Wang Bi: “Outline Introduction to the Laozi” Year: 245

The way things come into existence and efficacy [gong] comes about is that things arise from the formless [wuxing] and efficacy emanates from the nameless [wuming]. The formless and the nameless [the Dao] is the progenitor of the myriad things. It is neither warm nor cool and makes neither the note gong nor the note shang [i.e., is not subject to the sense of touch or that of hearing]. You might listen for it, but it is impossible to get a sense of its sound; you might look for it, but it is impossible to get a sense of its appearance; you might try to understand what it is like, but it is impossible to get it in terms of understanding; or you might taste it, but it is impossible to get it in terms of flavor. Thus try to conceive of it as a thing, and it will turn out to be amorphous and complete; try to capture it as an image, and it will be utterly formless; try to hear it as a tonality, and it will greet you as an inaudible sound; try to experience it as a flavor, and it will have an indistinguishable taste. Thus it is capable of serving as the progenitor and master of things in all their different categories, of covering and permeating everything in Heaven and Earth, so that nothing is allowed to escape the warp of its weave. If it were warm, it could not be cold; if it were the note gong, it could not be the note shang. If it had a form, it would necessarily possess the means of being distinguished from other things; if it made a sound, it would necessarily belong somewhere among other sounds.