Chapter 14
The adept practitioners of ancient times were subtle, mysterious, and profoundly connected - so deep they could not be fathomed.
Precisely because they cannot be fathomed, we can only make an effort to describe their appearance.
Cautious, as if crossing a river in winter; vigilant, as if wary of neighbors on all sides; dignified, as if a formal guest; yielding, as if ice about to melt; simple, as if uncarved wood; expansive, as if a valley; murky, as if turbid water. Who can, through stillness, gradually clarify the turbid?
Who can, through prolonged stillness, gradually stir into life?
Those who preserve this Way do not seek fullness.
Precisely because they do not seek fullness, they can remain worn and not need to be made new.