11. The Use of Emptiness｜Tao Te Ching

三（sān）十（shí）辐（fú），（）共（gòng）一（yī）毂（gǔ），（）当（dāng）其（qí）无（wú），（）有（yǒu）车（chē）之（zhī）用（yòng）。（）

Thirty spokes meet at a single hub. It is because of the empty space at its center that the wheel can be used.

The spokes form the wheel, but the open center receives the axle. Solid structure and empty space work together to make function possible.

埏（shān）埴（zhí）以（yǐ）为（wéi）器（qì），（）当（dāng）其（qí）无（wú），（）有（yǒu）器（qì）之（zhī）用（yòng）。（）

Clay is shaped to make a vessel. It is because of the empty space within that the vessel can be used.

Clay gives the vessel its form, while the hollow gives it a purpose. Use depends not only on visible material but also on the room it provides.

凿（záo）户（hù）牖（yǒu）以（yǐ）为（wéi）室（shì），（）当（dāng）其（qí）无（wú），（）有（yǒu）室（shì）之（zhī）用（yòng）。（）

Doors and windows are cut to make a room. It is because of the empty space within that the room can be used.

Walls define the room, but people live in the space they enclose. Boundaries and openness together create its usefulness.

故（gù）有（yǒu）之（zhī）以（yǐ）为（wéi）利（lì），（）无（wú）之（zhī）以（yǐ）为（wéi）用（yòng）。（）

Thus what is present provides advantage, while what is absent makes that advantage usable.

What exists supplies form and conditions; empty space leaves room for use and change. The two are complementary rather than opposed.

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