(Translated by Sherwin Lu)

The Yellow Emperor asks Li Hei: The Dah Ting tribe won all under heaven and obtained their necessities from the earth though they did not care about telling between Yin and Yang, or counting dates and months, or recording information about the change of seasons. How did they manage it?

Li Hei replies: The Dah Ting tribe won all under heaven because they did not have excessive desires, nor force their will on anything or anyone but took the Yin attitude towards all people and things and let them take their natural courses; because they were gentle, humble, respectful, and self-restrained, never striking the first blow at anyone; because they won trust from all under heaven by their just and benevolent management of public affairs and cherished all peoples with fraternal kindness; because they conscientiously guarded against aggressiveness or taking advantage of others.

They dedicated themselves to no other objectives but the one supreme principle of the Tao and kept guarding their souls against other temptations. They adopted the Yin approach and always stayed in the defensive position. They strived for a morally just order and preferred that to scramble for gains. Their basic principle was never to take the offensive. Their actions never made a show of their strength. They were committed to the defensive principle and held this position with determination and patience, never striking back till their enemy was entrapped in an impasse by their own aggressiveness. In this way, their people would not slack off in times of hardship, nor give up when in want of basic need, nor regret when risking their lives.

They took care not to pauperize the people, not to initiate a war, not to instigate troubles, not to offend popular feelings, not to conspire against others, not to make arbitrary conclusions or nourish groundless suspicions, not to covet others’ territory or property.

They took care to keep their people at ease in order for Heaven and Earth to take their natural courses. They never ventured to force their own will but stay ready for the moment when the counter forces got into trouble. Anyone who covet other states’ territory and exploit their resources would be punished by Heaven sooner or later and the Dah Ting people would act as Heaven’s punishing hand at the proper time, that is, when their enemy’s evildoings started to backfire on themselves.

In this way, the Dah Ting tribe were sure to win the hearts of those peoples they have helped and would not lose the land they had obtained from their enemy. They did not only help others with their military accomplishments but also benefited themselves. They won universal support at little expense. That is because they had followed the Tao of Heaven.