Talk:Wu wei

reduction

I would intend to ultimately reduce the details of this article, in particular in relation to Legalism, but it's details would essentially be consolidated for the Legalism page first. One can request a priority for this article as desired. Then there are other practical commentaries that could be added. In terms of other materials, I have less thought of at the moment.FourLights (talk) 14:31, 5 March 2024 (UTC)

Anyway, I put an earlier origin for it as an idea in the classic of poetry, I'm sure that will make everyone happy, let me know if you'd like me to prioritize anything over my own normal activities, or put more effort into dating the Laozi or something like that, which I had already put in the Laozi page, it's not like I didn't already talk about that to some extent. There is always work to be done.FourLights (talk) 15:22, 5 March 2024 (UTC)

Although I am an active worker, which can include the considerably more intensive work of reorganizing and simplifying this page, I should at least be able to put together a brief section on the classic of poetry before that is done; I am not actually sure I would have much commentary for it as this time. Otherwise, I should also put together a section on the Laozi and Zhuangzi.FourLights (talk) 16:35, 5 March 2024 (UTC)

If you'd like help particularly with the Zhuangzi part, that's definitely an article where I feel like I can almost approach your level of diligent research. :) Remsense诉 14:19, 6 March 2024 (UTC)

I will prioritize that, but it will mean less work on reducing the rest.FourLights (talk) 15:59, 6 March 2024 (UTC)

Oh, take your time! Just poke me when you get around to it, I've got plenty of plates in the air myself. Remsense诉 16:00, 6 March 2024 (UTC)

I will be busy with work the next couple days, but I will still write this. How quickly I would find additional source commentaries on the wuwei of the Zhuangzi is another question.FourLights (talk) 18:56, 7 March 2024 (UTC)

You're just looking for sources about the treatment of wu wei in the Zhuangzi? I can put together a list for you if you'd like/ Remsense诉 19:31, 7 March 2024 (UTC)

That would be helpful, since that is what you requested a project on to start.FourLights (talk) 01:49, 10 March 2024 (UTC)

Edward Stringerland has some material on a parable from the Zhuangzi I can use to write about Wu Wei. It will be very difficult.FourLights (talk) 09:14, 23 April 2024 (UTC)

It seems the article is trying hard to elaborate the wu wei concept as in Confuciansim, Daosim, and Legalism with quite some technical details. However it does not spell out the distinctions between the several schools of thought with accessible language. I would like to spend some time verify the sources and highlight the distinctive perspective of each school, in their interpretation of wu wei and approaches to governance. Starting with Confucianism and Legalism. TheIntrospectorsfacts (talk) 17:16, 19 July 2025 (UTC)

There are no schools called Daoist or Legalist in the Warring States period unless it's Han Fei in reference to Shang Yang. There were people who had concepts of fa and dao.FourLights (talk) 09:49, 11 October 2025 (UTC)

I have more Shen Buhai commentaries on the Legalism page I haven't sorted into other places and could probably source more Laozi commentary. I'd have to repair this page first.FourLights (talk) 10:09, 11 October 2025 (UTC)

page repair

I will attempt to repair the page, tighten up writing and scholarship, add new scholarship.FourLights (talk) 19:06, 25 December 2024 (UTC)

Before I continue, I'm hoping a bot does some reference cleaning so I don't have to do it.FourLights (talk) 06:16, 29 December 2024 (UTC)

I am not a bot, but I have done some reference cleaning The long-form reference for Fung (1948) is missing – if you know which book this is could you add it to the bibliography? Thanks, Wham2001 (talk) 19:45, 29 December 2024 (UTC)

Yes. I am also seeing if you have any input. I don't need to bother everyone for input at this time. I have only just started reviewing the page.FourLights (talk) 22:03, 29 December 2024 (UTC)

I can make a wu wei section for the huainanzi. In the past I took the approach of covering maximum content But as long as I mention the huainanzi I could just leave it on the huainanzi page and shrink this page. Unless people think I should cover the huainanzi here.FourLights (talk) 22:24, 29 December 2024 (UTC)

too lazy Wu wei

too lazy to edit but ain't wu wei dictionary definitions at best a literal "devoid of an act/make/do/be"? i mean like 無為 isn't even attested as a combo in old chinese... just reminds me of "without a cause" like rebel without a cause. Picklesauce69420 (talk) 19:57, 18 January 2025 (UTC)

Not sure what you mean by "not attested as a combo"—unless by "Old Chinese" you mean Pre-Classical Chinese, since it's all over the Chinese classics. Remsense ‥ 论 20:04, 18 January 2025 (UTC)

Junked lede

You cannot use translation of original source for lede. I could just as well come up with a different translation from a decent scholar. If you were using author commentaries, that would be another matter, this document is nothing but translations. I don't necessarily object to using original sources themselves, but I at least involve some kind of interpreter.FourLights (talk) 09:50, 11 October 2025 (UTC)

I won't remove it for the time being if no one else does, but I will try to find a source even if it's the Oxford. It will have to conform with whatever the source says. The original source (the daodejing) can be combined into a source to the primary even though it wouldn't typically be the case.FourLights (talk) 12:18, 11 October 2025 (UTC)