For other uses, see Wuwei (disambiguation) and Wu Wei (disambiguation).
This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these template messages)
This article may be too technical for most readers to understand. Please help improve it to make it understandable to non-experts, without removing the technical details.(January 2024) (Learn how and when to remove this message)
This article may contain an excessive amount of intricate detail that may interest only a particular audience. Please help by spinning off or relocating any relevant information, and removing excessive detail that may be against Wikipedia's inclusion policy.(January 2024) (Learn how and when to remove this message)
(Learn how and when to remove this message)
Wu wei
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese
無為
Simplified Chinese
无为
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyin
wúwéi
Wade–Giles
wu2-wei2
IPA
[ǔ.wěɪ]
Yue: Cantonese
Yale Romanization
mòuhwàih
Jyutping
mou4-wai4
IPA
[mou˩.wɐi˩]
Vietnamese name
Vietnamese
vô vi
Korean name
Hangul
무위
Hanja
無爲
Transcriptions
Revised Romanization
muwi
Japanese name
Kanji
無為
Hiragana
むい
Transcriptions
Revised Hepburn
mui
Wu wei (simplified Chinese: 无为; traditional Chinese: 無為; pinyin: wúwéi) is an ancient Chinese concept literally meaning "inexertion", "inaction", or "effortless action".[a][1][2]Wu wei emerged in the Spring and Autumn period. With early literary examples, as an idea, in the Classic of Poetry,[3] it becomes an important concept in the Confucian Analects,[4] Chinese statecraft,[5] and Daoism. It was most commonly used to refer to an ideal form of government,[6] including the behavior of the emperor, describing a state of personal harmony, free-flowing spontaneity and laissez-faire. It generally denotes a state of spirit or state of mind, and in Confucianism, accords with conventional morality.
Sinologist Jean François Billeter describes wu-wei as a "state of perfect knowledge of the reality of the situation, perfect efficaciousness and the realization of a perfect economy of energy", which Edward Slingerland qualifies in practice as a "set of ('transformed') dispositions (including physical bearing)... conforming with the normative order".[7]
Wu Wei is the main principle of Dao philosophy, which speaks of the importance of achieving the Dao or the Natural Way in all actions and development of things. Without forcing or rushing against the natural order of things to avoid false development and mistakes. The philosophy of Dao, 'Dao Jia' and the religion of Dao, 'Dao Jiao' are two different things. For example, in the philosophy of Dao, 'Dao Jia' there is no mysticism and belief in ghosts and evil spirits.
The founder of Dao philosophy, Lao Zi, successfully founded his philosophical school with the manuscript 'Dao De Jing', 'Treatise on Morals'. In addition, to achieve the state of Dao, the followers were required to perform certain physical exercises. Later, during the Warring States era, professional warriors used Wu Wei as the primary guide for their training and fighting methods and created Wu Wei Martial Arts. At that harsh time, among the best ancient martial arts schools, the Wu Wei school had an undeniable reputation. The core fighting skill of Wu Wei Martial Arts is the skill of the rolling power, 'Hun Yuan Gong'. According to ancient tradition, the name of that combat system was most often known as Wuweimen, 'Gates to Wu Wei'.
Cite error: There are <ref group=lower-alpha> tags or {{efn}} templates on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist|group=lower-alpha}} template or {{notelist}} template (see the help page).
^Slingerland (2007), p. 7
^Tierney, John (2014-12-15). "A Meditation on the Art of Not Trying". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-12-07.
^Stringerland 2007 p39,40
^Stringerland 2007 p43
Creel 1970 p59,78
^Ivanhoe, Philip J.; Van Norden, Bryan W. (2005). Readings in Classical Chinese Philosophy (2nd ed.). Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Company. p. 2. ISBN 0-87220-781-1. OCLC 60826646.
Wuwei (simplified Chinese: 无为; traditional Chinese: 無為; pinyin: wúwéi) is an ancient Chinese concept literally meaning "inexertion", "inaction", or "effortless...
regard to virtue, it has otherwise prior been argued that he considers wu-wei, or nonaction, it's essence, as an otherwise predominant focus for him....
established the state of Cao Wei. Sun Quan agreed to submit to Wei and was granted the title of a vassal king, "King of Wu" (吳王), by Cao Pi. A year later...
forebear, Creel believed that Shen Buhai's correlation between an inactive (Wu-wei) ruler, and a handling of claims and titles likely informed the Daoist conception...
Wei (Hanzi: 魏; pinyin: Wèi < Middle Chinese: *ŋjweiC < Eastern Han Chinese: *ŋuiC) (220–266), known as Cao Wei (曹魏) or Former Wei in historiography, was...
return to. The term wuwei constitutes the leading ethical concept in Taoism. Wei refers to any intentional or deliberated action, while wu carries the meaning...
sharpen the point. Wuwei, literally 'non-action' or 'not acting', is a central concept of the Tao Te Ching. The concept of wuwei is multifaceted, and...
The Three Kingdoms of Cao Wei, Shu Han, and Eastern Wu dominated China from 220 to 280 AD following the end of the Han dynasty. This period was preceded...
emperor of the state of Cao Wei, to abdicate to him. He reigned from 266 to 290, and after conquering the state of Eastern Wu in 280, was the emperor of...
Jiao and Empress Wei Zifu were the only two empresses during Emperor Wu's reign. Emperor Wu did not make anyone empress after Empress Wei Zifu committed...
kin of Emperor Wu of Han as the younger half-brother of Emperor Wu's wife Empress Wei Zifu, and later the third husband of Emperor Wu's older sister Eldest...
offerings that Wu Weiliang and Wu Huaiyun had made and then blaming them for the death of the Lady of Wei. At Empress Wu command, Wu Weiliang and Wu Huaiyun...
mainly planted in China is "Hong-zhen-zhu". This cultivar is next to "Bai Wu-wei-zi", "Chang-bai-hong", and "Da-chuan-hong" one of the main cultivars in...
sharpen the point. Wuwei, literally 'non-action' or 'not acting', is a central concept of the Tao Te Ching. The concept of wuwei is multifaceted, and...
posthumously known as Empress Si of the Filial Wu (Chinese: 孝武思皇后; pinyin: Xiàowǔ Sī Huánghòu) or Wei Si Hou (衛思后, "Wei the Thoughtful Empress"), was an empress...
WeiWei may refer to: WeiWei (male writer) (1920–2008), Chinese writer WeiWei (actress) (1922–2023), Chinese actress WeiWei (singer) (born 1963), Chinese...
Interview with SMZB Frontman WuWei". Under the Wall. Retrieved 2023-05-13. The Guardian interviews WuWei An Interview with WuWei (2014) SMZB on their new...
between wu (void or emptiness, in the sense of wuji) and the natural, dynamic balance between opposites, leading to its central principle of wuwei (inaction...
equanimity, and thus the appropriate reaction. He reacts with wuwei (Chinese: 無爲; pinyin: wúwéi; i.e. 'not intervening', 'not acting') but this term should...
Global Information
