This English version was translated from the Chinese original with AI assistance. The Chinese text is authoritative.
Zhang Fuzhang, a Taiwanese expert on Chinese characters, explains the characters 道 (dào, “the Dao”) and 德 (dé, “virtue”) as follows:
III. Act according to the Dao and virtue, and body and mind will be healthyIf there is no concept of the divine in one’s thinking, one’s conduct cannot be called 德. 德 implies “outwardly benefiting others, inwardly benefiting oneself”: that is, acting in accordance with the will of heaven, so that others benefit and one benefits oneself as well. The ancients valued the Dao and virtue; one who succeeded in seeking the Dao was called a “true person” (真人). The ancients wisely taught us how to treat our “enemies”; an old saying goes: “Repay resentment with virtue.” Once you understand the meaning of Chinese characters, you know that he or she has come to help you improve. If you act according to the Dao and virtue, you will certainly be able to calm down, and you will certainly have a life healthy in body and mind.
