New Theme: Wu Wei

The Taoist concept of “Wu Wei” involves knowing when to act and when not to act. It’s also the name and neat description of the design philosophy behind today’s new one-column theme. Let’s take a look at Wu Wei.

The Wu Wei theme

Wu Wei is a gorgeous theme but we’ve also made sure it’s packed with features for you. Starting from the top, beautiful, fully customizable, drop-down menus using the Menus feature in Appearance → Menus, and an optional Custom Header. You can add a header image below the text, and if you’re uploading your own logo here, choose to hide the text altogether.

Wu Wei's customizable menus

And, at the bottom, totally optional Widget areas in the footer of every Wu Wei-themed page of your site. To keep things simple, they’re turned off by default. Visit Appearance → Widgets and add your own Widgets to any of the three available areas to automatically turn the footer Widget area on.

Wu Wei's optional footer widgets

Wu Wei also comes with an alternate, dark color scheme.

The dark color scheme

Turning on the dark color scheme is simple. Just visit Appearance → Theme Options, check off the option to use the dark color scheme, and click the save button. Both the color schemes are beautiful so this might be a tough choice!

You also have complete control over the background for this theme in Appearance → Background. The choice of dark or light color schemes works really well with this.

Designed by Jeff Ngan, Wu Wei is now available for WordPress.com and, for self-hosted WordPress.org sites, from the WordPress.org Themes Directory.


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191 Comments

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  1. Veronica Twizzler

    Very beautiful as always!

    Like

  2. sammydaviesjr

    Looks quite nice. Like the fonts.

    Like

  3. Alex Wyler

    Nice theme! I like it!

    Like

  4. لؤي

    It’s really nice. Thanks (loved the light colors) 😉

    Like

  5. Dominik

    Oh, what a nice, awesome, clean theme! Thanks, Mr. and Mrs. WordPress! 😉

    Like

  6. Olivia

    I am all ready to experiment with this one. Looks clean and simple and elegant too.

    Like

  7. Nigel

    Wow. Cool theme. Great job again!

    Like

  8. jaesexxx

    I like. Will try this out now just because of its customization capabilities.

    Like

  9. leokid

    Now this is what I like! Simple, monochromatic! I might even seriously consider this to replace Vostok!

    Like

  10. Aiman Amani

    Oh, this is beautiful too… I just love your themes…

    Like

  11. Pearlie

    A simple theme. Looks nice.

    Like

  12. craftystaci

    I love the simple themes. Thanks!

    Like

  13. Maria

    Wow very nice! Thanks a lot:)

    Like

  14. Atticus

    A very professional looking, clean and yet again an elegant design. Well done WP team! I may need to give this theme a try. Also, nice concept by the way : )

    Like

  15. Sarah Baram

    Beautiful theme. I just wish the links didn’t show orange and that there was a side bar for widgets!

    Like

  16. savael

    Yes, finally this one looks really awesome!

    Like

  17. gbvaz

    I like it! Looks very promising. Beautiful.

    Like

  18. Jerry Jacques

    Wow, this looks great. Simple and clean.

    Like

  19. Mahfooz Hasan

    Very cool and minimalist theme, I really like it!

    Like

  20. David W. Boles

    Love the wider themes! This one is nice and clean.

    You care about your bloggers, you listen to feedback, and then act upon it to please them. Well done!

    Like

  21. Sami Malallah

    I love it 🙂

    Like

  22. Shinrin

    Cool, it’s packed with my favourite features. This’ll be one of my favorite themes! I just wish I knew how to use the drop-down custom menu…

    Like

  23. Olivia Tejeda

    WOO WEEE, I love Wu Wei! Looks very nice, especially the drop down menus at the top.

    Like

  24. rawqueen

    I love the minimalist feel and customization options. I might have to try this one out.

    Like

  25. carsonmatthews

    Looks like a great option for my photography blog. I’ll try it out.

