​“

Bu gan wei/bu gan

” （不敢为/不敢， daring not to act/daring not） is one of the linguistic formulations in Laozi characterized by the “wu X” （no X） or “bu X” （not X） structure. It occupies a central position in Laozi’s thought and serves as a key term that captures the overall spirit of the text. In the received version of the

Laozi

， Chapters 64 and 73 are pivotal for understanding “

bu gan wei

” and “

bu gan

”. In Chapter 64， “

bu gan wei

” functions as a necessary check on the imperative to “assist the natural course of all things”. The conjunction of “assisting” and “daring not to act” ensures the legitimacy of the action taken. Understood thus， “

bu gan wei

” entails an implicit consciousness of reflection. The phrase “He who is brave in daring not will survive” in Chapter 73 can be seen as the

Laozi’s

theoretical distillation and advocacy of this spirit of “daring not”， which also reveals the “dialogic” character of Laozi’s thought. “

Bu gan

” constitutes the core formulation proposed by the

Laozi

when addressing ethical questions arising from relations marked by asymmetrical power or capacity. In contexts that privilege “bold action” and “assertiveness”， reflecting on the significance of “

bu gan

” is particularly vital.