老子道德經
Daodejing
老子 (Laozi) · Commentary by 王弼 (Wang Bi) · Pre-Qin (text); Wei dynasty (commentary, 226–249 CE)
The foundational text of Daoist philosophy, with Wang Bi's metaphysical commentary. 81 chapters on the nature of the Dao, non-action, and the art of governance.
About This Text
The Daodejing (道德經), attributed to Laozi, is the foundational text of Daoist philosophy and one of the most translated works in world literature. Its 81 brief chapters explore the nature of the Dao (道, the Way), the interplay of being and non-being, the virtue of non-action (無為), and principles of sagely governance. This edition preserves the Wang Bi (王弼, 226–249 CE) commentary, one of the most influential annotations of the text. Wang Bi interprets the Daodejing through a metaphysical framework emphasizing 無 (wu, non-being) as the origin of all things. The base text follows the Siku Quanshu (欽定四庫全書) edition, verified against ctext.org.
Text source: CADAL/Archive.org (欽定四庫全書 manuscript); base text verified against ctext.org · Complete (81 chapters with Wang Bi commentary)
Table of Contents
Upper Section: The Classic of the Way
上篇 道經