Zhuang Lao Tong Bian

Author: Qian Mu
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-02-01
Features: This book is specifically dedicated to discussing and clarifying the chronological order of the thoughts of Zhuangzi and Laozi. The detailed research on the birth and death years of Zhuangzi and Laozi, as well as the various historical accounts, can be found in my previous work, Chronology of the Pre-Qin Philosophers. In addition to Chronology of the Pre-Qin Philosophers, other works that can complement and verify this book include An Introduction to Chinese Learning, History of Chinese Thought, Mozi, and Hui Shi and Gongsun Long. I hope readers will consult these works.
The authorship and composition date of the Laozi book have been a major "unsolved case" in the field of Chinese intellectual history. The traditional view held that Laozi lived before Confucius. However, modern scholar Liang Qiren criticized Hu Shi's History of Chinese Philosophy, arguing that the Laozi book was written after Confucius. Gu Jiegang and Feng Youlan supported this view, asserting that Laozi lived before Zhuangzi.
The author of this book, following the principle of "seeking to know the person and then tracing their era" as mentioned by Mencius, meticulously examines the mutual influences, inheritances, and debates among various schools of thought in Daoist philosophy and the broader history of Pre-Qin thought. With compelling arguments and solid evidence, the author convincingly concludes that the Laozi book should have been written after Zhuangzi.
Since the twelfth year of the Republic of China, over a span of thirty-eight years, the author has made continuous discoveries, resulting in eighteen essays that have been compiled into this book.