Laozi is the founder of the Chinese Taoist school and Taoism. He may be the brightest lightning in the world's eternal night.
From a modern perspective, as the historian of the Zhou emperor's treasury, Laozi was in charge of the National Library, the National Archives and the National Museum. He observed the evolution of celestial phenomena, recorded the gains and losses of human affairs, educated the princes and kings, and used them to assist the state affairs, playing the role of "the teacher of the emperor". Because learning was in the royal officials and the hundreds of schools of thought were not yet prosperous, knowledge and culture were concentrated on the historians. In addition to Laozi's own talents and other factors, he had wisdom beyond everyone and also had a strong sense of social responsibility. When he realized that the Zhou Dynasty was weak and could not be used, he resigned and left the book "Laozi", expounding the grand purpose of using the way of heaven to understand human affairs and govern the country. For more than 2,000 years, this book has become the origin of the Taoist school, Taoism, and China's alternative to Confucianism and Buddhism. Since modern times, as one of the representatives of Chinese history and culture, the book Laozi has contributed to the world the ancient wisdom from the East that is compatible with modern civilization and enriches and transcends the universal values of the old version.
Although there are still many mysteries about Laozi's personal information, the evolution of the version of Laozi, and the relationship between Laozi and the book due to the long time and scarcity of materials, it is basically appropriate to call the author of the book Laozi "Laozi". Modern research on Lao Dan is also relatively close to the records of ancient history. The main ideas of the book Laozi are basically consistent in various versions, and are also consistent with the records of many other ancient books. It is the book Laozi that has given the world an endless gold mine of wisdom. In fact, all the pre-Qin philosophers, Han Dynasty classics, Wei and Jin Dynasty metaphysics, Tang Dynasty Buddhism, Song and Ming Dynasty Neo-Confucianism and modern and contemporary thoughts have more or less drawn nourishment from the book "Laozi". The saying that "the number of versions of "Laozi" translated into foreign languages and the large circulation are second only to the Bible in the world" has been widely circulated on the simplified Chinese website for a long time. Although the source has not been verified, the influence of "Laozi" in the international academic and political circles is wide and highly respected, which has been proved by many news facts.
The book "Laozi" has not only been given the status of a classic in the process of dissemination, and is usually called "Tao Te Ching", its readership coverage and ideological influence have reached from kings and princes to scholars and officials to common people. Nowadays, whether it is officials, business owners, investors, professional managers, professional technicians, researchers, parents who value education, hermits who are detached from the world, noble men who focus on self-cultivation and metaphysics, or even devout Taoists, people from all walks of life understand the true meaning of the "Tao Te Ching" from their own different perspectives, making the "revelation" color of the book "Laozi" more intense, greatly expanding its influence, and awakening and activating the original wisdom of universal believers.
Today, we find with regret that the various problems criticized by "Laozi" are still everywhere in the world, such as disrespecting the laws of nature, delusion that man can conquer nature, abandoning inaction and ruling, disrupting spontaneous order, de-marketization and enthusiasm for regulation, not keeping a low profile and liking to establish a domineering personality, studying and working are all unbalanced and physical and mental health is unbalanced, indulging in consumer desires and becoming slaves to money and goods... All these show that we should return to the right path and return to the prescription provided by "Laozi".
There is an old saying that "half of the Analects can rule the world". Confucius' disciples were obsessed with saving the world with Confucianism, and Jesus' descendants also took spreading Christianity to save the world as their mission. This is true for all schools of thought in ancient and modern times, both at home and abroad. So, from the perspective of Laozi's fans, it is natural that a book of Laozi can save the world! Although it is said that "the world has the same goal but different paths, and the same path but a hundred considerations", different choices of paths will produce different results. For people outside the circle, ideological debates, diverse competitions, more tolerance and listening are very beneficial to self-improvement and approaching the truth. There is no perfect classic in the world, nor is there absolutely correct wisdom. Communication and progress are inevitable. The series of articles written by me are my own opinions. If people can benefit from listening to them and Laozi's overwhelming wisdom can be applied bit by bit, it will be a blessing. I hope that everyone can use their meager strength to save others through the salvation of others and self-salvation in Laozi and other related classics, so as to move towards the ideal world outlined by Laozi together.
