Allegory of Valleys
Lao-Tzu finds the symbols of valleys to show how someone should lead or follow while adhering to the Tao. In the way a river finds the best path through a valley without taking action, a human can follow the Tao only by the choice to move freely. The symbolism shows the concept of length in status and leadership; those who aspire to be the primary or most successful must emulate the downward motion of water moving through a valley to succeed.
Motif of Processes
Lao-Tzu uses the motif of processes to structure the Tao Te Ching; many stanzas consist of chains that begin with one assumption and show how they extend to the macro scale. Very often, these lead to an example of the Tao or an example of how a behavior does not lead to Tao, even if it seems like it does. The end of some of these processes is a material good or status. These are rarely Tao.
Motif of Life
The concept of life is present throughout the Tao Te Ching, which is interesting because aligning oneself with the Tao requires a lack of consideration of life as something to pursue. Life, as a motif, sharpens the depiction of the Tao.
Motif of Possession
The reader grasps a book devoted to the pursuit of the Tao, and Lao-Tzu makes it abundantly clear that the acquisition of Tao is fundamentally limited by the desire of humans to become possessive of its knowledge. The motif of possession returns throughout the book because of how it sheds light on other concepts and also because it provides the reader with a reminder not to use the book's contents against the pursuit of Tao.
Symbol of the Sage
Lao-Tzu often refers to the Sage, and this human figure provides a symbol to root the book in stillness and evocation. The qualities of the Sage are often shared with those of plants and other objects, such as uncarved wood, but the Sage allows the reader to see a model of the virtues of the Tao. That this model is unattainable - the Sage is a symbol - safeguards the reader against improperly emulating the Tao in a way that is not Tao.
