Man, when living, is soft and tender; when dead, he is hard and tough. All animals and plants when living are tender and delicate; when dead they become withered and dry. Therefore it is said: the hard and tough are parts of death; the soft and tender are parts of life.

Embrace simplicity. Put others first. Desire little.

The more you know the less you understand.

For all things difficult to acquire, the intelligent man works with perseverance.

Life and death are one thread.

Misfortune is the root of good fortune; good fortune gives birth to misfortune.

The Tao is always at ease. It overcomes without competing, answers without speaking a word, arrives without being summoned, accomplishes without a plan. Its net covers the whole universe. And though its meshes are wide, it doesn't let a thing slip through.