On The Doctrine Of ’for Belly Instead Of For Sight’ In Daodejing

This essay is meant to solve why Laozi choose the path for belly but not for sight in the twelfth chapter of Daodejing by analyzing the annotations of this chapter and the the whole texts of Daodejing.In the aspects of virtue cultivation, the path for belly means advocating the principle of merciful love. The principle of merciful love overcomes the disadvantage of the principle of benevolence. The principle of merciful love is based on the principle of Dao. The value of practicing the principle of merciful love is confirmed through the concrete process of such practice, but not through emphasizing the self-value of the practitioners. In the concrete practice process, the principle of merciful love is practiced in the way of inaction. The way of inaction avoids oppressing others and respects others’will and value. Therefore, the principle of merciful love is also grounded on the principle of tolerance.In the aspects of states governing, the path for belly means that the goal of politics is to enable everybody becomes himself and to preserve its citizens’ own virtue of simplicity. In the concrete practice processing, the path for belly means making its citizens simple and ignorant instead of governing them through punishment and award. The goal of the governors is not to seek power and benefits, but to love and settle its citizens. Therefore Laozi advocates the rule of harmony but not the rule of law in political practice.