The Tao Te Ching was a work by Laozi (Li Er) during the Spring and Autumn period. It was also known as the True Classic of Dao and Virtue, the Laozi, the Five Thousand Words, and the Laozi Five Thousand Writings.
It was a work from before the various schools of thought split apart in the pre-Qin era, revered by the philosophers of its time. It was an important source of Taoist School philosophy and the foundation upon which the Taoist School was established.
The Tao Te Ching was divided into two parts. Originally, the upper part was the Classic of Virtue, and the lower part was the Classic of Dao, with no chapter divisions. It was later changed so that the 37 chapters of the Classic of Dao came first, while the Classic of Virtue began with Chapter 38, for a total of 81 chapters.
The Dao and virtue spoken of here did not refer to the morality of ordinary people's conduct. "Dao" was the Dao of Heaven, Earth, and all things, while "virtue" was the method and theory of seeking the Dao.
Taking "Dao and virtue" as its guiding principle, the book expounded on the ways of self-cultivation, governing a nation, employing troops, and nurturing life, though politics was often its ultimate aim. It was the learning of "inner sagehood and outer kingship." Its meaning was profound, its scope vast, and it was praised as the king of all scriptures.
The Tao Te Ching was also one of Huaxia's greatest classics, exerting a profound influence on traditional philosophy, science, politics, religion, and more. According to UNESCO statistics, apart from the Bible, the Tao Te Ching was the cultural classic translated into foreign languages and published in the greatest number of editions.
As one of the ancient sages, Laozi