Alfred Huang describes an ancient culture seeking harmony with Life, governance without coercion, in Understanding the I Ching. What they knew 3000 years ago, we need to relearn today. My emphasis in italics.
The I Ching reveals an ancient culture that honors Heaven, esteems the Earth and expresses love for the people. It espouses a culture of seeking harmony – seeking harmony with Heaven, seeking harmony with Earth, seeking harmony with people and seeking harmony with one’s own body and mind. It also extols the maxim, “Within the four seas, all will be brothers.” The I Ching elucidated a culture of practicing “benevolent government,” which strictly followed what the ancients pointed out that, “To govern is to rectify.” “When a king’s (in modern times a ruler’s) personal conduct is correct, the government is effective without coercion.” If the ruler’s personal conduct is not correct, he may issue orders, but they will not be followed. As a result, “When a country is well governed, poverty and oppression are things to be ashamed of; when a country is ill governed, riches and honors are things to be ashamed of.”
—Alfred Huang, Understanding the I Ching: Restoring a Brilliant, Ancient Culture
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