Original text: Tao can be Tao, but it is extraordinary; Names can be named, not very famous; Nothing, the beginning of the world; Yes, the mother of all things. Therefore, there is often nothing and I want to see its wonders; Often, I want to see it. Both of them, with different names, are called metaphysics. Mysterious and mysterious, the gate of Wan Qi.

The Tao that can be said is not the eternal Tao. The name that can be called out is not an eternal "name". "Nothing" is the beginning of the formation of heaven and earth; "Existence" is the foundation of creation.

Therefore, we should observe the mystery of Tao from the place where its shape is often invisible, and observe the destination of all things from the place where its shape is often present. "Famous" and "unknown" are cognate synonyms, which can be said to be subtle and far-reaching. Push it up again, it will be profound to the extreme, which is the basis of all truth and all changes.

Historical background:

Laozi was later revered as the ancestor by Taoism and called "the old gentleman on the throne". In the Tang Dynasty, he was regarded as the ancestor of Li. It is listed as a world cultural celebrity and one of the world's top 100 historical celebrities. The text of Tao Te Ching takes "morality" in the philosophical sense as the main line, and discusses the ways of self-cultivation, governing the country, using troops and keeping in good health, but most of them aim at politics. It is the so-called "inner sage and outer king" theory, which has profound meaning and wide tolerance and is known as the king of all classics.

Tao Te Ching is one of the greatest works in the history of China, which has a profound influence on traditional philosophy, science, politics and religion. According to the statistics of UNESCO, the Tao Te Ching is the most widely translated and published cultural masterpiece except the Bible.