The Sayings of Laozi

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Exploring the profound teachings of one of China’s most important philosophers.

China Plus


    • Jan 4, 2022 LATEST EPISODE
    • infrequent NEW EPISODES
    • 5m AVG DURATION
    • 82 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from The Sayings of Laozi

    EP81 The end of the road

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 4, 2022 7:06


    Mankind strives, explores and conflicts. These all bring destruction, according to Laozi. Follow the ways of Dao, and all shall be well, he has consistently implored us.

    EP80 Welcome to paradise

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 2, 2022 6:11


    In Laozi's dream life, we would all have a nice modest house, enough food, be peaceful, delight in simple pleasures, keep to ourselves, keep our minds free from unnecessary thoughts and concerns. Everyone is living in harmony and contentment.

    EP79 Game theory

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 31, 2021 5:45


    True resolution of conflict allows both sides to win. There's no reason for there to be a winner and a loser, as this could create further conflict down the line.

    EP78 Water power

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 29, 2021 5:50


    We know that Laozi has a love affair with water. In its manner it comes close to Dao in his thinking. The secret of water's strength is its very softness and malleability. It achieves great things through yielding, persistence and patience.

    EP77 Take from the rich and give to the poor

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 27, 2021 6:43


    Laozi believes that it's important – it's the way of Dao – to adjust the inequalities in society. The rich should use some of their wealth to help the poor. In so doing they enrich the world.

    EP76 Bend in the wind

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 25, 2021 5:19


    For hard and stiff, read impervious and intransigent. For soft and weak, read yielding and vulnerable. Life is full of movement and freshness. Trees can survive the gales if they sway in the wind.

    EP75 Watch your back

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 23, 2021 5:05


    Laozi's message – If you are a king, watch your back. If you are a subject, hold the king to account.

    EP74 Here comes the chopper to chop off your head

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 21, 2021 5:34


    Here, Laozi is saying, if you push people to the limits of their tolerance, then they no longer fear death. Your so called weapon of last resort, death, no longer works. Result: chaos.

    EP73 The net of heaven spreads far and wide

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 19, 2021 5:48


    The net of Heaven spreads far and wide. In English we sometimes say ‘the long arm of the law,' meaning punishment is inescapable.

    EP72 Beware the lord of misrule

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 17, 2021 5:02


    Laozi implores rulers to follow the ways of the Dao. Don't get too comfortable in the hot seat, he chides ... nothing is forever. You ignore the lives and livelihoods of the people at your peril.

    EP71 Into the unknown

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 15, 2021 5:22


    True wisdom is knowing that there is so much that you do not know, so much more to learn. Anyone who claims otherwise is self-defeating or misguided, or in Laozi's words, sick.

    EP70 The sage in coarse linen

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 13, 2021 5:21


    Whilst he is revered now as a great sage, there may have been few people in his day and age who actually understood enough about him to carry on the message. Like Dao however, Laozi gave his message simply and without expectation.

    EP69 There are no winners in war

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 11, 2021 5:15


    For Laozi, war and conflict is failure. To get to that point shows that both sides have moved very far away from the principal of Dao, and so there will likely be no winners.

    EP68 Fight the good fight

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 9, 2021 5:09


    On the surface it may seem as though Laozi is giving advice to warriors, but his words are just as applicable to rulers, leaders, and those in charge generally. More importantly for a good leader, Laozi suggests, is knowing how to best use the people and resources that one has.

    EP67 Examine your motives

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 7, 2021 6:23


    The key part of this verse is Laozi's focus on Compassion, Frugality and lack of Ambition – what he describes as his three treasures.

    EP66 Lead from behind

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 5, 2021 5:41


    Laozi wants to make the analogy with a sage wishing to show leadership. Not from above or in front, but below and behind… like water weaving its way through difficult terrain, through a valley.

    EP65 The perils of knowledge

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 3, 2021 6:26


    Laozi mentioned that if you overregulated the people then they would use their ingenuity to find ways to subvert your rule. So - in the spirit of Non-doing, wouldn't it be better to govern with openness, simplicity and honesty?

    EP64 A journey of a thousand miles…

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 1, 2021 6:57


    This verse contains one of the best known sayings, if not THE best known saying of Laozi, which most people in the West know as ‘A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.'

    EP63 Fools rush in

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 29, 2021 5:37


    In this verse, Laozi is warning against complacency. He would have made a pretty good project manager or life coach in the 21st century.

