A Short History of The Tao te Ching
How a simple curiosity brought me to a world of profound wisdom
The Tao Te Ching 道德经; traditional Chinese: 道德經; is a Chinese classic text traditionally credited to the 6th-century BC sage Lao Tzu, also known as Lao Tzu or Lao-Tze.
The text’s authorship, date of composition, and date of compilation are debated. The oldest excavated portion dates back to the late 4th century BC, but modern scholarship dates other parts of the text as having been written — or at least compiled — later than the earliest portions of the Zhuangzi.
The Tao Te Ching, along with the Zhuangzi, is a fundamental text for both philosophical and religious Taoism. It also strongly influenced other schools of Chinese philosophy and religion, including Legalism, Confucianism, and Buddhism, which was largely interpreted through the use of Taoist words and concepts when it was originally introduced to China.
Many artists, including poets, painters, calligraphers, and gardeners, have used the Tao Te Ching as a source of inspiration. Its influence has spread widely outside East Asia and it is among the most translated works in world literature.
