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Biography of Lao TzuName: Lao TzuBirth Date: N/A Death Date: N/A Place of Birth: N/A Nationality: Chinese Gender: Male Occupations: philosopher Lao Tzu Lao Tzu (6th century BC) is believed to have been a Chinese philosopher and the reputed author of the "Tao te ching," the principal text of Taoist thought. He is considered the father of Chinese Taoism.Lao Tzu purportedly was an older contemporary of the great philosopher Confucius (551-479 BC). Lao Tzu is said to have founded a philosophical school known as the Tao Chia (School of the Tao), whose teaching centered on the vague and indefinable concept of tao, usually translated "way." This school taught quietism and a nonaggressive approach to life. By the 4th century B.C. there were many Taoist masters who claimed to elaborate on Lao Tzu's original teachings.Three Lao TzusThe main source of information on Lao Tzu's life is a biography written by the historian Ssu-ma Ch'ien (145-86 B.C.) in his Records of the Historian. By this time a number of traditions about the founder …showed first 150 words…
…showed last 150 words…harmony with the tao. Thus, the Tao te ching places strong emphasis on nonaction (wu wei), which means the absence of aggressive action. Man does not strive for wealth or prestige, and violence is to be avoided. This quietist approach to life was extremely influential in later periods and led to the development of a particular Taoist regimen that involved special breathing exercises and special eating habits that were designed to maintain quietude and harmony with the tao. Further Reading Lao Tzu and the Tao te ching in particular have been a favorite subject for study in both China and the West. The best translations of the Tao te ching, which include extensive discussions of the legend and early Taoist thought, are Arthur Waley, The Way and Its Power (1935); J. J. L. Duyvendak, The Book of the Way and Its Virtue (1954); and D. C. Lau, Lao Tzu: Tao Te Ching (1963). |