The Tao that can be spoken of is not the eternal Tao; the name that can be named is not the eternal name. The nameless is the origin of heaven and earth; the named is the mother of all things. Therefore, always without desire, one observes its essence; always with desire, one observes its manifestations. These two emerge together but differ in name. Together they are called the mystery. Mystery upon mystery, the gateway to all wonders.
This opening chapter introduces the central paradox of the Tao Te Ching: the Tao that can be expressed in words is not the true, eternal Tao. Laozi distinguishes between the nameless origin of existence and the named world of things. The interplay of "having" and "not having," desire and desirelessness, points to a deeper unity — the mystery (xuan) that underlies all of reality.