Global Laozegetics: A Study in Globalized Philosophy

The Laozi (or Daodejing) is unique within the global transmission of ideas as the most translated philosophical work. This article confirms the proliferation of this classic (1930 translations in 94 languages) and employs the framework of Global Laozegetics to engage the diversity of interpretations included within this material. Its first section covers various early renderings in Asia and Europe, while its second section highlights how translations form interpretive lineages that transmit ideological readings, including fascist, anarchist, Marxist, and self-realizationist ones. Comprehending the complex global reception of the Laozi elucidates which versions impacted which people, including figures like Tolstoy and Heidegger.