Tao Te Ching Chapter 74 Under Tyranny (1) 暴政之下(一)

This Podcast presents an excerpt from Chapter 74 of the Tao Te Ching, focusing on the ineffectiveness of using fear of death to control a population under tyrannical rule. The passage argues that oppressive governance ultimately breeds rebellion, as people facing unbearable conditions will risk death to resist. It further uses the analogy of an unskilled person replacing a skilled woodcutter to illustrate the dangers of entrusting executions to those unqualified, suggesting that arbitrary killings under tyranny are likely to backfire. The core theme is the futility of using fear as a tool for maintaining power in the face of extreme oppression.