According to records, Laozi, who was involved in the contradiction between the royal family in the Eastern Zhou Dynasty, went to Hangu Pass in the west to avoid disaster, and successfully passed the customs with the help of the guard Yin, leaving only an impromptu Tao Te Ching, which disappeared from the world. For more than two thousand years, the discussion about where I went after I left Hangu Pass has never stopped.
It is recorded in Sikuquanshu that "I rode a green cow", which means that he rode a green cow out of Hangu Pass. Note that Laozi, who was busy running for his life, chose a green cow instead of riding a horse or an ordinary cow. Is this because he is afraid that others will not recognize him? Obviously, this is not in line with the situation at that time. So some people speculate that the mystery lies in the "green cow"
Because in the Spring and Autumn Period, Qing was the representative of the East, so Lao Tzu probably went to the conference semifinals from east to west. In addition, the female philosophy advocated by Laozi is just complementary to the fortitude of the Hu people, and it seems appropriate for him to integrate with the Hu people as a disseminator of eastern civilization, so the theory of "educating the Hu people" was once recognized.
But there is another saying, that is, in Zhuangzi, Everything is Wrong and other contemporary books, it is claimed that after I left Hangu Pass, I turned around and returned to my hometown.
On the one hand, this is consistent with the local consciousness of China people. After all, the leaves fall to the roots. On the other hand, it is also consistent with Confucius' later "asking Kun Li to be polite". Because Confucius' hometown is not far from Laozi's hometown, Confucius has the opportunity to ask Laozi for advice. If Laozi really went to the conference semifinals, would Confucius follow?
Of course, it was also said that Lao Tzu did not go back to his hometown, but went to Luanchuan, where the scenery was beautiful. The best evidence is the local relics known as Laojun Mountain and Laojun River.
Although there are many stories about Laozi's trip, most of them have no conclusive evidence, so where Laozi finally went is still a mystery.