朴
Pu
Taoism · conceptUncarved block, simplicity. The original, unformed state of being before social conditioning and artificial complexity overlay it. The uncarved block represents original simplicity before society shapes us into categories and artificial desires. Returning to pu means recovering this wholeness.
知其荣，守其辱，为天下谷。为天下谷，常德乃足，复归于朴。
— Tao Te Ching, Chapter 28 (Laozi)
What Are the Key Facts About Pu?
- Tradition: Taoism
- Chinese: 朴
- Category: Concept
- Definition: Uncarved block, simplicity.
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Wu Wei 无为What Other Guides Cover Taoism?
Frequently Asked Questions About Pu
What does pu mean?
Pu (朴), 'the uncarved block,' is the Daoist symbol of original, undivided simplicity — things in their natural, unshaped state before names and desires carve them up.
What does the Tao Te Ching say about pu?
Laozi says 'know the white, keep the black, be the world's uncarved block' (ch.28); the sage returns to pu, and 'the uncarved block in its simplicity may be small, yet no one in the world can employ it' (ch.32).
How is pu related to wu-wei?
Pu is the inner correlate of wu-wei: just as unforced action aligns with the Dao, the uncarved mind is open, unconditioned, and free of artificial striving.
Is pu the same as simplicity?
Close, but pu is more than plain living; it is ontological — the primal undifferentiated reality from which the 'ten thousand things' arise.