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ON EMPTY AND FULL






According to Dao, yin and yang represent, among others, Emptiness and fullness respectively. Heaven and earth, through their integration, represent space and time. Space, being alive, is associated with heaven.
Just as one should aspire to a balance between yin and yang, so too should balance be sought between emptiness and fullness. An expression of the dichotomy between the Empty and the full can be found in several Chinese idioms, just as it is found in Chinese painting, sculpture and architecture. Opposite fullness, emptiness is a living form of being, full of promise of creation and renewal, and these two elements interpenetrate.


*
(sān
) (shí) ()(gòng) () ()  (dāng)  ()()(yǒu) (chē) (zhī) (yòng)
(shān)  (zhí) () (wéi) ()(dāng) () ()有器(yǒuqì) (zhī) (yòng)
(záo) () (yǒu) () (wéi) (shì)(dāng) ()()(yǒu) (shì) (zhī) (yòng)
() (yǒu) (zhī) () (wéi) ()() (zhī) () (wéi)(yòng)

Thirty spokes are connected to one hub in order to create a wheel, but it is the Empty Space on which the use of the vehicle depends.
By mixing clay with water a vessel is created, but it is the empty space on which the use of the vessel depends.
Openings of doors and windows gape [in the wall] in order to create a room, but it is the empty space on which the use of the room depends.
Therefore, the utility of what there is depends on what there is not.


Dao De Jing, 11


This post first appeared on Chinese Idioms And Sayings, please read the originial post: here

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ON EMPTY AND FULL

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