“The Tao that can be trodden is not the enduring and unchanging Tao. The name that can be named is not the enduring and unchanging name.”Lao Tzu
The TaoChapter 1
Lao Tzu Quotes
50 FAMOUS QUOTES · PHILOSOPHER
Lao Tzu Quotes
Read 50 genuine Lao Tzu quotes from the Tao Te Ching on simplicity, water, humility, contentment, wisdom and the Tao, from the ancient Chinese sage behind Taoism.
“The journey of a thousand li commenced with a single step.”Lao Tzu
BeginningsChapter 64
“The tree which fills the arms grew from the tiniest sprout; the tower of nine storeys rose from a small heap of earth.”Lao Tzu
PatienceChapter 64
“Anticipate things that are difficult while they are easy, and do things that would become great while they are small.”Lao Tzu
PlanningChapter 63
“He who knows other men is discerning; he who knows himself is intelligent.”Lao Tzu
Self KnowledgeChapter 33
“He who overcomes others is strong; he who overcomes himself is mighty.”Lao Tzu
Self MasteryChapter 33
“He who is satisfied with his lot is rich.”Lao Tzu
ContentmentChapter 33
“He who dies and yet does not perish has longevity.”Lao Tzu
LegacyChapter 33
“The highest excellence is like that of water. The excellence of water appears in its benefiting all things, and in its occupying, without striving, the low place which all men dislike.”Lao Tzu
WaterHumility
“There is nothing in the world more soft and weak than water, and yet for attacking things that are firm and strong there is nothing that can take precedence of it.”Lao Tzu
WaterStrength
“The softest thing in the world dashes against and overcomes the hardest.”Lao Tzu
GentlenessChapter 43
“The guarding of what is soft and tender is the secret of strength.”Lao Tzu
GentlenessChapter 52
“Man at his birth is supple and weak; at his death, firm and strong. Firmness and strength are the companions of death; softness and weakness, the companions of life.”Lao Tzu
FlexibilityChapter 76
“Who can make the muddy water clear? Let it be still, and it will gradually become clear.”Lao Tzu
StillnessChapter 15
“That whereby the rivers and seas are able to receive the homage of all the valley streams is their skill in being lower than they.”Lao Tzu
HumilityLeadership
“The sage puts his own person last, and yet it is found in the foremost place.”Lao Tzu
HumilityLeadership
“Of the best rulers, the people only know that they exist. When their work is done, the people all say, "We are as we are, of ourselves!"Lao Tzu
LeadershipChapter 17
“Governing a great state is like cooking small fish.”Lao Tzu
LeadershipChapter 60
“When the work is done, and one's name is becoming distinguished, to withdraw into obscurity is the way of Heaven.”Lao Tzu
HumilityChapter 9
“It is because he is free from striving that therefore no one in the world is able to strive with him.”Lao Tzu
PeaceChapter 22
“He who stands on his tiptoes does not stand firm; he who stretches his legs does not walk easily.”Lao Tzu
BalanceChapter 24
“He who boasts of himself finds his merit unacknowledged.”Lao Tzu
HumilityChapter 24
“The partial becomes complete; the crooked, straight; the empty, full; the worn out, new.”Lao Tzu
ChangeChapter 22
“The thirty spokes unite in the one hub; but it is on the empty space that the use of the wheel depends.”Lao Tzu
EmptinessChapter 11
“The Tao in its regular course does nothing for the sake of doing it, and so there is nothing which it does not do.”Lao Tzu
Wu WeiChapter 37
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About Lao Tzu
Chinese - Philosopher | c. 6th century BC
Lao Tzu (also written Laozi), whose name means "Old Master," is the legendary ancient Chinese philosopher credited with writing the *Tao Te Ching* and founding Taoism. According to tradition, he lived in the 6th century BC, worked as keeper of the royal archives at the court of the Zhou dynasty, and was an older contemporary of Confucius.
Legend says that, disillusioned with court life, Lao Tzu rode west on a water buffalo, and at the Hangu Pass the gatekeeper asked him to write down his wisdom before leaving. The result was the *Tao Te Ching*, a short book of 81 poetic chapters about living in harmony with the Tao, or "the Way." Historians still debate whether Lao Tzu was a single real person, but the book has become one of the most translated texts in the world. Here are 50 genuine Lao Tzu quotes from the *Tao Te Ching*.
Frequently asked questions
Quick answers about Lao Tzu and these famous quotes.
Who was Lao Tzu?
Lao Tzu (Laozi) is the legendary Chinese philosopher traditionally credited with writing the *Tao Te Ching* and founding Taoism. He is said to have lived in the 6th century BC, though historians debate whether he was a real individual.
What is the Tao Te Ching?
The *Tao Te Ching*, often translated as "The Classic of the Way and Virtue," is a short book of 81 poetic chapters, around 5,000 Chinese characters long. It teaches living simply, humbly and in harmony with the natural flow of the universe.
What does "Tao" mean?
"Tao" means "the Way." In Taoism it refers to the natural, underlying order of the universe, which cannot be fully described in words but can be followed through simplicity, humility and balance.
What is wu wei?
*Wu wei* is a key Taoist idea often translated as "non-action" or "effortless action." It doesn't mean doing nothing, but acting naturally and without force, like water flowing around obstacles.
Which popular quotes are wrongly credited to Lao Tzu?
"Watch your thoughts; they become words..." is usually traced to Frank Outlaw, and "If you are depressed you are living in the past" doesn't appear in the *Tao Te Ching*. "Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished" is a modern paraphrase rather than a line from the text.
What is the original "journey of a thousand miles" quote?
In chapter 64 of the *Tao Te Ching*, the line is often translated as "The journey of a thousand li begins with a single step" (a li is a Chinese unit of distance). A more literal reading is that it "begins beneath one's feet."