老子是中国道家学派和道教的鼻祖，他可能是世界亘古长夜中那道最亮的闪电。
以现代视角看来，作为周天子的守藏室之史，老子掌管着国家图书馆、国家档案馆和国家博物馆，观天象演变，记人事得失，教化侯王、以资国政，发挥着“天子之师”的角色。因学在王官、百家未兴，知识文化集中于史官身上，加上老子自身的天资等因素，这让他具备了超出众人的智慧，也怀抱着强烈的社会责任感。当他明了周室昏弱、不能见用，乃挂冠西去，留下《老子》一书，阐述以天道而明人事、治国理政之宏旨。两千多年来，该书遂为道家学派、道教、中国在儒释之外的另一选择之滥觞，而在近代以降，作为中国历史文化的代表之一，《老子》一书向世界贡献了来自东方的，既兼容现代文明，又丰富和超越旧版普世价值的古老智慧。
尽管由于年代久远而材料匮乏，以致老子的个人信息、《老子》的版本演变，以及老子其人和《老子》其书二者的关系，尚有许多迷雾尚未廓清，但以“老子”来称呼《老子》一书的作者基本妥当，关于老聃的现代研究也与古史记载比较接近，而《老子》一书的主要思想在各版本中基本一致，也与其他多部古籍所记若合符契，而正是《老子》这本书给了世人以无尽的智慧金矿。事实上，举凡先秦诸子、两汉经学、魏晋玄学、唐代佛学、宋明理学和近现代思潮，都或多或少从《老子》一书中汲取营养，而“《老子》被译成外国文字的版本之多、发行量之大，在全世界仅次于《圣经》”的说法已在简体中文网盛传已久，虽尚未见到出处考证，但《老子》在国际学界、政界的影响广泛、备受推崇，已为不少新闻事实所佐证。
《老子》一书不但在传播过程中被赋予经典的地位，并通常称之为《道德经》，其读者覆盖范围、思想影响所及，已从王侯而至士大夫直至庶民。如今，无论是官员、企业主、投资者、职业管理人、专业技术人员、研究学者、重视教育的父母、超然世外的隐逸、专注修身养生和玄学命理的高士，乃至虔诚修行的道教徒，各界人士都从各自不同角度去理解《道德经》真意，使《老子》一书的“天启”色彩更加浓厚，影响大大扩展，让普世信徒的本来智慧被唤醒、被激活。
如今，我们不无遗憾地发现，《老子》所批评的种种问题，仍在世界各地比比皆是，诸如不尊重自然规律、妄想人定胜天，摒弃无为而治、扰乱自发秩序，去市场化而热衷管制，不韬晦自牧而喜树霸道人设，求学从业皆卷而身心健康失衡，沉溺消费物欲而人为财货之奴……林林总总，皆昭示我们应该迷途知返，回归《老子》提供的处方。
古有“半部《论语》治天下”之说，孔门弟子心心念念以儒学救世界，而耶稣传人同样以传播基督教义救世界为使命，推于古今中外的各家各派，无不如此。那么，从老子粉丝的角度，一本《老子》救世界也是理所当然！虽说“天下同归而殊途，一致而百虑”，但不同路径的选择，就会产生不同的结果。于圈外之人而言，思想争鸣、多元竞发，多一点包容和倾听，对提升自我、接近真理大有禆益。世上并无完美的经典，也没有绝对正确的智慧，交流共进，是为必然。本人所撰系列文章作为一家之言，若能让人们听后有所助益，使老子的泼天智慧得到点滴应用，实为幸事。愿大家各以微薄之力，经《老子》等相关经典的他救、自救而救他人，从而共同趋向《老子》擘画的理想世界。
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