Ancient China · Philosopher

Laozi 老子

Attested BC 500 - BC 400

Passages: 4
Chapters: 1
Histories: 1

Overview

Laozi was a Philosopher.

Life and dates

Attested activity

BC 500 to BC 400 老子所謂
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 127, passage 69

Works and attributed material

Quotation · Attributed author · Mode quotation Speaker Sima Jizhu (司馬季主) Source Person Id Laozi (老子)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 127, passages 69-70
Quotation · Attributed author · Mode quotation Speaker Song Zhong (宋忠) Source Person Id Laozi (老子)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 127, passage 99

References in the histories

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 127Biographies of Soothsayers · 4 passages

此夫老子所謂『上德不德，是以有德』。 This is what Laozi meant when he said, 'The highest virtue does not regard itself as virtuous—and therefore truly possesses virtue.'

今夫卜筮者利大而謝少，老子之云豈異於是乎？ The diviner provides great benefit in exchange for a small fee. Is this not precisely what Laozi had in mind?

此老子之所謂『無名者萬物之始』也。 This is what Laozi meant when he said, 'The nameless is the beginning of all things.'

夫司馬季主者，楚賢大夫，游學長安，通易經，術黃帝、老子，博聞遠見。 Sima Jizhu was a worthy grandee of Chu who traveled to Chang'an to study. He mastered the Book of Changes, practiced the arts of the Yellow Emperor and Laozi, and was a man of wide learning and far-reaching insight.