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作为一个宗教人物形象时，他被冠以“至尊老爷”、“太守郎”、“三圣”之一等称号。在唐朝，他还被授予“至高无上的神秘而原始的皇帝”的称号。

作为一个宗教人物形象时，他被冠以“至尊老爷”、“太守郎”、“三圣”之一等称号。在唐朝，他还被授予“至高无上的神秘而原始的皇帝”的称号。

==历史观点==

==历代观点==

In the mid-twentieth century, a consensus emerged among scholars that the [[historicity]] of the person known as Laozi is doubtful and that the ''Tao Te Ching'' was "a compilation of Taoist sayings by many hands".<ref>{{Harvtxt|Watson|1968|p=8}}</ref>  

In the mid-twentieth century, a consensus emerged among scholars that the [[historicity]] of the person known as Laozi is doubtful and that the ''Tao Te Ching'' was "a compilation of Taoist sayings by many hands".<ref>{{Harvtxt|Watson|1968|p=8}}</ref>  

The earliest certain reference to the present figure of Laozi is found in the 1st‑century&nbsp;BC ''[[Records of the Grand Historian]]'' collected by the historian [[Sima Qian]] from earlier accounts. In one account, Laozi was said to be a contemporary of [[Confucius]] during the 6th or 5th&nbsp;century&nbsp;BC. His [[Chinese surname#Shi|surname]] was [[Li (surname 李)|Li]] and his personal name was Er or Dan. He was an official in the imperial archives and wrote a book in two parts before departing to the west. In another, Laozi was a different contemporary of [[Confucius]] titled Lao Laizi {{nowrap|({{lang|zh|{{linktext|老|莱|子}}}})}} and wrote a book in 15 parts. In a third, he was the court astrologer Lao Dan who lived during the 4th century&nbsp;BC reign of [[list of dukes of Qin|Duke]] [[Duke Xian of Qin (424–362 BC)|Xian]] of the [[state of Qin|Qin Dynasty]].<ref>{{Harvtxt|Fowler|2005|p=96}}</ref><ref>{{Harvtxt|Robinet|1997|p=26}}</ref> The oldest text of the ''Tao Te Ching'' so far recovered was part of the [[Guodian Chu Slips]]. It was written on [[bamboo slips]], and dates to the late 4th&nbsp;century&nbsp;BC.<ref name="stanford">{{cite encyclopedia |title=Laozi |url=http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/laozi/ |encyclopedia=[[Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy]] |publisher=Stanford University|year=2018 |quote=The discovery of two ''Laozi'' silk manuscripts at Mawangdui, near Changsha, Hunan province in 1973 marks an important milestone in modern ''Laozi'' research. The manuscripts, identified simply as 'A' (jia) and 'B' (yi), were found in a tomb that was sealed in 168 BC. The texts themselves can be dated earlier, the 'A' manuscript being the older of the two, copied in all likelihood before 195 BC.<br/><br/>"Until recently, the Mawangdui manuscripts have held the pride of place as the oldest extant manuscripts of the ''Laozi''. In late 1993, the excavation of a tomb (identified as M1) in [[Guodian, Jingmen|Guodian]], Jingmen city, [[Hubei]], has yielded among other things some 800 bamboo slips, of which 730 are inscribed, containing over 13,000 Chinese characters. Some of these, amounting to about 2,000 characters, match the ''Laozi''. The tomb...is dated around 300 BC.}}</ref>

