From Luoyang to Hangu Pass, from Laojun Mountain to Qingyuan Mountain: In Search of the Profound and Carefree Laozi

The word "Laozi" is quite interesting; a slight change in pronunciation gives it a completely different meaning.

When you say "zi" in a neutral tone and pronounce "Laozi" as lǎo zi, it means "father." "Father" is a respectful term; a father, in front of his son, feels proud, dignified, and authoritative, with a sense of superiority, lecturing his son endlessly. From this, another meaning derives, specifically referring to an arrogant person’s self-address or an overbearing tyranny, such as saying, "Today, I (Laozi) have a happy event; everyone come and join the fun," or "Today, I (Laozi) will do as I please; let’s see what you can do about it!"

When you pronounce "zi" in its original third tone and say "Laozi" as Lǎo zǐ, its meaning refers to a person, specifically Lao Dan of the late Spring and Autumn period, that is, Li Er, the founder of Chinese Taoist philosophy. Here, "zi" is an honorific title used by ancient people for teachers or highly respected scholars of great virtue and learning. Besides Laozi, Chinese history also has Confucius, Mozi, Xunzi, Han Feizi, and so on.

Among these ancient sages and philosophers, Laozi is the most mysterious and profound. Confucius is called the Sage, while Laozi was a one-time teacher greatly admired by Confucius.

In the early 1980s, I was studying at Luoyang No.1 High School. On Sundays, I would occasionally take a stroll to Dongguan Street about a kilometer away. There was a Chanhe Cinema on the south side of the road, and opposite it, on the north side, there was a street bookstall. I could sit on the stall owner’s little stool and spend a few cents reading leisure magazines like Popular Cinema, After Work, Fiction Monthly, or Story Sessions to relax my tense study nerves.

Behind the bookstall stood a stone tablet inscribed with the words: "Confucius came to Zhou to inquire about rites and music up to this point." There was no special protection around the tablet; it was weathered and dusty, bearing an indistinct and unremarkable mark of time. When I asked the stall owner what story was behind the tablet, the owner, leaning against it while basking in the sun, shook his head lazily and said he didn’t know. After returning home, I asked my father. He said that place was where Confucius came to Zhou to inquire about rites, and the person he inquired of was Laozi. The content of the inquiry was the rites and music system of the Zhou dynasty, but the specific details were unclear. Since this content was not related to exams, my initial curiosity gradually faded.

Many, many years later, while reading, I happened to come across a passage from Records of the Grand Historian: Biographies of Laozi and Han Feizi: "Confucius left and said to his disciples: 'Birds, I know they can fly; fish, I know they can swim; beasts, I know they can run. Those that run can be caught in nets, those that swim can be caught in lines, and those that fly can be shot with arrows. But as for the dragon, I cannot understand it; it rides the wind and clouds and ascends to heaven. Today I saw Laozi—he is like a dragon!'"

This was Confucius’s heartfelt remark to his disciples after returning to Lu from his visit to Zhou to inquire about rites from Laozi. It means: Birds fly in the sky, fish swim in the water, beasts run on the land—I know their habits and how to catch them. But as for the dragon that can ride the clouds and ascend to heaven, I do not know its form. Only after meeting Laozi did I understand that he is a person like a dragon.

In the eyes of the Sage Confucius, Laozi was a figure like the Chinese totem dragon. How great and sacred was Laozi’s image!

In the Confucian Analects, the chapter Li Ren records a saying of Confucius: "If I hear the Way in the morning, I can die content in the evening." It is unknown whether this was also inspired by their meeting.

So, when Confucius asked Laozi about the rites, what exactly did Laozi say to him? What made the Sage Confucius feel as if he had been awakened like a sudden downpour, his seven orifices opened wide, and he was filled with profound admiration?

Historical records state that Confucius was a great scholar of the state of Lu, but compared to the Zhou kingdom, Lu was merely a vassal state enfeoffed by the Zhou king. Confucius had always wished to go to Luoyang, the capital of the Zhou king and the center of Zhou culture and rites, to broaden his horizons, to see great sights, to "visit the places of suburban sacrifices, examine the rules of the Hall of Light, and observe the regulations of the ancestral temple and court," and to investigate "the source of rites and music" and experience "the return to morality."

In the second year of King Jing of Zhou (518 BCE), Confucius finally obtained special approval from Duke Zhao of Lu for one carriage, two horses, and a driver. He traveled a long distance to Luoyang, the royal city of Zhou, and knocked on the door of the highly respected great scholar Lao Dan. At that time, Laozi served as the "Historian of the Repository" for the Son of Heaven of Zhou, a position equivalent to the modern director of the National Library. He spent his days immersed in the vast collection of books, becoming extremely erudite. Coming to the royal city of Zhou to study and seek guidance from Laozi was exactly what Confucius needed.

