CLASS REQUIREMENT 6

“Two Kings and No-Form”

The South Sea King was Act-on-Your-Hunch.

The North Sea King was Act-in-a-Flash.

The King of the place between them was No-Form.

Now the South Sea King

And North Sea King

Used to go together often

To the land of No-Form:

He treated them well.

So they consulted together

They thought up a good turn,

A pleasant surprise, for No-Form

In token of appreciation.

“Men,” they said, “have seven openings

For seeing, hearing, eating, breathing,

And so on.  But No-Form

Has no openings.  Let’s make him

A few holes.”

So after that

They put holes in No-Form,

One a day, for seven days.

And when they finished the seventh opening,

Their friend lay dead.

Lao Tan said:  “To organize is to destroy.”  [vii. 7.]

            In the story of “Two Kings and No-Form”, one of the teachings of Taoism was manifested. The two kings, in their intention to do good for their friend No-Form, have created more damage than good. With the intention of surprising No-Form with a token of appreciation, they made him the seven openings that they think would benefit their friend No-Form. After putting the seventh hole to their friend No-Form, their friend died. In the end, Lao Tan has said:  “To organize is to destroy”, what does Lao Tan mean?

            In the story, the two kings made action when there is no need for it. In their attempt to make things better, they ended up doing the opposite which is destruction.

            In Taoism, they see the absence of natural harmony as a problem. Taoism believes that there is a natural order of things. There is a natural harmony. When people, with their intention to make better with what is already best, they end up doing the opposite of their intention. They take away the natural harmony of things.  Instead of putting order into something that is already in order, the people end up mixing up things and inflict disorder instead of order. The natural harmony of things are disturbed thus the people ends up causing chaos.

            In the story, the natural state of No-Form is having no holes. No-Form has been doing well when his friend, the two kings, started to mess with his natural state. The two kings, acted when there is a need for none. They have put holes to him when he doesn’t need one. His natural state has been disturbed thus, instead of making him better, he was destroyed. Lao Tan then pointed out the main point of the story. He stated that “To organize is to destroy”. What he aims to say is that when everything is already in order, there is no need for organization. Thus, to organize something that is already in order is to destroy it. The Tao has its own course. Let nature take its course. In its own time, in its own place.