Buzheng (不争, Not Contending) in the Dao De Jing: Meaning and Occurrences
In the Dao De Jing, buzheng (不争) is not contending: the way of water, of the sage and of heaven, and the text says that because the sage does not contend, no one in the world can contend with him.
不争 (bù zhēng) is "not contending": not competing or fighting with others. The phrase often comes at the end of a chapter, as its conclusion.
Water is the first example: in chapter 8 water benefits all things without contending, and the chapter ends by saying that because it does not contend, it incurs no blame. Chapters 22 and 66 say of the sage, in nearly the same words, that because he does not contend, no one in the world can contend with him.
Not contending is also the Way of heaven, which does not contend yet is good at winning (chapter 73), and the virtue of the good officer and fighter (chapter 68). The book ends with it: the Way of the sage acts and does not contend (chapter 81). In chapter 3, it is the people who are kept from contending, by not exalting the worthy.
Every occurrence of 不争
Chapter 3
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Line 1
不尚贤，使民不争，
Not adulating the worthy, makes people non-contentious.
Chapter 8
Chapter 22
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Line 7
夫唯不争，故天下莫能与之争。
He does not contend, therefore the world cannot contend with him.
Chapter 66
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Line 9
以其不争，故天下莫能与之争。
Because he does not contend, no one in the world can contend with him.
Chapter 68
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Line 4
是谓不争之德，是谓用人之力，
This is called the virtue of not contending; this is called using the strength of others;
Chapter 73
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Line 6
天之道，不争而善胜，
The Way of heaven does not contend, yet is good at winning;
Chapter 81
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Line 10
圣人之道，为而不争。
the Way of the sage acts and does not contend.