As far as I know, let me say something.
From the perspective of the history of thought
As far as the development of the history of thought is concerned, a hundred schools of thought contend is a great liberation. After the Spring and Autumn Period, the Warring States Period, Qin Ying, and the Han and Wu Dynasties, the ruling class used the technique of Huang Lao, opposed the disadvantages of Qin Dynasty and spared the people, and pursued inaction. It can be said that the influence of Laozi's theory at this stage is very great. When Liu Che advocated Confucianism and wanted to make a difference, Huang Lao's tactics were still very marketable, and even became a conservative political force, such as Dou Taihou and Ji An, all of whom were representatives of Huang Lao.
It can be said that after a hundred schools of thought contend, from the early Han Dynasty to the period of Emperor Wu of Han Dynasty, it was a peak of the development of Huang Lao's art. As an important Taoist classic, Tao Te Ching is of self-evident significance.
During the Wei and Jin Dynasties, celebrities were still saying what they said, but the more famous they were, the more natural they were.
A few intellectuals in this period had obvious resistance to the rule of Sima family. Of course, this resistance could not be directly related to the emperor's anus. Sima ruled the world with Confucianism, and this small group of people began to deconstruct the rules and degenerate. The famous religion is Confucianism, and naturally it is Laozi and Zhuangzi. The deep excavation and re-innovation of Laozi and Zhuangzi's classics constitute the core content of celebrities' spiritual life:
Wen Taste Wen Jun (Meng Jia): ... "Listen to prostitutes, silk is not as good as bamboo, and bamboo is not as good as meat?" Answer: "Asymptotic property." (Tao Yuanming's Biography of Meng Qian, General of the Western Expedition in Jin Dynasty)
Silk is not as good as bamboo, and bamboo is not as good as meat itself. This is a topic of music appreciation, but Meng Jia naturally used the words of Zhuangzi's metaphysics. This can be seen from the speeches of celebrities. If you want to know more, open a book called Shi Shuo.
On the other hand, since the spread of Buddhism to the East, in order to better integrate into the local culture, monks began to annotate Buddhism with Taoist classics. Lao Zi and Zhuangzi are both classics that are often quoted, such as Zhuangzi Shu, a classic case in the Southern and Northern Dynasties. After the founding of People's Republic of China (PRC), Lao Tzu began to be exposed, because his surname was said to be Li. The most direct performance is that in the twenty-third year of Kaiyuan, the biographies of Laozi in Historical Records were promoted to the top of biographies and merged with Biography of Boyi. Thirdly, due to political intervention, the status of Taoism was elevated.
With the integration of Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism, the ideas in Laozi have been completely integrated into the cultural, artistic, political and secular life of China people. Blank space in Chinese painting, gradual music appreciation, the rule of life is not the best in the world, and the hubris of the old gentleman in folk beliefs can be found in Tao Te Ching and Lao Zi, which are closely related to them.
In a philosophical sense
In a sense, Lao Zi is probably the most philosopher. The most interesting thing about Tao Te Ching is that it involves ontological issues that other philosophers rarely discuss. This is the most basic problem in the philosophical context of foreigners.
At the beginning of Tao Jing, it is actually trying to explain what the world is like.
It is also in the elaboration of the world that Laozi and Zhouyi have a high degree of consistency-they both believe that everything in the world is constant, so people need to keep pace with the times and dynamically grasp and understand everything in the universe. At the same time, the two books and the classic way of thinking, take everything far and take everything near, always remind people to know nature and find ways to survive and survive in the world from nature.
Change and closeness to nature are two very important characteristics of China's national character. This point is vividly reflected in Laozi. For example:
The word "Tao" is stronger than the name "big", "big", "far" and "far".
Another example is:
Taoism is natural.
