Commentary on Laozi
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Summary
Wang Anshi, the celebrated Northern Song chancellor, was deeply influenced by Daoist thought. His Laozi zhu (Commentary on the Laozi) broke new theoretical ground and sparked a vogue for interpreting the Daodejing through the "principle of nature and destiny." The Southern Song scholar Chao Gongwu assessed the work thus: "Jiefu loved the Laozi above all else in his life, and so his commentary is where he applied his mind most intently." Take, for instance, the opening of the Daodejing: "The nameless is the beginning of the ten thousand things; the named is the mother of the ten thousand things." Earlier readers parsed it as: "The nameless: the beginning of the ten thousand things; the named: the mother of the ten thousand things." Wang Anshi parsed it as: "Non-being names the beginning of the ten thousand things; being names the mother of the ten thousand things." A single shift in punctuation transforms the meaning entirely, and it can fairly be said to have opened a new horizon for understanding the Daodejing. Later figures such as Liang Qichao all admired Wang Anshi's startling innovation, holding both the man and his work in the highest esteem.
Editor's review
Wang Anshi's Laozi Zhu (Commentary on the Laozi) is an important document in Northern Song intellectual history; its value lies not in word-by-word exegesis but in reactivating the interpretive space of the Daodejing through the dual identity of statesman and thinker. The punctuation adjustment cited in the materials—"Non-being names the beginning of all things; being names the mother of all things"—is a microcosm of Wang's approach to interpreting Laozi: he was not content to follow earlier chapter-and-verse traditions but used re-punctuation to pry open the philosophical meaning of an entire passage, elevating "being" and "non-being" from descriptive terms to categories with ontological significance. This reading already drew scholarly attention in the Southern Song; Chao Gongwu said Wang "devoted the most attention to interpretation," and figures like Liang Qichao also expressed admiration for this innovation, showing its influence across eras. This book is suitable for readers interested in Daoist thought, Song dynasty scholarship, or methods of classical interpretation, and requires some grounding in classical Chinese and patience, because its value lies precisely in the subtle differences of punctuation and argument. Those expecting plain-language explanations or pure life-advice-style readings may find it not to their taste.
Who it's for
A good fit for
- Readers interested in the interpretive history of the Daodejing and Song dynasty thought
- Those with some classical Chinese foundation willing to read classical commentaries closely
- Students of literature and history researching Wang Anshi's thought or Northern Song scholarship
- Deep readers who enjoy approaching classical texts through punctuation and philosophical argument
Not a good fit for
- Beginning readers hoping for vernacular translation or popular life-philosophy interpretation
- Those who struggle with classical Chinese and need line-by-line modern Chinese comparison
- Readers who only want a quick grasp of Laozi's general meaning and don't care about differences among commentators
Reading tips
- First read the relevant chapters of the Daodejing original, then compare with Wang Anshi's commentary, paying attention to how punctuation differences change the argument.
- Focus on the opening punctuation case mentioned in the materials, using it as a sample to appreciate Wang's method of interpreting the classics.
- Read alongside other Laozi commentaries; the differences often best reveal Wang's distinctive features.
- Keep a pen handy while reading and mark places where the punctuation differs from the standard version, making it easier to review his interpretive logic later.
