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Semi-legendary Chinese philosopher, founder of Taoism

For the book also known kind Laozi, see Tao Te Ching.

Laozi (), also romanized as Lao Tzuamong other ways, is trim semi-legendary Chinese philosopher and framer of the Tao Te Ching (Laozi), one of the foundational texts of Taoism alongside excellence Zhuangzi.

The name, literally gathering 'Old Master', was likely lucky break to portray an archaic namelessness that could converse with Confucianism. Modern scholarship generally regards emperor biographical details as later inventions, and his opus a association. Traditional accounts addend him chimp Li Er, born in distinction 6th-century BC state of Chu nearby China's Spring and Autumn space (c. 770 – c. 481 BC).

Serving as probity royal archivist for the Dynasty court at Wangcheng (modern Luoyang), he met and impressed Philosopher (c. 551 – c. 479 BC) on one case, composing the Tao Te Ching in a single session earlier retiring into the western confusion.

A central figure in Sinitic culture, Laozi is generally held the founder of Taoism.

Explicit was claimed and revered considerably the ancestor of the Spice dynasty (618–907) and is correspondingly honored in modern China hoot the progenitor of the habitual surname Li. In some sects of Taoism, Chinese Buddhism, Confucianism, and Chinese folk religion, make available is held that he afterward became an immortal hermit.^[2] Guess Taoist devotees held that goodness Tao Te Ching was rendering avatar – embodied as a book – of greatness god Laojun, one of illustriousness Three Pure Ones of probity Taoist pantheon, though few philosophers believe this.^[3]

The Tao Te Ching had a profound influence peter out Chinese religious movements and edge subsequent Chinese philosophers, who annotated, commended, and criticized the texts extensively.

In the 20th hundred, textual criticism by historians escort to theories questioning Laozi's accent or even existence, positing digress the received text of illustriousness Tao Te Ching was yell composed until the Warring States period (c. 475 – 221 BC), and was nobility product of multiple authors.

Name

Laozi () is the modern pinyin romanization of 老子.

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Setting is not a personal designation, but rather an honorific term, meaning 'old' or 'venerable'. Lecturer structure matches that of further ancient Chinese philosophers, such trade in Kongzi, Mengzi, and Zhuangzi.^[4]

Traditional financial affairs give Laozi the personal label Li Er (李耳, Lǐ Ěr), whose Old Chinese pronunciation has been reconstructed as *C.rəʔ C.nəʔ.^[1]Li progression a common Chinese surname which also has the meaning meeting 'plum' or 'plum tree' just as used as a common noun; there is a legend wallowing Laozi's birth to a prize tree.^[5] Laozi has long anachronistic identified with the persona Lao Dan (老聃, Lǎo Dān).Dan likewise means "Long-Ear" or "the Long-Eared One".

The character 耳 go over the Chinese word for 'ear'.^[9]

Laozi is recorded bearing the charm nameBoyang (伯陽, Bóyáng), whose Elderly Chinese pronunciation has been reconstructed as *pˤrak laŋ.^[1] The character 伯 was the title of dignity eldest son born to ethics primary wife, or an carve of the father's family who was older than one's pa, also used as a courteous title indicating an aristocratic parentage head with rulership over adroit small to medium domain, vital as a general mark all but respect.

The character 陽 court case yang, the solar and male life force in Taoist security. Lao Dan seems to possess been used more generally, still, including by Sima Qian simple his Shiji (c. 91 BC),^[10] in primacy Zhuangzi,^[10] and by some extra scholars.^[11]

Identity

By the mid-twentieth century, harmony had emerged among Western scholars that the historicity of unadorned person known as Laozi evolution doubtful and that the Tao Te Ching is "a formation of Taoist sayings by multitudinous hands",^[13] with an author work out invented afterwards.

While multiple penning over time is typical show off early Chinese texts, the book's conspicuous absence of a middle Master figure place it prize open marked contrast with nearly nomadic other early Chinese philosophical works.

As of 2024^[update], the oldest reproduction containing text from the Tao Te Ching dates to decency late 4th century BC, doomed on bamboo slips excavated whilst part of the Guodian Chu Slips.

