《道德真經藏室纂微篇開題》

This passage recounts the legendary origins and life story of Laozi (Lao-tzu):

According to Daoist texts, the birth of Laozi (family name Li, given name Er, courtesy names Dan or Boyang) was surrounded by miraculous signs. His mother conceived after sensing a great meteor and gave birth in the seventeenth year of King Yangjia's reign (Gengshen year) during the Shang Dynasty. Legend holds he gestated for eighty-one years in the womb, corresponding to the Daoist solar number of "nine times nine" (jiujiu). When born beneath a plum tree where his mother rested, the infant appeared as a white-haired elder who could immediately speak, pointing to the plum tree (li) as the source of his surname.

An alternative account records his father as Li Wuguo and mother as Yin Yishou, with Laozi born at mao hour (5-7 AM) on the fifteenth day of the second lunar month in the ninth year of King Wuding's reign (Gengchen year). His extraordinary features included: a height of eight chi eight cun (approx. 2m), golden skin, elegant eyebrows, broad forehead, elongated ears, large eyes with sparse teeth, square mouth with thick lips, and distinctive forehead markings. His birthplace was Quren Village, Laixiang Township, Ku County of Chu State, north of the Guo River.

During the twenty-first year of King Zhou of Shang (Dingmao year), Laozi retreated to Mount Qi's southern foothills. King Wen of Zhou, hearing of his wisdom, appointed him as Shouzang Shi (Keeper of Archives). After King Wu overthrew the Shang, Laozi became Zhuxia Shi (Pillar Historian). He maintained this low-profile position through the reigns of Kings Cheng and Kang until witnessing the Zhou dynasty's decline. On the twenty-ninth day of the fifth month in King Zhao's twenty-fifth year (Guichou year), he departed westward on a blue ox cart driven by Xu Jia. The border official Yin Xi (a Zhou court scholar versed in celestial phenomena) famously questioned him about Dao (the Way) and De (Virtue), later compiling teachings from their exchange.

(Notes: "Shouzang Shi" and "Zhuxia Shi" were Zhou Dynasty historiographical positions; "jiujiu" represents the Daoist yang number's ultimate expression; "celestial studies" refers to ancient astrological and esoteric knowledge)

This passage recounts the legendary encounter between Yin Xi (the guardian of Hangu Pass during the Eastern Zhou period) and Laozi:

Yin Xi was a magnanimous man who transcended worldly formalities, embodying compassion, frugality, and universal love. He often sacrificed himself to help others. While serving as the guardian of Hangu Pass, he would frequently gaze at the sky, yearning for celestial ascension. When Laozi journeyed westward and approached the pass, Yin Xi observed purple clouds drifting from the east—an omen signaling the arrival of an enlightened sage. He immediately ordered the roads swept clean and incense lit in preparation.

On the twelfth day of the seventh lunar month, Laozi arrived. Yin Xi received him with utmost reverence, inviting him to his residence where he personally attended to Laozi's needs and observed purification rituals while seeking wisdom. After several months together, on the twenty-eighth day of the twelfth month, Yin Xi resigned his post to follow Laozi westward. Laozi cautioned him: "You have not yet attained the Dao—how could you accompany me to the distant Western Wastes? Those barbaric lands defy transformation. Only by internalizing the 'Way of Immortality' (shengdao), maintaining luminous spirit-consciousness (shen), eliminating distractions, and focusing on unified cultivation (shouyi) through a thousand days of pure practice—until your form reaches the mysterious state—may you then seek me at the Azure Goat Market in Shu Province."

With these words, Laozi ascended skyward and vanished. Yin Xi subsequently retreated to a secluded tower, dismissing all attendants to devote himself exclusively to scripture recitation and cultivation for three years. When he achieved the state where self and objects were both forgotten, he journeyed to the Azure Goat Market. There, Laozi bestowed upon him the title "Master Wenshi," and together they traveled through the Western Regions.

An alternate tradition holds that Laozi first departed during King Zhao of Zhou's reign to teach the western tribes, returning by King You of Zhou's time. This explains Confucius' later consultation with Laozi about rituals when visiting the Zhou capital. Laozi admonished Confucius: "The ancient sages you cite have long turned to dust—only their words remain. A nobleman acts when circumstances permit; otherwise, he drifts like tumbleweed. True merchants conceal their treasures, and those with De (virtue) appear simple. Rid yourself of arrogance, excessive desires, affectation, and forced pursuits—these harm you." Confucius later told his disciples: "I understand birds that fly, fish that swim, and beasts that run. But Laozi? He is like a dragon riding wind and clouds into heaven—unfathomable."

