100 must-read books for college students

Chapter 7 The Earliest Philosophical Works in China
Chapter 6 The Earliest Philosophical Work in China: Laozi

An American scholar predicted that China's "Lao Tzu" will be a book widely known in the world of Datong in the future.A few years ago, the United States

The "New York Times" listed "Lao Tzu" as the top ten masterpieces in the world, both ancient and modern.This philosophical book was born in the distant Spring and Autumn Period.

His academic works are still highly valued by people at home and abroad, and have won the unanimous favor of the Eastern and Western academic circles.

Simple Dialectics of Taoist Thought

According to legend, the author of "Lao Zi" is Lao Zi, a thinker in the late Spring and Autumn Period and the founder of the Taoist school.However, for Lao Tzu himself to

Who it is is hard to say.It is said that his surname is Li Minger, his style name is Boyang, and his posthumous title is Dan.Qurenli, Li Township, Ku County, Chu State (to the east of Luyi, Henan today)

people.It used to be the history of guarding treasures in the Zhou Dynasty. "Historical Records" records, "Confucius is suitable for the Zhou Dynasty, and he will ask Laozi about the rites", saying that Confucius once asked him
Salute.After the decline of the Zhou Dynasty, Lao Tzu went west to Hangu Pass and retired.Judging from the general tendency, Sima Qian seems to affirm that Lao Tzu is Lao Dan.

Regarding Li Er, Sima Qian produced a genealogy of Lao Tzu. Fan Wenlan, a modern historian, judged from the genealogy that Lao Tzu was Li Er.Lao Tzu
His theory had a great influence on later generations, and various philosophical schools absorbed and elucidated his thoughts from different angles.Lao Tzu travels west out of Qin
When passing Hangu Pass (southwest of Lingbao County, Henan Province today), Guan Ling Yinxi knew that Lao Tzu was about to go away, so he asked Lao Tzu to leave a message.At
It was Laozi who wrote the 5000-word "Laozi".According to legend, when Lao Tzu left the customs, he rode a green bull and floated away.

Most of Laozi's thoughts and ideas are preserved in the book "Laozi". What "Laozi" talks about is the question of Tao and morality. Later, people
Call it "Lao Tzu Te Ching".

The book "Lao Tzu" has a total of more than 5000 characters, and expounds Lao Tzu's outlook on the universe, life, and society and politics in incisive language.common
The 81 chapters are divided into the first volume and the second volume. The first 37 chapters are the first volume, and the last 44 chapters are the second volume. Some people call the two volumes "Tao Jing" and "De
through".

"Tao" is the core and foundation of Laozi.yes
Laozi's great contribution to Chinese philosophy, it makes Laozi's thought full of metaphysical profundity and charm, and transforms pre-Qin philosophy from modern to modern

Real life extends to the tracing and thinking of the universe and the ontology of life.Laozi's philosophy is centered on "Tao" and developed

of.

Lao Tzu pointed out that before the creation of all things in the world, there existed a metaphysical entity-"Tao" that transcended time and space. "Dao Ke Dao
, very Tao; the name can be named, and it is very famous".

Laozi said that everything in the universe was created by "Tao", "Tao gave birth to one, one gave birth to two, two gave birth to three, and three gave birth to all things."

The thought of "Tao" has revolutionary significance in the field of pre-Qin philosophy.With his bold imagination and boldness, he
He negates the concepts of destiny, ghosts and gods. He regards "Tao" as the origin of all things in the world, and believes that heaven and earth are nothing but heaven and earth.
Space and the earth are not fetishes, and "Tao" is not a god, but a metaphysical entity that nurtures and promotes
The material origin of all things in the universe is inexhaustible.

On the dialectical thought of "the movement against the Tao" proposed in "Laozi".Laozi pointed out that "Tao" is in motion all the time
changing.Moreover, because "Tao" produced the world and all things in its own movement and change, the movement and change of all things is
It must be stipulated in the general law of "Tao".Therefore, "Tao" is not only the root of all things, but also the root of all things.

follow the rules.There is no good without evil, no beauty without ugliness, existence, difficulty, length, high and low, sequence, high and low

Etc. The two opposite sides are complementary to each other. If there is no one, the other will not exist.

On the basis of acknowledging that the two sides of the contradiction are the conditions for the existence of each other, Laozi further said that the reason why the two sides of the contradiction can play a role in each other is because

Each is based on the existence of opposites.

What is commendable is that Laozi also saw that the opposites of contradictions are not in a static state, but they will turn in opposite directions.

of. "When misfortune comes, blessings rely on it, and when blessings come, misfortune lies on it. Who knows the extreme. Is there no righteousness? Righteousness becomes wonders, and goodness turns into demons."

