The Legend of Lao Tzu and the Tao Te Ching

This is the legend of Lao Tzu, who may or may not have been born; who may or may not have founded Taoism, one of the greatest religions of the world…and who may or who may not have written one of the greatest books in the world: the Tao Te Ching, or the “Way of Heaven.”

Some say that on the fourteenth of September, 604 B.C., in the village of Ch’u Jen, in the country of K’u, in the kingdom of Ch’u in ancient China, Lao Tzu was born, and nine heavenly dragons flew down from Heaven to wash his body. Lao Tzu’s mother had carried him for eighty-one years, and so at birth he already had snow-white hair and large ears, and could walk.

His name meant “Old Wise One,” and he was said to be the spirit of the Highest Venerable Lord of Eternal Tao, who could harness the clouds’ energies, walk on the essence of the sun, and fly with the stars. Lao Tzu was born wise, and already knew the magic arts of energy, medicine, healing, longevity, clairvoyance, protection, and transcendence. He could also talk to animals.