Laozi (老子) | 24 Histories

Overview

Laozi was a scholar and Writer.

IdentityUncertain · Male

Roles

Found in

Other names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Personal name	Li Qing	栗卿	Lì Qīng
Alternate name	the Old Master	老氏	Lǎo shì

Life and dates

Death

executed 誅 · Authority Emperor Xiaojing (孝景皇帝)
Directly stated · Book of Han 55, passage 106

Attested activity

legendary antiquity
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 32, passage 35; Book of Later Han 94, passages 283, 335
legendary antiquity
Uncertain · Book of Southern Qi 48, passage 100
c. BC 600 to c. BC 400 老子
Strongly inferred · New History of the Five Dynasties 34, passage 32
c. BC 500 老子
Uncertain · Book of Han 22, passage 20
BC 571 to BC 471 莊老貴無為
Directly stated · Book of Wei 96, passage 220

Key source chapters

Places and affiliations

At Ku county in Chen 陈国苦县 · Relation Cult site
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 109, passage 64
At Zhuolong 濯龙 · Relation Cult site
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 109, passage 65

Works and attributed material

Laozi / Daodejing teachings 老子
Relation Author
Strongly inferred · New History of the Five Dynasties 34, passage 32

Events and relationships

Executed
Legal · Executed
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 103, passage 96
Received personal sacrifice
AD 166 九年 · Ritual · Recipient · At Zhuolong 濯龙
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 109, passage 65
Received sacrifice
AD 165 延熹八年 · Ritual · Recipient · At Ku in Chen 陈国苦县
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 109, passage 64
Relation Teacher of · Person Confucius (孔子) · Mode commentator-judgment Speaker Zhang Yan (張晏)
Directly stated · Book of Han 22, passage 20

Assessments and attributes

Assessment profound, reserved, great worthy though not a sage · Mode commentator-judgment Speaker Zhang Yan (張晏)
Directly stated · Book of Han 22, passage 20
玄默 / deep and reserved
Character
Directly stated · Book of Han 22, passage 20

Source notes

Historicity legendary
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 109, passage 2

References in the histories

Search passages

History

16 passages

Book of Han, Chapter 22Volume 20: Prominent People from the Past Until the Present · 1 passage

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〈張晏曰：「老子玄默，仲尼所師，雖不在聖，要為大賢，文伯之母達於禮典，動為聖人所歎，言為後世所則，而在第四。〈Zhang Yan comments: "Laozi was deep and reserved, and even Confucius learned from him. Though not classed as a sage, he was certainly a great worthy. Wenbo's mother was thoroughly versed in ritual, praised by sages for her conduct, and imitated by later generations for her words, yet she is only placed in the fourth class.

Book of Han, Chapter 55Volume 46: The Lords of Wan, Wei, Zhi, Zhou and Zhang · 1 passage

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明年，上廢太子，誅栗卿之屬。 The following year the crown prince was cast aside and Li Qing’s faction was put to the sword.

Book of Han, Chapter 74Volume 64a: Yan, Zhu, Wuqiu, Zhufu, Xu, Yan, Zhong, Wang, and Jia 1 · 1 passage

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此老子所謂「師之所處，荊棘生之」者也。 This is what Laozi called 'where the army stays, brambles grow.'

Book of Han, Chapter 102Volume 90: Cruel Officials · 1 passage

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老氏稱：「上德不德，是以有德； Laozi wrote, "The highest good does not advertise its goodness; that is why it truly is good;

Book of Later Han, Chapter 32Volume 28b: Biography of Feng Yan · 2 passages

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然後闔門講習道德，觀覽乎孔老之論，庶幾乎松、喬之福，上隴阪，陟高岡，遊精宇宙，流目八纮。 Then I would shut my gate to study moral teaching and read Confucius and Laozi, hoping for something of the blessing of Chisongzi and Wangzi Qiao; I would climb the Long ridges and high hills, send my spirit wandering through heaven and earth, and let my eyes sweep the eight reaches of the world.

嘉孔丘之知命兮，大老聃之貴玄； I honor Kong Qiu's acceptance of fate and Laozi's reverence for the hidden Way;

Book of Later Han, Chapter 94Volume 83: Biographies of Hermits · 3 passages

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少好黄、老，隐遁山谷，因穴为室，仰慕松、乔导引之术。 In youth he loved Huang-Lao, lived in a cave, and studied the breath arts of the immortals Chisong and Wangzi.

盖闻黄、老之言，乘虚入冥，藏身远遁，亦有理国养人，施于为政。 Huang-Lao speak of mounting void and hiding far away—yet their teaching can also order states and nurture the people.

将蹈老氏之高踪，不为玄纁屈也。 He will follow Laozi's high path and spurn imperial silk.

Book of Later Han, Chapter 109Volume 98: Rituals and Worship Part Two · 3 passages

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北郊明堂辟雍灵臺迎气增祀六宗老子 Northern suburban rites, the Bright Hall, the Biyong academy, the Spirit Terrace, welcoming the seasonal qi, supplemental cults, the Six Honored Powers, and worship of Laozi.

延熹八年，初使中常侍之陈国苦县祠老子。 In Yanxi 8 (165 CE) he first dispatched a Regular Palace Attendant to Ku in the princedom of Chen to sacrifice at Laozi’s shrine.

九年，亲祠老子于濯龙。 The following year he worshipped Laozi in person at the Zhuolong lodge in the palace.

Book of Southern Qi, Chapter 48Volume 48 Biographies 29: Yuan Tuan, Kong Zhigui, Liu Hui · 1 passage

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臣又聞老子、仲尼曰：「古之聽獄者，求所以生之； Your servant has also heard that Laozi and Confucius said: "Those who heard cases in antiquity sought means to let men live;

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 103Biographies of Wan Shi and Zhang Shu · 1 passage

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其明年，上廢太子，誅栗卿之屬。 The following year, the emperor deposed the Crown Prince and executed Li Qing and his associates.

Book of Wei, Chapter 96Volume 90: Retired Officals: Sui Kua, Feng Liang, Li Mi, Zheng Xiu · 1 passage

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乃作神士賦，歌曰：「周孔重儒教，莊老貴無為。 He wrote the Rhapsody of the Divine Scholar, singing: "Zhou and Confucius honor Confucian teaching; Zhuangzi and Laozi prize non-action.

New History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 34Volume 34 Biographies of Recluses 14: Zhen Gao, Shi Ang, Cheng Fuyun, Li Zilun · 1 passage

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少以儒學遊河朔，後去為道士，通老子、莊周之說。 Young he studied Confucianism in Hebei; later he became a Daoist versed in Laozi and Zhuangzi.