<p>There are two schools about &quot;無為(inaction/do nothing)&quot; in Chinese culture:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Taoism - 道家思想, 指要依天命,  顺其自然, 没必要有所作为 - The Daoist doctrine of inaction, letting things take their own course.</p>
</li>
<li><p>Confusism - 儒家指掌政者應無為而治, 用德政感化人民. (此處&quot;無為&quot;指不增添擾民苛/鎖政) - The Confucian doctrine of inaction, the government should not burden the people (under its ruling) with tedious unreasonable policies.</p>
</li>
</ol>
<p>Note:  &quot;为&quot;字，古代与&quot;伪&quot;相通。&quot;无为&quot;即&quot;无伪&quot;。伪字主要有两个含义：&quot;人为&quot;和&quot;虚假&quot;。https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%97%A0%E4%B8%BA_(%E9%81%93%E5%AE%B6)#</p>

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2024-02-13T18:45:10.693Z
2024-02-13T19:01:19.950Z
2024-02-13T19:01:19.950Z
r13
<p>I’m very curious 無為 should be translated. I recently heard that the usage of the word was “fake” at the time of writing the Daodejing</p>

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2024-02-13T05:05:09.267Z
What you are saying is partially correct ([段玉裁《说文解字注》](https://ctext.org/wiki.pl?if=gb&chapter=719694): 經傳多假為為偽), but at least for Daodejing I have never heard of a serious attempt to explain 無為 as 無偽.
user2249675
<translation>
Classical meaning of 為 at the time of the Daodejing
# Classical meaning of 為 at the time of the Daodejing

(Asked by: username_0 on 2024-02-13)

I’m very curious 無為 should be translated. I recently heard that the usage of the word was “fake” at the time of writing the Daodejing

**Tags:** translation
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: What you are saying is partially correct ([段玉裁《说文解字注》](https://ctext.org/wiki.pl?if=gb&chapter=719694): 經傳多假為為偽), but at least for Daodejing I have never heard of a serious attempt to explain 無為 as 無偽.  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2024-02-13. Score: 0

There are two schools about "無為(inaction/do nothing)" in Chinese culture:

1. Taoism - 道家思想, 指要依天命, 顺其自然, 没必要有所作为 - The Daoist doctrine of inaction, letting things take their own course.
2. Confusism - 儒家指掌政者應無為而治, 用德政感化人民. (此處"無為"指不增添擾民苛/鎖政) - The Confucian doctrine of inaction, the government should not burden the people (under its ruling) with tedious unreasonable policies.

Note: "为"字，古代与"伪"相通。"无为"即"无伪"。伪字主要有两个含义："人为"和"虚假"。https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%97%A0%E4%B8%BA\_(%E9%81%93%E5%AE%B6)#


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