Taoists on the Virtue of Water

The virtue of water is its nature. What is the nature of water? According to the Yin Fu Jing texts: "Water is soft and formless, endless in its flow, expanding and contracting as it wills, returning to calm after agitation, receiving without being damaged, breaking without shattering, entering and exiting within intervals, transforming its form infinitely. Thus, it is close to the virtue of the Dao, capable of absorbing and influencing the spirit of people."

Furthermore, in the chapter on Water within the Five Elements section of the Yin Fu Jing, it states: "When it contains fire, it boils and rises, overcoming fire and taking on the nature of fire; when it contains earth, it forms rivers and seas, giving birth to all things, mixing with the nature of earth; when it resembles metal, it becomes hard ice and strengthens the world, condensing cold to define its nature; when it resembles wood, it increases daily through wind and snow, with water flourishing and bringing forth life."

It also says: "When the flood waters rise to the heavens, they submerge all things. Fine sand enters but does not contend with them. Understanding this, one can perceive the hardness and softness of water."

Thus, the realization is:

Rivers and streams contain things, yet they are not like the multitude in the sea. Why? Because the sea is vast and deep. Therefore, learning from rivers and streams is not as effective as learning from the deep sea.

The sea, though having terrifying waves and undercurrents, appears calm in its essence.

The way of the Great Circulation is similar to water: heated, it rises to the sky, forms clouds, and rains down; it flows through rivers and returns, circulating endlessly, generating life without ceasing.

Rain moistens all things; the place of life and death within it relies entirely on the work of thunder.

The highest good is like water; it should combine hardness and softness. Without this, it is insufficient.

Shallow water is green, deep water is blue, and at night it is black; these are all the colors of water.

With calm qi and settled spirit, like water still as a mirror, it can reflect all things; if disturbed, it cannot.