This passage recounts the life, philosophical characteristics, and status of Laozi within Daoism. Here's a modern interpretation:

We know fish swim, beasts run—we can trap animals with nets, catch fish with lines, and shoot down birds with arrows. But when facing a dragon riding wind and clouds to ascend heaven, I find it utterly unfathomable. Today, having met Laozi, he appears just like this mystical dragon! During that era when the world was plunged in darkness and the kingly way declined, Laozi repeatedly departed through the passes (leaving the Zhou capital). Some say he lived over two hundred years—this was due to his cultivation of Daoist longevity practices.

Laozi studied under Rong Cheng (an ancient recluse) and sought teachings from Chang Chuang (an ancient sage). Laozi's son, named Zong, served as a general in the state of Wei and was enfeoffed at the place called Duan'gan. Zong's descendants continued unbroken, with some still holding court positions during the Han dynasty.

Where heaven and earth exist, the arts of Dao circulate—practitioners of the Way have never ceased. From the era of Fuxi through the Three Dynasties (Xia, Shang, Zhou), every age had renowned Daoist masters. Though Laozi was originally an ordinary man, through attaining the Dao he became its most profound master. People saw his longevity and white hair from birth, thus calling him "Laozi"—where "Lao" signifies veneration and "zi" is a common honorific. Those who cultivate Dao receive special Qi (vital energy) endowments, enabling communion with divine spirits and becoming leaders whom immortals follow.

Laozi transmitted methods for aiding the world including: refining the Nine-Cycle Golden Elixir (Jiuzhuan Jindan), eight mineral medicines, and jade nectar; preserving true essence, visualizing deities, Daoyin exercises and Qi circulation, refining form to dispel calamities; exorcising ghosts and warding off evil, nurturing life to prolong years, grain avoidance (Bigu) and transformation techniques. These were Laozi's commonly employed salvific methods, yet they still didn't represent his most profound attainments. As for governing states—to one who has attained the Dao, this is but the surface level of the great Way.

Laozi embodied clarity and stillness through Wuwei (non-action), wholly devoted to the path of longevity. Though holding office long in Zhou, he never sought promotion—concealing his brilliance while blending with worldly affairs, his inner nature remained perfectly spontaneous. He honored the Dao of emptiness, harmonized with transformation, and advocated Wuwei, hence composing profoundly enigmatic texts. After attaining the Dao, he departed this world to become the Vast and Great Perfected Being (Boda Zhenren). His descendants maintained ancestral sacrifices while his spirit ascended to the Jade Capital (Daoist celestial realm). Like Zhuangzi who drummed on a tub when sending off his wife before achieving immortality, both became venerated Daoist patriarchs for later generations.

This interpretation of the Daode Zhenjing Cangshi Zuanwei chapter reveals:

The ancients believed longevity could be cultivated, yet without extraordinary innate gifts, ordinary people found it difficult to attain. This was called the "teaching beyond worldly affairs" (fangwai zhi jiao), preserving the pristine ancient customs, revered and honored through successive dynasties. By the Tang dynasty's Qianfeng era (666 CE), Emperor Gaozong posthumously honored Laozi as the Mysterious Origin Emperor (Xuanyuan Huangdi); in the Guangzhai era (684 CE), Empress Wu Zetian honored Yin Xi (Master Guan Yin) as the Primordial Empress (Xiantian Taihou), thus establishing Laozi as the sacred ancestor of the Tang lineage.

Laozi's Daodejing originally consisted of two sections: "Dao" and "De." The current title was likely inscribed by Guan Yinzi after receiving the transmission. The concept of "Dao" is profoundly ineffable—it refers to that undifferentiated, primordial source from which all things emerge, provisionally named "Dao." Because it permeates and generates all existence, it is interpreted as "penetration" (通); and because it requires active embodiment, like walking a path, it is also interpreted as "treading" (蹈). People should trust its words and practice them earnestly.