    Like

  26. Sandra Lee

    I love the simple, elegant themes like this one that you are releasing! Very nice. I would like to see more themes similar to Inuit Types though with thumbnail extracts on the front page and beautiful serif font. Thanks Theme Team.

    Like

  27. timethief

    It’s lovely. Thanks so much for all the work you do to give us theme options. 🙂

    Like

  28. chefhermes

    Looks beautiful, may actually consider changing from my Structure theme

    Like

  29. taeri

    Great theme, needed something a little better than white as milk, and TADAH! 🙂

    Like

  30. mrasherkade

    I like the fonts too. Too bad it’s a single column!
    Anyway we could have this in three column? Or even two?

    Like

  31. El Salón de mi casa

    I was actually thinking on moving to .org just to use this theme. You guys bought me back again.

    Like

  32. helios2k6

    Wow, that looks so clean. I like it!

    Like

  33. nancysmoments

    I love surprises on a Monday! “Know when to act and when not to act.” Great words of wisdom. It’s a simplistic theme with strength behind it’s features. Thanks!

    Like

  34. Mary

    Very pretty 😀

    Like

  35. nevinovat

    I’m going to test this, thank you.

    Like

  36. Anne Lessing

    Beautiful! I love it!

    Like

  37. DonOfTheWorld

    Awesome theme!!!!!

    Like

  38. Chocolate-Covered Katie

    Looks great for photos…
    I’m STILL looking for the perfect theme, so I’m off to check this one out now :).
    Thanks for continuing to add new themes; I’m always excited when a new one’s posted!

    Like

  39. American Elephant

    Wu Wei is also the name of a very delicious tea. Nice theme.

    How about adding some of these nifty new features that you’ve been putting into recent themes into some of the more popular older themes?

    Like

  40. the domestic fringe

    This is a really nice layout. Very clean and minimal, but everything you need. I like it!

    Like

  41. Rogue|Hero

    This is an interesting theme that surely, bloggers with minimalist styles will go for. Thanks very much Theme Team and keep them coming!

    Like

  42. Milan Turek

    Lovely, I like it. I’m sorry it wasn’t published two months ago.

    Like

  43. ileaneb

    I like this one, but I’m still waiting for a 3 column theme with custom menu options. I don’t like to have the widgets at the bottom “below the fold”. It’s nice to see that a lot of bloggers are using the new themes it keeps things fresh.

    Like

  44. glencoe2

    Looks really slick.

    Like

  45. Eric

    An Asian theme, lol. Nice!

    Like

  46. shamballa9944

    Whoo wee! Perfect name for a beautiful theme!

    Like

  47. David Hutton

    At last! A decent theme!!!! Bwah!

    Like

  48. Adriana

    Simple and sweet, love it. 🙂

    Like

  49. elwahyu

    Looks very good.

    Like

  50. Taufik

    So stylish. I like it very much!!

    Like

  51. aeshahadlina

    This is beautiful. I prefer the black one but the white one is also nice. 🙂

    Like

  52. Brandon

    Great theme! I just converted from Neutra!

    Like

  53. Lewynn

    Clean and smooth. Keep them coming. =)

    Like

  54. Philip R

    I’ve changed to Wu Wei. But don’t understand why the nav tabs are limited to five across with much space between each. There’s plenty of room for a few more. I don’t like the look of the double row tabs with this theme, so I’ve removed a few from my custom menu.

    Like

  55. lrntn

    Very nice! (though I’ll probably stick w/unsleepable).

    Like

  56. Jia Jia

    Wow, great job.. I love it!!!!!!

    Like

  57. nuckrar

    I’m new here but Wu Wei is beautiful I love the colors.

    Like

  58. holeinaboxphotography

    I like how simple it is.

    Like

  59. oriflamevideo

    Nice, I want to try this.

    Like

  60. Bernadette

    Accurately represents Taoist belief of Wu Wei in a theme – very well done. I look forward to seeing more from you.

    Like

  61. masbadar

    Oriental name, isn’t it? Where are the ornaments?

