The title 'Daodejing', with its status as a classic, was only first applied from the reign of Emperor Jing of Han (157–141 BC) onward. As such, the Tao Te Ching is also sometimes referred to as the Laozi, especially in Chinese sources. Īncient Chinese books were commonly referenced by the name of their real or supposed author, in this case the 'Old Master', Laozi. The Tao Te Ching can be translated as The Classic of the Way and its Power, The Book of the Tao and Its Virtue, The Book of the Way and of Virtue, The Tao and its Characteristics, The Canon of Reason and Virtue, The Classic Book of Integrity and the Way, or A Treatise on the Principle and Its Action. In English, the title is commonly rendered Tao Te Ching / ˌ t aʊ t iː ˈ tʃ ɪ ŋ/, following Wade–Giles romanisation, or Dao De Jing / ˌ d aʊ d ɛ ˈ dʒ ɪ ŋ/, following pinyin. It is one of the most translated texts in world literature. Its influence has spread widely within the globe's artistic and academic spheres. Many artists, including poets, painters, calligraphers, and gardeners, have used the Tao Te Ching as a source of inspiration. It also strongly influenced other schools of Chinese philosophy and religion, including Legalism, Confucianism, and Chinese Buddhism, which was largely interpreted through the use of Taoist words and concepts when it was originally introduced to China. The Tao Te Ching, along with the Zhuangzi, is a fundamental text for both philosophical and religious Taoism. The oldest excavated portion dates back to the late 4th century BC, but modern scholarship dates other parts of the text as having been written-or at least compiled-later than the earliest portions of the Zhuangzi. The Tao Te Ching ( UK: / ˌ t aʊ t iː ˈ tʃ ɪ ŋ/, US: / ˌ d aʊ d ɛ ˈ dʒ ɪ ŋ/ simplified Chinese: 道德经 traditional Chinese: 道德經 pinyin: Dàodé Jīng ( listen)) is a Chinese classic text written around 400 BC and traditionally credited to the sage Laozi, though the text's authorship, date of composition and date of compilation are debated.

Tao che ching