On the Highlights and Limits of Laozi's Tao

Junheng Sun; Tan Gong; Xinyu Zhang

doi:doi:10.11648/j.ijp.20231101.11

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On the Highlights and Limits of Laozi's Tao

Junheng Sun, Tan Gong, Xinyu Zhang

Published in International Journal of Philosophy (Volume 11, Issue 1)

Received: 29 December 2022 Accepted: 19 January 2023 Published: 30 January 2023

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Abstract

The main highlights of Laozi (老子) Tao (Dao, Way, 道) philosophy are respects for nature, non-interference with nature and the equality of life. What's more, the key to health is enlightenment, which is also the simplest way of life. Laozi treated everything according to the laws of nature, advocated diversity of ecology and the spirit of equality with tolerance, which was non-anthropomorphism, against interventionism. Laozi applied the nature law to governance, environment and human being, hoped to build a beautiful homeland for mankind, emphasized the importance of the small country with less people for social well-being, and no desire, few wants and simple life for good health. On the other hand, there are mysticism and nihilism limitations in the Tao of Laozi. Tao is unspeakable knowledge and unintelligible thought, which is difficult to understand and practice. Laozi's philosophy is more adapted to the children and the elderly, at least not suitable for the ambitious young people, hardly suitable for times of progressing and enterprising society. The Tao of Laozi embodies in the relation of heaven and man, self-cultivation, health, dealing with the world, employing people, governing the army, clean government, and so on. Laozi's Taoist feelings of dealing with the world, governing without doing anything, the concept of benevolence and frugality, and the thoughts of free transcendence are still of great theoretical and practical significance, especially for world peace, ecological balance and protection, free market economy, and personal health today.

Published in	International Journal of Philosophy (Volume 11, Issue 1)
DOI	10.11648/j.ijp.20231101.11
Page(s)	1-5
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Laozi, The Tao of Heaven and Man (天人之道), Governance Without Action, Ecological Balance, World Peace

References

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[2]	Zhang Dainian (2004). Culture and Value. Beijing: Xinhua Publishing House, 147.
[3]	Kenneth Dorter (2014). Indeterminacy and Moral Action in Laozi, Dao. Vol. 13, No (1): 63.
[4]	Ren Jiyu (2010). The Time of Heaven and Man -- Essence of Ren Jiyu's Academic Thought. Beijing: People's Daily Publishing House, 15.
[5]	Ji Xianlin (2009). Talks about His Health. Beijing: Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press, 436.
[6]	Ye Haiyan (1999). Laozi's Environmental Ethics, A New Theory of Lao Zhuang's Philosophy. Beijing: Wenjin Publishing House, 72-73.
[7]	Xi Jinping (2014). Speech at UNESCO Headquarters. http://news.china.com.cn/2014-03/28/content_31926251.htm
[8]	Yang Liu (2016): Acceptance and Translation of Tao Te Ching in the Multicultural Context. Nanjing: Nanjing University Press, 5.
[9]	Ronnie Littlejohn (2007). Taoism: The Enduring Tradition, Philosophy East and West, Vol. 57, No. (3): 389.
[10]	Chen Guying (2006). Nature, Harmony and Development: Proceedings of the International Symposium on Promoting Laozi Culture, Zhengzhou: Zhongzhou Ancient Books Publishing House. 14.
[11]	Holmes Welch (1966): Taoism, Boston: Beacon Press. 178.
[12]	Lin Anwu (2016), Methodology of Humanities: An Exploration of the Source of Interpretive Existence, Shanghai People's Publishing House. 155.
[13]	Kou Ailun (2016). The Simplicity of a Scholar -- Review of Tao Te Ching, edited by Yao Ping, Collection of Contemporary Western Sinology Studies (Religious History Volume), Shanghai: Shanghai Ancient Books Publishing House. 102.
[14]	Chen Guying (1984). Commentary and Introduction of Laozi. Beijing: Zhonghua Book Company. 12.
[15]	Liu Gangji (1991). The effect of Lao Zi, Xiao Jiefu (editor-in-chief). On the Culture of Taoism, Changsha: Hunan Education Publishing House. 24.
[16]	Zhang Juanfang (2003). Examples of Western Pluralistic Laozi in the 20th Century. Huang Liuzhu, Wei Quanrui, Ed. A Study on the Culture of Zhou, Qin, Han and Tang Dynasties, Vol. 2. Xian: Sanqin Publishing House. 154.
[17]	Li Shen (2011). Laozi and Taoism. Beijing: China International Broadcasting Press. 30.
[18]	Andrej Fech (2017): Place in the philosophy and biography of Laozi, International Communication of Laozi Chinese Culture, Vol. 4, No (1), 53-54.

