Laozi and the Daodejing

Daoism takes its name from the Dao, 'the Way', the source and pattern of the universe, which cannot be fully captured in words. Its foundational text, the Daodejing, is traditionally attributed to Laozi, said to be an older contemporary of Confucius; many historians doubt he was a single historical person and date the text to around the 4th century BCE. Its 81 short chapters teach wu wei, often translated as 'effortless action' or 'non-forcing', acting in harmony with nature rather than struggling against it.

The text praises softness and humility, using images such as water, which yields yet wears away rock. For rulers, it recommends governing lightly, warning that more laws can produce more disorder. Daoism offered a counterpoint to Confucian emphasis on ritual and social duty, and many Chinese drew on both: Confucian ideals for public life, Daoist ideals for private reflection and harmony with nature.