Laozi was a famous philosopher in ancient China. His Taoist school of thought exerted an extremely important influence on the Chinese culture. Laozi lived in the late Spring and Autumn Period more than 2,400 years ago. He and Confucius were contemporaries. Li was his surname and Er, his name. He styled himself Dan.

The Records of the Historian said he was a native of Quren Village, Li Township, Gu County in the State of Chu, in present－day Luyi County, Henan Province. Laozi served as the librarian, archivist and grand scribe at the royal court of the Eastern Zhou Dynasty. He took part in important political activities, so he accumulated profound knowledge and social experience.

Later he resigned from his official post and lived in seclusion. As an onlooker, he pondered on matters of society and life. He built up his own philosophy.

The legend goes that when he stopped over at Hangu Pass after his resignation, Laozi wrote the book Laozi at the request of Yin Xi, director of the pass. Because it discussed philosophical questions of "Dao" and "De", it was also known as Dao De Jing (True Classic of the Way and Virtue).

This was the first work with a comprehensive philosophical system in the history of Chinese philosophy. It established the earliest ontology and cosmology in China, expanding the scope of man's thinking from life to the universe as a whole.

With great wisdom of life and dialectics, the theory of Laozi produced an extremely far－reaching influence on the Chinese nation and mankind. It still shines brilliantly when the new century is coming today.

(Source: CCTV.com)