How the Tao Te Ching taught me to focus on small, simple, attainable things

The Tao Te Ching (circa 4th century BC and later), traditionally attributed to legendary sage Lao Tzu, is the foundational text of Taoism, as well as one of the world’s most important works of philosophy. Sarah Greene, Belgium-born founder and director of Sheung Wan independent art space Blue Lotus Gallery, explains how it changed her life.

It is a text written over 2,000 years ago that had a transformative power over me. I was introduced to it while studying classical Chinese at the University of Ghent, in Belgium, as part of my master’s degree in Asian studies.

The Tao Te Ching is a profound ancient Chinese text. It presents the concept of the Tao, which is the fundamental force underlying all existence. It offers guidance on living in harmony with the Tao through simplicity, spontaneity and non-action. It emphasises the importance of balance, humility and embracing the natural flow of life. Its teachings encourage individuals to cultivate inner wisdom, live authentically and find peace amid the complexities of the world.

One of the verses that resonated with me is Verse 63: “Do without doing, act without action.
Savour the flavourless. Treat the small as large, the few as many. Meet injury with the power of goodness.
Study the hard while it is still easy.
Do big things while they are small.
 The hardest jobs in the world start out easy; the great affairs of the world start small.
So the wise soul, by never dealing with great things, gets great things done.
Now, since taking things too lightly makes them worthless,
and taking things too easy makes them hard,
the wise soul, by treating the easy as hard, doesn’t find anything hard.”

This translation, by (speculative fiction author) Ursula K. Le Guin, captures the essence of the verse. I wrote a similar translation in my journal when I started Blue Lotus Gallery in 2007. At that time, I had no experience in the art world or much capital to back me up, and my first space was located in Fo Tan, which was quite remote. This quote inspired me to focus on the small, simple, attainable things instead of pursuing grand endeavours. With that mindset, it made more sense for me to showcase the work of local artists in Fo Tan and Hong Kong, rather than trying to organise exhibitions with international or (mainland) artists.

Little did I know that this period marked the beginning of Hong Kong’s flourishing art scene, and my modest contribution played a part.