Daodejing

The Daodejing or Tao Te King is considered one of the oldest written testimonies in human history and is also a sacred scripture of Taoism. According to legend, it was written by the Chinese philosopher Laozi shortly before his departure for the West. It is composed of 81 chapters or texts that deal with different topics and aim to explain to the reader how to live a life in the spirit of the Dao, that is, a good life. Since this is a text that is about 2,200 years old, the words chosen here may not always be so clear to a modern and, in addition, Western reader. It needs some familiarization and a basic understanding of the Chinese worldview. That is why I have prepared this annotated version. My comments or explanations contain above all indications of how the respective text was understood in its context at that time. At the same hand, I always give examples from our modern times. I try to give the reader a basic understanding of the Chinese worldview, so that he or she can understand the Daodejing without much preparatory work or extensive study of sinology. This is because I am convinced that the themes described here still have an unbroken relevance even after more than 2,000 years. According to our understanding of a religion, Taoism is not a real religion. It is rather an attitude towards life or a philosophy or a habitus with which one can shape one's life in harmony. So, even though it is a holy scripture, it is not about converting anyone. The Daodejing and the Way of Dao are a friendly offer on how to make one's life better and solve all one's problems efficiently.