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APA Style

Junheng Sun, Tan Gong, Xinyu Zhang. (2023). On the Highlights and Limits of Laozi's Tao. International Journal of Philosophy, 11(1), 1-5. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijp.20231101.11

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ACS Style

Junheng Sun; Tan Gong; Xinyu Zhang. On the Highlights and Limits of Laozi's Tao. Int. J. Philos. 2023, 11(1), 1-5. doi: 10.11648/j.ijp.20231101.11

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AMA Style

Junheng Sun, Tan Gong, Xinyu Zhang. On the Highlights and Limits of Laozi's Tao. Int J Philos. 2023;11(1):1-5. doi: 10.11648/j.ijp.20231101.11

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@article{10.11648/j.ijp.20231101.11,
  author = {Junheng Sun and Tan Gong and Xinyu Zhang},
  title = {On the Highlights and Limits of Laozi's Tao},
  journal = {International Journal of Philosophy},
  volume = {11},
  number = {1},
  pages = {1-5},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ijp.20231101.11},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijp.20231101.11},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijp.20231101.11},
  abstract = {The main highlights of Laozi (老子) Tao (Dao, Way, 道) philosophy are respects for nature, non-interference with nature and the equality of life. What's more, the key to health is enlightenment, which is also the simplest way of life. Laozi treated everything according to the laws of nature, advocated diversity of ecology and the spirit of equality with tolerance, which was non-anthropomorphism, against interventionism. Laozi applied the nature law to governance, environment and human being, hoped to build a beautiful homeland for mankind, emphasized the importance of the small country with less people for social well-being, and no desire, few wants and simple life for good health. On the other hand, there are mysticism and nihilism limitations in the Tao of Laozi. Tao is unspeakable knowledge and unintelligible thought, which is difficult to understand and practice. Laozi's philosophy is more adapted to the children and the elderly, at least not suitable for the ambitious young people, hardly suitable for times of progressing and enterprising society. The Tao of Laozi embodies in the relation of heaven and man, self-cultivation, health, dealing with the world, employing people, governing the army, clean government, and so on. Laozi's Taoist feelings of dealing with the world, governing without doing anything, the concept of benevolence and frugality, and the thoughts of free transcendence are still of great theoretical and practical significance, especially for world peace, ecological balance and protection, free market economy, and personal health today.},
 year = {2023}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - On the Highlights and Limits of Laozi's Tao
AU  - Junheng Sun
AU  - Tan Gong
AU  - Xinyu Zhang
Y1  - 2023/01/30
PY  - 2023
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijp.20231101.11
DO  - 10.11648/j.ijp.20231101.11
T2  - International Journal of Philosophy
JF  - International Journal of Philosophy
JO  - International Journal of Philosophy
SP  - 1
EP  - 5
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2330-7455
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijp.20231101.11
AB  - The main highlights of Laozi (老子) Tao (Dao, Way, 道) philosophy are respects for nature, non-interference with nature and the equality of life. What's more, the key to health is enlightenment, which is also the simplest way of life. Laozi treated everything according to the laws of nature, advocated diversity of ecology and the spirit of equality with tolerance, which was non-anthropomorphism, against interventionism. Laozi applied the nature law to governance, environment and human being, hoped to build a beautiful homeland for mankind, emphasized the importance of the small country with less people for social well-being, and no desire, few wants and simple life for good health. On the other hand, there are mysticism and nihilism limitations in the Tao of Laozi. Tao is unspeakable knowledge and unintelligible thought, which is difficult to understand and practice. Laozi's philosophy is more adapted to the children and the elderly, at least not suitable for the ambitious young people, hardly suitable for times of progressing and enterprising society. The Tao of Laozi embodies in the relation of heaven and man, self-cultivation, health, dealing with the world, employing people, governing the army, clean government, and so on. Laozi's Taoist feelings of dealing with the world, governing without doing anything, the concept of benevolence and frugality, and the thoughts of free transcendence are still of great theoretical and practical significance, especially for world peace, ecological balance and protection, free market economy, and personal health today.
VL  - 11
IS  - 1
ER  -

