Page 13 - Built For God Handbook (Annotated and Explained Edition) - The Christian Edition of the Tao Te Ching - The New Evangelization - Pope John Paul II

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Why the Tao Te Ching?

The title of the Tao Te Ching can be translated “Book of
the Tao and Virtue,” “Book of the Way and Its Virtue” or “The Way
and the Power.” According to tradition, it was written by a sage
named Lao Tzu (or Old Master), who was a renowned scholar and
record-keeper at the royal court of China’s Zhou Dynasty during the
sixth century BCE.

In today’s religious forms of Taoism, some revere Lao Tzu
as a divine being, while others argue that he is strictly a mythical
figure. Scholars still debate the text’s true authorship, with many
contending that “Lao Tzu” was actually a collection of various
authors. But the debate over the Tao Te Ching’s authorship does
not diminish its power and insight. Its eighty-one brief chapters
consist of short poems, which range from political wisdom for kings
and leaders to practical advice for everyday people. It is probably
the most influential Chinese book of all time, and it may have been
translated into English more times than any other Chinese
document. Many believe it is the most famous and influential of all
Taoist texts that teach one undivided truth at the root of all things.

The text of the Tao Te Ching is divided into two parts. The
first (chapters one through thirty-seven) concerns the Tao, which is
the way of the universe, the source of life, and the power in all
nature. It exceeds our senses, thoughts, and imagination, and if it
were to reveal itself in all its fullness and glory, humanity would not
be able to bear the vision. These early chapters explain how we
can orient our lives to this way of the universe.