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| 3. Daoism |
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| In general, Daoism was a philosophy that rejected the organized political and social institutions of this world. Yang Zhu (c. 440–c. 360 B.C.E.), from whom no writings remain, was condemned by Mencius for pure hedonism and self-centeredness, for showing no concern for the world. He is considered a predecessor of the major Daoist thinkers. | 1 |
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| a. Laozi (Trad. 5th Cent. B.C.E.) |
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| The putative author of the Daode jing (Classic of the Way and Virtue, also simply known as the Laozi) was said to have come from Chu. The text was probably the work of several hands, compiled in the 3rd century B.C.E. It is extremely vague, aphoristic, open to widely different interpretations, purposefully cryptic. “The Dao (Way) that can be named is not the true Dao.” “Those who understand do not speak, those who speak do not understand.” | 2 |
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