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In "The Way of Water and Sprouts of Virtue," British sinologist Sarah Allan traces how ancient Chinese philosophers drew inspiration from nature, particularly water and plants, to articulate their understanding of the Tao. Flowing, elusive, yet life-giving, water emerges as a powerful metaphor that shaped early Chinese thought across different philosophical traditions.

Benoît Vermander, a French sinologist and professor at Fudan University, notes that Allan's reading highlights a fundamental relationship between humankind and water: only by understanding its nature and working in harmony with it can water become a channel of life rather than destruction. Vermander suggests that this is also the attitude required in approaching the Tao itself.

Executive producer: Zhang Jingwen

Producer: Yang Sha

Director: Chen Hongyu

Videographer: Huang Zepeng

Cover: Jia Jieqiong

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Water as Tao: Reading ancient Chinese philosophy