Art Quote by Kakuzō Okakura
““These Taoists' ideas have greatly influenced all our theories of action, even to those of fencing and wrestling. Jiu-jitsu, the Japanese art of self-defence, owes its name to a passage in the Tao-teking. In jiu-jitsu one seeks to draw out and exhaust the enemy's strength by non-resistance, vacuum, while conserving one's own strength for victory in the final struggle. In art the importance of the same principle is illustrated by the value of suggestion. In leaving something unsaid the beholder is given a chance to complete the idea and thus a great masterpiece irresistibly rivets your attention until you seem to become actually a part of it. A vacuum is there for you to enter and fill up the full measure of your aesthetic emotion.””
About This Quote
Source Book: The Book of Tea by Kakuzō Okakura, 1906
Taoist non‑resistance informs both martial arts strategy and artistic expression, emphasizing yielding to draw out opponent strength and inviting audience participation through suggestion.
In simple terms: Yielding creates strength and invites engagement.
Key Takeaway
Use non‑resistance to conserve energy and invite involvement.
Themes
martial arts
art
philosophy
strategy
engagement
Mood
contemplative
inspired
strategic
Type
philosophical
practical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- martial arts training
- creative writing
- visual art
- public speaking
- design thinking
Key Concepts
Taoism
non‑resistance
suggestion
energy conservation
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you balance yielding with decisive action?
- When does suggestion become ambiguity?
A Different Perspective
Non‑resistance may be misinterpreted as passivity, limiting decisive action when needed.
![“We're under Rigan Machado, who I think is one of the best jiu jitsu instructors at least in Los Angeles, if not in the world. We have a lot of his instructors here, as well as Japanese jiu jitsu, Japanese judo, and sambo. That was Keanu's [Reeves] recipe [in John Wick 2].” quote by Chad Stahelski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/082/chad-stahelski-32714_ifs_we-re-under-rigan-machado-who-i-think-is_2036150.jpg)
