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LET'S PASS THROUGH TIME AND SPACE TO KNOW LAOTZE AND HIS THOUGHT

IT IS ABOUT CHINESE ANCIENT CULTURE, THOUGHT AND NATION. WHEN YOU READ, DON'T FORGET SOME ADVICE.

How to Understand Laotze's Dao De Jing

Page 11 and Page 12 This, as Laotze’s philosophical thought in Chinese history, is only a flash, which expresses that a group of scholars like that exert function in government and public and have considerable influence. It can be proved by Xi Han’s (西汉)a story: Emperor Jing’s (汉景帝), Queen Dou (窦太后)is his mother, she likes reading Laotze, directly rebuke Yuan Gusheng (辕固生)’s words “Laotze’s book is servant’s book”, she angrily said: “you read criminal book (Confucious’s book).69” During six , seven decades, Laotze’s idea has bigger influence on Xin Han (西汉), made Xi Han (西汉) not only became a dynasty in which beat back foreign clans’ aggression, but also obtained resplendent military successes. Under the kingship’s supporting, Confucianism soon obtains the absolute advantage compared with Daoism, but an absolute kingship which loses counterbalance of liberalism is soon corrupted and disorganized, and Dong Han (东汉) and (西汉) became perdition sequentially. The history allegory’s end is that Confucianism’s ethic doctrines had been disclosed and criticized since the end of Dong Han (东汉), cruelty and hypocrisy of Confucianism’s ethics gradually is unveiled, eventually is discarded.70” Ma Huailiang showed excessive optimism about history trend of the period. In the process of Wei Dynasty’s establishment, it apparently shows that literalism scholars still exist and play a very important role in history developing. Although they arise the liberalism banner “surmount feudal ethics education and let it go natural” and stand against indomitably Confucianism culture of “feudal ethics administrate country”, they have been at the heavy bow’s end. “History of Han and Wei dynasties are called the history of killing personage. In the process, Scholar-bureaucrat’s cultural gene occurs frightful aberrance.71” Wang Xiaoyi: that is history facts of the time. After this, scholars who follow Laotze’s thought do not appear any longer. They almost are caught the whole by imperial examination, i.e. they do not have any role in politics which base upon themselves any more. Although each king who builds up dynasty can not be aloof to their support, they often appear as the religion status of Taoist (道教). Lu Xun (鲁迅) said: “ Chinese rootage completely is in Taoism......to read history with this, many problems can be easily solved72”. From Han Dynasty’s (汉朝)middle phase, can’t be an officer unless learn Confucianism, all scholars are being Confucianists73. “Study it well, can be officers” Contze advocates that as the system which chooses placemen by imperial examination had continued until the end of Qing Dynasty (清朝末年). Only in freedom and democracy atmosphere, can generate scholars with ability, duty and responsibility. In Chinese culture, only Laotze shows the spirit. When Laotze’s thought is driven off from political stage, and cloisters in religion, can’t but makes the resource of Chinese capable people dry up. In the end of Ming dynasty (明朝末年), about dealing with politics, military affair crisis, whichever side they are, all shows corruption and incapability; the end of Qing Dynasty, Queen, king and ministers reform education and party, all are played in the palm of a big schemer, Yan Shikai (袁世凯). He played from monarchy to republic system until changes China into the decadent. The history background which brought up Yuan Shikai, the figure, completely is the thing that Laotze opposes with “extreme destructionism” attitude. Loatze opens out that “extreme political inequality phenomenon”, “kindness, punishment and ritual”, they are the most fictitious that are made by some cunning and deceitful people to deceive the whole society; when political wisdom born, along with the phenomenon to deceive the whole society. In the background, people whose personality could be split will become imbecile. Fellows who are split become cold-blooded schemers like Yan Shikai (袁世凯) in main power. In more than 2000 years’ Chinese history, they direct a tragedy after another, make China submerge in blood sea on after another. 69 Chinese General History Concise Edition, The Second Edition Writer: Fan Wenlan Page 50 Press 1965 70 Taoism Culture Research, Page 27, relation between Laotze ethics theories and Wei Jin(魏晋) times’s ethics rebuild, Ma Lianghuai Pressed Jun. 2002, first press. 71 Taoism culture Research, Page 27, Zhuangtze(庄子) Annotation (writer: Siang Xiu) and Wei Jin Metaphysics, Writer: Wang Xiaoyi pressed Jun, 2002, first press. 72 Taoism Culture Different Ideas Chinese Social Science Academy of Science ------ World Religion Graduate School Taoism Department Page 1, Press 1900 73 Chinese General History Concise Edition, The 2th Edition Writer: Fan Wenlan Page 50 Press 1965 It is Mao Zhedong (毛泽东) to tidy up war-chaosed Chinese political situation in Modern Chinese. His personality charm and wisdom which deal with politics and military affair crisis, all come from Laotze’s the Way, and don’t come from Marxism and Leninism. Chinese political stage, Han Wu Di’s times (汉武帝时期)in Xi Han, have formed a situation of dismissing Hundred Scholars(诸子百家), only advocate Confucianism74”. Have formed though trend of opposing since modern “The May fourth Movement” (五四运动). But the thought trend does not find its own allied force. Thus, when Contze, the idol fell down fulminantly, made an impression that seemed that 5000 years’ culture only left a wasteland. Confucius school and Mencius school which are respected in early days become very lonely, dowdy “Kong Yiji” (孔乙己) in Lu Xun’s (鲁迅) articles。 