The word "being as good as water" comes from the first sentence in Chapter 8 of Laozi's Tao Te Ching. "Being as good as water is good for everything without contending …" Literally, it means that the character of the best person, like water, can nourish and benefit everything without contending with everything. When it comes to the ideological significance involved, it is even more necessary to explain.

Laozi said: "goodness is like water, and water is the goodness of all things." This is the virtue of modesty. " Therefore, Jiang Hai can be the king of all the valleys. If he is good at it, he can be the king of all the valleys. The water in the world is not weak, and the strong can't win. This is a gentle virtue; Therefore, softness wins, and weakness wins. Because it has nothing, it can enter nothing, which shows that the teaching without words is also beneficial to inaction. "

He thinks that people who do good deeds should be like water. Water benefits and nourishes everything, but it does not compete with everything. This is the most modest virtue. Jianghai can be the destination of all rivers because he is good at being in the downstream position, so he becomes the king of the hundred valleys.

The softest thing in the world is water, but it can penetrate the hardest thing, and nothing can surpass it, such as dripping water wears away a stone. This is where Rudd lies. Therefore, the weak can defeat the strong, and the soft can defeat the strong.

Invisible things can enter things seamlessly, from which we know the teaching of "quietness" and the benefits of "inaction"

Laozi also said: "Because there is no dispute, the world can't compete with it. This is an imitation of water morality. Water is more than road; Road is everywhere, and water has no disadvantages. It has never been reversed, and it is not bad. The empty place is quiet and unfathomable. Goodness is deep; Losses are inexhaustible, efforts are unrequited, and kindness is also benevolent; ……..。

"Tao" is the general source of all things in the world, something that exists before concrete things, and also the basic law and origin of things. Therefore, "Tao" is something that each of us should know and understand. The virtue of water is closest to Tao, and Tao is everywhere. So there is no harm in water. It avoids heights and goes down, so it won't be blocked. It can flow anywhere, nourish everything and wash away dirt. It is in a deep pool, with a clear and calm surface, but unfathomable. It continuously benefits all things and asks for nothing in return. Such virtue, even benevolence, is the best.

The meaning of "carrying things by virtue"

"Virtue carries things" comes from Zhouyi: "A gentleman carries things with virtue." That is to say, cultivating students with high morality and profound knowledge is now used. Tsinghua University's school motto is "strive for self-improvement, be virtuous and carry things". References:

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