During their intimate talk, the most important words Laozi said to Confucius, as recorded in the Records of the Grand Historian, are as follows: "Confucius went to Zhou and intended to inquire about rites from Laozi. Laozi said: 'The people you speak of—their bones have already decayed, only their words remain. Moreover, when a gentleman meets the right time, he rides in a carriage; when not, he wanders like a tumbleweed. I have heard that a good merchant conceals his wealth, appearing empty; a gentleman of great virtue wears a countenance of stupidity. Get rid of your arrogance, your many desires, your pretentious manner, and your extravagant ambitions—none of these are beneficial to your person. What I have to tell you is only this.'"

To paraphrase: The people you are asking about—their bones have long since rotted away; only their words remain. Moreover, when a gentleman encounters a good era, he comes forth to accomplish things; when times are bad, he drifts like a tumbleweed with the wind. I have heard that wealthy merchants hide their wealth, appearing as if they have nothing; men of high virtue outwardly seem foolish and dull. Rid yourself of your pride, your wishful thinking, your pretense, and your unrealistic fantasies—none of these do you any good. That is all I have to say.

After reading this, you might ask: "After so much consultation, this is all he got?" To us moderns, just these few trivial words of plain talk made the Sage Confucius bow deeply and willingly accept Laozi as his teacher? But ancient writers were sparing with words, and moreover, after the book burning and burying of scholars by Qin Shi Huang, there was a gap in bamboo slip records. The Grand Historian Sima Qian told us only this. I think after the two sages sat down and greeted each other, they must have discussed heaven and earth, but the mutual understanding and exchange between them can only be imagined with closed eyes.

The stone tablet on Dongguan Street in Luoyang, inscribed "Confucius came to Zhou to inquire about rites and music up to this point," records this great event when two sages of Chinese history appeared together. The tablet is 3.056 meters high and 0.92 meters wide. It was erected in the fifth year of the Yongzheng reign of the Qing dynasty, inscribed by Zhang Handan, prefect of Henan, and erected by Guo Chaoding, magistrate of Luoyang County. Today, this tablet has been protected by a newly built stele pavilion. In June 2008, it was listed as a fifth-level key cultural relic of Henan Province.

"A conversation with a wise man is worth more than ten years of reading." Although Confucius greatly respected and admired Laozi, he did not follow Laozi’s thought and philosophy. Instead, after being inspired and benefited, he pursued his own ideals even more firmly. When they parted reluctantly in Luoyang, the Zhou dynasty was already showing signs of ritual collapse and music decay. As they went their separate ways, their philosophies of life and governance took completely opposite paths.

Confucius returned east to Lu, continuously enriching and innovating to establish Confucianism, advocating a proactive spirit of entering the world, urging the feudal lords who were selfish for their own states to "restrain oneself and restore the rites" and "govern by virtue," calling on scholars throughout the land to "become officials when well educated," actively participating in the transformation and reform of society, and jointly building a world of great harmony. For this ideal, Confucius, even in his sixties, traveled with his disciples for many years, tirelessly expressing and spreading his thought system. Even when surrounded by the troops of the Duke of Chen in a desolate wilderness, hungry and cold in the wind and rain, feeling like a stray dog, he still beat time and danced, played the qin and sang, joyful at heart, optimistic in the world, and unchanged in his original intention.

In the late Spring and Autumn period, the world was in chaos. Disheartened, Laozi decided to resign from office and go into seclusion, riding a black ox westward to find a remote place to nourish his heart. When this silver-haired, crane-like old man of eighty or ninety approached Hangu Pass, purple clouds and myriad rays of dawn radiated from his body. Yin Xi, the commander of Hangu Pass, who was looking around from the gate tower, saw a propitious aura slowly coming from the east. Overjoyed, he quickly ordered the guards to clean the streets, open the gate wide, and line the road to welcome this strange phenomenon and person. Learning that the visitor was the highly respected Lao Dan, but without a travel permit, Yin Xi did not make things difficult. He only made a small request: "Sir, you are about to retire into seclusion. For my sake, please write a book." If you want to pass through this pass where one man can hold it against ten thousand, you must leave a book behind.

Writing an article was very simple for a former director of the National Library. After a few days’ stay, Laozi dashed off the Daodejing, a work of over five thousand characters. For more than two thousand years, this thin volume of the Daodejing has always been a treasured gem renowned both at home and abroad.

According to UNESCO statistics, the Daodejing, apart from the Bible, is the classic with the largest print run in foreign languages. The study of Laozi’s thought has become an international cultural phenomenon. The European philosopher Nietzsche said: "The Daodejing is like a never-drying wellspring, full of treasures; just put down the bucket and draw easily." Former U.S. President Ronald Reagan, in his 1987 State of the Union address, quoted the famous saying from the Daodejing, "Governing a large state is like cooking small fish," to elaborate his governance strategy.

As for the profound influence of Laozi and his Daodejing on later Chinese politics, economy, military, history, culture, philosophy, science, health preservation, and other aspects, this article cannot discuss it fully, nor dare to make a spectacle. But as a Chinese person, one must know that the Daodejing, having endured through the ages, is also called the "True Classic of the Way and Virtue" and is revered as the king of classics.

