“Lao-Tzu (l. c. 500 BCE, also known as Laozi or Lao-Tze) was a Chinese philosopher credited with founding the philosophical system of Taoism. He is best known as the author of the Laozi (later retitled the Tao-Te-Ching translated as “The Way of Virtue” or “The Classic of the Way and Virtue”) the work which exemplifies his thought.
The name by which he is known is not a personal name but an honorific title meaning ‘Old Man’ or ‘Old Master’ and the debate continues as to whether an individual by that name ever existed or whether Lao-Tzu is an amalgam of many different philosophers.”
“Whenever it was written, or by whom, its value was recognized during the Han Dynasty (202 BCE – 220 CE) and its reputation grew afterwards to inform the culture of the great Tang Dynasty (618-907 CE). Today it is regarded as a classic of Chinese philosophical-religious literature and has influenced millions of people around the world.”
