The core idea of ​​Taoism is to "equalize all things" and achieve freedom; in later generations, Taoist doctrine became the "lubricant" in China's autocratic rule for thousands of years. When talking about the most iconic cultural celebrities in China for thousands of years, the famous thinker Laozi and Li Er from the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period will definitely be on the list. The line of Taoism he founded was not only famous at that time, but even thousands of years later, it still exerts sufficient vitality and vitality to this day, influencing the spiritual and ideological life of the public. What is the core of Taoism’s proposition?

In Laozi's time, Taoism had a clear political appeal, which was to have a small country with few people. To put it bluntly, it meant returning to the inaction-based governance of the Zhou Dynasty. As time goes by, it gradually disappears into history. Later, another Taoist saint, Zhuangzi, came into being. From Zhuangzi's many works, we can see that at this time, Taoism had completely given up its political opinions due to the "general trend". Instead, they advocate personal "equality of things". The so-called equalization of things means that all things in the world are regarded as one, and there is no essential difference. Zhuangzi believes that only by adhering to this mentality can we "wander freely" and achieve great freedom.

It is difficult for us to speculate on Zhuangzi’s true thoughts; but we can indeed see an obvious color of cynicism in this thought. After the Han Dynasty, due to the strong Taoist characteristic of "acceptance and submission", it became the biggest ideological weapon for the Han Dynasty to inherit the Qin system. At this time, there was a famous "Yuan Huang Controversy", that is, the dispute between the Confucian disciple Yuan Gusheng and the Taoist disciple Huang Sheng. At this time, Taoism has become an advocacy. Although the king is unworthy, the ministers dare not disobey it. This is the knowledge of natural principles, which is completely different from Lao Tzu's original intention.

Therefore, rulers in the past dynasties would use Taoism to paralyze the people at the bottom and make them "submissive". Fuzhi, the great Confucian king of the Ming Dynasty, once made a famous conclusion, which is: "The one above is Shen Han, and the one below must be Buddha and Lao." That is to say, "Confucianism expresses the Dharma, and aids it with Tao".