For Daoism， the fundamental definition of human beings lies in Ziran （naturalness or self-so-being， 自然）： a mode of self-realization unfolded in time， representing authentic human life marked by self-contentment， uniqueness， and diversity. The attainment of Ziran calls for creative action out of non-being， manifesting human agency as beings-of-possibility. To sustain this vital potential， Daoism advocates “returning to the infant”， going back to life’s origin to reopen possibilities that underpin all actuality. External actions rooted in self-so-being must overcome various constraints. Meanwhile， the profound virtue （xuande， 玄德） of the Dao — “generating without possessing， acting without presumption， nurturing without dominating” — together with wu-wei （non-action， 无为） characterized by assisting， following， modeling and adapting， enables individual self-unfolding and fosters social harmony， prosperity and innovation. These Daoist reflections on humanity offer profound intellectual resources for reflecting on and overcoming human alienation.