The earliest certain reference to the present figure of Laozi is found in the 1st‑century&nbsp;BC ''[[Records of the Grand Historian]]'' collected by the historian [[Sima Qian]] from earlier accounts. In one account, Laozi was said to be a contemporary of [[Confucius]] during the 6th or 5th&nbsp;century&nbsp;BC. His [[Chinese surname#Shi|surname]] was [[Li (surname 李)|Li]] and his personal name was Er or Dan. He was an official in the imperial archives and wrote a book in two parts before departing to the west. In another, Laozi was a different contemporary of [[Confucius]] titled Lao Laizi {{nowrap|({{lang|zh|{{linktext|老|莱|子}}}})}} and wrote a book in 15 parts. In a third, he was the court astrologer Lao Dan who lived during the 4th century&nbsp;BC reign of [[list of dukes of Qin|Duke]] [[Duke Xian of Qin (424–362 BC)|Xian]] of the [[state of Qin|Qin Dynasty]].<ref>{{Harvtxt|Fowler|2005|p=96}}</ref><ref>{{Harvtxt|Robinet|1997|p=26}}</ref> The oldest text of the ''Tao Te Ching'' so far recovered was part of the [[Guodian Chu Slips]]. It was written on [[bamboo slips]], and dates to the late 4th&nbsp;century&nbsp;BC.<ref name="stanford">{{cite encyclopedia |title=Laozi |url=http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/laozi/ |encyclopedia=[[Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy]] |publisher=Stanford University|year=2018 |quote=The discovery of two ''Laozi'' silk manuscripts at Mawangdui, near Changsha, Hunan province in 1973 marks an important milestone in modern ''Laozi'' research. The manuscripts, identified simply as 'A' (jia) and 'B' (yi), were found in a tomb that was sealed in 168 BC. The texts themselves can be dated earlier, the 'A' manuscript being the older of the two, copied in all likelihood before 195 BC.<br/><br/>"Until recently, the Mawangdui manuscripts have held the pride of place as the oldest extant manuscripts of the ''Laozi''. In late 1993, the excavation of a tomb (identified as M1) in [[Guodian, Jingmen|Guodian]], Jingmen city, [[Hubei]], has yielded among other things some 800 bamboo slips, of which 730 are inscribed, containing over 13,000 Chinese characters. Some of these, amounting to about 2,000 characters, match the ''Laozi''. The tomb...is dated around 300 BC.}}</ref>

According to traditional accounts, Laozi was a scholar who worked as the Keeper of the Archives for the royal court of Zhou. This reportedly allowed him broad access to the works of the Yellow Emperor and other classics of the time. The stories assert that Laozi never opened a formal school but nonetheless attracted a large number of students and loyal disciples. There are many variations of a story retelling his encounter with Confucius, most famously in the Zhuangzi.

According to traditional accounts, Laozi was a scholar who worked as the Keeper of the Archives for the royal court of Zhou. This reportedly allowed him broad access to the works of the Yellow Emperor and other classics of the time. The stories assert that Laozi never opened a formal school but nonetheless attracted a large number of students and loyal disciples. There are many variations of a story retelling his encounter with Confucius, most famously in the Zhuangzi.

根据记载，老子是一位学者，曾为周朝的档案管理员。据记载，这使他能够广泛接触黄帝的作品和其他当时的经典作品。在这些故事中，老子从未开设过正规学校，但仍然吸引了大批学生和忠实的徒弟。讲述他与孔子相遇的故事有很多，最著名的是《庄子》。

根据记载，老子是一位学者，曾为周朝的档案管理员。据记载，这使他能够广泛接触黄帝的作品和其他当时的经典作品。在这些故事中，老子从未开设过正规学校，但仍然吸引了大批学生和忠实的徒弟。讲述他与孔子相遇的故事有很多，最著名的是《庄子》。

道家神话中，老子是在他母亲凝视一颗流星的时候怀上的。据说，他在母亲的子宫里待了62年，然后出生了，生下老子时他的母亲正靠在一棵李子树上。据说老子长成了一个成年人后，满脸灰白的胡须，长长的耳垂，既象征着智慧，又象征着长寿。还有一些神话传说，老子是伏羲的化身，是伏羲13次重生的最后一次，他活了九百九十年，用他的一生旅行来揭示道。

道家神话中，老子是在他母亲凝视一颗流星的时候怀上的。据说，他在母亲的子宫里待了62年，然后出生了，生下老子时他的母亲正靠在一棵李子树上。据说老子长成了一个成年人后，满脸灰白的胡须，长长的耳垂，既象征着智慧，又象征着长寿。还有一些神话传说，老子是伏羲的化身，是伏羲13次重生的最后一次，他活了九百九十年，用他的一生旅行来揭示道。

==道德经==

==道德经==