Great virtue is like water.

This comes from Dao De Jing (Classic of the Way and Virtue), also known as Lao Zi (The Book of Lao Zi). It means that the greatest virtue is like water, nurturing all things without competing with them.

Lao Zi (dates unknown), or Li Er, a thinker of the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 BC) and the founder of philosophical Daoism, used this simile to advocate that a virtuous ruler should govern with the gentle and accommodating qualities displayed by water. He should assist and provide for people just as water does, rather than competing with them for resources. Later this term came to mean that one should act as water does in nourishing all things and do one's best to help others without seeking fame or profit. It also implies virtues such as endurance and modesty.

Addressing the welcome dinner of the 22nd APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in Beijing in November 2014, Xi Jinping said: Over 2,000 years ago, Chinese philosopher Lao Zi noted that "The great virtue is like water, which benefits all of creation without trying to compete with them." True, water nourishes all things under heaven. We, APEC member economies, are brought together by the water of the Pacific Ocean. We have a shared responsibility to make the Pacific an ocean of peace, friendship and cooperation, an ocean that brings harmony, development, prosperity and progress to the Asia-Pacific region.

上善若水

“上善若水”語出《道德經》，意指至高的善德善舉就如同水的品性，默默滋養世間萬物而不爭強斗勝。老子以水的柔弱之性比喻至善的執政者應有的品德。執政者面對百姓，應該像水之于萬物，輔助、成就百姓而不與其相爭，后多指為人處事時能像水一樣滋潤萬物，盡己所能幫助他人卻從不爭名逐利，或者具有堅忍負重、謙卑居下的品格。

2014年11月，習近平在亞太經合組織工商領導人峰會歡迎宴會上指出，2000多年前，老子說：“上善若水，水利萬物而不爭”，意思就是說最高境界的善行就像水一樣涓涓細流，澤被萬物。亞太經合組織以太平洋之水結緣，我們有責任使太平洋成為太平之洋，友誼之洋，合作之洋，見證亞太地區和平、發展、繁榮、進步。