Laozi Zhuangzi - Family Bookshelf

Author: Li Er
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2006-07-01
Features: The Tao Te Ching, also known as The Classic of the Way and Virtue, is one of the major classic works of Taoism and was praised by Liang Qichao as the "essential book of Taoism." The author, Laozi, whose surname was Li and given name Er, styled himself Boyang, was a native of Kuhuan County (now Luyi County) in the state of Chu during the late Spring and Autumn period. Later generations referred to him as Laozi. He once served as an official in charge of archives in the Zhou Dynasty and later quietly retired due to dissatisfaction with the turbulent social changes of the time, disappearing without a trace. There has been ongoing debate about the composition date of The Tao Te Ching. The prevailing view is that it was established in the late Spring and Autumn period and finalized in the early Warring States period. After its completion, it was divided into two parts: the upper part The Way and the lower part The Virtue, comprising eighty-one chapters and approximately five thousand characters. It system, ，. Laozi said, "Man follows the earth, the earth follows the sky, the sky follows the Tao, and the Tao follows nature." These words are like a long river cascading down a waterfall, urging one to awaken to the truth. In his entire thought, "the Tao" is the highest category and also the substance of all things in the universe, containing naive dialectical ideas. His social and political philosophy is primarily reflected in the concept of "governing through non-action," and the later emperors' policies of "rest and recuperation" to some extent embody Laozi's political thought.
A comprehensive reading of The Tao Te Ching reveals that the entire five thousand-character text is written in rhyming verse, with many parallel structures. When read in ancient tones, it largely aligns with the rhyme scheme, and even when read in modern tones, it retains a poetic rhythm and flavor. Upon careful reflection, one cannot help but marvel at its concise yet profound meaning.
The Zhuangzi, also known as The South China Classic, is hailed as one of the most literary philosophical works of the Pre-Qin period. The author, Zhuangzi, whose name was Zhou, was from Meng County in Suiyang during the Warring States period. He once served as an official in charge of the lacquer garden and later grew weary of the official path, choosing instead to live in seclusion and write. After its completion, the book originally contained fifty-two chapters, but only thirty-three remain today, with seven inner chapters, fifteen outer chapters, and eleven miscellaneous chapters. The entire work is centered around the inner chapters, which include works such as On the Equality of Things, Free and Easy Wandering, and The Master of the Ultimate that vividly reflect Zhuangzi's philosophical thought.
Zhuangzi inherited and developed Laozi's idea of "the Tao following nature," believing that "the Tao" is infinite and emphasizing the self-generating and self-transforming nature of things, denying the existence of a divine. His thought contains naive dialectical elements, recognizing that all things are in a state of "change without stillness and movement without time." He advocated the equality of self and other, right and wrong, life and death, and high and low, envisioning a spiritual realm where "heaven and earth are born with me, and all things are one with me." He encouraged embracing the times and going with the flow, achieving freedom and contentment.
In terms of writing style, Zhuangzi primarily used "allegories," "repeated words," and "spontaneous speech" as his main forms of expression. His prose is unrestrained and boundless, with ideas transcending the mundane. His arguments are enigmatic and mysterious, yet wondrous and magnificent, making each chapter a model of Pre-Qin prose. Lu Xun once praised it as "the finest work among the writings of the late Zhou's scholars."
Because Zhuangzi's thought and Laozi's doctrine share a common lineage, the two were later collectively referred to as "Lao-Zhuang." This book compiles both The Tao Te Ching and The Zhuangzi together, allowing readers to experience the continuity and evolution of Pre-Qin Taoist thought while reading.