Accepting western thought uncritically to fill up the blank has become times’ mainstream. Savior with foreigner face as idol stepped into Chinese stage instead of the idol-Contze that has fell down. To accept worship is only peoples’ choice. When the world looks at this everything with surprised eyes, tragically ring down the curtain, becomes comedy. Successfully leading history process still is Laotze’s the Way that is image of no imagination, form of no form, beyond description. Laotze’s influence to Chinese nation is profound. It is difficult that the point is known really. The reason bringing about the phenomenon is that monarchy which has reign s Chinese nation for several thousand years and the oppressing culture to serve it. In addition, Laotze can not but must confront great troubles, when he describe rigorously politics and philosophy about the system which had been ancient and had disappeared, but it shows that freedom and democracy spirit. That makes us hard to avoid of meeting similar troubles, when we learn Laotze’s philosophy. When we learn Laotze’s the most difficult description, we often completely do not admit that Chinese nation once lived in a naturally forming land of freedom and democracy, and the philosophy influenced deeply several thousand years before Xia (夏). To seperate Laotze’s thought from history source, we only could fall into bemazing situation of “each one gets one’s need”. We should believe that in the world, all nations experienced freedom-democracied phase which formed in nature in their development process, and formed thought which shows freedom and democracy. Those who advocate autocracy all try their best to deny the point. Although absolute power destroys all, freedom and democracy still is the main rhythm in each nation spirit’s depth. Although there are many difficulties and zigzags in the process which searches it , freedom and democracy eventually will form the tide which spreads the world. Laotze’s philosophy can be recognized better. Thus makes it exert effect in process which promote democracy in China, even in the world. Dao De Jing must play a great role on philosophy in China and the world philosophy, politics, and ethics’ establishment, and is a bridge and a way which connect eastern culture and western culture. In the process, not only makes the world idea clear, but also makes Laotze’s childhood go mature. “The way exist under heaven, everything all trend towards it, like rivers and streams all trend sea75” . So the world will tend towards freedom, democracy and peace, just like rivers and stream flow into sea. 74 Chinese general History Concise Edition, The second Edition Writer: Fan Wenlan Page press 1965 75 Laotze Chapter 32

How to Understand Laotze's Dao De Jing

Page 9 and Page 10 Don’t be under the idea of “ to deceive society” to make the absolute power that enslaves the whole society be built on the base of extreme political inequality which occupies Chinese history stage, and to unveil the prelude of history tragedy in a loud hurrah. Looking back Chinese history, the role of making history tragedy, no one does not wear the mask to step on the stage and do all sorts of evils. Driving history to an impasse, a catastrophe ends their farce. If Laotze would not make deeply philosophic idea “extreme destructionist”(below paragraph explain why Laotze’s extreme thought) attack against those hypocritical ideas, the people will be deceived deeply, can not see through them, experience more serious disasters. “Everything, sometimes damages it, on the contrary makes it benefit; sometimes benefit it, on the contrary makes it damage; some people use the reason to teach me, and I use it to teach others; arbitrary people will not die naturally.55” Laotze’s attack is powerful, because it is not to abreact his emotion. His attack is built on the base that shows profound national intelligence and philosophical idea; his attack is necessary spirit power to keep the balance between the week and the strong. The attack’s philosophical grounds are described clearly in Dao De Jing’s chapter 2: “people of a country all know that beauty is beauty, then all pretend beautiful, beauty can’t be beauty”. Laotze regards the extreme and unilateral idea as an inevitable evil. (follow after others’ pretty is not difficult, but a person really find out oneself pretty, which is very difficult, people often do not really know themselves ). Because it does not accord with the principle of “existence and nothing produces and opposites each other,56” and “the both appear at same time and transform each other,57” the Way shows. From the philosophical principle can naturally educe that “people of a country all know that humanity is humanity, then all pretend humility, humility can’t be humility”, “people of a country all know that principle is principle, then all pretends principle, principle can’t be principle”. When people admits that Laotze is “Chinese philosophical primogenitor”, should also admits the philosophy’s inevitable conclusion, which is in favor of the survival and development of liberalism and democracy. Laotze’s philosophy thought express life itself and life wisdom, but has been remolded continuously in history since Don Zhongshu (懂仲舒). In the remolding arguing process, leads thought to the extreme, which is a misfortune. The extreme idea is rigescent idea, is death gene. Laotze’s liberalism thought is contrary to that. He love life, he said: “ the soft can over comes the hard,58”which is that life can defeat death. Here, Laotze’s “go natural”, “not to contend” are lain aside completely. Why is like that? Because they are all the fungible words of democracy, they are designed for democracy. For the survival of democracy itself, how can make it being not reverse? “Discard strong power and polity wisdom”, “discard crackdown and inveracious humanity”, “act” and “contend” Laotze shows barely “thoroughly discard” these extreme idea, and reach the social effect of “people would profit a hundredfold, people would be harmonious again, thefts disappear,59” and put forward the idea of “ as self should keep plain”, “as self should have little selfishness and not have desire60”. Opposing extreme idea makes Laotze be misunderstood as “extreme destructionist”. In fact Laotze advocates “publishing extreme idea will run into a blank wall less than keep balance attitude61”. Making such a comment, obviously can’t but do it. His idea builds on the ancient democracy, which is a constructive idea. The idea shows Laotze’s naturalism. Laotze only can put forward the idea according to history experience. History facts have proved that if the people