Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v1.c7.s9.t1.8

v1.c7.s9.t1.8

What it is prevalently referred to with regards to Laozi’s thoughts is the philosophical view reflected in the *Book of Lao Zi*. His ideological system, by inheriting the tradition of what it calls theory laying foundation to create Change Sect, constructed with “Dao” as core also by summing up his own experiences. He attempted to sum up the unitarity and essence of cosmic inventory, and cosmic ontology existed not in the vast heaven and earth, but resided in the minds of people. Dao as natural property of cosmic inventory is antecedent to the existence of Heaven and Earth as he said, “There was something formless yet complete. They existed earlier than Heaven and Earth. Silent and empty, it relies on nothing, moving around forever. We may regard it as the Mother of all things. I do not know its name, so I name it as Dao.” (Quoted from Chapter 25. And all quotations hereinafter are referred only to the chapter number.) Universe is all evolved into being through Dao, as he said, “Dao begets the One; the One consists of Two in opposition - the Yin and Yang; the Two begets the Three; the Three begets all things of the world,” (chapter XXXXII). Moreover, Laozi considers Dao as general basis for the comic existence, believing all things within the Heaven and Earth take shape and grow through Dao. He has the connotation of objective laws, and everything in the universe and including social and human affairs are governed by Dao, as he said, “Man takes Earth as his model; Earth takes Heaven as its model; Heaven takes Dao as its model; Dao takes what is natural as its model,” (chapter XXV). Whereas, Dao is beyond human’s vision and perception, “What cannot be seen is called ‘Yi’ without colour; what cannot be heard is called ‘Xi’ without sound; what cannot be touched is called ‘Wei’ without shape; these three things can be in no way defined, so they are combined into one,” (chapter XIV). Dao exists independently without being hooked on any external things, and is moving perpetually without let-up. “There is a thing formed in an integrated manner, and born earlier than Heaven and Earth. It is silent and empty. It relies on nothing, but it is moving around forever. We may regard it as the mother of all things,” (chapter XXV). In his mind’s eye, Dao features “nothingness” and “the shape without shape”, as Laozi defines in the Chapter 14: “It is categorised as Nothingness, and is called the shape without shape as well as the image without substance. It is hence named as vague and dimly visible,” which suggests Dao is the root of all things on earth and exists forever, but is so indistinct that is beyond our visual perception, nor can be fathomed or ascertained by our mental capacity.