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Man at his birth is supple and weak; at his death, firm and strong.

β€” Laozi

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A young bamboo shoot growing among mature bamboo in soft morning light.
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What does this quotation mean?

The chapter associates living things with suppleness rather than rigidity.

Sources and attribution

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Source: The Tao Teh King , Chapter 76

Edition: James Legge translation Β· Translated by James Legge

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From The Tao Teh King

Excerpt checked against the linked public-domain English edition. Korean rendering and context note by Quotations; not an authorized translation. Historical punctuation is retained; line breaks and editorial footnote markers are normalized.

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