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"There was some process that formed spontaneously Emerging before the heavens and the earth. Silent and empty, Standing alone as all that is, it does not suffer alteration. [All pervading, it does not pause.] It can be thought of as the mother of the heavens and the earth. I do not yet know its name (ming). If I were to style it, I would call it way-making (dao). And if forced to give it a name, I would call it grand. Being grand, it is called passing, Passing, it is called distancing. Distancing, it is called returning. Way-making is grand, The heavens (tian) are grand, The earth is grand, And the king is also grand. Within our territories There are four “grandees” And the king occupies one of them. Human beings emulate the earth, The earth emulates the heavens, The heavens emulate way-making, And way-making emulates what is spontaneously so (ziran)."