(East-West Question) Wang Zhongjiang: What oriental wisdom did the Tao Te Ching convey to the world?

  China News Agency, Zhengzhou, February 19, Question: Wang Zhongjiang: What oriental wisdom does Tao Te Ching convey to the world?

  China News Agency reporter Liu Peng

  Lao Tzu's Tao Te Ching enjoys a high reputation in the East and the West, and is also one of the most translated Chinese classics.

Why does this classic have such an impact?

  Wang Zhongjiang, Executive Dean of the Institute of Advanced Humanities of Peking University, Dean of the School of Philosophy of Zhengzhou University, and President of the Laozi Studies Association, recently accepted an exclusive interview with China News Agency "East and West Questions". Further carry forward the oriental wisdom of Laozi's thought and interpret it.

The following is a summary of the interview transcript:

China News Service reporter: Why did Tao Te Ching become a world classic?

Wang Zhongjiang:

"Man follows the earth, the earth follows the sky, the heaven follows the Tao, and the Tao follows the nature." Lao Tzu was a great thinker, philosopher and founder of the Taoist school in ancient China.

Although his masterpiece "Tao Te Ching" is only 5,000 words long, its content is earth-shattering, excavating a series of major philosophical, economic and political issues such as the formation of the universe, the origin of all things, national governance, and ecological protection, and is respected by later generations. It is regarded as the classic quotations of governing the country, aligning the family, self-cultivation, and learning, and is also considered to be one of the oldest philosophical classics in the world.

Statue of Laojun in Laojunyan Mountain, Qingyuan Mountain, Quanzhou, Fujian.

Photo by Chu Yongzhi issued by China News Agency

  So far, the earliest record of Lao Tzu's writing is Sima Qian's "Biography of Lao Tzu" that "Lao Tzu wrote the first and second chapters of the book, and the meaning of morality is more than 5,000 words".

The Tao Te Ching of such a small length is rare in Chinese history with so many annotations and annotations, and now it is one of the most translated classics in the world, and can be called "the first of all classics".

This classic has attracted worldwide attention because of the depth and height of its philosophical wisdom.

On May 31, 2018, 230 primary school students recited the "Tao Te Ching" at the "Cultural Childhood Ceremony" at Laojun Mountain Laozi Cultural Garden in Luoyang, Henan Province.

Photo by Wang Zhongju issued by China News Agency

  First, the Tao Te Ching has a profound and profound outlook on the universe and the world, such as "Tao can be Tao, but Tao is very Tao", "Tao is born of", "Tao follows nature" and so on.

  Second, it has a unique, super-complex way of thinking and speaking, such as "right words are the opposite", "great wisdom is like ignorance", and "the weak overcome the strong" and so on.

  Third, it possesses brilliant political philosophy and political principles, such as "doing nothing but doing nothing", "governing a big country like cooking a small fresh food", and "quietness makes the world upright", etc.

  Fourth, it has in-depth ethics, values ​​and cultivation techniques, such as "high morality is not moral", "people who are good at taking care of life will not encounter tigers on land, and will not be armored when they enter the army."

  Fifth, it also has a profound civilizational reflection, critical awareness and critical spirit, such as "people are not afraid of death, but how can they be afraid of death?" , because of hunger."

On April 15, 2012, in Lingbao City, Henan Province, students recite "Tao Te Ching" at Laozi Square in Hanguguan.

Photo by Sun Meng issued by China News Agency

  From personal cultivation, standing in the world to good governance of the country, from ordinary people to scholars and kings, the philosophy, wisdom, thinking and values ​​inherent in Tao Te Ching are unique and profound in the world's philosophy and thought, and its book is a great classic of mankind One, its meaning is one of the great thoughts of mankind.

China News Agency reporter: Why does Lao Tzu's military thinking have humanitarian characteristics?

Wang Zhongjiang:

Some people in history regard the Tao Te Ching as a "book of war", which is somewhat exaggerated.

However, a few passages in the Tao Te Ching do speak of military affairs and methods of using them.

  In principle, Lao Tzu is a pacifist and anti-war.

For example, he said, "Fu Jia soldiers are ominous weapons, objects or evil, so there is no place for those who have the Tao." He also said, "Those who use Tao to help people and masters do not use soldiers to strengthen the world."

  If an unjust war comes, how to deal with it?

In this regard, Lao Tzu advocates self-defense.

It is in this sense that Lao Tzu expounds that the use of troops is "used as a last resort", and he also discusses the way to win, "use the troops with extraordinary skills" and "good results". "Go up", we must "dare not to take strength, but don't be humble when you are fruitful, don't cut down when you are fruitful, don't be arrogant when you are fruitful, don't be arrogant when you are fruitful, and don't be strong when you are fruitful."