will deeply fall into mire of these fraudulent ideas until getting rid of them. 55.Laotze Chapter 42 56.Laotze Chapter 2 57.Laotze Chapter 1 58.Laotze Chapter 36 59.Laotze Chapter 19 60.Laotze Chapter 19 61.Laotze Chapter 5 Laotze hands over the realization of ideal to history and people who explore the correct idea. Laotze’s time, Chinese history process trend is from the political equality of primitive community system to centralism with individual kin as core, also trends to extreme political inequality. After Da Yu (大禹), the trend has been from minuteness to prominence. From son of Da Yu (大禹) to First Empire Qin (秦始皇), Chinese political inequality develops an extreme level. Laotze’s idea of “the way” is only a power counterbalance to it.Confucianism school inherits an idea of Zhou (周) that kingship is given by the heaven, they obviously plays a role of adding fuel to the fire about the trend. Laotze’s time, for ancient democracy idea, history development trend is very severe. Laotze describes the scene in detail: “everybody is happy, just like joins in feast, just steps on a high building”. But how is to be his emotion the opposition of polity? “Walking to and fro, can not find end-result; I am stupid and innocent,62” but he does not lose his confidence about severe situation of the future. “Changing the reverse direction is the motion of the Way, the weak shows the use of the Way63”. Anti-democracy promotes the development of democracy. The weak inevitably develops and makes it keep balance with the wrong. This is the way’s trend in itself developing. Laotze’s the Way can be acquired by people, but Laotze worries about firing accidentally to harm self------ deceive individual will in the society. So he ponder management about the way before heaven and earth, and demands “adapt the way to be natural64”. The ideal description conceals lengthways structure of “small country with few people”, (modern companies) Laotze’s “go natural”, “not contend” expresses that his attitude which opposes to intensify lengthways power structure is very obvious. In his theory, autocrat can not find any grounds to intensify power structure. This shows that his democracy idea is ancient, but very thorough. “Though a person who has the way wears coarse clothing, has jade in one’s heart65”, “the way originally does not have name like wood that is not carved does not have a name, but no one can dare to make it comply to under the heaven66”. From Laotze’s statement, we can make it clear to what “people of the way” are. Obviously they are scholars, who do not compromise extreme political inequality in Chinese ancient society. Han Dynasty’s Zhang Liang(汉朝的张良), he is a history figure who can delegate Laotze’s idea. Before uprising of rebelling Qin Dynasty (秦朝), he ploted the action to assassinating Qin Shi Huang (秦始皇); after the uprising broke out, he played decisive role on directing war and harmonizing inner relation of uprising army; after country unified, he was “retire after having success and reputation”. Sartor quotes Benda’s words: “about thousand years, scholars either sit by about the political ardor or despise the ardor, are like a moralist who stands high above all people. Certainly scholars can not prevent that worldlings use hatred and killing to submerge history. Thanks to these scholars, although the evil still exists, make human still venerate kindness and moral. This is humans’ glory, and forms a canyon that makes civilization flow into the world67”. Either in Chinese or in other countries, these scholars play very important role in cultural development. They are the most precious resource of a country’s cultural developing. Regrettably the resource is destroyed very thoroughly in Chinese history. Although Qin Shi Huang (秦始皇) burns books and burn and buried scholars, does not make the resource be destroyed mortally. We can see the point from many outstanding talented people who are from social lower layer in Liu Bang’s (刘邦.汉朝)uprising army ------ Xi Han’s (西汉) initial phase carried on “go natural” policy, and made people acquire 6, 7 decades’ culture and developing.68” 62.Laotze Chapter 20 63.Laotze Chapter 64.Laotze Chapter 65.Laotze Chapter 66.Laotze Chapter 67.Democracy New Theory (in Chinese) writer: Sartori, G. Page 570 Translater: Feng Keli Yan Kewen 68.Chinese General History Concise Edition, The Second Edition Writer: Fan Wenlan Page 135 Press 1965

How to Understand Laotze's Dao De Jing

Page 7 and Page 8 From Zhu Zi Bai Jia’s (《诸子百家》) description about Chinese remote antiquity, we can search for the existent grounds of “the way of ancient times” from Laotze’s explanation about his own the source of philosophy. Qiji, Liyun is a great harmony world “the world is owned by all the people in the world, people choose those who are the best at moral and ability as leaders, people believe in each other, clear up branching and smoke the calumet together......the old bring into play their ability sufficiently just like the young, and children can grow healthy.” He Guan Zi, Bei Zi’s proverb “wise people do not use their wisdom to cheat and drive others; between a person in power and people who are ruled are equality relation, but not is the inequality of relation masters and servants. Hanfeizi’s (韩非子) words in Wu Du Pian (《五蠹篇》) “ Yao (尧) as the king of Huxia,eats herbs as food, wears hides as clothing, and gatekeepers’ treatment, the job is not worse at today. Yu (禹) as a king of Huaxia furrows and ploughs field in body as the lead of the people, and leg’s hair does not grow, even the toilsome slaves and prisoners of war are just so. Laotze’s “they did all kinds of things and didn’t feel painstaking; create but did not occupy, and do but did not rely on; have merits but didn’t ascribe merits to themselves.43” “They are modest and cautious, and a great deal masses come over and pledge allegiance just like that thousands rivers come over and pledge allegiance sea”, “to swashbucklers, frustrate their peps, to warriors, reconcile their dissension. The people are happy, they are happy too; the people are hard, they are hard too.” Zhu Zi Bai Jia’s (《诸子百家》) description about remote antiquity completely consists with Laotze’s statement, reason and