It was nearing dusk at a remote village in China. A traveler came along and paused at a house by the river to ask for directions. The man of the house noted the hour was late and insisted that the traveler stay for the evening. The traveler realized that the man practiced traditional hospitality and accepted the generous offer with gratitude.

After dinner, the traveler sat with his host to talk and drink tea. "Pardon my curiosity," the traveler said, "but when I asked you for directions I noticed you were just finishing your work for the day and putting away your tools. What is your business, if I may ask?"

"Oh, certainly," the host replied. "My family specializes in cloth bleaching. We soak textiles in a special bleaching solution, then we take them into the river and use the flowing current to wash away the solution. Old clothes and bed sheets end up looking as good as new."

"That is fascinating," the traveler said. "It's a bit puzzling as well. We are in the middle of winter right now and the weather is cold and dry. Aren't you concerned that wading into the river day after day will cause your skin to split into painful cracks, thus making it impossible for you to work?"

The cloth bleacher explained: "We are very fortunate in that we have this aromatic ointment that protects us. We apply it in wintertime and it does a great job in preventing the skin from getting too dry. It allows us to work all year round."

The traveler was very impressed. "I have never heard of such a clever thing! How did you come by this aromatic ointment?"

"Oh, it's a secret formula passed down through the generations. No one else has it, so it gives our business an edge over the competition."

The traveler was thoughtful for a while, and then he spoke up: "I have a proposition for you. I am very interested in this secret formula, and I am willing to pay one hundred gold pieces to buy it from you."

The cloth bleacher was amazed by this offer. Normally, it would take him decades to save up that much money. He excused himself for a quick conference with his family, and then came back to the traveler with a condition: "Sir, I can only sell you the formula if you promise to never give it or sell it to anyone else in the cloth bleaching business."

The traveler made a solemn oath to that effect, and the transaction took place. With much ceremony, the money changed hands, the cloth bleacher brought out the secret formula and made a careful copy.

The traveler resumed his journey the next day, and life returned to normal for the cloth bleacher. He looked at the money and thought it had to be the best deal he ever made.

The traveler went to the palace of King Wu and sought an audience with His Highness. In the royal chambers, he presented the secret formula to the king and explained its function.

King Wu did not understand and asked the traveler: "No doubt this ointment can do what you say it does, but why would we find this to be of any interest?"

"Your Highness, is it not true that you are at war with your neighbor, the state of Yue?"

"That is correct. They are our nemesis. One day we shall conquer them!"

"That day may be closer than you think, Your Highness. Tell me: why exactly do you not attack them now?"

"No one attacks during wintertime. Our two lands are separated by rivers, so any attacks must be over water. In this weather, my soldiers will get frostbite, skin cracking and … ah."

"Precisely, Your Highness. You now have a way of striking them exactly as you would any other time of the year."

King Wu immediately ordered a large-scale production of the ointment based on the secret formula. It took only a few weeks to get everything ready. Then, he launched the first winter offensive ever. King Yue did not expect this at all and thought King Wu must have gone mad.

Yue soldiers responded to the attack with a counterattack of their own. The two armies met over the bordering river and a fierce battle ensued. The ointment worked as expected and protected Wu soldiers, while Yue soldiers lacked this protection and were fully exposed to the elements. After only a few days of engagement, many Yue soldiers developed such painful cracks that they could not even hold their weapons.

The people in the region were amazed. For as long as they could remember, Wu and Yue had always been equally matched, neither able to gain an inch over the other. Now, somehow King Wu found a way to completely decimate the Yue army, bringing to an end generations of stalemate and unifying the two territories under his rule.

In gratitude to the traveler who played such a pivotal role in his victory, King Wu granted him a large estate and made him a noble. As the traveler settled into the privileged life of a lord, he reflected on the path that took him there. It all started with the secret formula - plus not much more than a hundred gold pieces. It had to be the best deal he ever made.

In this story by Chuang Tzu, the aromatic ointment represents the Tao. Just as the secret formula is passed down from generation to generation, so too are the teachings of the Tao. Today, many people are still not aware of these teaching despite their simplicity, elegance, and effectiveness. Therefore, a genuine tradition of the Tao is still something of a well-kept secret in the modern world.

The ointment can be used to not only bleach cloth but also conquer a powerful enemy, but no matter how you use it, it remains the same - its formula doesn't change. The Tao is similar. There is more than one way to use it, but no matter how we use it, the Tao remains constant. The crucial element that creates the difference is not the Tao itself. It is you.

