Discovering the way

The Tao Te Ching is attributed to the legendary author Lao Tzu. In tracking down this mythical figure we learn a lot about the book he supposedly wrote and the lessons it contains for living today.

- TERRY ROBSON

Taoism, Confucianism and Buddhism are the three central pillars of traditional Chinese thought. “Taoism” refers to both a philosophical tradition and an organised religion, which in modern Chinese are identified separately as taojia and taojiao respectively. Philosophical Taoism traces its origins to Lao Tzu who probably lived during the sixth or fifth century BCE. It is debated, however, whether he may have lived much later, in the third century BCE, or whether he lived at all but may only be a legendary figure. In religious Taoism, Lao Tzu is revered as a supreme deity.

The name “Lao Tzu” is best translated as “Old Master”, and the ancient philosopher is said to have written a short book, which may originally have been called simply the Lao Tzu. In later centuries when the Lao Tzu was recognised as a “classic” (ching or jing) and significant philosophical work it acquired the title Tao Te Ching, which means “Classic of the Way and Virtue”.

The influence of these writings is immense on Chinese culture and, in recent centuries, around the world. Next to the Bible, the Tao Te Ching is the most translated work in world literature. It is concerned with the Tao or “Way” and how it finds expression in “virtue” (te), especially through what the text calls “naturalness” (ziran) and “non-action” (wuwei).

The Tao Te Ching is an enduring philosophical work that has held its power across the centuries, and as we search for its author, Lao Tzu, we discover a lot about Taoism along the way.