Lao Tzu and the Bible
by
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The end of the Spring and Autumn Period—around 600 B.C.—was a glorious time for which the Chinese people feel special pride. That is because of the enduring treasures a group of sages gave
Take a look at the world that Lao Tzu experienced:
What a vast deserted land! Crowds of people hustle and bustle, as if enjoying a feast or being on the stage. I alone do not share the feeling…exhausted and sad, I do not know where to return.
Where did Lao Tzu wish to return? What had been lost? Lao Tzu knew clearly that Tao had been lost:
The great Tao is of great peace, but men prefer bypaths. The court is corrupt; the fields are full of weeds; the granaries are all empty. Aren’t they robbers indeed—those wearing fine robes, those bearing sharpswords, those indulging in delicacies, those storing too much wealth.
This is rebellion against Tao!
Lao Tzu was so convinced that nothing could replace Tao that he declared:
When the great Tao is rejected, there arise humanity and justice. Therefore, morality is required when Tao is lost; benevolence is emphasized when morality is lost; justice is sought after when benevolence is lost; propriety is obligatory when justice is lost. So-called propriety is needed when there is little loyalty and faithfulness left. This is a sign of disorder.
Lao Tzu himself is like a mysterious legend. No one can be sure about his name, birthplace, career path, age, family, or whereabouts. Shi Ji (The Book of History) by Sima Qian (second century B.C.) guessed Lao Tzu was Lidan, a West Zhou emperor’s archivist. Legend says that Lao Tzu left Formats Book Details Has God’s light ever shone on the vast By comparing Lao Tzu’s Tao Te Ching with the Bible, Yuan Zhiming offers a ground-breaking interpretation of Lao Tzu’s Tao in light of the Word, or Logos. Yuan Zhiming juxtaposes Lao Tzu’s “Holy One” with Jesus Christ, systematically and thoroughly unveiling the nature and characteristics of the mysterious Tao in a concrete and understandable manner, resolving a riddle of 2,600 years. “The text speaks to our time, because so many people believe that mere secular teaching of “morality,” such as Confucius taught, is sufficient, and because what we really need is a deep spiritual awakening, such as Lao Tzu announced. The profound teaching in Lao Tzu and the Bible enriches the spirit of not only the Chinese people but also the people of the West.” —Dr. Paul de Vries, president of Lao Tzu and the Bible offers not only a spiritual feast to the analytical minds about Tao/Word/Logos, illustrating Tao in a tangible form, the Holy One/Jesus Christ, but also provides helpful advice about how to follow and be united with Tao. A work of great erudition and wisdom, it contains deep insight, opening up the secrets of the Tao while also illuminating the Bible. This book will surely delight the hearts and minds of seekers of Tao. Yuan Zhiming, a brilliant scholar of Chinese philosophy and an enlightened student of Jesus, is the author of eleven books and director of three documentary film series on Chinese culture and Christianity, including Cross: Jesus in China. He is one of the script writers of the acclaimed TV series River Elegy, which provided the spiritual seeds for the famous Tiananmen Square Student Demonstration in Lao Tzu and the Bible and its companion book Tao Te Ching: Original Text and A Modern Translation, both by Yuan Zhiming, are the author’s first English translations of his books. "Lao Tzu's Tao Te Ching is one of the most renowned classics of Chinese literature and philosophy, appealing to audiences in both the East and the West. Many have wondered whether there is any connection between the Tao Te Ching and the wisdom of the Bible. Yuan Zhiming, a Chinese Christian who has long studied the classic of Taoism, offers his own conclusions after years of study and research." Thus comments David Aikman, a 23-year foreign correspondent at Time Magazine and former Beijing Bureau Chief, an award-winning journalist and the author of Jesus in Beijing: How Christianity Is Transforming China and Changing the World Balance of Power (Regnery Publishing, 2006) Translator: Dr. Chen Shangyu is formerly Chief Librarian of The Mid-Manhattan Library, The New York Public Library. She taught English at
About the Book
Lao Tzu and The Bible:
A Meeting Transcending Time and Space
Yuan Zhiming
Translated by Chen Shangyu
About the Author
