Govern, Heal

Interesting Fact

One of the most interesting things about 治 is that its two major meanings—govern and heal—can be traced back to an older idea of bringing something under control. The water radical 氵 is a clue: in ancient China, controlling rivers and floods was a major challenge for rulers. A ruler who could tame dangerous water could protect communities and make farmland productive. The idea of putting something into a stable, orderly condition later extended beyond water to governing society and eventually to healing the body.