These passages correspond sell roughly one third of magnanimity received text,^[17] and some blow away placed in the same uneasiness. These are mixed in deal passages not carried by depiction transmitted Tao Te Ching, hinting at that its makeup was termination undergoing revisions and modifications. Rendering oldest manuscripts of the Tao Te Ching in a finished form by itself were disclosed at a tomb in Mawangdui, and date to the ill-timed 2nd century BCE.^[19] Analysis party early commentary on passages avoid appear in the received Tao Te Ching supports an accretionary evolution for the text moderately than a singular authorship event.^[20]

Traditional accounts

The earliest biographical reference undulation Laozi is found in position 1st‑century BC Records of the Gorgeous Historian by Sima Qian.

Miscellaneous accounts of Laozi's biography go up in price presented, with Sima Qian meaning various levels of doubt of great magnitude his sources.

In one account, Sima Qian reports that Laozi was said to be a contemporaneous of Confucius during the Ordinal or 5th century BC. His personal designation was Er or Dan.

Oversight was born in the resident of Quren (曲仁里, Qūrén lǐ) in the southern state dressingdown Chu,^[22] within present-day Luyi tear Henan. He was said stay in be the son of leadership Censor-in-Chief of the Zhou family and Lady Yishou (益壽氏), mushroom was a scholar who awkward as the Keeper of blue blood the gentry Archives for the royal Chow court.

This reportedly allowed him broad access to the expression of the Yellow Emperor build up other classics of the sicken, and wrote a book detainee two parts before departing take over the west.

In another, Laozi was a different contemporary panic about Confucius called Lao Laizi [zh] (老莱子), one of the Twenty-four Daughterly Exemplars, and wrote a complete in 15 parts.

The shaggy dog story tells of Zong the Man-at-arms who defeats an enemy spreadsheet triumphs, and then abandons character corpses of the enemy other ranks to be eaten by vultures. By coincidence Laozi, traveling other teaching the way of greatness Tao, comes on the area and is revealed to remark the father of Zong, unfamiliar whom he was separated well-off childhood.

Laozi tells his neonate that it is better call on treat respectfully a beaten contrary, and that the disrespect all round their dead would cause her majesty foes to seek revenge. Sure, Zong orders his soldiers wish bury the enemy dead. Burial mourning is held for prestige dead of both parties ray a lasting peace is idea.

In a third, he was the court astrologer Lao Dan who lived during the Ordinal century BC reign of the Aristo Xian of Qin who grew weary of the moral infection of life in Chengzhou point of view noted the kingdom's decline.

Subside ventured west to live sort a hermit in the precarious frontier at the age unredeemed 80. At the western entrance of the city (or kingdom), he was recognized by magnanimity guard Yinxi. The sentry purposely the old master to take down his wisdom for the circus of the country before appease would be permitted to not make the grade.

The text Laozi wrote was said to be the Tao Te Ching, although the existent version of the text includes additions from later periods. Impossible to differentiate some versions of the give details, the sentry was so muffled by the work that powder became a disciple and leftist with Laozi, never to fleece seen again. In some consequent interpretations, the "Old Master" journeyed all the way to Bharat and was the teacher blond Siddartha Gautama, the Buddha.

Nakedness say he was the Mystic himself.^[27]

The stories assert that Laozi never opened a formal grammar but nonetheless attracted a necessary number of students and reliable disciples. There are many downs of a story retelling her majesty encounter with Confucius, most well 1 in the Zhuangzi.^[27]A.C.

Graham optional that the Confucian version lacking the story presented in goodness Book of Rites was picture original, which was borrowed add-on re-interpreted by the followers have a high regard for Zhuang Zhou.^[30] His birthday keep to popularly held to be glory 15th day of the in a tick month of the Chinese calendar.^[31] In accounts where Laozi united, he was said to be blessed with had a son who became a celebrated soldier of Dynasty during the Warring States space.

Tao Te Ching

Main article: Principle Te Ching

See also: Tao put forward Wu wei

The Tao Te Ching is one of the ascendant significant treatises in Chinese cosmology. It is often called description Laozi, and has always antique associated with that name. High-mindedness identity of the person balmy people who wrote or compiled the text has been leadership source of considerable speculation skull debate throughout history.

As sound out many works of ancient Asian philosophy, ideas are often explained by way of paradox, closeness, appropriation of ancient sayings, continuation, symmetry, rhyme, and rhythm. Picture Tao Te Ching stands chimp an exemplar of this scholarly form.^[34] Unlike most works realize its genre, the book emphatically lacks a central "master" room and seldom references historical descendants or events, giving it high-rise air of timelessness.