  Lao Tzu believes that war is not a good thing, and along with victory there are also bad consequences, such as "where the teacher is, thorns will grow; after the army, there will be a fierce year".

Accompanying victory there is pain, which is "victory is not beautiful", such as "beautiful people are happy to kill people. If you are happy to kill people, you can't be in the world." It is necessary to "treat them with funeral rites", which expresses strong humanitarianism.

On March 12, 2017 (the fifteenth day of the second lunar month), a ceremony to commemorate Lao Tzu was held in Laojun Mountain, Luoyang, Henan.

Photo by Wang Zhongju issued by China News Agency

China News Service reporter: How does Laozi see the relationship between big countries and small countries?

Wang Zhongjiang:

From the Spring and Autumn Period, the Western Zhou Dynasty disintegrated and disintegrated, and the princes rose up.

How to rebuild a new world system and a new order, Lao Tzu put forward an important principle, that is, it advocates the peaceful coexistence between large and small countries.

  For example, the Tao Te Ching says, "A big country is inferior, the world is at the juncture, and the world is the female. The female is always better than the male, and the quiet is the inferior. Therefore, if a small country is below a big country, it will be a small country; if a big country is below a small country, it will be a big country. Therefore, or The lower is to take, or the lower is to take. A big country only wants to have animals and people, and a small country only wants to serve people. Both of them get what they want, and the big one should be the lower."

This principle is, as a whole, the application of Lao Tzu's philosophy of "weakness" and "humility" in the field of state-to-state relations.

  Generally speaking, a big country is in a strong position and a small country is in a weak position, especially a small country between the big countries, its situation and survival are very difficult.

Lao Tzu advocated that a big country should be willing to live in the low class, respect and care for a small country first, and a small country should also treat the big country well and be humble.

  In terms of the modern international order, Lao Tzu is against powerism and hegemonism.

However, there are also small countries in the world who are beyond their capabilities and turn big countries as their enemies. Of course, Lao Tzu will object to such a rash move.

China News Service reporter: In today's world, how to carry forward Laozi's thought and the oriental wisdom of the Tao Te Ching?

Wang Zhongjiang:

Any thought, philosophy or wisdom is a unity of universality and particularity.

Lao Tzu Thought was born in the late Spring and Autumn Period. It is the product of the transition from the Western Zhou civilization to the Eastern Zhou, but it also has universal significance in world culture.

  Laozi's philosophy is different from Confucianism and other schools, and it is also different from Greek philosophy, and it has obvious uniqueness.

But Lao Tzu's wisdom has universal value, belongs to the philosophy of softness and inclusiveness, and represents the "moon spirit" of human beings.

  The concepts advocated by Lao Tzu, such as "benefit without harm, action without contention" and "goodness is like water", range from personal cultivation to human civilization. Today, when building a community with a shared future for mankind, human beings share weal and woe, and their destiny is linked. Lao Tzu's concept is extremely global value.

  At the same time, based on the accurate understanding, interpretation and interpretation of Laozi culture, as well as accurate diagnosis and reflection on contemporary social problems and defects, Laozi's wisdom, world outlook, way of thinking and values ​​can be disseminated in different ways, and Laozi culture can be used to help people to Solve problems and overcome ills.

  Secondly, the dissemination of Laozi culture should be divided into different levels, and in the face of different objects and needs, different methods should be adopted to provide different "spiritual products".

On December 24, 2018, Dai Ling (right), an American who has lived in Qingdao, Shandong Province for 15 years, recorded the first chapter of his own adaptation of the "Tao Te Ching" music in the music room.

Photo by Zhong Yanming issued by China News Agency

  Third, in order to spread Laozi's wisdom and philosophy more widely, we should create better video works related to Laozi's culture, such as documentaries and movies.

(over)

Interviewee Profile: 

  Wang Zhongjiang, Distinguished Adjunct Professor of the Yellow River Civilization Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan University, Professor of the Department of Philosophy of Peking University, Doctoral Supervisor, Distinguished Professor of Changjiang Scholars of the Ministry of Education, Executive Dean of the Institute of Advanced Humanities of Peking University, Dean of the School of Philosophy of Zhengzhou University, Confucius of China President of the Society, President of the Laozi Studies Association.

Recently published books include "Bamboo and Silk Civilization and the World of Ancient Thought", "Confucian Spiritual Taoism and Social Role", "Research on the Concept History of Taoism", "Roots, Institutions and Order: From Lao Tzu to Huang Lao", "Nature and Man: Modern China" The Genealogy of the Two Concepts”, etc.; editor-in-chief of “Frontiers of Chinese Philosophy”, “Unearthed Documents and New Knowledge of Early Chinese Thought”, “New Philosophy”, “Chinese Confucianism” (cooperation), “Laozi Studies”, etc. .