The Tao Te Ching is a very old book, written before the birth of the Buddha and long before the birth of Jesus Christ. Its uncertain origins, attributed to Lao Tze, (sometimes known as the ‘Old Man’), was born in the province of Henan (Ho-nan) in China, and probably lived sometime between 570-490 BC.

The Tao Te Ching survived the Burning of Books in 213 BC.

With its precepts applied to many aspects of daily life, the Tao Te Ching is still a major influence in Chinese culture.

Translation by Lionel Giles