NO. 2 FOLK RELIGION IN SOUTHWEST CHINA — GRAHAM 53 



contemporary of Confucius (Hume, R. E., 1938, p. 128; Gowen and 

 Hall, 1926, p. 70). He was keeper of the government archives at Lo 

 Yang and met Confucius in an interview that was not very satisfactory 

 to either. He later became so discouraged that he withdrew beyond 

 the western barrier. The keeper of the barrier persuaded him to write 

 down his teachings, the result being the Tao Te Ching, the Classic 

 of Learning and Virtue, which contains only about 5,000 words. Not 

 a few modern scholars now date Lao Tzu about the fourth century 

 B. C, a century or more after the time of Confucius. Some scholars 

 even doubt that Lao Tzu ever lived, that he wrote the Tao Te Ching, 

 and that he ever met Confucius. (Lataurette, 1920, pp. 21-22; Creel, 

 1949, pp. 195,247). 



At the time of Confucius and Lao Tzu, because of the weakness of 

 the central government, the corruption of the rulers, the wars between 

 the feudal lords, and the exorbitant taxes, China was in a deplorable 

 condition. Confucius endeavored to reform and save society. Lao 

 Tzu and his followers, including Chuang Tzu and Lieh Tzu, ex- 

 pounded a philosophical teaching which they believed would bring 

 peace to individuals and to society. Confucius believed that man 

 would remain good if properly taught. The Taoists asserted that 

 mankind would remain good if left alone. Confucius believed in a 

 strong government, Taoism in no government at all, or at least in 

 very little government. A main doctrine of Lao Tzu was wu wei or 

 nonaction. He advised people not to strive, but to get into harmony 

 with Tao, which is the course of nature, the way, the path, the road, 

 the moral and physical order of the world, the basic principle of the 

 universe, reason, the ultimate, God (Hume, R. E., 1938, pp. 137-139; 

 Creel, 1949, p. 196). It is formless, unchanging, eternal, self -existent, 

 and self -developing, the one abounding source of all things, creative, 

 indescribable, great All-father, Mother (LIume, ibid., pp. 138-139). 

 This is a philosophy too abstruse and mystical to be understood by 

 or to appeal to the common people of China (Lataurette, 1920, p. 28; 

 Edkins, 1879, p. 381), yet it has affected the conduct of the people in 

 subtle ways and is partly responsible for their natural poise and 

 flexibility. In addition to the doctrine of inaction, there is credited to 

 Lao Tzu and his followers some high ethical teachings, including the 

 return of good for evil, humility, and sincerity (Hume, R. E., 1938, 

 p. 130; Gowen and Hall, 1926, p. 71). 



The following are selections from the Tao Teh Ching as trans- 

 lated by Lin Yutang (1942a). 



