Lao Tzu - Biography


Who is Lao Tzu

Lao-tzu
Lao-tzu, the father of Taoism, departing to West
Lao Tzu (translated the old sage or master) is traditionally known as the father of Taoism. He would have lived during China's Warring States period and worked as an archivist at the emperor court. There he would have met Confucius himself with whom he talked about rites.

Rites were the subject-matter of Confucius and Confucianists. Taoism - from "tao", meaning the Way of Uniting one with the Tao - didn't bother with such themes pointing to society, morals and ethics. Therefore the dialogue of these two masters shows a clear demarcation between their specific doctrines.

Lao Tzu would have preached the retirement from the world and keeping a low profile, while Confucius would have insisted on the practicing of the humanhood as the main virtue of a civilized person and on personal education.

Later on, disguised by the court decline of morals, Lao Tzu would have left his job and departed to West. Upon passing through the Gate he was asked by the Guardian of the Pass to write a book and thus come into being the Tao Te Ching (translated as the Classic of Tao and Te).

Tao and Te are basic concepts in Taoism. Related one to each other they seem to point to the Way of The Tao - in other words, to the specific of the Taoist Heaven acting as a kind of Supreme Power and ruling over everything in the universe.

Lao Tzu meets Confucius
Confucius visiting Lao Tzu
 to talk about rites
In conclusion, one could trace back 3 main features of Lao Tzu life:

1. He seemed to be an archivist at the royal court of  Chou sovereigns; 

2. He was supposed to be visited by Confucius; 

3. He would have left the court, wrote the Tao Te Ching and disappeared without a trace.

  • More Lao Tzu resources:

-> Lao Tzu quotes here.
-> More about Tao Te Ching may
here.
-> Learn more in-depth about Lao Tzu and his Tao Te Ching by taking our online course approaching these topics. Click
here for further information...

 


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