Laozi (Lao Tzu)
~6th century BCE · Chinese · Spring and Autumn Period
Known for: Author of the Tao Te Ching, founder of Daoism — taught that the universe has a Way and humans keep getting in its way
Laozi is the legendary author of the Tao Te Ching, the foundational text of Daoism. Whether historical or mythical, the text's 81 chapters on wu wei (non-action), naturalness, and the ineffable Tao influenced Chinese religion, medicine, martial arts, and aesthetics for millennia.
Daoism later developed into a full religion with temples, deities, and complex rituals — far from the philosophical simplicity of the original text.
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