be “deep love, frugality”(c4), and not trying to be better than anyone else. Those who carry treasure(s) are good people. Love everything around you, and treat everyone equally with kindness and goodness in your heart, even if they do not treat you that way. “Repay hatred with virtue”(c4), and if you do not know something, realize this. You have superior virtue if you are good, enlightening, peaceful, and your life is long.“Taoism is the mother and ancestor of all things,”(c2) says Lao Tzu (surnamed Li). Lao Tzu is from the sixth century BC, and was born in 604 BC. He wrote the Tao Te Ching, which is made up of 5,000 words. This book can also be called the Classic of Tao and It’s Virtues. This is one of the most influential books in China. The Analects of Confucius is the most influential, however. The Tao Te Ching was not actually written until after Lao Tzu’s life had ended, but the ideas were said to be his. The exact date that the book was written is not actually known. He said that Taoism is not something you can hear or see, but it is “vague and elusive”(c2). Lao Tzu ignored government, ethics, and virtue. The Tao seems to bring peace to the Taoist and his/her surroundings. Wu Wei means, “taking no unnatural action.” Tao does not turn against anything, but many things are accomplished. The Taoist simply follows nature, and succeeds in happiness this way. They say that the best rulers are the ones that people know; those who follow nature. The Tao says that formalities and artificialities are completely unnecessary. Nature represents the female, water, and the infant, which are also known as the way of the weak. Water and infants conform to their surroundings. Yang Chu believed in life preservation. Chuang Tzu elaborated on many of Lao tzu’s ideas. When he was around, Taoism moved to different and new dimensions. Change was his main...