description about remote antiquity. In Chinese archaeological studies, almost does not discover tombs before Xia (夏) Dynasty with a slight scale. Even the Zhan Guo (战国) period that Confucianism advocated luxurious burials, those alleged that luxurious burials, compared Egypt pyramids before 2000 years with Chin Shihuang”s (秦始皇) mausoleum, almost is not luxurious at all. The essential reason to come into being this phenomenon is absolutely not that the ability of production is too low at that time. The ability of production and peoples’ wisdom level at that time of China is absolutely not lower than the wisdom of people who built pyramid 4500 ago in Egypt. Whether archaeological discoveries of the both countries or the level ancient culture reaches can prove the point. “Recently primitive tribes’ sites in Ling Jia Tan (placename), discovered that a prosperous city before 5500 years, its breeding, livestock, handcraft have initiatorily a scale, even have the primary level of city planning,44” The both obviously does not have very big differences. Thus, to the answer of the question only search grounds from Laotze’s philosophy idea, but can not be ascribed to the limitation of the ability of production. Simple burial obviously is in favour of the interest of the whole nation. What it expresses is the political equality relationship of people. The kind of custom, in the period of lengthy history, their terrain is very extensive, is kept very well in some countries. About 4000 BC, formed “a each other action circle,” make sure that the distribution of the earliest geographic stage of Chinese history culture.45” Its reason must have a mature philosophical idea to support. Motze (墨子) after Laotze opposes the luxurious burial with strong attitude, and obviously gets strong advocacy of social opinion. In spite of that age, compared luxurious burial Confucianism advocates with the former’s, it is nothing. But Motze calls to account: “expend a great deal money to build tombs, take long time to transact funeral arrangements, can not this make the poor rich, make orphans and widows get support, make dangers clear up, make ferments be controlled?46” From Motze’s the kind of ardour, being fulled of philosophy that was formed in clan society. The philosophy influences the mainstream idea of social at all times. If there were not a profound philosophy thought---Laotze’s “the way of ancient times”, it almost could not be imaged to realize unification and to accomplish well Chinese nation’s splendent history mission, in endlsess history period and an extensive field. It could be impossible to the appearance of Laotze and Motze who comes down from Laotze, as a genre of greatness influence. 43.Laotze Chapter 2 44.Chinese Culture Report 07/23/2002 Writer: Zhou Jianhone 45.Celebrating Su Bingqi’s Archeaologic 55 years Thesis Corpus Writer: Zhang Guangzhi Cultural Relic Press, 1989 46.Motze Wen Gu Chapter Sixth, Jie Zhanxia Page 161 The core of the idea is peoples’ equality in politics. The idea is strong and powerful. If effectively assures that Chinese nation gets development in clan society, and defers the time that power seriously harms the society. The idea makes Chinese ancient culture get the chance of peace development in the endless history period, makes Huang Di (黄帝) win Yan Di (炎帝) and makes two countries merge with nation. Later Shun (舜) spread central plain culture to the south, and Yu (禹) continued his father to administrate Yellow River. If there is not these successes, Chinese development could meet very big difficulty after the history period. To open the Chinese history, we easily read these with Qin Dynasy’s (秦朝) establishment, the concept is destroyed; Chinese tends towards decline. Each time it obtains vitality again with that Laotze’s philosophy revives slightly. Each time fells down with that the idea is abandoned. The problem is valued to ponder over. From that, democracy idea is very important to a nation’s survival. Sartori said: “No any exploration of human history can so frightfully depend on the idea of power, thus, also depends on the ability that we use the idea, the ability masters the world.47” Therefore, from here, we can see that not only a nation, but also human fate itself is “frightfully depend on the idea of power”. Laotze said: “the soft overcome the hard.48” Laotze’s the soft, the hard and go natural obviously are the idea of power modern people talk. (the soft is people, the hard is some who master right.) Spanning time and space, thinkers use different words to express the same thought and idea. Whether correct philosophical idea is destroyed, which is related to the fate of human society and each nation, and is related to survival and extinction. Before eighty years, Hu Shi (胡适) evaluated Laotze’s political attitude in this way: “Laotze of revolutionist”, “the reaction of that age”, “completely is a newborn baby of that age49”, Completely is a newborn baby of that age”, “extreme destructionist50”. Those evaluations include a very correct idea: Laotze is his thought and philosophy with strong democracy. He opposes strongly the extreme political inequality and the extreme absolute power. Laotze indignantly said: “the people do not fear death, why does use death to frighten people?51” The people are hunger, because the rulers collect taxes very heavily,” “The people make light of death, because the ruler are excessively luxurious and wasteful52”, under the history conditions at that time, increasingly serious and extreme inequality phenomenon of polity makes the strong utmostly plunder from the weak. Under successive many years’ wars and heavy tax pressure, the people reach the difficult status to live. What reason makes that? As a philosopher, Laotze finds the key of the problem. “When the way is discarded, the people will have the idea of principle and moral; when political wisdom born, along with the phenomenon will have the phenomenon to deceive society; when harmonious relationship discords, respect and kindness arise; when a nation falls to chaos, loyalty and fidelity are born.53” “This thing of ritual makes loyalty and faith declining.54” Laotze reveals that “principle and moral”, “respect and kindness”, “ritual” are some most deceptive ideas that are made by some guileful and deceitful people to deceive the whole society. Regards them as ultimate true idea, which destroys the way, the ancient and simple democracy idea we mentioned above, and makes serious consequences. 47.Democracy New Theory (in Chinese) Sartori. G. Translater: Feng Keli, Yan Kewen, Page 563 48.Laotze Chapter 43 49.Chinese Philosophy History a General Outline Page 41 1996 first press, writer Hu Shi 50.Chinese Philosophy History a General Outline Page 43 1996 first press, writer Hu Shi 51.Laotze Chapter 74 52.Laotze Chapter 75 53.Laotze Chapter 18 54.Laotze Chapter 38

