He's best known as the author
of the Tao Te Ching.
He was also the founder of philosophical Taoism as well as being revered as a deity in religous Taoism and traditional Chinese religions.
Finding these words of his, written nearly three thousand years ago made me realise nothing much has changed. That the stories of the past are the stories of the future.
Better to keep your country small
Your people few
Your devices simple
And even those for infrequent use.
Let people measure life
By the meaning of death
And not go out of their way
To visit far off places
With nowhere to travel
And little care for the display of great ships
And shining weapon become
Mere relics of the past.
Let people recover
The simple life
Reckoning by knotted cords
Delighting in a basic meal
Pleased with humble attire
Happy in their homes
Taking pleasure in their rustic ways.
So content are they
That nearby towns
So close, the sound of dogs and roosters
Forms one chorus.
Folks grown grey with age
May pass away never having strayed
Beyond their village.
Lao Tzu.