    Like

  62. Sara

    Very simple and beautiful! I love the custom header and color schemes.
    I love it! :mrgreen:

    Like

  63. Vinh Thong Nguyen

    I dont like it, Greyzed is cooler

    Like

  64. sapi

    i love the dark one 🙂

    Like

  65. deepbellylaugh

    Wow, a theme that’s functional, aesthetically pleasing and a little bit philosophical! The team’s really outdoing themselves! Thanks. I am so tempted to convert themes….

    Like

  66. bookworm4evr

    Thanks for all the new themes. It’s like a little surprise present whenever I go on WordPress! I love it! Keep experimenting. It’s worth it.

    Like

  67. Ansgar Gerstner

    As someone who is using a Taoist title for his blog, The Tao of Business, there should not be any more suitable theme than Wu Wei. Bu since I have streamlined everything along the theme I have been working with so far, I will nevertheless have to think about it.

    Like

  68. Pet Society Mystery

    Very clear! Nice!

    Like

  69. AKHMAD SUDRAJAT

    Simply theme again! Thanks.

    Like

  70. sid

    This is looking great! Thanks to the theme team. 🙂

    Like

  71. art predator

    WOW!! THis one is soooo nice! I love it! Gorgeous work, WordPress! So much flexibility! I’m teaching a intro to blogging class to a group of artists and I bet they will like this one!

    Like

  72. sudhagee

    This is perfect for a photo blog.

    Like

  73. seaportsoapopera

    Very cool theme! I love it!

    Like

  74. phio_chan

    Nice new theme, as always. Thanks, and keep up the good work!

    Like

  75. cintahidupmati

    It looks very nice and sweet.

    Like

  76. Carl

    Very minimal, looks good.

    Like

  77. Lopamudra~

    Lovely theme. Thank you. I have started using it.

    Like

  78. gaiaelascienzadellavita

    A really good work! I love the name too…

    Like

  79. Nishu

    One word… awesome. One more word… thanks. I just love this theme.

    Like

  80. JL

    I love this one! Thanks a bunch!

    Like

  81. Usup Supriyadi

    I like it! I like the black theme.

    Like

  82. Fisama

    Nice & simple theme!

    Like

  83. melaroza

    Clean and nice. I love possibility to change the color scheme! Thanks!

    Like

  84. Deena

    I really like this one. LOVE the name too. Something to aspire to – knowing when to act and knowing when not to act. Thank you!

    Like

  85. manoj1987

    Would be great if you place blogroll, meta and older posts on the right or left column rather than at the bottom.
    The reason is, if anyone visiting the blog, gets bored by the post, they just move away from the blog without scrolling down to see older posts.

    Like

  86. Indian Homemaker

    I like this theme. It’s clean, it’s available in white, it’s minimal, it has a customizable header and it’s packed with features 🙂

    Like

  87. stickinsect

    I really like the dark one. Will try this out soon.

    Like

  88. deepupradeep

    These themes are making me “WordPress addicted.” Great job.

    Like

  89. kendylau

    Very simple and clean! but not my style. Thanks anyways for providing:)

    Like

  90. Maryam

    Simple and beautiful — thanks.

    Like

  91. wildcrane

    Very nice. I love the philosophy of Wu Wei. It would be even nicer if there were black ink calligraphy of the two Chinese characters.

    Like

  92. trinabaker

    Excellent! Simple & elegant. I am off to try it right now.

    Like

  93. mattvolke

    Very nice! You guys are the best!

    Like

  94. flatland57

    Hi Guys! Great theme, very clean and elegant. It is so much fun to look at the new themes & try them on for a spin around the block. This fit just perfectly.

    Like

  95. ebooksandreviews

    Very nice and simple. Great stuff.

    Like

  96. Pingback: Top Posts — WordPress.com
  97. Tom Baker

    This looks interesting!

    Like

  98. alangettis

    Elegant in its simplicity.

    Like

  99. joemomma076

    Very nice. Love the simplicity. The font’s great too! 🙂

    Like

  100. David

    A bit quixotic – huge post titles, but I like it.

    Like

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