"De" (Virtue/Power) is the concrete manifestation of Dao—where there is Dao, De necessarily follows. "De" means "to attain," indicating both inner realization and outer acquisition, a gain that cannot be lost. All things come into being by attaining Dao—this is "De." Only through De can Dao be fully expressed; Dao and De are interdependent and inseparable, hence their combined name "Daode."

"Jing" (scripture) signifies eternal principles, meaning its teachings can be emulated, much like the Confucian "Nine Classics." Simultaneously, "Jing" is an honorific for sacred texts. The Daodejing divides into the upper "Dao Jing" and lower "De Jing": the former begins with "The Dao that can be spoken is not the eternal Dao," the latter with "Superior De does not cling to virtue, thus it has virtue," hence its title.

Later commentators explained: Dao must be revealed through De, while De requires Dao for elucidation. Dao is formless and acts through non-action (Wuwei), thus preceding all things; De is active and functional, emerging after creation. When Dao declines, De arises; when De declines, the Five Constants (benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and faithfulness) emerge—demonstrating that Dao and De are the root of all conduct.

Thus, the Dao Jing precedes the De Jing, with two volumes symbolizing heaven and earth's generative power. The eighty-one chapters represent the solar cycle's ultimate number (9×9=81). The upper text's thirty-seven chapters follow heavenly (odd) numbers, discussing Dao to emulate heaven; the lower text's forty-four chapters follow earthly (even) numbers, discussing De to emulate earth. This chapter arrangement originates from ancient sages, preserving traditional structure.

This scripture takes profound origins as its foundation, nature as its substance, and Dao-De as its function. Its essence lies in cultivating the self and governing the state—for the way to govern a nation is fundamentally the same as cultivating one's person.

This passage primarily discusses two key aspects:

The first part elucidates the core teachings of the Dao De Jing (Classic of the Way and Virtue):

When rulers practice wuwei (non-action), the people naturally become cultivated; when rulers remain free from greed, the people preserve their innate simplicity. The essence of self-cultivation lies in closing the gates of sensory desires ("blocking the openings, shutting the doors") while maintaining the vitality of one's inner Shen (spirit), reducing selfishness and desires. As for those mysterious realms beyond sight and hearing ("the gateway of all wonders"), they truly transcend verbal description. Many beginners mistakenly believe they've grasped the essence upon initial study, yet only through deep contemplation does one realize they've comprehended less than a ten-thousandth part of the Dao. These profound truths—described as "indistinct and shadowy, profound and obscure"—ultimately require personal realization through practice.

The second part explores the relationship between Laozi's thought and Confucianism:

The fundamental truth of the universe is singular, and the sages' essential wisdom shares the same origin. Lao Dan (Laozi) lived during the decline of the Zhou dynasty, when excessive ornamentation had caused people to lose their true nature. Laozi advocated outward humility and softness while embodying universal inclusiveness at the core. At the request of Gatekeeper Yin Xi, he composed the 81 chapters of the Dao De Jing, using concise language to convey profound principles aimed at restoring humanity's original purity. Regrettably, later Confucian scholars (such as Sima Qian, Yang Xiong, and Han Yu) failed to grasp this comprehensive view, mistakenly perceiving Daoism and Confucianism as opposing schools. In truth, when one transcends temporal limitations and superficial differences, the essential unity among all sages' teachings becomes apparent.

This passage explains why the noble-minded fail to comprehend the profound wisdom of sages. The Dao (cosmic principle) operates like the cycle of seasons, while sages resemble farmers attuned to nature's rhythms: allowing all things to flourish in summer's growth and guiding them to withdraw in autumn's harvest, thus completing the annual agricultural cycle. From Fuxi's establishment of cosmic patterns through the reigns of Yao and Shun, the systems of rites and music reached full maturity—akin to summer's peak of abundance. Yet in Laozi's era, ritual formalism had become excessively elaborate. Without restraining such extravagance and returning to the moral roots of Dao and De (Virtue), how could the sages' work be fulfilled?

Laozi declares: "When Dao is lost, De appears; when De is lost, humaneness arises; when humaneness is lost, righteousness appears; when righteousness is lost, ritual emerges," identifying ritual as the product of waning sincerity and loyalty—indeed, the beginning of disorder. He regards Dao and De as the world's most exalted principles, while ritual constitutes its basest form. If one could progress from ritual back to humaneness and righteousness, then from these to Dao and De, governing the world would become effortless. Thus he deliberately devalues humaneness, righteousness, ritual and conventional wisdom, composing his teachings exclusively around Dao and De.

