Laozi's Original Interpretation

Author: Liu Xiaolong
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2006-07-01
Features: The study of the Tao Te Ching has traditionally been based on two understandings:
1. The five thousand words of the Tao Te Ching are divided into eighty-one chapters, each with its own theme, with no direct connection between them, resembling relatively independent short essays. Thus, the Tao Te Ching can be regarded as a collection of literary essays.
2. The first thirty-seven chapters primarily discuss the "Tao," compiled as the upper part, while the last forty-four chapters primarily discuss the "De," compiled as the lower part. Therefore, the book can also be called the "Classic of the Way and Virtue."
While traditional views may be widely accepted, they do not necessarily align with Laozi's original intent. The chapters of the Tao Te Ching originally correspond to each other, follow a logical sequence, and are therefore ordered. They are not independent essays with individual themes but rather groups of chapters that combine around a single theme to form argumentative units. These units progress in hierarchy, forming a systematic argument where the parts constitute the whole. The Tao Te Ching not only contains systematic discussions on the "Tao" and the "De" but also on "politics." These three parts are interrelated, forming an organic whole—the teachings of Laozi. Thus, the Tao Te Ching is a long treatise composed of three parts: "Discourse on the Tao," "Discourse on the De," and "Discourse on Politics."