Rethinking Education through the Dao De Jing

Among the many classic works in Chinese history, The Book of Rites, The Great Learning, and The Analects are rich with educational wisdom:

"When the Great Dao prevails, the world belongs to all."
"The way of great learning lies in manifesting one's luminous virtue."
"From the emperor to the commoner, self-cultivation is the foundation of everything."
"Aspire to the Dao, rely on virtue, abide by benevolence, and delight in the arts."

Throughout the ancient sages’ reflections on education, one theme stands above all: Dao.
It is the very heart of Chinese wisdom, unveiled most profoundly in Laozi’s Dao De Jing.

This timeless text has long been revered not only as a guide for governance, health, self-cultivation, and military strategy but also as a foundational work for navigating the challenges of any era.
In both China and the world, the Dao De Jing represents the pinnacle of human civilization's wisdom.
Philosopher Karl Jaspers, in The Origin and Goal of History, identified the age of Laozi and Confucius as part of the "Axial Age" — a period when human thought leaped forward:

"Humanity has lived ever since by what happened during the Axial Age. Every great renewal looks back to this time and draws new fire from it. The awakening or return to Axial Age potentials has always provided spiritual energy."

Today, dissatisfaction and reflection on education are common across the world.
Everywhere, similar core questions emerge:

• What has gone wrong with education?

• How should education be positioned within society?

• What is the true connection between education, social structure, and moral standards?

Identifying the problems is easy. Finding solutions, however, is another matter.
Despite countless conferences and reports, debates often spiral into confusion, with no clear path forward.

In this moment of global uncertainty, the revival of Chinese civilization presents a historic opportunity — a chance to also revive the educational spirit of ancient China.
The Dao De Jing, second only to the Bible in worldwide circulation, continues to inspire across cultures.
Ban Ki-moon, former Secretary-General of the United Nations, cited the Dao De Jing's “Way of the Sage” during his second oath of office, crediting it as a source of his wisdom.
The New York Times also once ranked the Dao De Jing as the foremost among the world's ten greatest books.

Looking back to the Axial Age and reawakening its hidden potential offers a profound way to rethink education today.
By rediscovering Laozi’s vision, we can find the spiritual energy needed for a meaningful renewal of education.

Grasping the Educational Wisdom of the Dao De Jing

To understand the Dao De Jing from an educational perspective, we must first comprehend its vision of Dao and its dialectical wisdom of "non-action" (wu wei).

Laozi is the true ancestor of dialectical thinking.
His wisdom, when applied across fields, always reveals the subtle art of balance and transformation — precisely what today’s rigid and one-size-fits-all education systems desperately need.

Before diving into specific interpretations of the Dao De Jing, it’s necessary to translate its ancient concepts into the language of education:

• Dao can be understood as the ultimate principle and truth in education.

• The Sage parallels the educator.

• The people (min) correspond to the learners.

Consider this passage:

"The Sage does nothing, and the people transform themselves.
I value stillness, and the people become upright.
I do not intervene, and the people prosper.
I have no desires, and the people return to simplicity."

Here, Laozi paints an ideal relationship between educator and learner: transformation through non-coercive influence, guidance through example rather than control.

Connecting eternal truths to education, and translating abstract principles into concrete concepts, is the first essential step in reading the Dao De Jing as an educational text.
Once this bridge is built, we can dive deeper into its treasures — and seek the True Way of education.