“To lead the people, walk behind them.”

“The master leadsby emptying people's mindsand filling their cores,by weakening their ambitionand toughening their resolve.”

“Fill your bowl to the brimand it will spill.Keep sharpening your knifeand it will blunt.Chase after money and securityand your heart will never unclench.Care about people's approvaland you will be their prisoner. Do your work, then step back.The only path to serenity.”

“An ocean of ink in a single drop,Trembling at the tip of my brush.Poised above stark white paper,A universe waits for existence.”

“Perfection is the willingness to be imperfect.”

“He who knows the masculine but keeps to the feminine,Becomes the ravine of the world.Being the ravine of the world,He dwells in constant virtue,He returns to the state of the babe.He who knows the white but keeps to the black,Becomes the model of the world.Being the model of the world,He rests in constant virtue,He returns to the infinite.He who knows glory but keeps to disgrace,Becomes the valley of the world.Being the valley of the world,He finds contentment in constant virtue,He returns to the Uncarved Block.”

“Shape clay into a vessel;
It is the space within that makes it useful.
Cut doors and windows for a room;
It is the holes which make it useful.
Therefore benefit comes from what is there;
Usefulness from what is not there.”