Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v1.c7.s9.t1.9

v1.c7.s9.t1.9

Laozi’s philosophy is rich in dialectics, believing all things are in a perpetual process of motion and change, also contain mutually contradictory two facets, putting forth the thought of interdependency of two opposites, as he said, “Therefore Existence and Nothingness beget each other; long and short manifest themselves by comparison; High and low are inclined as well as opposed to each other; musical sound and singing voice harmonize each other; front and back follow each other,” (chapter II). And, he further considers that the both opposite’s sides can be mutually inclusive and mutually transforming, “Disaster hides itself behind good fortune; Good fortune leans against disaster,” (chapter LVIII). The law of motion for everything is to move and develop to the opposite direction, “Cycling is the movement of Dao” (chapter XXXX). He deems the movement of Dao as a circulating movement and ultimately will return to ontology of Dao, as he said, “All things, full of vitality, and finally return to their own roots,” (Chapter 16).