How to Understand Laotze's Dao De Jing

It is about philosophy, culture and nations' article. Page 5 and Page 6 Sartori said: “Necessary conditions to make power democratized are: conditions which counterbalance power should try their best to democratize, and make prominent things vest in true voluntary association, true participating pattern diversity colony society which is consisted with colonies.27” Viewing from certain meaning Laotze’s the idea of “small countries with few people” is a necessary condition in polity that ensures the realization of democracy. Coming into being the kind of profound thought before 2300 years is a miracle. It is a pyramid of philosophy. Small countries Laotze mention are by no means isolated small countries, but with lengthways power structure. It is impossible that Laotze does not consider invasion of other races and disaster of Yellow River. Laotze’s description about the upper lengthways structure is “go natural”, “go quiet”, “do nothing” and “no desire”, “sage often is not mindful for himself, regards the peoples’ need as his own need,28” “ancient kings, the people barely know the existence of them......things succeed, and the people all say that we are so natural29.” The lengthways structure’s political function is that they are modest and cautious, and a great deal mass come together and pledge allegiance just like that thousands rivers come together and form sea,” “to swashbucklers, frustrate their arrogance, to warriors, reconcile their dissensions, the people are happy, sages are happy too, the people hardship, sages are hardship too.30” “The way goes natural, then nothing can’t be done.*” is pressure about the important idea (democracy). It can be rewritten completely as “promoting freedom and democracy, nothings can not be done well”. “The sage does everything and not feel painstaking,31” “Just like water, sage speaks within trust and faith, governs with simple and clean way, and owns ability with omnipotence, acts with changing at any moment,32” “Get from someone, first give to them,33” “A good warrior is not provocated easily.34” Laotze’s words are all yu-wei (promising), moreover are a kind of “do one’s best” of forethought. Why does Laotze say “go natural”? It is an evidence that “go natural” barely emphasizes the idea of power, the power of freedom and democracy, and is by no means “doesn’t make things”. “Sage take no action, and the people develop naturally” can be translated completely “carry out democracy, and democracy develop naturally”. Laotze is against anarchism as well as against totalitarianism. Although there is a very big difference between Laotze’s idea about democracy and the very complicated, with “distribution power” and supervision system”, democratic idea of modern society, at the point of philosophy, the direction he points out to us is good for us to considerate deeply. Though Laotze doesn’t use the word of democracy, everywhere Laotze speaks all are these things about modern democracy. If use Laotze’s idea to analyse “democracy”, he probably thinks that it is an idea that trends extreme. The speciality shows on the word of democracy: describing as standard, a word probably is wrong, but for the aim of defination needs it . “Democratic idea can not be bounded reality of democracy, and the democracy in reality is not like this, also impossible is same as the democracy in ideal.35” This substantially admits that democracy is a concept that trends extreme. People easily produce extreme idea and like accepting an extreme idea. This is an only reason to use the word. Ideas Laotze opposes most are extreme ideas. 26. Laotze Chapter 17 27.Democracy New Theory (in Chinese) Writer: Sartori, G Translater: Feng Keli, Yuan Kewen Press 1998 Page 487 28.Laotze Chapter 49 29.Laotze Chapter 17 30.Laotze Chapter 4 31.Laotze Chapter 2 32.Laotze Chapter 8 33.Laotze Chapter 36 34.Laotze Chapter 68 35.Democracy New Theory (in Chinese), Page, Writer: Sartori G, Translator: Feng Keli, Yan Kewen Pressed in 1998 *. Laotze Chapter 37 “People of a country all know that beauty is beauty, then all pretends beautiful, beauty can’t be beauty.” Laotze’s the idea (beauty) is very accurate to generalize about history. But the idea just shows its substance, to modern democracy, they show deep accordance. The both a;; oppose a common enemy---political inequality, specially is extreme political inequality: the demon cruelly extinct human. It conceals an evil and intends to destructing human. Here, the difference on the words (beauty and modern democracy) probably express just the accordance. The contrary case still is existent---the accordance of the words also includes their difference. “The ability that can know the origin of primitive things is called the essence of the Way.37” “The people develop naturally,” Laotze speaks has begun since remote antiquity, moreover if can know its begin, can know the essence of the way. Whether is it exactly “begin from remote antiquity” or Laotze’s imagination? This is an issue that is argued all through in Chinese academic circle. “Speaks in trust and faith38” Laotze’s advocates most oppose “A thing is done successfully, not for the leader, for people do it well naturally.39” Viewing from the fact that the present world can focus attention upon Laotze’s philosophy thought, it is impossible that Laotze’s thought is empty words. But recently pressed “Chinese Thought History” evaluates Laotze in this way: “Almost can’t confirm his origin and trace of passing down. Only then a group of intellectuals, have a thinking trend which forms