Laozi
Laozi created Daoism, a well-known Chinese philosophy, but very little is known about
his mysterious figure. It is said the he was born in the province of Henan in 570BCE
(Encarta). Before becoming a philosopher, he worked as a court librarian at the imperial
court. He also went by the name Lao-Tzu, which means "Old Master." Very little is
known about Laozi's early life, but he is credited with creating Daoism and writing the
"Daode Jing", the most widely translated Chinese text. Laozi's strong opinions and
eccentric beliefs would lead to the formation of Daoism.
Laozi overcame many obstacles before gaining followers. His wise council
attracted followers, but he refused to set his ideas down in writing. He believed that
written words might solidify into formal dogma (Internet 5). Laozi wanted his philosophy
to remain a natural way to live life with goodness, serenity and respect. At age 80 he set
out toward what is now Tibet, saddened and disillusioned that people were unwilling to
follow his path to natural goodness (Grolier). Legend says Laozi set off into the desert on
a water buffalo leaving civilization behind (Internet 5). When he arrived at the final gate
at the great wall protecting the kingdom, the gatekeeper persuaded him to record the
principles of his philosophy for posterity. The result was the "Daode Jing." This ancient
Chinese classic was translated more than any other book ever; except for the Bible
(Internet 6). Laozi gained many followers after writing the "Daode Jing."
Laozi saw past everyday worries to focus on the dao, or "the way" of the universe
as a whole (Ellis 91). The "Daode Jing" teaches that the dao is realized through
recognition and acceptance of nothingness. Laozi thought that by "doing nothing" one
could "accomplish everything." He did not mean to literally do nothing, but to discern and
follow the natural forces (Internet 6). First and foremost to be spontaneous in ones
actions. He laid down no rigid code for behavior. He believed a person's conduct should
be governed by instinct and conscience. Laozi believed that human life, like everything
else in the universe, is constantly influenced by outside forces. He believed simplicity to be
the key to truth and freedom.
but most of all he wanted to live with freedom to think and act as he
He didn’t realize that there were other people in the world beside him. Everything had to revolve around him and everything had to be centered around him. He had to have his way, or it was no way. To him, if he gave you the basic necessities of life, he did a good job.
stated, “He was unpredictable. He created his own rules and they changed from moment to
1000’s of miles in each direction. He had traveled to the provinces of Shansi and Shensi in
His basic idea was this: In any given situation, a person should do what he called "the loving thing" rather than follow rigid rules derived from Divine revelation--or for that matter, any set of rigid rules, even those coming from simple reasoning. This idea is based on the worship of the person! That humankind, in its natural state, is "fundamentally, decent, enlightened, reasonable, and eager to do the right thing".
achieve. He lived by the warrior's code and died by it. When he chose to be a warrior it was a choice that he would live with for the rest of his life. It was also the choice that would determine his end.
It was created in China And Lao-Tzu was a person who showed and experienced it. Tao Te Ching is the primary text of Daoism. It includes philosophy, mysticism, consideration and lyrics. Daoism focusses in detail on the connection between the humankind and the world. The essential idea of Chinese philosophy, Dao, can be literally translated as “path”, “way”, “road” or “method”. It has the three meanings: the way of ultimate reality, the way of the universe and the way of human life. People cannot perceive Dao in its first concept. It even cannot be obviously comprehended, as its idea is too enormous and vast for human’s mind. In Dao’s next perspective, it is the way of the universe, the standard, the tempo, the power in everything. In the third sense, it signifies the manner of people’s lives. These paths of Daoism are joined. Daoists cannot practice one of them without experiencing all three. There are three approaches to Daoism. The first one is philosophical. It tries to keep ch’e by consuming it efficiently. It is more an approach to life so it can be used widely. The next one is psychophysical. Following it, Daoists try not only to consume, but also to increase the amount of ch’e. It can be done with the help of a diet (a wide range of Chinese foods and herbs), martial arts (psychophysical disciplines) and meditation (yoga). The last approach is religious Daoism. It is mostly based on Chinese folk religions. This approach was greatly influenced with Buddhism. Lao-Tzu was accepted as a deity by its followers. The main idea of Philosophical Daoism is to live life flowing slowly and making no efforts. Life’s goal is stated in Tao Te Ching’ s idea, "The way to do is to be" (Smith 198). In this meaning, no action is needed. Human life is compared to the stream of water. It adjusts itself to its surrounding and tries to find the
Laozi inspired the philosophy of Daoism in ancient China around the 6th century BC. The key concept of Daoism is to go throughout life doing nothing, also known as “non-action” from page 1344 in the Norton Anthropology. When someone is able to accomplish this then all things that happen during their lifetime will not be as
Qian, Sima. Records of the Grand Historian, Volume 55, House of the Marquis of Liu.
do what they were born to do. Then the government did not want him to motivate people
One of those men is Xuanzang. Under his brothers training he grew up a young monk and entered monastery in Luoyang at 13. It was there that Xuanzang studied, learned, & meditated about Buddhism. In 623, defying his older brother Xuanzang left their monastery to travel and hear oral teachings. He traveled through Henan, preaching and gaining fame.
himself to be a “creative transmitter of wisdom from the past”. He created a moral code
“Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don't resist them - that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality. Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like” (Lau Tzu). Born into a life of noodles and relaxation Po, a chubby panda, always wanted to be a Kung Fu master. Out of nowhere an opportunity arises to have his dream become reality. Po, like any normal panda snatches up this once in a lifetime opportunity and runs with it. But when the going gets tough, he doesn’t know if this is the life he was meant to live. While the film was meant for enjoyment, DreamWorks has incorporated clear examples of the three major Chinese Schools of Thought: Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism.
believed he could not be stopped and that rules did not apply to him. By being
to have people to their own thoughts and opinions toward life. He did not think