Taiyi: The Axis of Philosophy of the Laozi

Abstract

Taiyi 太一, the void and dark central region of the celestial sphere, carries symbolic implications that resonate with the essence of ultimate reality in the philosophical framework of the Laozi 老子. It assumes a metaphorical representation of the ultimate reality and its movement pattern, serving as the axis from which the fundamental concepts and principal branches of this philosophy unfurl. The concept of Taiyi exerts a profound and far-reaching impact on the philosophical discourse of the Laozi. It assumes the mantle of a signifier for the ultimate reality within the philosophical framework of the Laozi, while its dynamic motion patterns imbue the cosmological principles of this philosophy. On a pragmatic level, Taiyi unveils profound and nuanced insights into human nature and the epistemology expounded by the Laozi.