Contents
- 版权信息
- 道经
- 道可道章第一
- 天下皆知章第二
- 不尚贤章第三
- 道冲章第四
- 天地不仁章第五
- 谷神章第六
- 天长地久章第七
- 上善若水章第八
- 持而盈之章第九
- 载营魄章第十
- 三十幅章第十一
- 五色章第十二
- 宠辱章第十三
- 视之不见章第十四
- 古之善为士章第十五
- 致虚极章第十六
- 太上章第十七
- 大道废章第十八
- 绝圣弃智章第十九
- 绝学无忧章第二十
- 孔德之容章第二十一
- 曲则全章第二十二
- 希言自然章第二十三
- 企者不立章第二十四
- 有物混成章第二十五
- 重为轻根章第二十六
- 善行章第二十七
- 知其雄章第二十八
- 将欲章第二十九
- 以道佐人主章第三十
- 夫佳兵章第三十一
- 道常无名章第三十二
- 知人者智章第三十三
- 大道泛兮章第三十四
- 执大象章第三十五
- 将欲歙之章第三十六
- 道常无为章第三十七
- 德经
- 上德不德章第三十八
- 昔之得一章第三十九
- 反者道之动章第四十
- 上士闻道章第四十一
- 道生一章第四十二
- 天下之至柔章第四十三
- 名与身章第四十四
- 大成若缺章第四十五
- 天下有道章第四十六
- 不出户章第四十七
- 为学日益章第四十八
- 圣人无常心章第四十九
- 出生入死章第五十
- 道生之章第五十一
- 天下有始章第五十二
- 使我介然章第五十三
- 善建者不拔章第五十四
- 含德之厚章第五十五
- 知者不言章第五十六
- 以正治国章第五十七
- 其政闷闷章第五十八
- 治人事天章第五十九
- 治大国章第六十
- 大国者下流章第六十一
- 道者万物之奥章第六十二
- 为无为章第六十三
- 其安易持章第六十四
- 古之善为道章第六十五
- 江海为百谷王章第六十六
- 天下皆谓章第六十七
- 善为士章第六十八
- 用兵有言章第六十九
- 吾言甚易知章第七十
- 知不知章第七十一
- 民不畏威章第七十二
- 勇于敢则杀章第七十三
- 民常不畏章第七十四
- 民之饥章第七十五
- 人之生章第七十六
- 天道章第七十七
- 天下柔弱章第七十八
- 和大怨章第七十九
- 小国寡民章第八十
- 信言不美章第八十一
FAQ
Can I read this book without a classical Chinese foundation?
It will be somewhat difficult. The commentary itself is in classical Chinese and involves subtle distinctions in classical interpretation. It's advisable to have at least the ability to read simple classical Chinese, or to use an annotated translation alongside, otherwise it's easy to stop at the literal surface and miss the point.
How is this book different from ordinary Laozi editions?
Ordinary editions mostly provide the original text plus vernacular translation, focusing on general meaning; this book is Wang Anshi's personal commentary, and its value lies in his distinctive punctuation and philosophical exposition—such as his adjustment of the punctuation of the "being" and "non-being" passage. What you read here is interpretation, not popularization.
Do I need to finish the Daodejing before reading this?
It's advisable to at least be familiar with the original text of the Daodejing's opening and core chapters, so that when you compare Wang Anshi's punctuation changes you can feel where the differences lie. Reading the commentary cold, with no familiarity, makes it easy to lose the reference point for comparison.
Is this book suitable for academic citation?
As an important document for studying Wang Anshi's thought and Song dynasty Laozi scholarship, it has reference value, but when citing one should pay attention to issues of edition and authenticity of the commentary. It's best used in conjunction with relevant scholarly editions and existing research, not to draw conclusions from a single text alone.
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About the author
Wang Anshi
Author · Chinese · 1021–1086
Wang Anshi (1021–1086), courtesy name Jiefu and style name Banshan, was a native of Linchuan, Fuzhou (present-day Jiangxi) in the Northern Song dynasty. An outstanding statesman, thinker, writer and reformer, he is counted among the Eight Great Prose Masters of the Tang and Song. During the Xining era he twice served as chancellor and led a reform movement, introducing the Green Sprouts and Corvée Exemption laws; Lenin called him "a reformer of China in the eleventh century." He was posthumously honored with the title Wen and is commonly known as Wang Jinggong. His writings circulated widely, and this site holds fifteen of his works, including Collected Works of Wang Anshi, the six-volume Complete Works, several multi-volume editions of his prose, and commentaries and poetry anthologies. His prose and verse are noted for their concise, sharp style and lofty purpose, combining political ambition with literary talent.
