them, and protects them.
It gives birth to them but doesn’t try to own them;
It acts on their behalf but doesn’t make them dependent;
It matures them but doesn’t rule them.

– Thus, what tries to own others, makes them dependent, and tries to rule them, is Not Dao?

DDJ 53

The Great Dao is very level;
But people greatly delight in tortuous paths.
The courts are swept very clean;
While the fields are full of weeds;
And the granaries are all empty.
Their clothing-richly embroidered and colored;
While at their waists they carry sharp swords.
They gorge themselves on food, and of possessions and goods they have plenty.
This is called thievery!
And thievery certainly isn’t the Dao! 非道

– Therefore, following the tortuous and unlevel paths are Not Dao? Living in luxury at the expense of the people is thievery = Not Dao?

DDJ 55

When things reach their prime they get old;
This is called “not the Dao.” 不道
What is not the Dao will come to an early end.
See chapter 30 above

DDJ 73

The Dao of Heaven is not to fight yet to be good at winning-
Not to speak yet skillfully respond-

– What fights/competes is Not Dao?

DDJ 77

Therefore the Dao of Heaven-
Is to reduce the excessive and increase the insufficient;
The Dao of Humanity-
Is to reduce the insufficient and offer more to the excessive.

– Thus the Dao of Humanity is Not Dao? The Dao of humanity does not accord with the Dao of Heaven.
(Also ZZ 11: What is this thing called the Dao? There is the Dao of Heaven, and the Dao of Humanity. To rest in inaction, and command respect - this is the Dao of Heaven. To engage in action and become entangled in it - this is the Dao of Humanity. The ruler is the Dao of Heaven; his subjects are the Dao of Humanity. The Dao of Heaven and the Dao of Humanity are far apart. This is something to consider carefully!)

DDJ 81

Therefore, the Dao of Heaven is to benefit and not cause any harm.

– What causes harm is Not Dao?

ZZ 2
The Great Dao is not praised …
The Dao that displays itself is not the Dao 不道.
(since Bu is used only with verbs, perhaps it should be translated: “Daos that display themselves do not dao-guide.”

ZZ 4

The Dao gathers in emptiness alone.

– Thus, fullness is Not Dao? To be full is to have no access to the Dao?

ZZ 4

When the world has the Dao, the sage succeeds; when the world is without the Dao 無道, the sage [merely] survives.

ZZ 6

The True Person of ancient times knew nothing of loving life, knew nothing of hating death. He emerged without delight; he went back in without a fuss. He came briskly, he went briskly, and that was all. He didn’t forget where he began; he didn’t try to find out where he would end. He received something and took pleasure in it; he forgot about it and handed it back again. This is what I call not using the mind to repel the Dao 損道, not using man to help out Heaven. This is what I call the True Person.

ZZ 6

The Dao has its reality and its signs but is without action or form.

– Therefore what has a form and acts is Not Dao?

ZZ 10

As long as men in high places covet knowledge and are without the Dao 無道, the world will be in great confusion.

ZZ 12

Without the Dao 非道 the body can have no life, and without Virtue, life can have no clarity. To preserve the body and live out life, to establish Virtue and make clear the Dao - is this not kingly Virtue?

ZZ 12

When the world has the Dao, he joins in the chorus with all other things. When the world is without the Dao 無道, he nurses his Virtue and retires in leisure.

ZZ 14

It is the Dao alone that never varies.

– Therefore, what varies is Not Dao?

ZZ 14

Lao Zi: “If the Dao could be presented, there is no man who would not present it to his ruler. If the Dao could be offered, there is no man who would not offer it to his parents. If the Dao could be reported, there is no man who would not report it to his brothers. If the Dao could be bequeathed, there is no man who would not bequeath it to his heirs. But it cannot - and for none other than the following reason. If there is no host on the inside to receive it, it will not stay; if there is no mark on the outside to guide it, it will not go. If what is brought forth from the inside is not received on the outside, then the sage will not bring it forth. If what is taken in from the outside is not received by a host on the inside, the sage will not entrust it.”

ZZ 14

Lao Zi: “… Get hold of the Dao and there’s nothing that can’t be done; lose it and there’s nothing that can be done.”

ZZ 16

From this we may see that the world has lost the Dao, and the Dao has lost the world; the world and the Dao have lost each other.

ZZ 17

From the point of view of the Dao, what is noble or what is mean? These are merely what are called endless changes. Do not hobble your will, or you will be departing far from the Dao!

ZZ 21

If men do not have the Way (無道), he has only to put on a straight face and they are enlightened.

ZZ 22

Look for it but it has no form, listen but it has no voice. Those who discourse upon it with other men speak of it as dark and mysterious. The Dao that is discoursed upon is not the Dao at all!

ZZ 31

The stranger then laughed and turned to go, saying as he walked away, “As far as benevolence goes, he is benevolent all right. But I’m afraid he will not escape unharmed. To weary the mind and wear out the body, putting the Truth in peril like this - alas, I’m afraid he is separated from the Great Dao by a vast distance indeed!”

ZZ 31

The Dao is the path by which the ten thousand things proceed. All things that lose it, die; all that get it, live. To go against it 逆 in one’s undertakings is to fail; to comply with it is to succeed.

ZZ 32

To dispense favors to men without ever forgetting that you are doing so - this is not Heaven’s Dao of giving.

HNZ (Huainanzi) 6

The Dao of Heaven is devoid of partiality in choosing and devoid of partiality in rejecting. Those who are capable have more than enough whilst the inept fall short of enough. Followers of Dao flourish whilst rebels [against it] come to grief.

– Thus what is partial is Not Dao?

HNZ 6

To fail to obtain Dao is like watching minnows. The Sage therefore is like a mirror, neither sending [things] away nor welcoming [things], responding but not storing. Thus, he undergoes Ten Thousand Changes without the slightest injury. He who [stops to think he] has obtained it (Dao) has just lost it; but he who [thinks he] has lost it, has he not just obtained it?

Guanzi: Nei Ye

Now the Dao is what fills the mind’s gestalt, but men cannot hold it in place.
Going, it may not return; coming, it may not stay.
…
That which is the Dao,
The mouth cannot express, the eye cannot see, and the ear cannot hear.
It is the means to cultivate the mind and rectify its gestalt.
Losing it, men die; having it, they live.
Losing it, undertakings fail; having it, they succeed.
…
That the Dao will naturally come
Is something you can count on and plan for.
If you are quiescent, you will obtain it.
If you move hastily, you will lose it.

Liezi 4

物自違道，道不違物。
“Things make themselves go counter to the Way, the Way does not go counter to things.” (Graham p. 91)

And here’s one more, from the Wenzi, chapter 5:

夫失道者，奢泰驕佚，慢倨矜傲，見餘自顯自明，執雄堅強，作難結怨，為兵主，為亂首

which Thomas Cleary translates as:

“Examples of losing the Way are extravagance, indulgence, complacency, pride, attention to the extraneous, self-display, self-glorification, competitiveness, forcefulness, making trouble, forming grudges, becoming commanders of armies, and becoming leaders of rebellions.” (p. 204)