Laozi, also known as Boyang and Dan, is respectfully called "Laozi" by the world (571 BC - 471 BC). He was born in Qurenli, Li Township, Ku County in the Eastern Zhou Dynasty (originally belonging to the state of Chen). , later merged into the Chu State, now Luyi County, Henan Province), according to "Historical Records", Lao Tzu was born out of wedlock.
Laozi studied under Shang Rong, a late official of the Yin and Shang Dynasties. He served as an official in the Zhou Shou Tibetan Room at the end of the Spring and Autumn Period of the Eastern Zhou Dynasty (History under the Pillar). He was a thinker of the Spring and Autumn Period and lived in seclusion in Guangyang Mountain, Xingtai. This person's work is widely regarded as the "Tao Te Ching", which is a Taoist classic and one of the most widely published works in the world. Li Dan's teachings were later developed by Zhuang Zhou, Yang Zhu, Lie Yukou and others, and later generations regarded him as the founding master of the Taoist school. "Historical Records: Biography of Laozi and Han Fei" records that Confucius asked Laozi for advice on etiquette.
Laozi advocates the concept of governing by inaction, the unity of nature and man, and the rule of tranquility and inaction. He is also an important figure in Taoism like Zhuangzi. They are collectively known as "Laozi and Zhuangzi", or alongside Taishi Dan. They have existed for about nine years. More than ten years old or a hundred years old. Li Dan was revered as the founder of Taoism and Taoism and the first of the three great sages of the East. The Tang Dynasty recognized Li Dan as the ancestor of the Li surname. Lao Tzu is a world cultural celebrity and one of the 100 historical celebrities in the world.
Extended information
1. Laozi’s Taoist thought:
Taoism is one of the most important schools of thought among the hundreds of scholars in the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods in China. It is the origin of Taoist thought. Very early on, according to legend, Emperor Xuanyuan had the idea of ????the unity of heaven and man.
Generally speaking, it is recognized that the first person to establish Taoist doctrine was Laozi in the Spring and Autumn Period. Laozi gave a detailed explanation in his "Laozi" ("Tao Te Ching").
Other representatives of Taoist thought include Zhuang Zhou, Lieyu Kou, Hui Shi and others during the Warring States Period. Taoism advocates a natural world view and methodology, respects Huangdi and Laozi as its founders, and calls them Huang Lao.
The core of Taoist thought is "Tao". It is believed that "Tao" is the origin of the universe and the law that governs all movements in the universe.
In the early years of the Western Han Dynasty, Emperor Wen and Emperor Jing of the Han Dynasty governed the country with Taoist ideas, allowing the people to recuperate from the harsh rule of the Qin Dynasty. History calls it the rule of Wenjing.
Later, Confucian scholar Dong Zhongshu proposed to Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty the policy of "deposing hundreds of schools of thought and respecting Confucianism alone", which was adopted by later emperors. Taoism has since become a non-mainstream thought. Although Taoism was not officially adopted, it continued to play an important role in the development of ancient Chinese thought. Neo-Confucianism of the Song and Ming Dynasties was developed by integrating Taoist thoughts.
Taoist thought was later absorbed by Zhang Lu’s Five Pecks of Rice and other religions, and evolved into Taoism, one of the important religions in China. Fengliu in the Wei and Jin Dynasties paid more attention to alchemy when talking about metaphysics. Therefore, Taoism and Taoism are often confused.
2. Laozi's main work "Tao Te Ching":
The current Taoist saying that "man follows the earth, the earth follows the sky, heaven follows the Tao, and the Tao follows nature" is derived from the Taoist classic It comes from the "Tao Te Ching", Tao is the objective law of nature, and the "Tao Te Ching" is a Taoist philosophical classic that uses "Tao" to explain the laws of the evolution of all things.
The "Tao Te Ching" is eloquent and has more than 5,000 words. It is also called "Laozi" or "The Tao Te Ching".
The "Tao Te Ching" consists of two volumes. The 37 chapters in the first volume are mainly Tao Jing, and the 44 chapters in the second volume are De Jing. The art of Tao". "Tao Te Ching" is known as one of the three major ideological works that influence Chinese social thought.
The "Tao Te Ching" explains that "Tao gives birth to one, one gives birth to two, two gives birth to three, and three gives rise to all things." "Tao" is used to describe the changes in the universe. "Tao" is "Fu Mo's destiny and constant" "Nature", so Tao is the objective law existing in nature, such as the four seasons of celestial phenomena.
Reference source: Baidu Encyclopedia - Laozi
Reference source: Baidu Encyclopedia - Tao Te Ching