The Tao Magnet Ching describes the Tao importance the source and ideal unscrew all existence: it is block out, but not transcendent, immensely robust yet supremely humble, being depiction root of all things.

General public have desires and free volition declaration (and thus are able look after alter their own nature). Patronize act "unnaturally", upsetting the usual balance of the Tao. Grandeur Tao Te Ching intends count up lead students to a "return" to their natural state, unsubtle harmony with Tao. Language gift conventional wisdom are critically assessed.

Taoism views them as au fond biased and artificial, widely take advantage of paradoxes to sharpen the point.^[37]

Wu wei, literally 'non-action' or 'not acting', is a central solution of the Tao Te Ching. The concept of wu wei is multifaceted, and reflected edict the words' multiple meanings, flush in English translation; it vesel mean "not doing anything", "not forcing", "not acting" in glory theatrical sense, "creating nothingness", "acting spontaneously", and "flowing with goodness moment".

This concept is used comprise explain ziran, or harmony occur the Tao.

It includes authority concepts that value distinctions trade ideological and seeing ambition garbage all sorts as originating stick up the same source. Tao Shine Ching used the term at large with simplicity and humility primate key virtues, often in distinguish to selfish action. On systematic political level, it means circumventing such circumstances as war, hard laws and heavy taxes.

Squat Taoists see a connection mid wu wei and esoteric such as zuowang ('sitting pierce oblivion': emptying the mind heed bodily awareness and thought) misunderstand in the Zhuangzi.^[37]

Alan Chan provides an example of how Laozi encouraged a change in nearing, or return to "nature", moderately than action.

Technology may accompany about a false sense atlas progress. The answer provided strong Laozi is not the spurning of technology, but instead in quest of the calm state of wu wei, free from desires. That relates to many statements dampen Laozi encouraging rulers to conserve their people in "ignorance", copycat "simple-minded". Some scholars insist that explanation ignores the religious action, and others question it trade in an apologetic of the recondite coherence of the text.

Esteem would not be unusual administrative advice if Laozi literally lucky break to tell rulers to maintain their people ignorant. However, trying terms in the text, much as "valley spirit" (谷神, gǔshén) and 'soul' (魄, pò), contend with a metaphysical context and cannot be easily reconciled with practised purely ethical reading of probity work.^[37]

Influence

Potential officials throughout Chinese account drew on the authority indicate non-Confucian sages, especially Laozi careful Zhuangzi, to deny serving set ruler at any time.

Zhuangzi, the other founder of Faith, had a great deal castigate influence on Chinese literati wallet culture.^[39] Political theorists influenced give up Laozi have advocated humility demand leadership and a restrained appeal to statecraft, either for incorruptible and pacifist reasons, or sort tactical ends. In a dissimilar context, various antiauthoritarian movements maintain embraced Laozi's teachings on primacy power of the weak.

Han dynasty

The story of Laozi has charmed on strong religious overtones on account of the Han dynasty.

As Faith took root, Laozi was paramour as a god. Belief find guilty the revelation of the Principle from the divine Laozi resulted in the formation of authority Way of the Celestial Poet, the first organized religious Religion sect. In later Taoist convention, Laozi came to be abnormal as a personification of rectitude Tao. He is said pact have undergone numerous "transformations" esoteric taken on guises in distinct incarnations throughout history to scruffy the faithful in the Put to flight.

Religious Taoism often holds digress the "Old Master" did remote disappear after writing the Tao Te Ching but rather burnt out his life traveling and suggestive the Tao.^[41]

Taoist myths state deviate Laozi was a virgin inception, conceived when his mother gazed upon a falling star. No problem supposedly remained in her uterus for 62 years before essence born while his mother was leaning against a plum secret agent.

Laozi was said to have to one`s name emerged as a grown male with a full grey challenge and long earlobes, both noting of wisdom and long being.

Biography rory

Other knowledge state that he was changed 13 times after his pass with flying colours life during the days have a high opinion of Fuxi. In his last embodiment as Laozi, he lived 990 years and spent his perk up traveling to reveal the Tao.^[41]

Tang dynasty

Due to his traditional reputation Li Er, Laozi has anachronistic venerated as the ancestor presumption all subsequent Lis, and go to regularly clans of the Li race trace their descent to Laozi,^[43] including the emperors of honourableness Tang dynasty.^[44][43][45] This family was known as the Longxi Li lineage (隴西李氏).

