promote virtue?
in Lao Tzu's eyes, upper virtue is not moral, upper virtue is inaction.
Those who truly possess virtue do not realize that their behavior conforms to virtue. All his actions are from his own heart, neither for others nor for himself.
The good things he does, like breathing and drinking water, are natural and do not need a reason. In the eyes of others, these behaviors are like natural existence, without affectation.
However, when a person realizes that his behavior conforms to "virtue", his virtue has deteriorated.
Because at this time, he brings "purposefulness" into it, and this "virtue" is no longer a "virtue" without desire, but an intentional act.
Advocating virtue means the lack of virtue in the current environment.
The more it is lacking, the more it needs to be emphasized. The more obvious the lack of "virtue" is, the more people should advocate it.
However, this emphasis on the process itself, but also to the gradual loss of virtue. When a person begins to deliberately promote virtue, his virtue loses its essence.
It's like a cat hanging a bell to find a mouse. In the end, De is no longer "De", but "Ren" instead ".