Laozi Quick Read: The Great Wisdom of Life

Author: Huang Qingxuan
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-06-01
Features: The book here is something you must read at least once in your lifetime, whether you are ten, thirty, or seventy years old! A minimalist reading list of Chinese culture. From the vast collection of ancient classics, sixty works have been selected for the first time to present the style and appearance of Chinese five thousand years of culture in a relaxed and easy-to-read format. A renowned scholar from Taiwan reviews classical literature with the perspective of the 21st century, traversing through time and space, guiding you into the "unfenced museum of Chinese culture." The Treasury of Chinese Classics also includes the original texts or excerpts, not only emphasizing the indispensability of the originals but also guiding dedicated readers to progress step by step from easy to advanced.
Laozi, whose surname is Li and given name is Er, styled Dan, was a person from the State of Chu during the Spring and Autumn Period. He once served as the keeper of archives for the Zhou government and was asked by Confucius about the rites. The Laozi now in circulation is divided into two parts: the upper part begins with the sentence "The Way that can be spoken is not the eternal Way," and the lower part begins with "The highest virtue does not rely on virtue, hence it has virtue." Therefore, later generations combined the character "Dao" from the upper part and "De" from the lower part to name it the Tao Te Ching.
Laozi's philosophy teaches that by embracing gentleness, one can remain humble, avoid contention, and live selflessly, following the natural order. By discarding the superficial and embracing the essential, one can introspect and eventually return to simplicity and purity.