TAO TE

CHING
Tao-te Ching, classic of Chinese
philosophical literature. The
name was first used during the
Han dynasty.
 It had previously been called Laozi in the
belief that it was written by Laozi, identified
by the historian Sima Qian as a 6th-century-
BCE curator of the imperial Chinese
archives.
 It had previously been called Laozi in the
belief that it was written by Laozi, identified
by the historian Sima Qian as a 6th-century-
BCE curator of the imperial Chinese
archives.
The Tao-te Ching presented a way of life
intended to restore harmony and
tranquillity to a kingdom racked by
widespread disorders.
 Laozi (flourished 6th
century BCE, China)
was the first
philosopher of Chinese
Daoism and the alleged
author of the Daodejing,
a primary Daoist
writing.
 Despite his historical
importance, Laozi remains
an obscure figure. The
principal source of
information about his life is
a biography in the Shiji
(“Records of the
Historian”) by Sima Qian.
 This historian, who wrote in about 100 BCE, had little
solid information concerning the philosopher. He says
that Laozi was a native of Quren, a village in the district
of Hu in the state of Chu, which corresponds to the
modern Luyi in the eastern part of Henan province.
His family name was Li, his proper name Er, his
appellation Dan.