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'The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao.' In eighty-one short chapters, the Tao Te Ching teaches a way of living in harmony with the natural order…
'The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao.' In eighty-one short chapters, the Tao Te Ching teaches a way of living in harmony with the natural order: yielding like water, which wears away stone; acting without forcing; ruling by not interfering; and valuing simplicity, humility and stillness over ambition and display.
Context and significance
Traditionally attributed to Lao Tzu, the book is one of the most translated texts in the world and the founding scripture of Taoism. This is the classic Victorian translation by James Legge. The chapters are short and can be read one at a time, as a companion to the very different wisdom of The Analects.
About the author
Lao Tzu, the Old Master, is said to have been a keeper of the archives at the Zhou court in the sixth century BC. According to legend, tired of the decline of the kingdom, he rode west on a water buffalo, and the guardian of the frontier pass asked him to write down his wisdom before he left. The result was the Tao Te Ching, in about five thousand characters.
Whether he was one man or a legend, the Tao Te Ching, with its teachings on simplicity, gentleness and non-action, became the founding text of Taoism and one of the most translated books in the world. Tradition says that Confucius once met him; read The Analects to compare their visions.