In the ancient Zhou Dynasty, there was a wise man, he was as silent as a mountain, wise as the sea, he was Lao Tzu. Lao Tzu lived in the Zhou Dynasty for a long time, and as the history of the Tibetan Guard, he studied the classics of the Zhou Dynasty in depth and witnessed the rise and fall of the dynasty.
However, when the Zhou Dynasty showed signs of decay, why did he choose to leave instead of supporting the Zhou Dynasty's royal family?
The wisdom of the history of the Vault
Lao Tzu's years in the Zhou Dynasty were like a drop of water in the long river, silent and profound. He served as the history keeper of the collection room, and every day he was accompanied by the classics, exploring the way of heaven and earth. His wisdom was like a bright star, illuminating the night sky of that era. However, when he looked up at this starry sky, he saw the signs of the decline of the Zhou Dynasty.
King Wen and King Wu are far away
At that time, the Zhou Dynasty was no longer the heyday of King Wen and King Wu. Morality decays, etiquette collapses, princes strife, and the people suffer. Lao Tzu knew that the decline of the Zhou Dynasty was not a day's cold, but the result of years of accumulation. He saw the greed and unrighteousness of the rulers, and the suffering and helplessness of the people. He understood that he could not change this era by his own strength.
So, Lao Tzu made an astonishing decision - to leave the Zhou Dynasty. This decision may seem incomprehensible at the time, but when we delve deeper into Lao Tzu's thoughts, we will understand his choice.
Lao Tzu's pursuit is to be simple and inactive.
He believes that the true way of governance is not to rely on power and violence, but to conform to nature and respect the law. And the decline of the Zhou Dynasty is precisely because it violates these basic principles.
After leaving the Zhou Dynasty, Lao Tzu began his career of travel. He traveled all over the famous mountains and rivers to explore the mysteries between heaven and earth. His ideas were further sublimated and refined during his travels. He put forward the philosophical idea of "Tao begets one, one begets two, two begets three, and three begets all things", and expounded the dialectical relationship between heaven and earth. He emphasized the harmonious coexistence of man and nature, and advocated the concept of rule by inaction and the way of nature.
Lao Tzu's departure is not a betrayal of the Zhou Dynasty, but a commitment to the Great Road.
He understood that true wisdom does not lie in power and status, but in a deep understanding and comprehension of the way of heaven and earth. He left the Zhou Dynasty, but left behind a valuable intellectual wealth that influenced countless wise men in later generations.
Now, when we look back at that period of history, we can't help but be impressed by Lao Tzu's wisdom and courage. He used his actions to explain what a true wise man is - not to follow the crowd, not to blindly follow authority, and to stick to his own beliefs and pursuits. His story teaches us that true wisdom does not lie in changing the world, but in changing oneself. When we are able to go along with nature and respect the laws, we can achieve inner peace and true happiness.