Laozi's Tao Te Ching

Hong Zeng

The Tao Te Ching is a fundamental text for both philosophical and religious Taoism, and strongly influenced Legalism, Confucianism and Chan Buddhism, which when first introduced into China was interpreted through the use of Taoist concepts. Many Chinese artists, including poets, painters, calligraphers and gardeners, have been greatly influenced by Tao Te Ching. Its influence spread widely outside East Asia, and is among the most translated works in world literature, only next to Bible.

The Tao Te Ching is a fundamental text for both philosophical and religious Taoism, and strongly influenced Legalism, Confucianism and Chan Buddhism, which when first introduced into China was interpreted through the use of Taoist concepts. Many Chinese artists, including poets, painters, calligraphers and gardeners, have been greatly influenced by Tao Te Ching. Its influence spread widely outside East Asia, and is among the most translated works in world literature, only next to Bible.

The passages in Tao Te Ching are ambiguous, with topics ranging from advice for rulers and profound religious experience of cosmic origin of Tao and its application in all realms of life. The book has 81 chapters ,this course teaches the first half: the Book of Tao. The central values of Tao Te Ching are the ineffability of Tao, the privileging of the female attributes, the force of Yinsuch as softness, yielding, humility, resilience and non-action effecting all actions. The returning movement as the movement of Tao, the interchangeability of the opposites, political rule with least interference, philosophical and religious experience of vacuity and power of nothingness.

The Tao Te Ching has been translated into Western languages over 250 times, its cryptic and poetic language is a famous puzzle which everyone would like to resolve.

In learning the course, print out the PDF of Analects text in the introduction chapter, and with it in hand, study the selected chapters in the following lectures (because there is no subtitle of the text in the video). For each lecture, I will explain word by word the meaning of the classical Chinese text, and then I will explain to you the philosophical implication of these texts, often comparing it with other schools of Chinese philosophies. Finally I will lead you to read the text twice so that you can recite and memorize them.

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Learning objectives

Understand the enigmatic and profound text which has been the second most translated in the west, next only to bible.
Learn the core values of taoism.

Learn modern and classical chinese

Understand the enigmatic and profound text which has been the second most translated in the west, next only to bible.
Learn the core values of taoism.
Learn modern and classical chinese

Syllabus

Introduction

The lecture is course introduction, with the English-Chinese version of Tao Te Ching, and Chinese-pinyin version of Tao Te Ching attached in the resource section. Please print out for later study of following lectures, as they don't have subtitle of the text in the talking head videos.

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Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Laozi's Tao Te Ching with these activities:

Review the fundamental concepts of Taoism

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Reviewing the fundamental concepts of Taoism will provide you with a strong foundation for understanding the teachings of the Tao Te Ching.

Browse courses on Ancient Chinese Philosophy

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Read the introduction to the Tao Te Ching
Summarize the key concepts of Taoism
Identify the main themes of the Tao Te Ching

Follow guided tutorials on Taoist philosophy

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Following guided tutorials on Taoist philosophy will provide you with a deeper understanding of the philosophical concepts that underpin the Tao Te Ching.

Browse courses on Chinese Philosophy

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