# Chapter XX explained — Tao Te Ching

> Chapter companion for Tao Te Ching by Laozi.

## What happens

The chapter contrasts the conventional pursuit of knowledge and social approval with the Taoist ideal of simplicity, stillness, and non-action. The sage appears foolish and listless compared to the bustling multitude, yet alone values the 'nursing-mother'—the Tao.

## Themes in this chapter

### Wu Wei (Non-Action or Effortless Action)

The sage's listlessness and lack of striving contrast with the active, discriminating multitude.

### Simplicity and Humility

The sage appears foolish, dull, and lost, yet values the Tao above all.

## Character check-ins

### Laozi

First-person voice of the chapter, describing his own detachment and contrast with ordinary people.

## Key lines

> When we renounce learning we have no troubles.

If we abandon the pursuit of conventional knowledge, we are free from anxiety.

_Opening line establishing the theme of rejecting learned distinctions._

> I alone am different from other men, but I value the nursing-mother (the Tao).

I stand apart from everyone else because I cherish the Tao as my source and sustenance.

_Concluding contrast between the sage's unique priority and the world's concerns._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/tao_te_ching_se/chapters/part-i-xx
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/tao_te_ching_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/tao_te_ching_se/chapters