World Religions › The Axial Age › Daoism (Taoism)
Dao De Jing, attributed to Laozi
c. 4th century BC; Laozi's existence debated· Scripture or text· Chinese, Japanese & Korean
Debated by scholarsHistorians and scholars disagree.
A short book of about 5,000 Chinese characters on the Dao, attributed to Laozi and the founding text of Daoism.
See it on the World Religions map →What it is
In 81 brief verse chapters, it teaches that the true Dao cannot be named, that softness overcomes hardness as water wears down stone, and that the best ruler governs lightly, by wu wei ('non-forcing'). Tradition says Laozi, an archivist at the Zhou court, wrote it for a border guard as he left China for the west. It is among the most translated books in the world.
Why it matters
It is the core of Daoist thought and shaped Chinese ideas of government, nature and art. Western readers have embraced it since the 1800s.
Sources and history
The oldest copies are bamboo slips from a tomb at Guodian (about 300 BC) and silk manuscripts from Mawangdui (about 168 BC), which differ in places from today's text.
Questions and debates
Whether Laozi existed is debated; many scholars see the book as sayings from several hands, gathered in the 4th–3rd centuries BC.
Connections (2)
▸Dao De Jing, attributed to Laozi is the founding text of Daoism (Taoism)Mostly agreed by scholars
The connection
The Dao De Jing gave Daoism its central ideas: the nameless Dao as the source of all things, wu wei, and the strength of softness and humility. When organized Daoist religion arose, traditionally in AD 142, the Celestial Masters made the book scripture and revered Laozi as a deity, Lord Lao, who revealed it.
When and where
Compiled around the 4th century BC in Warring States China; by the AD 160s Laozi was worshiped at court, and around AD 200 the Celestial Masters wrote the Xiang'er commentary on it.
How do we know?
Early manuscripts from Guodian and Mawangdui, the Xiang'er commentary, and imperial records of sacrifices to Laozi in AD 165–166.
Questions and debates
Parts of the Zhuangzi may be as old, so whether the Dao De Jing truly came first among Daoist texts is debated.
▸Dao De Jing, attributed to Laozi inspired Western seekers in New Age spiritualityMostly agreed by scholars
The connection
One of the world's most translated books, the Dao De Jing's short paradoxes about flowing with the Dao, effortless action (wu wei) and the balance of yin and yang appealed to Western seekers. Writers such as Alan Watts and Fritjof Capra made it a New Age touchstone, often read apart from Chinese Daoist ritual and priesthood.
When and where
US and Europe, 1950s–1980s; Watts's lectures, Capra's 'The Tao of Physics' (1975), Benjamin Hoff's 'The Tao of Pooh' (1982), Stephen Mitchell's 1988 version.
How do we know?
Hundreds of English versions exist, and bestselling New Age books quote it directly and credit it as inspiration.
Questions and debates
Scholars of Daoism such as Russell Kirkland criticize 'pop Taoism' for detaching the text from Chinese religion; whether that is distortion or fair reinterpretation is debated.