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Author Information

Junheng Sun

Center for Sinology, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
Tan Gong

Center for Sinology, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
Xinyu Zhang

Center for Sinology, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China

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APA Style

Junheng Sun, Tan Gong, Xinyu Zhang. (2023). On the Highlights and Limits of Laozi's Tao. International Journal of Philosophy, 11(1), 1-5. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijp.20231101.11

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ACS Style

Junheng Sun; Tan Gong; Xinyu Zhang. On the Highlights and Limits of Laozi's Tao. Int. J. Philos. 2023, 11(1), 1-5. doi: 10.11648/j.ijp.20231101.11

Copy | Download

AMA Style

Junheng Sun, Tan Gong, Xinyu Zhang. On the Highlights and Limits of Laozi's Tao. Int J Philos. 2023;11(1):1-5. doi: 10.11648/j.ijp.20231101.11

Copy | Download

@article{10.11648/j.ijp.20231101.11,
  author = {Junheng Sun and Tan Gong and Xinyu Zhang},
  title = {On the Highlights and Limits of Laozi's Tao},
  journal = {International Journal of Philosophy},
  volume = {11},
  number = {1},
  pages = {1-5},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ijp.20231101.11},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijp.20231101.11},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijp.20231101.11},
  abstract = {The main highlights of Laozi (老子) Tao (Dao, Way, 道) philosophy are respects for nature, non-interference with nature and the equality of life. What's more, the key to health is enlightenment, which is also the simplest way of life. Laozi treated everything according to the laws of nature, advocated diversity of ecology and the spirit of equality with tolerance, which was non-anthropomorphism, against interventionism. Laozi applied the nature law to governance, environment and human being, hoped to build a beautiful homeland for mankind, emphasized the importance of the small country with less people for social well-being, and no desire, few wants and simple life for good health. On the other hand, there are mysticism and nihilism limitations in the Tao of Laozi. Tao is unspeakable knowledge and unintelligible thought, which is difficult to understand and practice. Laozi's philosophy is more adapted to the children and the elderly, at least not suitable for the ambitious young people, hardly suitable for times of progressing and enterprising society. The Tao of Laozi embodies in the relation of heaven and man, self-cultivation, health, dealing with the world, employing people, governing the army, clean government, and so on. Laozi's Taoist feelings of dealing with the world, governing without doing anything, the concept of benevolence and frugality, and the thoughts of free transcendence are still of great theoretical and practical significance, especially for world peace, ecological balance and protection, free market economy, and personal health today.},
 year = {2023}
}

Copy | Download

TY  - JOUR
T1  - On the Highlights and Limits of Laozi's Tao
AU  - Junheng Sun
AU  - Tan Gong
AU  - Xinyu Zhang
Y1  - 2023/01/30
PY  - 2023
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijp.20231101.11
DO  - 10.11648/j.ijp.20231101.11
T2  - International Journal of Philosophy
JF  - International Journal of Philosophy
JO  - International Journal of Philosophy
SP  - 1
EP  - 5
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2330-7455
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijp.20231101.11
AB  - The main highlights of Laozi (老子) Tao (Dao, Way, 道) philosophy are respects for nature, non-interference with nature and the equality of life. What's more, the key to health is enlightenment, which is also the simplest way of life. Laozi treated everything according to the laws of nature, advocated diversity of ecology and the spirit of equality with tolerance, which was non-anthropomorphism, against interventionism. Laozi applied the nature law to governance, environment and human being, hoped to build a beautiful homeland for mankind, emphasized the importance of the small country with less people for social well-being, and no desire, few wants and simple life for good health. On the other hand, there are mysticism and nihilism limitations in the Tao of Laozi. Tao is unspeakable knowledge and unintelligible thought, which is difficult to understand and practice. Laozi's philosophy is more adapted to the children and the elderly, at least not suitable for the ambitious young people, hardly suitable for times of progressing and enterprising society. The Tao of Laozi embodies in the relation of heaven and man, self-cultivation, health, dealing with the world, employing people, governing the army, clean government, and so on. Laozi's Taoist feelings of dealing with the world, governing without doing anything, the concept of benevolence and frugality, and the thoughts of free transcendence are still of great theoretical and practical significance, especially for world peace, ecological balance and protection, free market economy, and personal health today.
VL  - 11
IS  - 1
ER  -

Copy | Download