from a kind of generally consistent and interesting thought”, “even thoughts themselves also are not very consistent and clear.40” The idea obviously opposes not only Laotze’s explanation about his own philosophy, but also the existence of Laotze’s philosophy thought. Thinking Laotze’s thought as “even thoughts themselves also are not consistent and clear”, by this to define “Chinese philosophy’s primogenitor” Hu Shi (胡适)’s idea obviously is short of consideration. Very possibly are our thoughts not “clear and consistent”, but Laotze’s thought is “clear and consistent”. Maybe our comprehension is not “clear and consistent” about the concept of democracy, and make our comprehension confusing about the primal democracy system of Chinese ancientry and its philosophy thoughts. Hu Shi (胡适) calls Laotze as “Chinese philosophy’s primogenitor,41” although he explained the origin of Laotze’s thought, i.e. the problem of that “the way has existed since ancient times”, still did not really pay attention to it. Only ascribes Laotze’s “times’ reaction” to the emotion of “the most indignant”. Hu Shi (胡适)related Fa Tan (伐檀cutting woods) and Shu Shu (硕鼠 a huge rat)[Fa Tan and A huge rat are from Shi JIng (诗经)] with Loattze’s “The people are hunger, for the rulers collect taxes very heavily”, related Tao Zhihua’s a poem “I survives so difficult less than dies” with Laotze’s “The people are not afraid of death” and “the people make light of death, because the ruler are excessively luxurious and wasteful, make people easily risk their lives.42” Hu Shi (胡适) uses the relation to explain the history source of Laotze’s feeling. Feeling is feeling, of course philosophers should have the same feeling as the people (same with Laotze), their feeling necessarily influence the thinking of philosophers. But it does not have the relation of cause and effect which form philosophical idea. After Laotze, danger that the experience of Chinese nation is more greater than Laotze’s that time. In the world history, the misery scenes are numberless, but profound ideas of philosophy are fewer and fewer. The origin of “Chinese philosophy’s primogenitor” should be that “the way of ancient times” Laotze tells: “the primogenitor promotes the form of Laotze’s philosophy, and promotes the birth of Laotze, the philosophical words. 36.Laotze Chapter 2 37.Laotze Chapter 14 38.Laotze Chapter 8 39.Laotze Chapter 17 40.Chinese Thought History Page 111 Writer: Ge Zhaoguang. 41.Chinese Philosophy History General Outline writer: Hu Shi Page 45 42.Chinese Philosophy History General Outline writer: Hu Shi Page 45

How to Understand Laotze's Dao De Jing

It is about philosophy, culture and nations' article. Page 3 page 4 Laotze’s the way of ancient times should be similar to the present freedom and democracy in nature. The difference of the both only is that the democracy of the way of ancient times is produced naturally and is influenced and supported by the thought which is formed from that. Laotze is a complete description of this philosophical idea and its political background. Laotze thinks, recalls and describes again and again about the way of ancient times --- natural democracy, and to refute the ideas that destroy his idea for sticking up for his idea of philosophy, when people finds that it, as a form of rule, will fall apart and will disappear completely. “Changing to the reverse direction is the motion of the way, the weak show the use of the way.12” (Anti-democracy promotes the development of democracy. The democracy idea of the people is the use of the way.) Thus Laotze still is filled of confidence for “Acquire the way, which has existed since ancient times, and rein things in reality.13” Modern democracy is “a tremendous artificial product that develops continuously, the product acquires Laotze’s way in the process of which they try wrong. It often is known after events. When a build has been formed, we can realize what we have built in fact.” “We always lose freedom probably, ......moreover, our democratic system walks on a steel wire which is made up of the feedback of ideal idea and realization......and need us to act prudently.14” Here we can say that modern is tremendous artificial product (with experience as basic to copy nature). The former is been destroyed artificially, and the latter is an artificial product that imitates nature. One is the submaersed ancient democracy, the other is the growing modern democracy. The both are consistent completely at pursuing and mantaining the point of political equality. “To view things with too easy way must meet many difficulty, to view things with difficult way, on the contrary, there is no difficult at an end.15” “A journey of thousand miles begins from taking the initial step”, “these who do things usually fail at the verge of success, take care at the end as at the beginning, so dose not lose.16”Laotze give very ardent exhortation to these with carrying out democracy as an aim. It is pity that because they are influenced by Confucianism very deeply, makes progress and innovation never being realized in Chinese history, and being trapped in degenerates in circulation of disorder and punishment. Forturnately are not all like that in the world. Obviously Laotze meets a difficult problem, when people searches for more accurate word than than the way to express the ancient democratic concept. The way may be described or not be described. Could the way be described the way? To change another word, could freedom and democracy be described freedom and democracy? Although this is a thing that its difficult level cann’t be imagined, Laotze still excellently introduce “the way of Chinese Ancient times” (freedom and democracy) into realization from philosophy, politic, ethic, by which people resist the political unequal phenomenon tending to go extreme in Chinese history. No one has no the feeling to resisting political oppression. If people get free from political oppression, must establish correct an idea of freedom and democracy, but to establish correct idea is very difficult, and the modern is still such, people are rather like that more than ancient times. 