The Daodejing of Laozi

When I picked up the Daodejing of Laozi to read for class last week, I really had no idea what to expect.  I had never heard of Daoism before and know next to nothing about Chinese history or culture.  The intro was therefore pretty helpful in preparing me a little more for what was coming.  This book is not one that can be easily digested and read and really launches straight into the complexity from the first page.  The language and contradictions made me have to stop and reread the same sentence over and over until I finally got a grasp of what was maybe being suggested, and I was constantly flipping back and forth from the footnotes.  Overall though, I think this might be my favorite reading so far if not in the whole class, then definitely in this unit!

It’s really hard to put into words what I was feeling about the Dao and my opinions on it, because I feel like it is so subjective.  After sitting through class today I realized that what I was getting from it was not exactly what others were interpreting it to mean.  The main vibes I was getting from it though were relaxing, peaceful feelings (even though the reading was not necessarily easy to do).  That being said, I was reading this outside in the courtyard on a beautiful 80 degree spring day that felt closer to summer, so that could definitely have influenced my perceptions as well!

Not all my peaceful, stress-free feelings were coming from the weather though, because the Daodejing does promote non-action, non-violence, and just basically getting along with each other.  Following its principles will lead individuals to an enlightened existence in which they are completely at peace with the world and not trying to overthink anything.  It says they are good to everyone, even those who are not good, and are content with mere contentedness. 

One of the more interesting teachings of this text I think is its stance on government.  The Dao teaches a very hands-off almost Republican-type governmental style, with the basis being the belief that creating more laws creates more criminals.  It argues that people are happier and more peaceful if they aren’t being confined by tons of laws and regulations.  This concept confused me at first, but after thinking about I realized I totally agree.  I taught preschool for a couple of months in high school and as soon as you told the kids NOT to do something, they were all curious and trying to do it.  No one wants to be told what to do, so it makes sense that if you are trying to promote peace, you would believe in fewer rules so there is less temptation to break them and therefore disrupt the peace.

Although I like a lot of what the Daodejing is promoting and striving for, I can’t see myself ever becoming a Daoist and following the Way.  However, I do think some of these points are able to be carried out into every human’s life, no matter what religion they believe in, and be beneficial to human race as a whole.  For example, being kind to all people, even those who are not kind to you first, is something that everyone can benefit from.  This one little change could have a huge impact if every person made an effort to try it.  This is why I think Temple chose this as a required reading for all their students: we are the new generation, and change can start with us.  Personally, I am glad I read this because it made me aware of an entire religion I had not known existed, and if I had gained nothing else from this text, that alone would have made it worth it.