Texts of Daoism
The Lao Zi (Dao De Jing)
Traditionally Lao Zi is considered to be the father of Daoism, the dating of his book the Dao De Jing (Tao Te Ching), is controversial amongst modern scholars, but generally it is placed around 500 BC. As the name Lao Zi actually means “old man” in Chinese and was used as a popular name for respected gentlemen throughout history, it is also debated whether the Dao De Jing even has a dedicated author. However Lao Zi is mentioned in the Shi Ji 史記 (The book of history) by the great historian Si Ma Chien as being a native of Qu ren, a village in the district of Hu in the ancient state of Chu. He is reported as holding the office of Shi , at the royal court of the Zhou Dynasty (c. 1046–256 BCE). The office of Shi in the Zhou Dynasty, was in charge of the sacred books and an expert in divination and astrology. Lao Zi was reputed as having met Confucius when he was still young, but scholars dispute the accuracy of this story and for many is merely a myth.
Another popular story tells of the historian leaving the country due to becoming disillusioned about the world and when he got to Western gate, the gate keeper recognised him and insisted that he wrote a book before he left. The book was a 5000 word poem, the Dao De Jing.
Laozi became a legendary figure and the father of Daoism as the school developed into a religion and was credited as living to a ripe old age, representing longevity a major feature of Daoism. Laozi was respected across China by people in all walks of life. Confucians venerated him as a great philosopher, to the Daoists he was the emanation of the Dao and a God later in religious Daoism and to the ordinary man he was a saintly wise man.
Daodejing Quotations
It begins…
The tao that can be told
is not the eternal Tao
The name that can be named
is not the eternal Name.
The unnameable is the eternally real.
Naming is the origin of all particular things.
The Zhuang Zi
By the Warring States period when the 100 schools of philosophy were influential in feudal Chinese politics, Zhuang Zhou the philosopher, made his entrance around 300 BC, around which time the school of Daoism emerged amidst a flourish of new philosophical schools. The Zhuang Zi was written in a different style to the Dao De Jing which is essentially poetry. The Zhuang Zi, on the other hand, is written in prose style as anecdotal stories about well known contemporary Warring States personalities and legendary and historical figures from ancient times.
Zhuang Zi wrote anecdotes about the times in which he lived and his philosophy is buried in these stories about philosophers, feuding rulers, the famous madman of Chu and even his own wife. His writing style is complex, humorous witty and deeply metaphorical. He was offered public office which he refused and he criticised the scholarly oratory that took place in academies set up by rulers for advisory purposes. Disputation became popular amongst scholars of the various schools of Warring States China, both orthodox and heterodox, but Zhuang Zi took no part. He preferred to make a living making sandals and spreading the word of Daoism by practicing its tenets, telling stories and teaching by example.
Zhuang Zhou became a 2nd father of Daoism and his writings are included in the Daoist Canon and were therefore preserved during the great book burning during the first dynasty ( Qin).
Zhuang Zi Excerpt
“Once upon a time, I, Zhuangzi, dreamt I was a butterfly, fluttering hither and thither, to all intents and purposes a butterfly. I was conscious only of my happiness as a butterfly, unaware that I was Zhuangzi. Soon I awakened, and there I was, veritably myself again. Now I do not know whether I was then a man dreaming I was a butterfly, or whether I am now a butterfly, dreaming I am a man. Between a man and a butterfly there is necessarily a distinction. The transition is called the transformation of material things.”
Translation by Lin Yutang
Other prominent Daoists
Ho Yen – Chinese philosopher, pre-han, founder of the Daoist-based philosophical movement ching-tan (“pure conversation”)
Kuo Hsiang – Chinese philosopher, Neo-Daoist thinker; wrote an important commentary on the Zhuang-Zi
Lie Zi – (born Liu An; a.k.a. Lieh Tzu; Huai-nan Tzu; Huainanzi) prince and famous legendary Daoist sage mentioned many times in the Zhuang Zi; credited with compiling the Taoist text Lie Zi