11 Laotze Chapter 14For expressing accurately what political concept of the way in Chinese history is, he invents profound philosophic thought. He describes his thought process in this way --- “What thing the way substantively is, just like the feeling beyond description, feeling its image in the state, feeling its existence in the state. From the remote ancientry to the present, it is the power to influence history; the power is true and credible, and can be expected. From the ancientry to the present, it looks at history all through. Why do I know the inevitability of history and realization? To all of that, today, if from the political point of view, we explain the way17as the democracy of the way, to the impenetrable wrods, we will be clear by a glance. Don’t say that Laotze’s feeling is beyond explanation about the concept of freedom and democracy, the two are more better than 2300 years ago (2300 years ago is before Qin Dynasty), even doday, a great mass of people still are beyond the explanation about the concept! 12 Laotze Chapter 40 13 Democracy New Theory (in Chinese) Writer: Sartori G. Translator: Feng Keli, Yan Kewen. Press 1998 Page 17 14 Democracy New Theory (in Chinese) Writer: Sartori G. Tranlator: Yan Kewen Fen Keli Pressed in 1998, Page 572 15 Laotze Chapter 63 16 Laotze Chapter 64 17 Laotze Chapter 21 Finally Laotze still finds out the synonym to expressing the concept of democracy, which is not same with the word of democracy to arouse fire accidently to harm itself. Laotze say: “Take no action and the people develop naturally; take quiet, and the people are in order naturally; take nature, the people rich naturally; take no desire, the people are plain naturally.18” Isn’t “The people develop naturally” a subtle synonym of freedom and democracy? “The people develop naturally” clears up the meaning that leads easily the people to go astray, to go extreme and to be compelled with “democracy”, and avoid using “The Name of False the People” to carry out absolutely power.19 In 2300 years after Laotze, appear lots and lots of autocratic rulers. Kings only “pretend to be alone and to be of little worth20” for making false democracy to Window dressing, which shows that monarchies are absolute power and go extreme in history. The Way is only thought as an idea to be cushion for right. . If there were not the idea of the way to keep balance with the idea of kingship which was impowered by the god, it is very hard to imagine the fate of Chinese nation. Many ancient nations disappeared in the world, which is related to absolute power they develop and there is not any ideas to counterbalance it. “The way goes natural, then nothing can’t be done21”makes power weaken; “Do nothing on ruling, then nothing can’t be ruled22”makes power weaken on public opinion; “not to advocate sages23” makes power weaken in organization. They all focus on the aim of “The people develop naturally”; they all make for on weakening the lengthways power structure and carrying out democracy. Sage desires to rule the people, one’s words must be humble to them; sage desires to lead the people, sage’s advantage must be behind people. So, as sage stands in the upper, the people do not feel oppressed; as sage stands in front of them as a leader, the people do not feel behind. So the people under the heaven all support gladly sage and do not feel dislike. Because sage does not contend with the people under the heaven, no one can contend with sage.24” This “all support gladly sage and do not feel dislike” expresses the existence of election system in Chinese ancient democracy system. “Oppressed” and “Behind” are the description of supervision system that is the sprouting condition and from down to up. We always laught at Laotze’s thought of “small countries with few people25”, but “a small country with few people” is the cradle of western democracy idea and system. Every private enterprise in the modern market economy is very similar to Laotze’s “small countries with few people”. But modern small countries’ chiefs are hereditary, and Laotze’s small countries’ chiefs are elected. Laotze’s samll countries are combined with lengthways structure of “ancient kings” the people barely know the existence of them26, “go naturally”, “not contend”. If there would not be these small countries, we can but be confronted with an intricate, terrible monster. ------------------------------- 16.Laotze Chapter 64 17.Laotze Chapter 21 18.Laotze Chapter 57 19.Democracy New Theory (in Chinese) Writer: Sartori G. Page 80 Translateer: Yan Kewen, Feng Keli. 20.Laotze Chapter 39 21.Laotze Chapter 37 22.Laotze Chapter 3 23.Laotze Chapter 3 24.Laotze Chapter 66 25.Laotze Chapter 80 26.Laotze Chapter 17

How to Understand Laotze's Dao De Jing

Laotze, Chinese Nation Childhood Freedom Dream ------To Know Childhood is to Know Ego Everybody all has the dream of childhood; Chinese nation also has the dream of childhood. Lao Tze’s description is the liberalism dream of Chinese childhood. When his book has become an experienced “Worldly Tactful Book”, people often forgets, and unwillingly admit nation’s childhood, even refuses recalling their childhood. Because the memory will make them fall into oppressive contradiction. In history, the Chinese mainstream culture that supports monarchy system shows apathy to Laotze, which is little similar to his thoughts. In Chinese mainstream culture, as an experienced “Worldly Tactful Book” under the influence of feodal moral education ideas has formed an ingrained custom: worships people who have super power and have high status, despise people who are low status. So to pursue higher status, to cultivate and usurp absolute power are the most important thing in everyone’s life. About the evil action, only to try one’s best to drive off childhood’s memory can make spirit comfort. In Chinese nation childhood memory Laotze describes, not only expresses human childhood’s nature and naivete, also expresses Chinese nation’s profound philosophy thought. Only in natural and naive thinking of her childhood, the nation that has numerous population, extensive territory, being ancient civilization status can completely get free from parochial benefit’s fetter, makes thought spreading initially in space and time. Lao Tze stands at the