Governing a large country is like frying a small fish. You spoil it with too much poking.

This saying is attributed to Laozi (Lao Tzu) and comes from the Daoist classic the Dao De Jing (Tao Te Ching), a short, aphoristic text traditionally dated to the late Zhou period (often placed around the 4th–3rd century BCE, though authorship and dating are debated). The line appears in a chapter advising rulers on how to govern in accordance with the Dao: by minimizing coercive interference and allowing social order to arise naturally. The culinary image—handling a small fish gently so it does not fall apart—serves as a concrete metaphor for political restraint and “non-action” (wu wei) in statecraft.

The quote argues that effective governance depends less on constant intervention than on restraint, proportion, and trust in organic processes. “Poking” stands for overregulation, micromanagement, and heavy-handed moral or legal tinkering; such meddling can damage what it aims to improve, just as excessive turning breaks delicate food. In Daoist political philosophy, the best ruler creates conditions in which people can live simply and harmoniously, with minimal friction between authority and everyday life. The image also implies humility: complex societies cannot be forced into perfection by incessant manipulation without unintended consequences.

1) "Governing a great nation is like cooking a small fish." 2) "To govern a great country is like frying a small fish." 3) "Ruling a large kingdom is like cooking a small fish—too much handling will spoil it."