一孔录The video for this chapter is still in production. For now this page gives the original text, the facsimile page, a working translation and the commentary; the full reading follows when the video is out.
載營魄抱一，能無離乎？專氣致柔，能嬰兒乎？滌除玄覽，能無疵乎？愛民治國，能無知乎？天門開闔，能無雌乎？明白四達，能無為乎？生之畜之，生而不有，為而不恃，長而不宰，是謂玄德。Carrying the soul and embracing the One, can you keep them from parting? Concentrating your breath to reach softness, can you be like an infant? Cleansing the dark mirror, can you leave no flaw? Loving the people and governing the state, can you do without cunning? As heaven's gate opens and closes, can you play the female? Clear and bright in every direction, can you do without contrivance? It gives life and rears them; gives life but does not possess, acts but does not rely on it, raises them but does not rule them. This is called dark virtue.
What this chapter says
一孔按：管自己，像婴儿那样不图什么；管别人，少用机巧，让别人先动；事情成了，别让人知道是你做的。常有人问“大人，还能柔回婴儿吗”，上面是一孔录的回答。
Yikonglu's reading of this chapter is in Chinese for now; the English version comes with the video.
白Plain Chinese
魂魄合一，抱守着一，能不分离吗？专守本然之气，达到柔和，能像婴儿一样吗？清除杂念、照见幽深，能没有瑕疵吗？爱护百姓、治理国家，能不用机巧之知吗？天门一开一合之间，能守住雌柔吗？明白通达四方，能不妄为吗？生养万物，畜养万物，生养而不占有，作为而不倚仗，作万物之长而不主宰，这叫作玄德。
Draft plain-Chinese rendering following Wang Bi; it will be checked when the chapter is taught.
⇢Reading routes through this chapter
看Watch this chapter
The video for this chapter is in production and will appear here. Follow Yikonglu to see it first:YouTubeBilibili
Found an error in this chapter? Email us; once checked, it goes on the errata page under your username: 
