The Great Eastern Philosophers: Lao Tzu

The Mysterious Great Philosopher Who Will Teach You All About Daoism
JAPAN - DECEMBER 10: Portrait of Lao-Tzu, Chinese philosopher from the 6th century BC, drawing by Sesshu Toyo (1420-1506). Japanese civilisation, Muromachi period, 15th civilisation. Detail. (Photo by DeAgostini/Getty Images)
JAPAN - DECEMBER 10: Portrait of Lao-Tzu, Chinese philosopher from the 6th century BC, drawing by Sesshu Toyo (1420-1506). Japanese civilisation, Muromachi period, 15th civilisation. Detail. (Photo by DeAgostini/Getty Images)

Little is truly known about the Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu (sometimes also known as Laozi or Lao Tze), who is a guiding figure in Daoism (also translated as Taoism), a still popular spiritual practice. He is said to have been a record keeper in the court of the central Chinese Zhou Dynasty in the 6th century B.C., and an older contemporary of Confucius. This could be true, but he may also have been entirely mythical—much like Homer in Western culture. It is certainly very unlikely that (as some legends say) he was conceived when his mother saw a falling star, or born an old man with very long earlobes – or lived 990 years.

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