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An Evaluation of the Chen Jingyuan Case Based on Laozi’s Philosophical Core Ideas

Laozi (c. 6th-5th century BCE), the legendary author of the Tao Te Ching, founded Daoism with a philosophy centered on the Dao (Tao)—the ineffable, natural way of the universe—as the source of all harmony. His core ideas emphasize wu wei (non-action or effortless action), the complementarity of yin and yang, a return to simplicity and humility, and a critique of rigid laws and coercive authority, which he saw as disruptions to natural flow (Analects echoes this in indirect ways, but Laozi’s direct scorn for “laws that multiply like rabbits” warns against overregulation breeding disorder). The sage governs by aligning with the Dao, yielding to softness over hardness, fostering spontaneity rather than control. The Chen Jingyuan case—a doctoral scholar sentenced to 20 months for “picking quarrels and provoking trouble” (PRC Criminal Law Article 293) over Twitter forwards—through Laozi’s lens, exemplifies the peril of legal rigidity: state coercion fragments the Dao’s flow, imposing artificial hardness that engenders disharmony, suppressing the sage-like inquiry of a humble scholar.

1. The Disruption of Wu Wei: Coercive Law as Anti-Natural Force

Laozi’s wu wei advocates governance through non-interference—ruling by yielding, allowing natural processes to unfold without forceful imposition, as “the soft and supple will prevail over the hard and strong” (Tao Te Ching, Ch. 76).

The verdict embodies the opposite: Article 293’s rigid command against “disruption” forcibly intervenes in Chen’s natural scholarly flow—forwarding Hayek critiques or the “Trump-kneeling Xi” cartoon as effortless expressions of inquiry—recasting them as “knowingly false” malice. The closed-door trial and “shut up” directive exemplify hardness: suppressing Chen’s prison letter (categorizing “rumors” into art/emotion/reason/fact) disrupts wu wei’s spontaneity, treating humble doubt (e.g., avalanche theory on non-causal chaos) as rebellion. Laozi would decry this as self-defeating: coercive law, like a dam blocking a river, breeds overflow—selective enforcement (millions of similar forwards unpunished) sows hidden discord, inverting harmony into brittle control.

2. Yin-Yang Imbalance and the Perils of Overregulation: Judicial Rigidity as Yang Excess

Laozi envisions cosmic balance: yin (soft, yielding, receptive) complements yang (hard, active, forceful); excess yang—rigid laws—engenders yin rebellion, as “the Dao that can be spoken is not the eternal Dao” (Tao Te Ching, Ch. 1).

The case tips toward yang excess: the judiciary’s “high education implies discernment” imposes forceful positivity, overregulating Chen’s yin-like humility—his letter’s gentle yielding to complexity (CAP theorem indeterminacy)—as yang “disorder.” This imbalance mocks Laozi’s warning: “The more laws and restrictions there are, the poorer people become” (Tao Te Ching, Ch. 57). Evidentiary voids (prosecutor’s unverified admission) reveal the excess’s fragility—rigid yang invites yin fracture, as anomalies (zero societal ripple) undermine the facade. Laozi would see redemptive yin in Chen’s silence: post-release dormancy as yielding non-action, a subtle counter to overregulation’s chaos.

3. The Sage’s Humility and Return to Simplicity: Suppressed Inquiry as Loss of Natural Virtue

Laozi’s sage embodies humility, aligning with the Dao through simplicity, not erudition; true governance nurtures virtue, as “he who knows does not speak; he who speaks does not know” (Tao Te Ching, Ch. 56).

Chen, a sage-like scholar, humbly returns to simplicity—his forwards as unadorned inquiry—yet the sentence weaponizes his erudition against him, perverting virtue into “quarrel.” The non-oral appeal suppresses his sage voice (avalanche theory’s elegant yielding), echoing Laozi’s critique of scholars as “talkative pedants.” This loss inverts the Dao: judicial hardness scatters simplicity, fostering artificial virtue (enforced “order”) over natural flow. Laozi would lament the ruler’s failure: without sage humility, statecraft devolves to brute force, breeding the very disharmony it claims to cure.

Conclusion: Laozi’s Lens on the Case—A Flow Fractured by Coercive Dams

From Laozi’s Daoist naturalism, the Chen Jingyuan case is a fractured river: wu wei yields to forceful dams, yang rigidity imbalances yin subtlety, and sage simplicity scatters under overregulation, engendering disharmony. As of October 22, 2025, no retrial or exoneration has occurred; Chen’s account remains dormant, its quiet a Daoist yielding to the inevitable. This case cautions: true order flows from humility, not hardness. As Laozi whispered, “By non-action, nothing is left undone”—may the Dao yet carve its gentle path through the dam.