fl. 6th century BC (traditional) · Chinese sage · reputed author of the Tao Te Ching
Lao Tzu (“Old Master”) is the semi-legendary figure traditionally credited with the Tao Te Ching, the foundational text of Taoism, though many scholars doubt he was a single historical person. His genuine themes — wu wei (effortless action), humility, and the ineffable Tao — make his name a magnet for modern feel-good aphorisms he never wrote. As translator Stefan Stenudd notes, sayings that praise “love” sit oddly against the actual text, which insists Heaven and Earth are impartial rather than kind.