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LaoTzu

A journey to the West is the fantastic mythological tale, which rightly occupies a
preeminent place amongst the pantheon of classical Chinese literature. Sun Wu
Kong or the Monkey King hero of the tale was a magical being possessed of
considerable powers. He was also an incorrigible tricksters. When he violated
the laws of the Heavens, he was thrown into the so-called Crucible of the Eight
Trigrams, where Taishang Laojun, a supernatural God, burned him in alchemical
oil for 49 days. Taishan Laojun is none other but Lao Tzu. Ironically, despite such
a characterization Lao Tzu himself and his teaching are very much anti-theistic
in nature. He laid great emphasis not on supernatural beings in the Heaven
but rather on the law of nature and dedicated his whole life to seeking after the
links in the cosmic chain that bound the Heaven and the Earth.
  Taoism is the only spiritual belief system which is native to China. Its ultimate
origins are shrouded in the remote mists of history, but Taoism has always been
associated with one man who is LaoTzu.
  Taishang Laojun is a respectful name of Lao Tzu in Taoism, the only Chinese
native religion. Of the sites cited by UNESCO as the world Heritages in China,
five are associated with Taoism.
  In any Taoist area of China, it is common to see a status of an old man, with
white hair and beard, long ears drooping down towards his should. This is the
traditional representation of Lao Tzu the man most closely associated with Taoist
belief.
  Mirages are caused by the reflection of light. Like wind, rain and lighting they
are a natural phenomenon that seem unremarkable to us, living as we do in a
world where everything can be explained scientifically. But in ancient times, such
phenomena could be understood only in terms of supernatural spirits. They
saw the Heavens as a faraway: an incomparably wonder world, the domain of
wandering and various supernatural beings. While fearing and worshipping
such supernatural beings people also dreams themselves of becoming a member
of this pantheon one day.
  Around the middle of the 2nd century BC, a man named Zhang Daoling, came
across a book. It was only 5,000 characters long but still Zhang Daoling recognized
its all-embracing importance. In Zhang’s later years, he took the book as the highest
holy scripture, found a sect, to live by the ideas set down in this short book. The book
was Tao Te Ching and its author was Lao Tzu, and the sect was named “Tao”.
  We can say that the concept of “Tao” lies at the very heart of Lao Tzu’s doctrines,
that is to say, all conclusion derive from the idea “Tao” and finally are reduced to
the “Tao”. The original meaning of the Chinese character “Tao” is “a road or path
people walk upon”, the Tao of Lao Tzu is a sublimation and extension of that meaning.
  As Lao Tzu was the very living incarnation of Tao, then he naturally became the
holiest presiding deity of Chinese Taoism.

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