What if everything you think Laozi said… isn’t actually in the Daodejing?
“Every human being’s essential nature is perfect and faultless, but after years of immersion in the world, we easily forget our roots and take on a counterfeit nature.” That’s a quote from Laozi, author of the Daodejing, right? (No.)
What about “being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage.” Surely a common quote on the Internet must be true. (Double no.)
What did Laozi talk about then? Did he even really exist? Come with us as we discuss the authorship, history, and main themes of the Daodejing while debunking some popular (mis)quotes in “The Absolutely True Story of a Fake Philosopher: Laozi and the Daodejing.”
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Your Instructor
Jennifer J. Bussio
Jennifer J. Bussio holds a doctorate in East Asian Languages and Civilizations (Chinese) from Arizona State University with a focus on Chinese history and religion. Her research examines how Chinese religions, particularly Daoism, responded to the political and social turmoil caused by war and foreign conquest during the fourth through fourteenth centuries. Since 2018, she has taught history courses at a large, private university in the U.S.
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