Laozi describes "something formless yet complete, existing before heaven and earth": in the primordial stage (Taiyi), only undifferentiated chaos existed—without visible form or nameable substance. This evolved into the "One" (Taiji), marking the emergence of numerical principles. The "One" generated the "Seven," which produced the "Nine"—representing completion before returning again to the "One." This endless cyclical transformation inspired Laozi's eighty-one chapter structure, illustrating the Dao's patterns of Yin-Yang alternation, the interdependence of fortune and misfortune, and the cyclical rise and fall of human affairs.

Contemporary yet contrasting, Confucius and Laozi both sought immortality through writing. Their doctrines directly oppose: Confucius advocates "learning without satiety" while Laozi promotes "abandoning learning"; Confucius venerates sages whereas Laozi advocates "abolishing sageliness"; Confucius values humaneness and righteousness while Laozi rejects them; Confucius recommends worthy officials but Laozi opposes esteeming the worthy; Confucius believes the wise remain unconfused, yet Laozi declares "using cleverness to govern is the nation's curse." These oppositions reflect not mere contrarianism but distinct responses to different historical maladies—Confucius establishing societal norms (Confucian ethics) while Laozi revealing Dao's essence (natural law). Laozi's "abandoning learning" guides people to follow innate nature toward mystical states of "sitting in forgetfulness" (transcending self and objects) and "daily diminishing" (progressively shedding desires); his "abolishing sageliness" returns humanity to natural simplicity.

The text elucidates the core teachings of the Daode Jing (Classic of the Way and Virtue) and its profound influence. The original meaning can be summarized as follows:

The Daode Jing advocates preserving the innate purity of human nature. By not deliberately promoting benevolence and righteousness, people will naturally return to their inherent filial piety and kindness. By not overemphasizing the worth of the talented, unnecessary debates between Confucian and Mohist schools can be avoided. Governing through cunning intellect brings calamity, whereas implementing generous policies fosters simple, honest customs among the people. Though Laozi and Zhuangzi (Zhuang Zhou) express themselves differently, their fundamental principles align.

Later scholars often became entangled in superficial forms, drifting further from the sages' original intent. Laozi once remarked that his teachings were simple, yet people found them difficult to practice. If future sages could embody these principles, an era of tranquil governance through Wuwei (non-action) would be realized.

The text mentions figures like Duke Wenkang Ge Bi (Cizhong) and Master Bixu Chen Jingyuan (a disciple of Hongmengzi Zhang Wumeng of Tiantai Mountain), who deeply grasped Laozi's teachings. Chen Jingyuan's Daode Jing Cangshi Zuanwei Pian (Compilation of Subtle Insights from the Treasury Chamber on the Daode Jing) synthesized the essence of various commentaries and incorporated secret transmissions from his lineage, offering profound insights into the Daoist principle of clarity and stillness. During Emperor Shenzong's Xining era (1068–1077), Chen Jingyuan was summoned by the emperor and presented his works.

The concluding section highlights Zhong Geng, a scholar from Western Shu, who personally collated and raised funds to publish the classic to repay the grace of Laozi (the Daoist Patriarch Xuanyuan) for transmitting the Dao and the teachings of his mentors. The entire passage reflects Daoist scholars' reverence for the Daode Jing and their sense of mission in preserving and propagating the Daoist tradition.

This passage was written by Daoist priest Yang Zhonggeng during the Lantern Festival (Shangyuanjie) in the first month of the Baoyou era (1258). He stated: These teachings aim to enlighten all beings, hoping fellow Daoist practitioners may study them with tranquil minds, comprehending the true meaning of the Great Dao (Da Dao) through these words. May we together realize the state of Wuwei (non-action) and promote the authentic tradition of Daoist cultivation, thereby praying for the nation's stability. Though I, Yang Zhonggeng, am but an ordinary recluse dwelling in mountain forests, I wish to repay even one ten-thousandth of the imperial court's benevolence through this means. These words were composed at the Zhanshan Lingying Temple (a Daoist monastery), reverently inscribed by Yang Zhonggeng, its founding abbot (the monastery's establisher and administrator).

(Note: The Lantern Festival is a major Daoist holy day; Wuwei represents a core Daoist concept referring to natural spontaneity without artificial striving; an abbot serves as the administrative head of a Daoist temple)