What is the Tao Te Ching?

What is the Tao Te Ching?

What is the Tao Te Ching? To begin, we will start with the history of the Tao Te Ching. The Tao Te Ching is a series of 81 poems. These poems are based on the nature of the Tao, the experience of Taoist monks, and the transformation of a Taoist into an enlightened master. The Tao Te Ching was written by Lao-tzu around the third century BC. Not much is known about Lao-tzu. As Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia states, he was a Chinese philosopher and the founder of Taoism. He was born in the province of Henan and was a court librarian. All of this is known only according to Chinese tradition. We do know that the Tao Te Ching is by far one of the most translated Chinese literary works. The basic understanding of the book is that it teaches “the way” or “Tao”. This understanding is realized through the recognition and acceptance of nothingness.
Our next look will be at what the words Tao Te Ching mean. Tao literally translated means “th...