How to Read “大道廃れて仁義あり”
Daidō sutarete jingi ari
Meaning of “大道廃れて仁義あり”
This proverb means “Because the original natural principles have been lost, artificial morals and rules have become necessary.”
In other words, in an ideal state, people should be able to live correctly naturally without needing to preach special morals, but because that ideal has collapsed, we now have to deliberately teach the morality of “benevolence and righteousness” – this is an expression filled with irony and lamentation. In modern terms, it’s used when lamenting that in a truly good society, everyone should be able to live naturally with compassion without creating many laws and regulations, but in reality, we can’t maintain order without establishing detailed rules. When using this proverb, it contains both feelings of longing for an ideal state and disappointment with reality.
Origin and Etymology
This proverb originates from the ancient Chinese philosophical text “Laozi.” Laozi was a philosopher from around the 6th century BCE and is considered the founder of Taoism.
In “Laozi,” there is a passage that reads “Great way abandoned then benevolence righteousness exist,” which was transmitted to Japan and became established as “Great way abandoned then benevolence righteousness exist.” In Laozi’s philosophy, “Great Way” refers to an ideal state of natural and non-interventionist governance. This is a state where society is in harmony following natural principles without relying on artificial rules or morals.
Laozi believed that originally, if there was the natural order of the “Great Way,” people could live correctly naturally without receiving special moral education. However, when that ideal state is lost, artificial moral concepts of “benevolence and righteousness” become necessary to guide people to the right path – this was Laozi’s lament.
This proverb, with Laozi’s philosophy of “non-action and naturalness” as its background, took root in Japan as a profound philosophical expression representing the gap between ideals and reality.
Usage Examples
- In the past, neighbors naturally helped each other, but now we have to create community rulebooks – it’s truly “Great way abandoned then benevolence righteousness exist”
- A truly good company should be able to get by with minimal work regulations, but looking at our company’s thick manual gives me the feeling of “Great way abandoned then benevolence righteousness exist”
Modern Interpretation
In modern society, the meaning of this proverb has become more relatable. With the advancement of the information society, we are surrounded by countless rules, regulations, and manuals.
For example, let’s look at the world of the internet. In early internet society, users naturally communicated with consideration for each other based only on the implicit understanding of “netiquette.” However, now social media terms of service span dozens of pages, and detailed rules such as guidelines for preventing online harassment and harassment prevention regulations are being created one after another.
The same is true in the corporate world. What used to be summed up in one phrase – “the foundation of business is trust relationships” – is now surrounded by vast legal regulations including compliance regulations, personal information protection laws, and work style reform-related laws.
Even in educational settings, what used to be covered by the simple teaching “respect your teachers and cherish your friends” now requires bullying prevention promotion laws and detailed student guidance manuals.
These phenomena can be said to be the modern version of “Great way abandoned then benevolence righteousness exist.” They represent the reality that rules that should be unnecessary if we had natural human compassion and common sense have become necessary due to the increasing complexity of society.
When AI Hears This
Looking at modern society, we’re surrounded by systems designed to institutionalize “righteousness” – compliance training, ethical codes, CSR initiatives. Yet from Laozi’s perspective, these are ironically proof that “the great Way has been abandoned.”
Originally, if humans naturally possessed compassion and sincerity, there would be no need to loudly proclaim “benevolence and righteousness.” Just as parents don’t need a love manual to care for their children, true ethics were meant to spring naturally from within. But in our modern world, we’ve created a paradox where the more companies advertise “we are ethical,” the more suspicion they actually generate.
In fact, major corporations with the most rigorous compliance systems seem to have the most scandals. This happens because externally imposed standards create a psychology of looking for loopholes or settling for superficial adherence. Meanwhile, people who rely on their own conscience rather than institutional rules often end up making more genuinely ethical choices.
What Laozi suggests is that the real solution isn’t adding more rules, but recovering humanity’s original natural goodness. Our modern compliance-driven society might represent the ultimate expression of “artificial virtue” – the very opposite of what he advocated.
Lessons for Today
What this proverb teaches us modern people is the importance of not losing sight of the “essence” beyond rules and systems.
Certainly, various regulations and manuals have become necessary in modern society. But these are merely means, not ends. What’s truly important is why those rules were created – the heart of compassion and consideration behind them.
For example, workplace harassment prevention regulations are not simply rules to be followed, but born from the desire to create an environment where everyone can work comfortably. Social media terms of service are also expressions of the desire to maintain a space where people can respect each other.
In your daily life, try thinking about “why this rule exists.” And sometimes, try showing natural kindness that goes beyond rules. When extending a helping hand to someone in trouble, act not because it’s mandated by regulations, but from the pure feeling of “wanting to help.” In such moments, we might be able to feel a glimpse of the “Great Way.”
Precisely because we live in a complex modern age, we want to cherish simple sincerity.
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