Laozi

Laozi, whose personal name was Li Er and courtesy name Dan, was a native of Ku County in the State of Chu during the late Spring and Autumn period and served as keeper of the royal archives of the Zhou court. Tradition holds that Confucius once consulted him on ritual, and that later, on his way west through Hangu Pass, he composed the five-thousand-character Daodejing at the request of Yin Xi, the pass keeper. His dates and life are known mainly from the Records of the Grand Historian and contain much legendary material; reliable public information is limited. As the founder of Daoism, Laozi is revered in religious Daoism as Taishang Laojun. His thought centers on the Dao and advocates accordance with nature and quiet non-action, expressed in spare language with profound meaning. The Daodejing has circulated for over two thousand years, has many commentaries, and has been translated into numerous languages, exerting a deep influence on Eastern philosophy, culture, literary appreciation, and religion.