Some people regard the Tao as a philosophical pastime or an academic pursuit. Approaching the Tao in such ways is similar to using the ointment for cloth bleaching. While there is nothing wrong with this, Chuang Tzu makes it quite clear that there is a lot more to the ointment than meets the eyes. Similarly, there is a lot more to the Tao that may not be immediately apparent.

In the story, the cloth bleachers are satisfied with the ointment as it is. It gives them an advantage over their competitors, and that's all they want from it. It is the same with the philosophers and scholars. They can derive satisfaction from using the Tao as an intellectual pursuit, so they stop at that and look no further.

Such individuals focus on discussing and reading about the Tao. Some of them regard themselves as experts. To them, the Tao is a hobby that gives them the enjoyment of mental stimulation, Oriental mystique, and perhaps some knowledge from time to time. Lacking any formal guidance, they think they really "get it" when they are only touching the tip of the iceberg.

In reality, the true nature of the Tao goes far beyond the world of the intellect. It is a way of life and a way of being. When we delve deeper into it, we will discover the realm of transformation, where we apply the Tao in every aspect of life. This practical application leads to a gradual, steady and profound change at the innermost level.

In the story, the army that King Wu wields to overcome his longtime rival represents this transformational power. This does not mean that we can use the Tao to dominate others. Instead, Chuang Tzu is using the same metaphor that Lao Tzu uses many times in the Tao Te Ching, where an advice for the king is in fact an instruction to your true self. This makes sense because your true self wields absolute power over your destiny just as the ancient kings of China wielded absolute power over their subjects.

This concept is something that has never made it past the language barrier into the West. Perhaps this is because Tao teachings have largely been translated and presented by those who are not aware of its deeper layers.

The King of Yue represents longstanding problems in your life that you have never been able to resolve. Such problems can be great or small, ranging from harmless procrastination to severe substance abuse. They are the obstacles you have never been able to get past no matter how hard you try.

Applying the ointment to the army represents the application of the Tao to life. The ointment must be used on every soldier. Similarly, the Tao must be applied every day and in every aspect of life. This application must also be consistent and sustained over a period of time, with willpower and discipline.

The overwhelming victory of King Wu represents the miraculous workings of the Tao. The problems that you previously regarded as impossible suddenly fall by the wayside when you apply the Tao. Issues you have never been able to resolve suddenly seem easy. You triumph over your challenges because the Tao has transformed you into a far more effective and powerful individual. The challenges haven't changed, but you have.

Becoming a noble represents the achievement of your goal in life. Having wielded the power of the Tao to gain victory over stubborn problems, you can rightfully enjoy the fruits of your labors. It is a reward you have earned.

As the traveler settles in to a life of luxury, the cloth bleacher continues his work, wading into the river each day to make a meager living. He may not be aware of the dramatic changes that have taken place in the state of Yue, and he still cannot envision leveraging the ointment for any purpose other than his own specific usage.

In just the same way, there is a gulf between those who play at being Tao philosophers and those who rigorously apply the Tao to life. Modern-day "cloth bleachers" typically feel that they don't have to do anything to advance their own understanding of the Tao. They are secure in their superficial knowledge. Their lives remain stagnant, and nothing changes for the better, while the true cultivators of the Tao continue growing, learning, and living life as an exciting adventure.

One important lesson we can learn from this is that in order to achieve great results, we must think differently and take action. Both ingredients are absolutely essential. The traveler regarded the ointment from a new perspective, and then took action on his insight. He invested a hundred gold pieces and then sought audience with King Wu, after which the army of Wu went through weeks of preparations that took considerable effort and planning. When the soldiers went into battle, they did so with strategy, deployment, and fighting prowess. All of this was necessary to transform the state of Yue into a province of Wu and elevate the traveler from a commoner to nobility.

Chuang Tzu's message is clear: we won't succeed in tilling the field if all we do is turn it over and over again in the mind. Work is a required element. It is not optional. This may come as a surprise to those who, based on a common misconception in the West, imagine that the Tao is all about being relaxed and doing nothing. The truth is more complex and far more interesting.

Another thing we can learn from the story is that the Tao always works no matter what. The ointment works for the soldiers just as well as it does for the cloth bleachers. The Tao is like that. It embodies consistent natural laws that yield predictable results, and it will function the same way for anyone.

It makes no difference to the Tao who you are. As long as you are willing to leverage the ointment to the utmost - apply the Tao to your daily existence - then you, too, can reap the abundant rewards.

The most exciting realization is that ultimately it's all up to you. The choice is yours: bleach cloth or become nobility. You are the ruler of your own life and you have the power to decide. You can dabble in the Tao, have fun with it, and be satisfied at that level. Or, you can wield its transformational power to resolve problems, overcome obstacles, and achieve your goals.

So... how will you use the Tao?