The law of negation of negation of foreigners was put forward only in Hegel's time, and something similar appeared in China as early as the years of Zhouyi and Laozi. In view of this, in the face of Hegel's mockery of China's culture and written language, Qian Zhongshu once said unhappily in Old Pen Notes:
Laozi is an antonym, a combination of simultaneous training, comparable to aufheben's works. Hegel also made a slip of the tongue when he was ashamed that I didn't understand Chinese.
Therefore, opposing (retreating) is a violation, and it is retreating (retreating); So is Hegel's so-called negation of negation.
In the sense of Sun Tzu's Art of War
There are not a few people who think that Laozi is Sun Tzu's art of war. For example, contemporary Li Ling holds this view. In Laozi's 5,000 words, we often see very incisive tactics and strategic ideas. For example, this paragraph:
Those who are good at learning are not brave, those who are good at fighting are not angry, those who are good at defeating the enemy are generous, and those who are good at employing people feel inferior.
Comparison of Sun Tzu's Art of War:
The Lord should not be angry, but dispatch troops, angry, should not fight. (fire attack)
Win without fighting. (conspiracy)
Another example is:
If you want it, you must keep it; If you want to be weak, you must be strong; If you want to abolish it, you must lift it; If you want to take it, you have to be solid with it. This is called twilight.
Weak is better than strong. Fish can't get rid of the jade garden, and the weapon of the country can't show people.
Comparison of Sun Tzu's Art of War:
Therefore, you can show what you can't do, use it without showing it, show it far and near, and show it near and far. If you are tempted by profit, take it from chaos, prepare it, if you are strong, avoid it, if you are angry, you will be arrogant, if you are humble, you will do it, and if you are close, you will leave. (Statistical articles)
Very few, as for intangible, dreamy, as for silent, so you can save your life. (Virtual Reality)
Another example is:
I have a big patient because I have a body; And I have no body. What's the problem?
Comparison of Sun Tzu's Art of War:
Therefore, if you prepare the former, you will be widowed; if you prepare the latter, you will be widowed; if you prepare the left, you will be widowed; if you prepare everything, you will be widowed.
Another example is:
Those who do good have no trace;
Comparing the Art of War of Sun Tzu;
Walk Wan Li Road without pains, and walk in no man's land.
In a practical sense,
On the characteristics of Huang Lao's theory, Sima Tan summed it up very accurately in On Six Essentials:
Taoism makes people single-minded, energetic, invisible and supports everything. It is also a skill. Because of the harmony between Yin and Yang, we should adopt the goodness of Confucianism and Mohism, sum up the essence of the law, keep pace with the times, conform to the changes of things, establish customs, and do everything unsuitable. It is easy to operate with reference to the agreement and get twice the result with half the effort.
This sentence by Sima Tan mainly discusses the advantages of Taoism from two aspects: one is health preservation, and the other is proficiency. Especially at the governance level, Taoists have absorbed the strengths of many schools, such as Yin and Yang, Confucianism, Mohism, Fame and Law, and made them keep pace with the times, with the characteristics of referring to contracts and being easy to operate.
Not to mention health, Lao Tzu himself has now become a totem.
Over the years, Lao Tzu has exported a totem of longevity, leaving behind 5,000 proverbs and advocating no tossing. What's there to say?
In this respect, the classics of Tao Te Ching can be big or small, small or long, big or small. All saints are in the world, and the people pay attention to their eyes and ears.
In the sense of cybernetics:
In the Chinese version of kevin kelly's Out of Control, there is a passage on page 188:
Ancient China people had a correct mindless attitude towards control, although their creations never exceeded the compass. Listen to what the mysterious scholar Lao Zi wrote in Tao Te Ching 2600 years ago and translate it into the most authentic modern discourse:
Intelligent control is embodied as no control or freedom,
So it is an out-and-out intelligent control;
Stupid control is embodied in foreign rule,
Therefore, it is definitely an idiot.
Intelligent control plays an invisible role,
Idiot accused of showing off force.
KK later said that Laozi's wisdom can be regarded as the motto of enthusiastic Silicon Valley startups in the 2 1 century.
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