When one talks about Chinese culture, there is nothing intrinsically more hinese than Tao and Confucianism. Whether they are a religion or philosophy or a school of teaching can be a matter of deep analysis and discussion, however, what is certain is that they existed in China for over two and a half millennia and have exerted the greatest influence on Chinese culture and the way of thought of the Chinese, no matter they are in China proper or elsewhere in the world.
Today we want to talk about the origin of Tao-te-Ching (or Dao-De-Jing) which was attributed to Lao-Tse 老子(or Lao Tsu). The title of this work can be translated as the Book of Tao. Tao 道 is usually translated as “Way”, which is close to the meaning of the word in its religious sense used by Jesus in: “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life”. It is nothing much more than 5000 characters in its Chinese version and is one of the shortest of all great scriptures of the world.
Lao-Tse was born c. 604 BC in the Eastern Zhou 東周 period, also known as the “Spring and Autumn Era”春秋時代 by historians because of the title of a historical record edited by Confucius 孔夫子(Kong Fu Zi) called “Spring and Autumn Annal” 春秋 covering the period 722-481 BC. Lao-Tse was a contemporary of Confucius but somewhat fifty years to his senior. If you want to compare his time with European history, it would help you to know that Alexander the Great of Macedonia was born about two and half centuries after Lao-Tse.
Nothing can be more philosophical than to discuss the contents of Tao-te-Ching which had been translated into all major modern languages all over the world, but today we begin by looking at the lighter side of things, the writing of the book itself.
So the legend goes like this. One day Lao-Tse decided that it was his time to retire and he left his post as Master of the State Temple, travelling westward in the direction of some remote areas. There was at the time a minor official whose name was oblivious and he was only a keeper of one of the city gates. Afterwards he became famous because of Tao-te-Ching but was still only known as Kuan Yun-Zi 關尹子 (literally: Citygate, Official, Mr.or Mr. Gate-Official). Towards that late afternoon, Kuan observed that there was a rainbow-coloured piece of cloud drifting in his direction. He understood that this must represent a sage of the highest order travelling under it. So he waited for his eminent guest by the gate and when the sun was about to set he was surprised to see only an elderly gentleman approaching alone on the back of an ox.
Kuan met up the traveler and humbly enquired about his identity and where he was heading, lest outward appearance deceived him. On understanding his long service in the revered position in the State Temple and his new retirement, this city-gate official politely asked him to stay the night there at his quarters and start the journey the next day since it was getting dark and there was no hurry to where he was going. In view of his humble manners and sincere invitation, Lao-Tse agreed to stay the night.
In the course of a light supper under candle light in the quarters of the gate-keeper, the two gentlemen had a pleasant conversation. Towards the end, Kuan suggested something which actually changed the history of cultural China forever.
“Before you retire to hermitage, why don’t you leave some words of wisdom so posterity can benefit from it?”
“That can be done,” replied Lao-Tse. “ Since we have the entire night before us, are you prepared to take down what I dictate?”
To that Kuan heartily agreed. So the two began their work earnestly and before the night turned into dawn, Tao-te-Ching came into being, truly in five thousand words.
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