Dao De Jing

Laozi

may 2019 · Univ of California Press

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The book is fundamental to both philosophical and religious Taoism and strongly influenced other schools, such as Legalism, Confucianism and Chinese Buddhism, which when first introduced into China was largely interpreted through the use of Daoist words and concepts. Many Chinese artists, including poets, painters, calligraphers, and even gardeners have used the Daodejing as a source of inspiration. Its influence has also spread widely outside East Asia, and is amongst the most translated works in world literature. This book strongly influenced New Thought movements in west including James Allen.

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Laozi was a philosopher and poet of ancient China. He is best known as the reputed author of the Tao Te Ching and the founder of philosophical Taoism, but he is also revered as a deity in religious Taoism and traditional Chinese religions. Although a legendary figure, he is usually dated to around the 6th century BC and seen as a contemporary of Confucius, but some historians contend that he actually lived during the Warring States period of the 5th or 4th century BC. Laozi is traditionally regarded as the author of the Daodejing (Tao Te Ching). It is one of the most significant treatises in Chinese cosmogony. As with most other ancient Chinese philosophers, Laozi often explains his ideas by way of paradox, analogy, appropriation of ancient sayings, repetition, symmetry, and rhyme. In fact, the whole book can be read as an analogy the ruler is the awareness, or self, in meditation and the myriad creatures or empire is the experience of the body, senses and desires.