    EP62 Dao – the sanctuary for all things

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 27, 2021 5:38


    Let's remind ourselves that Dao is the ultimate. It is all forgiving and values everything equally – the good and the not so good. It is a sanctuary for all.

    EP61 Win-win scenarios

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 25, 2021 5:35


    In this verse, Laozi is dipping into foreign affairs. He is playing with the concept of No-Win, Zero Sum and Win-Win scenarios. This is Game Theory – millenia before it was invented.

    EP60 Cook your fish carefully

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 23, 2021 4:52


    Just as you can't be heavy handed in cooking a small fish, so too a light touch is the best way to govern a large state. Laozi invokes Dao to make the point that its natural state is non-doing, non-action.

    EP59 Everything in moderation

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 21, 2021 5:28


    This verse is about knowing how to act and when to act, also how much to act. Lead in this way, and the people will follow.

    EP58 You can lead a horse to water, but cannot make him drink

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 19, 2021 7:02


    Our philosopher has advice for anyone who would become a sage. Be sharp, but don't cut. Be pointed but don't pierce. Be outspoken, but don't offend. Lead by example, but then let your audience decide for themselves.

    EP57 The curse of desire

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 17, 2021 6:32


    In this verse our philosopher has what seems to be advice to rulers. Keep things nicely down the middle – ‘the proper norm.'

    EP56 Nothing to shout about

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 15, 2021 5:52


    Here Laozi is saying, live a simple life, and turn your back on personal gain, personal relations and social status. Be content with your progress on the journey. No need to shout about it. Nothing to see here.

    EP55 Guard your precious Qi

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 13, 2021 6:11


    Laozi warns against squandering Qi. It's almost as though he is saying that there is a limited amount in our bodies. Use it up, and you will grow old too soon and die young.

    EP54 Search for the answer within

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 11, 2021 6:38


    Laozi is saying that you don't need to look far to understand the actions of others, family, villages, states and even the way of the universe. Start by understanding yourself. Understanding starts by observing yourself.

    EP53 Ditch the bling

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 9, 2021 5:30


    Who needs all these fancy things, when you have the most wonderous thing of all – Dao.

    EP52 There is nothing new under the Sun

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 7, 2021 6:51


    There is nothing to be gained from the outside world. Do the opposite and you will be troubled by strife for all your days. Back to the essential message. Find the answer in the small… the fragile … the near at hand.

    EP51 The tree of life

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 5, 2021 5:58


    For Laozi, everything is simply in some form of process, still part of the lifecycle. See it as a vast family tree that leads all the way back from the Ten Thousand things, right back to the One.

    EP50 Don't worry, be happy

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 3, 2021 5:38


    Laozi's advice is not dissimilar to contemporary views that sometimes you make you yourself so busy that you don't have time to enjoy yourself, to truly enjoy existence.

    EP49 Teach by example

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 1, 2021 5:21


    It's the exact same process of setting aside your own needs and desires in favour of others. And if they do wrong then you forgive them. You turn the other cheek. You are teaching by example.

    EP48 Close the book, open the mind

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 30, 2021 5:01


    For Laozi there is danger in too much knowledge. It can fill up the mind, and trap you into certain beliefs and actions.

    EP47 Travel narrows the mind

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 28, 2021 4:54


    Don't confuse your mind with things that don't matter. Seek the tranquility of inner peace and knowledge. Hence – the farther you travel, the less you know.

    EP46 Enough is enough

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 26, 2021 4:08


    Laozi is returning to the concept of the triumph of need over want. It's vitally important to know when enough is enough.

    EP45 Appearances aren't everything

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 24, 2021 4:50


    Laozi says that we often have a flawed view of what we see, maybe because we choose to see things that way.

    EP44 More is less

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 22, 2021 4:56


    If you have more than you truly need, then you have more to lose. Humility and restraint are the key.

    EP43 Teaching without words

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 20, 2021 5:21


    Here Laozi is suggesting that sometimes the best course of action is to do nothing.

    EP42 One for all, and all for one

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 18, 2021 4:54


    All things stem from Dao. And everything created is connected and interdependent.

    EP41 Pulling the rug from under our feet

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 16, 2021 7:29


    Don't try to put your finger on Dao – it's not possible. Just remember that it is bountiful and leads us to everything.

    EP40 Something from nothing

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 14, 2021 4:55


    Here Laozi comes back to the concept of Non-being. Everything we see around us has a pedigree. But there was a time when something came from nothing. The cycle had to begin.

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