Asian Philosophy

As a concept, "Wu-wei' literally means 'in the absence of/without doing exertion,' and is often translated as 'doing nothing' or 'non-action'." (Slingerland, 2003) But this definition refers to the mind of the person involved, not the actual action taking place. The actor's mental state, or spiritual state, is the focus of "Wu-wei," and since it does not limit itself to the actual action taking place, anyone can strive to achive "Wu-wei." All one must do is dedicate oneself to attaining a state of "personal harmony in which actions flow freely and instantly from one's spontaneous inclinations-without the need for extended deliberation or inner struggle…." (Slingerland, 2003) And while this has traditionally been accepted by Western researchers as the goal of the Chinese governmental relationship with its people, it also extends outside the realm of government and into the lives of individual people. It is believed that the concept...
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