"The Way that can be told is not the eternal Way. The name that can be named is not the eternal name. Nameless is the origin of heaven and earth; named is the mother of all things. Therefore, always without desire, one can observe its mystery; always with desire, one can observe its manifestation. These two are the same but emerge differently; both are called profound. Profound and more profound, the gate of all mysteries." For an uninitiated layman, the opening theme of the Daodejing, with its summarizing main point, reads smoothly, with rhythm and cadence, a beauty of rhyme that is indescribable, enough to make one dance and sing, enough to immerse oneself. But when it comes to clearly understanding its essence, it becomes profound and profound, leaving one at a loss as to how to open that exquisite gate of all wonders, feeling a sense of bewilderment: "Look at it but not see it, listen to it but not hear it, grasp it but not obtain it." No wonder the Grand Historian Sima Qian said with emotion: "The Taoist school advocates non-action, yet also says nothing is not done. In fact, it is easy to practice, but its words are hard to understand." Simple and unadorned dialectics are hidden, elusive, and so mysteriously profound.

Fortunately, the Daodejing also contains easy-to-understand maxims such as: "Knowing others is wisdom; knowing yourself is enlightenment. Conquering others is strength; conquering yourself is true strength. Knowing contentment is wealth." "Heaven and earth endure forever, with infinite vitality." "The highest good is like water." "Reduce selfishness and have few desires." These have become guidelines for Chinese people’s self-cultivation in daily life. The famous British historian of science Joseph Needham said: "Many of the most attractive factors in the Chinese character are derived from Taoist thought. Without Taoist thought, China would be like a big tree with some deep roots rotten. These roots are still full of vitality today."

As the saying goes, "The writing reflects the person." Laozi’s philosophy is both easy to understand and profoundly mysterious, just as Laozi himself is both deeply rooted and prominently standing, yet ethereal, carefree, and transcendent. The superposition of reality and emptiness shows the divine martial prowess and wisdom of his three-dimensional image.

All historical records indicate that Laozi was born in Ku County (present-day Luyi County, Henan) during the Spring and Autumn period, but they all say his birth and death years are unknown, and none can clearly state where he went after his retirement or where his soul rested. Only the great Way, great Virtue, and great Utility of "do nothing, yet nothing is left undone" remain. A somewhat satisfactory explanation is that after leaving Yin Xi at Hangu Pass, Laozi continued to act his own way, believing firmly that "Those who know me are few, thus I am valuable. Therefore, the sage wears coarse cloth but holds jade in his bosom." The black ox went westward, the purple air came from the east, and he stubbornly retreated into Laojun Mountain to refine elixirs and cultivate immortality, becoming the Supreme Lord Lao.

There are several famous Laojun Mountains in China, including Luoyang, Henan; Lijiang, Yunnan; Wushan, Gansu; and even in Sichuan Province alone, there are three: Chengdu Xinjin, Mianyang Jiangyou, and Yibin Pingshan. Countless lesser-known places also claim to be where Laozi refined his elixirs. These places share common features: beautiful mountains and clear waters, dense bamboo groves and deep forests, winding paths and secluded spots, quiet and peaceful. The caves and immortal dwellings where Laozi lived and practiced, as well as the Taoist ancestral halls where pilgrims bow in reverence, all stand on steep and rugged cliffs, all highlighting the calm and immortal demeanor of the Supreme Lord Lao.

In Luanchuan, Luoyang, Henan, I once climbed to the top of Laojun Mountain, the highest point of the eight-hundred-li Funiu Range, before dawn to watch the sea of clouds, greet the sunrise, bathe in the breeze, drink the morning dew, gaze around with a joyful heart, and imagine the moment Laozi attained immortality. My mind drifted, as if I had been possessed by the spirit of Lord Lao, then, as if riding on auspicious clouds, I flew to Quanzhou in Fujian, thousands of miles away.

Entering Qingyuan Mountain in the north of Quanzhou, I saw the Supreme Lord Lao sitting calmly against the mountain gate, steady as Mount Tai. The people of Quanzhou say that Laojun Mountain is only the place where Laozi refined elixirs and cultivated his body, but Qingyuan Mountain is the resting place where Laozi attained immortality and settled his spirit.

This is a stone statue of Laozi, 5.63 meters high, 6.85 meters thick, 8.01 meters wide, covering an area of 55 square meters. It was carved in the Song dynasty and is now a nationally protected cultural relic. The Quanzhou Prefecture Annals compiled during the Qianlong reign of the Qing dynasty records its origin: "The stone statue is naturally formed; those who took an interest gave it a little carving." It tells visitors that the giant stone is not a solidified rock but a natural incarnation of Lord Lao’s true form, just slightly modified. The statue is certainly not a visitor from outer space; it is the wandering spirit of Lord Lao who, seeing this auspicious place, turned the stone into his body, settled down, and blessed the bustling multitude of living beings.

Some scholars have verified that this stone statue of Laozi in Qingyuan Mountain is the largest, most exquisitely carved, and oldest surviving Taoist stone carving in China. It is respectfully called "Laozi Number One Under Heaven."

From Luoyang to Hangu Pass, from Laojun Mountain to Qingyuan Mountain, Laozi is so mysterious, so sacred, so real yet ethereal, so profound and carefree.