point of political philosophy, exactly describes ancient, being filled of liberalism, democratic system of Chinese nation and philosophical idea supporting the system. Ancient nation system has been buried by history, although the philosophy idea of natural liberalism it left, it still hides deeply our hearts. Clearing up history dust, it will still be glossing and dazzle. Although it is impossible that we make childhood liberalism dream reappear in reality, childhood dream should be a bright light that illuminates the way which human fumble forward, which try its best to avoids us going astray and falling into morass of autocracy. The age Laotze lived, Qin Dynasty’s dark and outrageous rule already drew near. But Laotze still warns “those who like or enjoy killing can not realize their aggressiveness in the world, can not make the people trend to them1”, “(peoples’ power) can not be usurped with scheme; those who plot to usurp will lose; even those who plot to usurp master power, will lose2”, and predict about history that “protect and foster everything and make them grow up naturally, not possess, reign and dominate (this shows freedom and democracy spirit)” the way pervades the world like water, no one can manipulate it3”. History development more and more strongly proves that Laotze’s prediction is correct and profound. Laotze said: “My words are easy to be understood, and my action is easy to be performed. Yet no one can understand them, and no one can perform them.4” Why does the front and the back words of Laotze are contradiction, and make people puzzle? Why does very few people raise doubt to the falsehood all along? Because Laotze use the contradiction on logic to reveal the most bitter wound in human spirit---tremendous tensility between the pursuit for kindness and beauty in the depth of human spirit and the pressure of badness and ugliness in reality. For harm of sbsolute power, an evil person could make numerous kind people fall into disaster with it. Ancient democracy system can protect his thought from disaster, so lead its disappearance in history. ___________________ 1.Tao Te Ching Chapter 31 2.Tao Te Ching Chapter 29 3.Tao Te Ching Chapter 34 4.Lao Te Ching Chapter 70 Lao Tze stands on the ideal point that “I have no desire, and the people are harmonious with each other5”, criticize unshakenly the reality of the way which is to depend on force to flaunt one’s superiority6 and to administrate the world with strong power7. The kind of criticizing produces a tremendous echo in the depth on Chinese spirit. From Qin Shi Huang to Yun Shikai, they all were opposed strongly by Chinese nation. Hushi said:“Viewing from surface, the important material of ancient philosophical history such as Kongzi, Lao tze, Mengzi, Zhuangzi, Mozi, Xunzi, and Hanfei, their books still exist. To research carefully those books, almost no one is credible. Assumablly Laotze’s philosophy not only is clear, integrative, unitive, but also is the philosophical idea that produces tremendous influence in the deep consciousness of Chinese nation. Because only in the depth of nation’s spirit, being an idea with vitality, any dissevering can make it blood, no one can dissever it. In addition, Laotze shows high integrality, so almost no one can graft something to Lao tze and to break the integrality of his philosophy. The fact Hushi spoke makes out that although some scholars such as Conzi and Menzi, observing from surface, have higher status than Laotze has, but in fact, aren’t admitted in Chinese nation’s spirit deep. From the point: “Almost no one is credible” in their works, we can see in history, Congzi’s idea is chaotic and predominant in China all through. In history, The chaos makes very serious results. Retrospecting historical disasters, they are all related to chaos of philosophical idea. For the kind of philosophical idea inevitable brews out political chaos. There aren’t contrary examples in history. Laotze said: “ Thing that I speak must have specific meaning; Thing that do must have specific aim.9” Then what is the purpose of what Laotze said? What key it the thing he wants to express? To this, Laotze said: “ To acquire the way which has existed since ancient times can manage everything in reality.10” What the way of ancient times is on earth, Laotze describes in detail to us about psychological feeling that he explores and pursues the true, which reflects that when Laotze inducts his “the way” in politics category, he meets difficulty to express ideas. This can not be avoided when ancient freedom and democracy are in their childhood. “Thing that can not be seen is called no form; thing that can not be heard is called no sound, thing that can not be touched is call no existence.” Those three can not be researched clearly, thus combines them one --- the Way. Its purpose. Its rising doesn’t show bright, its falling doesn’t show dark, it is continuous and is beyond description, eventually still have nothing. No form is its form; no image is its image. It is beyond description, seem existent or seem not existent. Meeting it can not see its appearance, following it can not see its back. Acquiring ancient idea (freedom and democracy) may lead the today’s world. Understanding the ancient idea’s form (freedom and democracy’s form) is to acquire program of “the Way”.11 Here what concept does Laotze describes with very mystery and super explanation on earth? To the peoples’ point of view, exact words for describing the thing, I think, are the most disputing word “democracy” in today. Because when “freedom and democracy” instead of “the way of ancient times”, they are very harmony and consistent. Because it is the answer that human seek bitterly about more than 2300 years, we can say that Laotze describes clearly the relation of obscurity and long standing between “freedom and democracy” and human, and difficulties he confronts about the two concepts. To retrospect the course of human-thinking about these, is very consistent with the scene Laotze describes. 5 Laotze Chapter 57 6 Laotze Chapter 30 7 Laotze Chapter 29 8 Chinese philosophy history outline, Writer: Hushi, P10. 1996 first press 9 Laotze Chapter 70 10 Laotze Chapter 14 11 Laotze Chapter 14