The concept of de 德, most often translated as “Virtue” or “moral power,” has long been the subject of debate and scrutiny by traditional East Asian commentators and contemporary scholars of the Daodejing. This study of de examines its use and meaning in the text, contextualized against the background of its history and use in other early Chinese sources. Some of the most influential understandings of the concept both by traditional Chinese commentators on the Daodejing and contemporary scholars are examined, with a focus on those who have studied the philosophical view that is presented in the text. The fact that de has a multifaceted meaning, denoting both virtue or moral excellence and the power to attract and influence others, is explored, as is its centrality to a number of themes in the Daodejing, including the conceptions of the sage and the ideal society. It is argued that de has both practical and mystical dimensions, and that the text extends earlier understandings of de when it comes to the question of where it comes from and how it accrues.