Listen to this articledà guó zhě xià liú 大国者下流
A Great State Should Assume a Low Posture.
大国要把自己放在低下的位置上，就像大江大河能够容纳百川一样。这是中国古代哲学家老子提出的处理国与国关系的重要思想，其核心理念在于“谦下”（屈己待人）之德。在老子看来，国与国之间能否和平相处，关键在于大国能否做到不以大欺小，不恃强凌弱。大国应该放低姿态，谦和地对待小国，展现容纳天下百川的胸怀，从而赢得小国的信赖，使他们归向自己，就像百川都流向大江大河一样。大国接纳、包容小国，小国尊重、依附大国，和谐共生，各得其所。当今“人类命运共同体”的理念与此不无渊源。
A great state should assume a low posture, just as great rivers absorb the waters from countless tributaries. This was an important concept on handling relations between states, propounded by the ancient Chinese philosopher Laozi. Its core idea is that of qianxia (谦下), the virtue of lowering oneself in dealing with others. In Laozi’s view, the key to whether or not states can coexist peacefully lies in whether or not great ones can refrain from bullying small and weak ones. If they can lower themselves and treat small states with modesty, they will display the capacity to accommodate the entire world. This will cause small states to trust them and look up to them, just as all tributaries flow toward great rivers. If great states accept and accommodate lesser ones and small states respect and look up to great ones, harmony will ensue and all will achieve their goals. This is related to the contemporary concept of “a shared future for humanity.”
引例 Citation：
◎大国者下流，天下之交，天下之牝。牝常以静胜牡，以静为下。故大国以下小国，则取小国；小国以下大国，则取大国。故或下以取，或下而取。大国不过欲兼畜（xù）人，小国不过欲入事人。夫两者各得其所欲，大者宜为下。（《老子·六十一章》）
（大国应该像江河的下游，作为天下众水交汇的地方，处在天下雌柔的位置。雌柔常常以安静胜过雄强，就是因为它安静并处于下位。所以大国以谦下的态度对待小国，就能取得小国的信赖、归附。小国以谦下的态度对待大国，就能得到大国的接纳、包容。因此，有的国家通过谦下取得别国的信赖、归附，有的国家通过谦下取得别国的接纳、包容。大国不过是想拢聚、养护小国，小国不过是想依附、侍奉大国。大国和小国都能达到自己的愿望，而大国尤其应该谦下。）
A great state maintains a low posture. A low position is where everything in the world meets, where the world’s feminine and gentle elements gather. The feminine and gentle elements often triumph over the masculine and powerful through stillness, and it is stillness which keeps it in the lower position. Thus when a great state treats a small state with modesty, it can win the trust and following of the latter. When a smaller state treats a greater one humbly, it can win its acceptance and tolerance. Hence by behaving modestly, great states win the trust and following of small ones, while small states win acceptance and tolerance from great ones. Great states only wish to gather smaller ones around themselves and support them; small states only wish to attach themselves to and serve great ones. Hence states both great and small can achieve their goals, and the great ones in particular should maintain a low stance. (Laozi)
