Laozi

(Redirected from Lao Tzu)

Categories: Chinese thinkers | Taoism | Taoists | Chinese philosophers | Mysterious people

Laozi's names
Chinese name:老子
Pinyin:Lǎo Zi, Laozi
Wade-Giles:Lao Tzu
Other spellings: Lao Tse, Laotse,
Lao Tze, Laotze
Actual name: 李耳, Lǐ Ěr
Courtesy name: 伯陽, Bó Yáng
Posthumous name: 聃, Dān
Image:Laozi3.jpg
Laozi leaves China on his water buffalo.

Laozi (Chinese 老子, also spelled Lao Tzu) is a major figure in Chinese philosophy whose historical existence is debated. Chinese tradition states that he lived in the 6th century BC. Many modern scholars state that he may have lived in approximately the 4th century BC, during the Hundred Schools of Thought and Warring States Periods. Laozi is credited with writing the seminal Taoist work, the Tao Te Ching (道德經), and became a popular deity in the Taoist religion's pantheon.

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His life

Little is known about Laozi's life. His historical existence is strongly debated, as is his authorship of the Tao Te Ching. Laozi has become an important culture hero to subsequent generations of Chinese people. Tradition says he was born in Ku Prefecture (苦縣 Kǔ Xiàn) of the state of Chǔ (楚), which today is Lùyì County (鹿邑) of Henan province, in the later years of Spring and Autumn Period. Some legends say he was born with white hair, having spent eight or eighty years in his mother's womb, which is given as an explanation for his title, which can be both read as "the old master" and "the old child".

According to the tradition, and a biography included in Sima Qian's work, Laozi was an older contemporary of Confucius and worked as an archivist in the Imperial Library of the Zhou Dynasty court. Confucius intentionally or accidentally met him in Zhou, near the location of modern Luoyang, where Confucius was going to browse the library scrolls. According to these stories, Confucius, over the following months, discussed ritual and propriety, cornerstones of Confucianism, with Laozi. The latter strongly opposed what he felt to be hollow practices. Taoist legend claims that these discussions proved more educational for Confucius than the contents of the libraries.

Afterwards, Laozi resigned from his post, perhaps because the authority of Zhou's court was diminishing. Some accounts claim he travelled west on his water buffalo through the state of Qin and from there disappeared into the vast desert. These accounts have a guard at the western-most gate convincing Laozi to write down his wisdom before heading out into the desert. Until this time, Laozi had shared his philosophy in spoken words only, as was also the case with Socrates, Jesus, the Buddha and Confucius (whose Analects were most likely compiled by disciples). Laozi's response to the soldier's request was the Tao Te Ching.

Some of the modern controversies concerning Laozi's life include:

  • The discussion with Confucius might have been fabricated by Taoists to make their school of philosophy sound superior to Confucianism.
  • The actual author(s) of the Tao Te Ching might have created a fictitious character so the origin of the text would look more mysterious, thus making it easier to popularize.
  • Arguments have been put forth that Laozi was a pseudonym of Dan, Prefect of the Grand Scribes (Tài Shǐ Dàn, 太史儋); or of an old man from Lai, a prefecture in the state of Qí (齊); or of some other historical person.
Image:Lao Tzu - Project Gutenberg eText 15250.jpg
Laozi, from Myths and Legends of China, 1922 by E. T. C. Werner
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His work

Laozi's famous work, the Tao Te Ching, has been widely influential in China. The book is a mystical treatise covering many areas of philosophy, from individual spirituality to techniques for governing societies.

If we refer to this book, we can draw in a few lines what and how Laozi was thinking. He emphasized a specific "Tao", which often translates as "the Way," and widened its meaning to an unnameable inherent order or property of the universe: "The way Nature is." He highlighted the concept of wei-wu-wei, or "action through inaction." This does not mean that one should sit around and do nothing, but that one should avoid explicit intentions, strong will, and proactive action; one can reach real efficiency by following the way things spontaneously increase or decrease. Actions taken in accordance with Tao (Nature) are easier and more productive than actively attempting to counter it. Laozi believed that violence should be avoided when possible, and that military victory was an occasion to mourn the necessity of using force against another living thing, rather than an occasion for triumphant celebrations. Laozi also indicated that codified laws and rules result in society becoming more difficult to manage.

As with most other ancient Chinese thinkers, his way of explaining his ideas often uses paradox, analogy, appropriation of ancient sayings, repetition, symmetry, rhyme, and rhythm. The writings attributed to him are poetical, dense and often obscure. They served as a starting point for cosmological or introspective meditations. Many of the aesthetic theories of Chinese art are widely grounded in his ideas and those of his most famous follower : Zhuang Zi.

Although Laozi does not have as deep an influence as Confucius does in China, he is still widely respected by the Chinese and his thoughts are studied in many places all around the world.

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Influences

Laozi's most famous follower, Zhuang Zi, wrote a book that had a great deal of influence on Chinese Literati, through the ideas of individualism, freedom, carefreeness, and, even if the author never speaks about it, art, which may well be the cornerstone of Chinese aesthetic.

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Names

The name Laozi is an honorific title. Lao (老) means "venerable" or "old." Zi (子) translates literally as "boy," but it was also a term for a rank of nobleman equivalent to viscount, as well as a term of respect attached to the names of revered masters. Thus, "Laozi" can be translated roughly as "the old master."

Laozi's personal name may have been Li Er (李耳, Lǐ Ěr or Li Ehr), his courtesy name may have been Boyang (伯陽), and his posthumous name was Dān, (聃) which means "Mysterious."

Laozi is also known as:

  • Elder Dan (老聃)
  • Senior Lord (老君)
    • Senior Lord Li (李老君)
    • Senior Lord Taishang (太上老君 Tàishàng Lǎojūn)
  • Taoist Lord Laozi (老子道君)

In the Li Tang Dynasty, in order to create a connection to Laozi as the ancestor of the imperial family, he was given a posthumous name of Emperor Xuanyuan (玄元皇帝), meaning "Profoundly Elementary;" and a temple name of Shengzu (聖祖), meaning "Saintly/Sagely Progenitor."

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Popular culture

Two books called The Tao of Pooh and The Te of Piglet by Benjamin Hoff use the characters and style of Winnie the Pooh to explain Taoism.

In the video game True Crime, developed by Activision. The character ancient Wu says: "Lao Tzu says, if you do not know the plans of your competitors, you cannot make informed alliances".

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External links

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The Tao Te Ching:

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Bibliography

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