Engaging with Philosophers in a Battle of Wisdom - Raising Your Mental Game Step by Step

Author: Zeng Xiaofeng / Country: Mainland China
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-06-01
Features:
Laozi, a great thinker and philosopher of ancient China and the founder of the Taoist school, pioneered the philosophical thought of ancient China with his work Tao Te Ching. His philosophical ideas and the Taoist school he established have had a profound influence on the development of China's intellectual and cultural traditions for over 2,000 years. The Tao Te Ching is widely recognized as one of the world's ancient classics and has been translated into multiple languages, including English, Japanese, Russian, and German.
Due to the lack of historical records, the exact birth and death dates of Laozi remain a mystery. In Sima Qian's Records of the Grand Historian, only a few hundred words are devoted to his life, leading to countless legends and speculations about him, which have endowed Laozi with an air of mystery.
As early as Laozi's time, there was a wise man named Shang Rong, a man of great knowledge and insight. When young Laozi went to pay respects to him as his teacher, he stood respectfully outside the door. Inside, the elderly Shang Rong merely glanced at him before closing his eyes again to meditate. After some time, when he opened his eyes once more, he found that the young man was still standing motionless outside. "Who is this?" "Why are you here?" Shang Rong finally asked. Laozi quickly introduced himself and explained his purpose. At that moment, Shang Rong sticking out his tongue asked Laozi, "How is it?" Laozi replied, "Very well." Shang Rong then showed his teeth to Laozi, and Laozi quickly answered, "They are all gone!" Shang Rong nodded and asked Laozi in a muffled voice, "Do you understand what this means?" After a moment of thought, Laozi said, "It seems that the hard teeth cannot withstand the soft tongue. This must be the meaning of defeating the strong with the weak." Shang Rong smiled with satisfaction upon hearing this. This is a legend about how Laozi became a student. P1-2