--- title: "Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu — Read Online Free | Publica Now" description: "Read Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu free online at Publica Now — a public-domain classic, complete and free to read in your browser." canonical: "https://publica.now/creators/lao-tzu/works/tao-te-ching" --- Literary # Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu [ ![Lao Tzu](https://fls-a13cb2d7-1b3e-4883-a0bd-297afd110a11.367be3a2035528943240074d0096e0cd.r2.cloudflarestorage.com/creators/01kshvjhwg19t60kwp2x0g543m/avatars/01KY5N6JJKFZYWK72REHR3SNC8.jpg?X-Amz-Content-Sha256=UNSIGNED-PAYLOAD&X-Amz-Algorithm=AWS4-HMAC-SHA256&X-Amz-Credential=d29ce3bb571c165c97a702f29f7aee93%2F20260902%2Fauto%2Fs3%2Faws4_request&X-Amz-Date=20260902T163139Z&X-Amz-SignedHeaders=host&X-Amz-Expires=3600&X-Amz-Signature=009d4a40c1dc16e176a13ccd02c2c000e1374903cc50c533ec123ddf4790074b) Lao Tzu ](https://publica.now/creators/lao-tzu) Follow Lao Tzu (also Laozi, fl. 6th–5th century BC) is the legendary founder of Taoism and the attributed author of the Tao Te Ching, one of the most translated works in world literature. Tradition holds he... Free [ Sign in to read now ](https://publica.now/access?redirect=%2Fcreators%2Flao-tzu%2Fworks%2Ftao-te-ching) Share Link copied Format epub Rating No reviews yet ![Tao Te Ching](https://fls-a13cb2d7-1b3e-4883-a0bd-297afd110a11.367be3a2035528943240074d0096e0cd.r2.cloudflarestorage.com/works/01kshvjj0d8vzgkfqgyn318jre/cover.png?X-Amz-Content-Sha256=UNSIGNED-PAYLOAD&X-Amz-Algorithm=AWS4-HMAC-SHA256&X-Amz-Credential=d29ce3bb571c165c97a702f29f7aee93%2F20260902%2Fauto%2Fs3%2Faws4_request&X-Amz-Date=20260902T163139Z&X-Amz-SignedHeaders=host&X-Amz-Expires=3600&X-Amz-Signature=2406fc4871062e304cb15e0f2e3e9b5db0e4e25f42d4059f9da7bd9364d9d2b0) ## About this work Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu. THE TAO TEH KING, OR THE TAO AND ITS CHARACTERISTICS by Lao-Tse Translated by James Legge Contents PART 1. PART II. PART 1. Ch. 1. 1. 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. 2.… Sample ## Take a look inside THE TAO TEH KING, OR THE TAO AND ITS CHARACTERISTICS by Lao-Tse Translated by James Legge Contents PART 1. PART II. PART 1. Ch. 1. 1. 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. 2\. (Conceived of as) having no name, it is the Originator of heaven and earth; (conceived of as) having a name, it is the Mother of all things. 3\. Always without desire we must be found, If its deep mystery we would sound; But if desire always within us be, Its outer fringe is all that we shall see. 4\. Under these two aspects, it is really the same; but as development takes place, it receives the different names. Together we call them the Mystery. Where the Mystery is the deepest is the gate of all that is subtle and wonderful. 2\. 1. All in the world know the beauty of the beautiful, and in doing this they have (the idea of) what ugliness is; they all know the skill of the skilful, and in doing this they have (the idea of) what the want of skill is. 2\. So it is that existence and non-existence give birth the one to (the idea of) the other; that difficulty and ease produce the one (the idea of) the other; that length and shortness fashion out the one the figure of the other; that (the ideas of) height and lowness arise from the contrast of the one with the other; that the musical notes and tones become harmonious through the relation of one with another; and that being before and behind give the idea of one following another. 3\. Therefore the sage manages affairs without doing anything, and conveys his… [ Sign in to read now ](https://publica.now/access?redirect=%2Fcreators%2Flao-tzu%2Fworks%2Ftao-te-ching) The sample continues in the full work. 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