Laozi
Laozi (Lao Tzu) is regarded to be a manifestation of Daode Tianzun who authored the classic Tao Te Ching. He is traditionally regarded as the founder of Taoism, intimately connected with "primordial" (or "original") Taoism. Intellectual ("orthodox") Taoists, such as the Celestial Masters sect, usually present Laozi (Laojun, "Lord Lao") and the Three Pure Ones at the top of the pantheon of gods.
↻ synthesized from 5 sources
When
- First attested
- 1028 BCE
- Attested period
- -1028 – 2020
- Historical notes
- Traditional accounts place his birth in the 6th century BC.
Relationships
- co occurs with
- Three Pure Ones, Li Er, Boyang, Lao Laizi, Yinxi, Tao, valley spirit, Fuxi, Nezha, Gold Star, Muzha, Xiwangmu, Taiqing, Jade Emperor, Laojun, souls, Four Heavenly Kings, Guanyin, Buddha
- teacher of
- Li Tieguai
- serves
- Queen Mother of the West
- allied with
- Yin Hsi, Erlang Shen
- manifests as
- Primordial Lord
- manifested by
- Daode Tianzun, Taishang Laojun
- syncretized with
- Lao Dan
- child of
- Lady Yishou, Xiāntiān Tàishàng Huáng, Xiāntiān Tàihòu
- has aspect
- Tàishàng Xuán Yuán Huángdì, Shèngzǔ, Xuán Yuán Huángdì, Shèngzǔ Dàdào Xuán Yuán Huángdì, Dà Shèngzǔ Gāo Shǎng Dàdào Jīnquē Xuán Yuán Tiānhuáng Dàdì
- enemy of
- Sun Wukong
Mentioned by
- Taiqing
- Jade Emperor
- Laojun
- souls
- Four Heavenly Kings
- Guanyin
- Buddha
- Daode Tianzun
- Taishang Laojun
- Lao Dan
- Lady Yishou
- Xiāntiān Tàishàng Huáng
- Xiāntiān Tàihòu
- Tàishàng Xuán Yuán Huángdì
- Shèngzǔ
- Xuán Yuán Huángdì
and 3 more
Sources
Source passages
“According to the biographies of Laozi collected by Ge Hong in the Biographies of the Immortals (神仙傳), Laozi is said to have been born before Heaven and Earth, after 72 years' stay in his mother's womb. He was born under a plum tree with the ability to speak, and took his surname "Li" after the tree”
#21168 · extracted by google/gemini-2.0-flash-001
“Li studied with Laozi. He is said to have renounced material comforts and led a life of self-discipline as an act of religious devotion for 40 years, often going without food or sleep. Li lived in a cave in the early stage of his Taoist training. Laozi tempted him with a beautiful woman he had made of wood.”
#21399 · extracted by google/gemini-2.0-flash-001
“Due to his traditional name Li Er, Laozi has been venerated as the ancestor of all subsequent Lis, and many clans of the Li family trace their descent to Laozi, including the emperors of the Tang dynasty.”
#21424 · extracted by google/gemini-2.0-flash-001
“One such account narrates an encounter between the Queen Mother and Laozi (Lord Lao): "In the 25th year of King Chao of the Chou dynasty (1028 BCE) ..." "...Lord Lao and the realized person Yin Hsi went traveling..."”
#21590 · extracted by google/gemini-2.0-flash-001
“Laozi throws his Diamond Jade ring at Wukong from behind while he is fighting...Sun Wukong is locked into Laozi's eight-way trigram crucible for 49 days to be distilled into an elixir by samadhi fires; this will allow Laozi to regain his pills”
#21712 · extracted by anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.5