THE SHORT BIOGRAPHY OF 'LAO TZU'.

Lao Tzu or Lao Zha was a Chinese philosopher, believed to have lived in the 6th century BC. He is considered the author of the Taoist classic, the Tao Te Ching, which offers an iconoclastic spiritual philosophy, based on an underlying unity of the universe. The work of Lao Tzu has a timeless appeal and has been claimed by the religion of Taoism but also co-opted into a range of spiritual philosophies and anti-authoritarian movements Amongst historians there is uncertainty over the historical facts about Lao Tzu's life, some even doubt whether he existed. But, the most prominent sources suggest he was born with the birth name of early in the 5th or 6th century BC. Lao Tzu was an honorific name which means old venerable, master it can be anglicized in different ways, hence both Lao Tzu and Lao Zha have been used. The strongest historical sources suggest he worked as a scholar and served as the keeper of the archives for the royal court of Zhou. Lao Tzu would have had access to the great literature of ancient Chinese culture and this would have informed his own philosophy. However, Lao Tzu went beyond the synthesis of past ideas and created a new strain of philosophy, which expressed mystical sentiments and thought-provoking paradox and analogies. The philosophy and teachings of Lao Tzu are said to have drawn many students and disciples who began following him. However, there are no records of Lao Tzu creating a formal school. The essence of Lao Tzu's teachings was the importance of seeking to live in harmony with the Tao. Lao Tzu implied that the Tao was beyond name and form and could never adequately expressed in words. In the Zhuangzi, the author relates a meeting between Lao Tzu and Confucius. Confucius was an eminent scholar and philosopher in his own right. Confucius promoted a more formal philosophy that emphasized formality and deference to your elders. Lao Tzu took a more intuitive and liberal approach, which emphasized the importance of being in tune with the universal harmony, and not just the conventions of the time. However, the meeting suggested a mutual appreciation for their respective approaches. The three philosophers Master Zhuang, Confucius, and Lao Tzu, are the most notable Chinese philosophers. The Zhuangzi and the Tao Te Ching are the two cornerstones of Taoism. In one version of Lao Tzu's life, he married and had a son called Long who became separated from him and went on to be a celebrated soldier. At a later time, Lao Tzu comes across a great military figure who is celebrating a victory. It is at this point that Long recognizes his long-lost father. Lao Tzu then gives advice to his son, in particular, the value of respecting the defeated army and giving his foes a proper burial, through listening to his father and avoiding a sense of triumphalism, Long was able to broker a peace between the warring parties which lasted for many years. In another version of Lao Tzu's life, based on the writings of Shima Qian, a Chinese historian of the early Han dynasty 206 B.B.C., Lao Tzu lived in Changzhou. However, he became discouraged by the moral decay and worldliness of the city. Seeking peace to meditate, he resolved to leave the city and live as a hermit in the mountains. However, at the western gate of the city, he was stopped by a Yingzi, who asked Lao Tzu to write his knowledge down for the benefit of citizens before he was given a pass to leave. It was at this juncture that Lao Tzu wrote the Tao Te Ching. In some versions of the story, Yingzi was so impressed with Lao Tzu that he became his disciple and followed Lao Tzu into exile. Yingzi then followed the different Taoist disciples of preparation and obedience to his master, after completing a long period of preparation and training. He became the model Taoist student. Lao Tzu is generally regarded as the founder of Taoism. In some branches of Taoism, Lao Tzu is worshipped as a god. Lao Tzu was viewed as a perfect personification of the Tao and throughout history, he has appeared to lead humanity towards its goal.