Chapter 80: Simple Living (第80章：獨立)

小國寡民。使有什伯之器而不用；
使民重死而不遠徙。
雖有舟輿，無所乘之；雖有甲兵，無所陳之。
使人復結繩而用之。
甘其食，美其服，安其居，樂其俗。
鄰國相望，雞犬之聲相聞，民至老死，不相往來。
☸

Translation

Let the kingdom be small and the people few.
Though they have tools that work ten or a hundred times faster, they do not use them.
Let the people value their lives and not travel far.

Though they have boats and carriages, they have no reason to ride them.
Though they have armor and weapons, they have no reason to display them.
Let the people return to using knotted ropes for records.

They find their simple food sweet, their plain clothes beautiful,
Their simple homes peaceful, and their plain customs joyful.

Neighboring kingdoms may be in sight, and the sounds of their roosters and dogs heard,
Yet the people will grow old and die without ever having visited them.

✦ ◆ ✦

📜 Liuren Perspective

This chapter describes the Internal Altar (心壇) of the practitioner. The "Small Kingdom" (小國) is the state of being content with one's own internal cultivation and lineage. We have powerful "tools" (Wicha/Magical arts), but we do not use them for show or out of restless curiosity.

"Knotted ropes" (結繩) refers to returning to the most basic, foundational methods of the lineage. We do not need the "boats and carriages" of complex, modern magical trends. We find "sweetness" in our simple daily offerings and "joy" in the traditional customs of the Immortal Master.

"Not visiting neighbors" is a metaphor for Non-comparison. A practitioner should not constantly look at other lineages or other masters' lives. By staying centered in their own "Kingdom," they preserve their Qi and De. This is the path of "Independent Integrity" (獨立).

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