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Taoism & Chinese Folk Religion · Taoist Classics

Tao Te Ching 18

18

Taoism & Chinese Folk Religion · Taoist Classics

Tao Te Ching 18

LeggeEnglish
ChineseChinese
When the Great Tao (Way or Method) ceased to be observed, benevolence and righteousness came into vogue. (Then) appeared wisdom and shrewdness, and there ensued great hypocrisy.
大道廢,有仁義;智慧出,有大偽;六親不和,有孝慈;國家昏亂,有忠臣。
When harmony no longer prevailed throughout the six kinships, filial sons found their manifestation; when the states and clans fell into disorder, loyal ministers appeared.
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Tao Te Ching 17Tao Te Ching 19
Sources & credits: Legge · Chinese

Legge — Tao Te Ching (James Legge) (1891). Public Domain. Translated by James Legge (1891), public domain; Project Gutenberg #216. Source

Chinese — 道德經 (Classical Chinese) (c. 4th century BCE). Public Domain. Chinese text, Project Gutenberg #24039, public domain. Source