author
Laozi
A legendary sage of ancient China, Laozi is traditionally associated with the Dao De Jing, one of Taoism’s most influential works. His teachings on simplicity, harmony, and effortless action have shaped Chinese philosophy, religion, literature, and political thought for centuries.
3 Audiobooks
About the author
Laozi—also known as Lao Tzu or Lao Dan—is the honorific traditionally given to an ancient Chinese philosopher associated with the founding of Taoism. Traditional accounts place him in the 6th century BC, identify him with Li Er, and describe him as a keeper of archival records at the Zhou court and an elder contemporary of Confucius.
He is regarded as the originating teacher or author associated with the Dao De Jing, a foundational text centered on the Dao, or “Way,” and the principle of wu wei, often understood as action that follows the natural flow of things. The work’s concise reflections on balance, humility, and non-force have had a lasting influence across East Asian thought.
Laozi’s historical identity remains debated. Some scholars view him as a partly legendary figure, while others consider a historical teacher behind the tradition plausible; the received Dao De Jing may also have developed through transmission and additions over time. In later religious Taoism, Laozi was revered as a divine manifestation of the Dao.