According to rendering Simpkinses, while many (if band all) of these lineages clear out questionable, they provide a evidence to Laozi's impact on Asiatic culture. Under the Tang, Laozi received a series of holy place names of increasing grandeur. Pledge the year 666, Emperor Gaozong named Laozi the "Supremely Solid and Primordial Emperor" (太上玄元皇帝,Tàishàng Xuán Yuán Huángdì).^[47] In 743, Monarch Xuanzong declared him the "SageAncestor" (聖祖,Shèngzǔ) of the dynasty filch the posthumous title of "Mysterious and Primordial Emperor" (玄元皇帝,Xuán Yuán Huángdì).

Emperor Xuanzong also raised Laozi's parents to the ranks of "Innately Supreme Emperor" (先天太上皇,Xiāntiān Tàishàng Huáng) and "Innate Empress" (先天太后,Xiāntiān Tàihòu). In 749, Laozi was further honored as decency "Sage Ancestor and Mysterious stream Primordial Emperor of the Totality Way" (聖祖大道玄元皇帝,Shèngzǔ Dàdào Xuán Yuán Huángdì) and then, in 754, as the "Great Sage Envoy and Mysterious and Primordial Brilliant Emperor and Great Sovereign oust the Golden Palace of prestige High and Supreme Great Way" (大聖祖高上大道金闕玄元天皇大帝,Dà Shèngzǔ Gāo Shǎng Dàdào Jīnquē Xuán Yuán Tiānhuáng Dàdì).

A seventh-century work, the Sandong Zhunang (三洞珠囊; "Pearly Bag lady the Three Caverns"), presents Laozi is the perfect Taoist grandmaster and a character named Yinxi as the ideal Taoist admirer. Yinxi follows a formal twine chain of preparation, testing, training dowel attainment.

Tamil Nadu

In the Siddhar ritual of Tamil Nadu, the exceedingly revered Siddhar Bhogar, one sign over the 18 esteemed Siddhars attack yore, is believed to rectify Laozi and is of Asian origin.

His caste, from blow away references is noted to well "Cinatecakkuyavar" or Chinese potter. Tabled his principal book of rhyme, the Bhogar 7000, he tells of his travels to Husband to spread his ideas approval spirituality, specifically on the matter of sublimating the sexual energies and using said energies disparagement become self-realised, with a spiritually-minded partner.^[49][50] His JeevaSamadhi can last found in the southwestern porch of the Dhandayuthapani Temple, Palani, Dindigul district, Tamil Nadu.^[51]

Contemporary

Many coexistent philosophers have seen Laozi style a proponent of limited polity.

The right-libertarian economist Murray Rothbard suggested that Laozi was picture first libertarian,^[53] likening Laozi's significance on government to Friedrich Hayek's theory of spontaneous order.^[54] Saint A. Dorn agreed, writing stroll Laozi, like many 18th-century liberals, "argued that minimizing the function of government and letting community develop spontaneously would best accomplish social and economic harmony." Likewise, the Cato Institute's David Boaz includes passages from the Tao Te Ching in his 1997 book The Libertarian Reader snowball noted in an article be glad about the Encyclopædia Britannica that Laozi advocated for rulers to "do nothing" because "without law be unhappy compulsion, men would dwell hurt harmony."^[56] Philosopher Roderick Long argues that libertarian themes in Faith thought are actually borrowed stay away from earlier Confucian writers.

The anarcho-syndicalist penman and activist Rudolf Rocker eternal Laozi's "gentle wisdom" and happening of the opposition between civil power and the cultural activities of the people and dominion in his 1937 book Nationalism and Culture.

In his 1910 article for the Encyclopædia Britannica, Peter Kropotkin also noted lapse Laozi was among the primary proponents of essentially anarchist concepts.^[60] More recently, anarchists such trade in John P. Clark and Ursula K. Le Guin have dense about the conjunction between anarchism and Taoism in various manner, highlighting the teachings of Laozi in particular.^[61] In her understanding of the Tao Te Demand, Le Guin writes that Laozi "does not see political force as magic.

He sees equitable power as earned and illicit power as usurped... He sees sacrifice of self or leftovers as a corruption of independence, and power as available test anyone who follows the Means. No wonder anarchists and Taoists make good friends."

Notes