Although Laozi is more well-known, recognized and influential than Confucius in the world, Confucius is obviously superior in China and its neighbors in East Asia.
As the main representative of Chinese traditional culture, Confucius'
status was established in the national policy of "dismissing hundreds of
schools of thought and commending the Six Classics" by Emperor Wu of Han
more than 2,000 years ago. Taoism was the main object of dismissal in this
change, and its influence lasts to this day.
As China and the world develop modern civilization and move towards the future, it is necessary to review and look forward to this.
Before Emperor Wu of Han came to power, from Emperor Hui of Han,
"Wenjing's Reign" to Empress Dowager Dou's rule when Emperor Wu of
Han was young, the doctrine of Huang-Lao Taoism was followed.
In the works of the famous historian Sima Qian and his son, the high respect of Taoism at that time was reflected, and the contribution of Taoism to promoting China's prosperity was described.
In the earlier Warring States period, the princes were divided and
hundreds of schools of thought contended. Huang-Lao Taoism was a prominent
school of thought, among which the "Jixia Academy" was particularly
famous, and many schools of thought were influenced by it.
Zhuangzi, Liezi, etc. were only small factions of Taoism, and they were not as good as the Legalist school that followed Laozi's moral meaning.
Until the end of the Warring States period, the actual ruler of Qin State,
Prime Minister Lü Buwei, edited "Lüshi Chunqiu", which was still
based on Huang-Lao Taoism and adopted hundreds of schools of thought.
Later, Qin Shihuang took power and followed the legalist Shen and Han's
techniques, which still did not deviate from the source of Laozi's learning.
Therefore, from the middle and late Warring States period to the middle of the Western Han Dynasty, Taoism was popular in China for hundreds of years.
Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty "removed hundreds of schools of thought
and praised the Six Classics", which was mainly aimed at the Huang-Lao
Taoism and other related theories that occupied a dominant position at that
time. After some evolution, Confucianism outside and Legalism inside became the
guiding ideology of successive dynasties.
Although there were a few periods such as the Six Dynasties and some
emperors such as Li Shimin who advocated Taoism, Confucianism has long been
dominant in the imperial era.
Taoism, which was born in the late Eastern Han Dynasty, tried to participate in the struggle for power several times. Finally, under the attack of imperial power, it went to the path of either relying on imperial power to compete for "national teacher" or pursuing personal cultivation.
Ancient China did not have a strong theocracy like the European Middle
Ages. The key was that ancient China had a sacred and inviolable imperial
power.
Confucianism has a strong adaptability to imperial power and can be used by imperial power. In addition to other advantages, it can become the main representative of Chinese traditional culture.
Huang-Lao Taoism emerged in the diversified and decentralized Warring
States Period. In the fierce horizontal competition and the atmosphere of
"lower-level defeating superiors", monarchs and ministers of various
countries had a strong sense of crisis and were more self-disciplined. This
trend was inherited by the enlightened monarchs in the early Han Dynasty.
Taoism advocates market freedom, deregulation, power restriction, and
relaxed public opinion, which is conducive to promoting economic prosperity and
social vitality. However, within the unified imperial system, there is a
structural contradiction between Taoist doctrine and the strengthening and
impulse of imperial power.
It is unsustainable to rely on the monarch's conscious restriction and cautious use of power. Emperor Wu of Han just did what would happen sooner or later in the imperial era. Values affect the system, and the system reacts to values.
Now "flowers bloom inside the wall and are fragrant outside the
wall". With the globalization of the Tao Te Ching in modern times, Taoist
doctrines are widely respected in the international community, especially in
developed countries. This is related to the diversification and
decentralization trend of modern and contemporary world history.
Lao Tzu's Tao is not consistent with some contemporary values and social
systems, but it can be compatible and unique. It is a dusty key to open the
future civilization and is worth exploring and promoting in the contemporary
world.
尽管在世界上，老子的知名度、认同感、影响力比孔子更大，但在中国和东亚邻邦，孔子显然更胜一筹。
作为中国传统文化的主要代表，孔子的地位在两千多年前的汉武帝“罢黜百家、表彰六经”国策中已经奠定，道家则是这场变革的主要罢黜对象，影响至于今日。
而中国和世界发展现代文明、走向未来，有必要对此复盘和展望。
在汉武帝掌权之前，从汉惠帝、“文景之治”到汉武帝年少时的窦太后执政，都奉行黄老道的学说。
在著名史学家司马迁父子的著作中，都体现了当时人对道家的高度推崇，描述了道家对促进中国繁荣所作的贡献。
而在更早的战国时期，诸侯分立，百家争鸣，黄老道就是显学，其中“稷下学宫”尤为著称，各派诸子多受影响。
而庄子、列子等只是道家的小众派系，也比不上宗老子道德之意的法家学派。
直至战国末期，秦国实际统治者、相国吕不韦主编《吕氏春秋》，仍以黄老道为主，兼采百家。
后来秦始皇亲政，宗奉法家的申、韩之术，仍不脱老子之学的渊源。
所以，从战国中后期至西汉中期，道家风行中国数百年。
汉武帝“罢黜百家、表彰六经”，主要就是针对当时占据统治地位的黄老道等有关学说。后经过一番演变，外儒内法成了历代王朝的指导思想。
虽有少数时代如六朝时期、部分帝王如李世民等推崇道家，但儒家长期在帝制时代居于主导地位。
而东汉后期诞生的道教，数次试图参与逐鹿，最后在皇权打击下，走向或依附皇权争做“国师”，或追求个人修仙等道路。
中国古代没有出现欧洲中世纪那样的强大神权，关键在于中国古代有着神圣不可侵犯的皇权。
而儒家对皇权的适应能力很强，更能为之所用，加上还有其他优势，遂能成为中国传统文化的主要代表。
黄老道兴起于多元化、去中心化的战国时期，在激烈的横向竞争和“下克上”氛围中，各国君主、公卿危机意识强烈，更自戒自制，这一风气得到汉初开明君主们的继承。
道家主张市场自由、放松管制、限制权力、宽松舆论，有利于促进经济繁荣和社会活力，但在一元化的帝制架构内，道家学说与皇权的强化和冲动存在结构性矛盾。
靠君主的自觉不可持续，汉武帝只是做了帝制时代早晚会出现的事。价值观影响制度，制度又反作用于价值观。
现在“墙里花开墙外香”，随着近代以来《道德经》走向全球，道家学说在国际社会特别是发达国家广为推崇，这与世界近现代历史的多元化、去中心化趋势有关。
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