Laozi pointed out that the movement and development of nature and society follow a general law, that is, things move and develop in opposite directions.
At the same time, the movement of things always returns to the original basic state.This is the "movement of the opposite way".any time, whether

This law must be mastered and applied in dealing with the world, governing the country, employing soldiers, and even cultivating personal character.

Regarding epistemology, Lao Tzu is a cognizant. "Laozi" often mentions "the one who hears the Tao", "the one who is good at the Tao", "the one who has the Tao"

"Wait, this shows that "Tao" can be understood and used by people. Therefore, he asked people to be good at mastering laws,

Act in accordance with the law, and avoid acting arbitrarily, otherwise you will be retaliated by the law.

Laozi also pointed out that to know the "Tao" and master the laws, one must oppose subjective speculation and self-righteousness, and have an honest attitude.
.In his opinion, it is best to have knowledge without pretending to know it; but to pretend to know it without knowing it is a shortcoming.From this we can see that,
Lao Tzu's theory of knowledge contains materialism.

Lao Tzu believes that the highest task of cognition is to grasp the "Tao".But "Tao" is infinite, without any rules, therefore,

Human perceptual knowledge cannot know the "Tao", and only through rational and intuitive knowledge can we approach the "Tao".

Exploring "Tao" itself is not the purpose of Laozi's philosophy. The starting point and destination of Laozi's philosophy are society and life.I see
After understanding various problems in society and life, I hope to find a panacea to solve these problems.However, Lao Tzu is not in the society

Instead of looking for answers in the field of life and life, but extending its tentacles to the field of the universe, it leads to solutions to various problems in society and life.
guidelines.This makes Lao Tzu's thinking more speculative, higher than that of contemporary thinkers.

In the social and political field, Laozi's "Tao" embodies the principle of "natural inaction".Laozi believes that everything should conform to itself

It is not necessary to use external forces to restrict it; things themselves have potential and possibility, and there is no need to be attached to them.

Plus, it's "natural."The main aspect of "inaction" is to let nature take its course without man-made.here
The term "artificial" implies unnecessary or presumptuous actions.

Lao Tzu believed that the social unrest and the poverty of the people were all due to the rule
Therefore, one should let nature take its course and rule by doing nothing.

Based on his dissatisfaction with reality, Lao Tzu conceived a utopia of "Peach Blossom Spring".In this small world, there is no social order
Coercive forces are needed to maintain it, and the people live in harmony and live in peace and contentment without the threat of war.This is actually a reference to the natural village in ancient times

An idealized depiction of the unit's self-sufficient smallholder economy.Although Lao Tzu's ideal society requires human beings to return to their natural nature

The reasonable side of it, but it runs counter to social progress, so it is doomed to be impossible to realize.

Laozi's "Tao" is related to life and becomes the criterion for conducting oneself in the world, which is embodied in the following two principles: one is to keep softness and live in the next

, remain unchanged; the second is to retreat to advance and strive for transformation.

"Laozi" Lays the Foundation of Mysterious Philosophy

The thought of Laozi reflected in the book "Laozi" laid the foundation for the Taoist school he founded.Lao Tzu philosophy as the first

The system of systematic philosophical thought has become the source of Chinese philosophy, thus affecting the entire human society. In the early 20th century, a
些科
Scientists put forward the "big bang theory" on the origin of the universe.This theory is consistent with the saying in Laozi that "there is chaos in things, first

There is a certain degree of agreement with the statement that "heaven and earth are born". Therefore, some contemporary scholars believe that the ideological body of "Tao" in "Laozi"

Discovered the germination of the "big bang theory", so it is more respected.

The text of "Laozi" is very simple, but the connotation is profound and subtle.Both materialism and idealism can be found in
to their respective "basis", so it has had varying degrees of influence on almost all schools of thought in ancient China.

Although people have different praises and criticisms for "Lao Tzu", its profound and unfathomable connotations have aroused people's interest for a long time.

The light of wisdom that shines from the opposite side through the appearance has inspired people in many ways so far.

Laozi also initially realized that the accumulation of quantity can cause qualitative change.

Of course, Lao Tzu's view of natural dialectics is intuitive, primitive, simple, and lacks scientific arguments.At the same time, his dialectic

There is also a lack of irreconcilable fighting spirit.This is because he is limited by the times and class.However, we must also see that
Laozi
Contempt for knowledge, despise culture, and oppose technological progress have had negative and harmful effects in the history of Chinese culture.despite this

, The brilliant spark of thought in the book "Lao Tzu" is a historical heritage worthy of our cherishment.

(End of this chapter)