Lao Tzu s Outlook on Life

Lao Tzu's outlook on life accorded with his outlook on social issues and presented his dialectical outlook. From Lao Tzu's outlook on life, we could discern the rich experience in Lao Tzu. For instance, Lao Tzu said, "Man can make himself safe if he compromises; branch can make itself straight if it bends. Emptiness will turn to fullness; oldness will turn to newness. Man can obtain more if he hopes less; man can delude himself if he hopes more." (Lao Tzu, Chapter 22) Here, Lao Tzu expressed a view: One could secure himself if he made compromise. Obviously, Lao Tzu's experience or understanding was profound and discreet. He also said, "One who knows his strength corrects his weakness and remains low like gully... One who knows brightness keeps alert against darkness and views it as the rule... One who knows honor avoids shame and remains modest like valley." (Chapter 28) Lao Tzu showed his dialectical outlook on the relationship between goodness and evil, upper and lower, as well as the way of living with wisdom. Lao Tzu's thought was also embodied in other remarks, such as:

The clear road seems obscure; the road that leads to the front seems to the back; the smooth road seems rough. The lofty seems low; the honest seems dishonest; the sufficient seems deficient; the strong seems weak; the simple seems cunning; the most rectangular seems edgeless. The great mind matures slowly; the large bell sounds silent; the obvious image seems invisible. (Lao Tzu, Chapter 41)

The perfect seems flawy but cannot be exhausted; the fullest seems empty but cannot be used up; the straightest seems curved; the smartest seems clumsy; the most eloquent seems taciturn. (Chapter 45)

Meanwhile, Lao Tzu advised that people should keep an arm's length from fame, profit, wealth, and achievement. He said,

One who pursues perfectness cannot achieve; one who displays his ability publicly cannot secure himself long; one who owns wealth cannot maintain it. One who is rich and luxurious will cause disaster to himself. One who attained achievement should not claim credit. This is the Tao. (Chapter 9)

One who overvalues will pay more; one who owns excessively will lose more. One who was content with him lot will not ne shamed and who was conscious of the limit will not be endangered. This can secure him long. (Chapter 44)

One must not be overbearing and overbearing: "One who obtains success should not brag about, not show off, not display self-conceit. He ascribes the success to objective condition rather than flaunt his superiority." (Chapter 30)

One must be careful and vigilant: "One often fails in a great undertaking on the verge of success. One will not fail if he always keeps cautious." (Chapter 64)

In Lao Tzu's view, the best state for a man was to show the impression of weakness, as "One who is obstinate and strong will suffer catastrophe while one who is gentle and weak will enjoy peace... One who seems strong is in unfavorable position while one who seems weak is in favorable position." (Chapter 76) and "The law of a sage is to do but not vie." (Chapter 81)

Lao Tzu views indicated his tact, flexibility, wisdom, or even trick. In some sense, Lao Tzu's outlook on life summarized his experiences in life (including experience of him or others, direct or indirect experience, experience from the reality and the past). It was passive and dark for society but illuminating and useful for individuals who lived in a society where law was absent and despotism was rampant.