First, the origin of the world (ontology), the basis for the beginning and emergence of the world.

Second, the nature of the world or the reason why the world is, that is, the decisive force for the emergence of the world (the concrete reality of the world)

Thirdly, the description of the whole history of the formation, occurrence and development of the world, that is, the description of the whole history of Tao's self-generation, self-development, self-expression and self-completion, is based on itself and takes itself as its essence.

In the Spring and Autumn Period, Laozi denied the supreme position and authority of God with the concept of Tao, which was a major change in people's concept at that time. The generation and evolution of "Tao" belongs to the problem of "cosmology"; "Tao" determines the existence of all things, which is the problem of "ontology"

Extended data

1, the objectivity of Tao

Tao is objective, it is the foundation of all things, Tao is consistent with nature, it is nature. Laozi said, "Taoism is natural." "Tao is a thing, but it is dreamy and sudden, and there is something in it, which contains essence" and "Yi Xi Wei" are confused. It is tangible and intangible, with images and nothing.

Tao is real chaos, and chaos is objective and disorderly. "Nothing" and "Being" are aliases of Tao, both of which exist objectively. Tao creates and nurtures all things, and Tao is the "animal" of all things.

2. Universality of Tao

Tao is omnipotent, "the road is broad and can be controlled." Tao is like a flooded river, flowing everywhere, up and down, left and right, in all directions. Tao is everywhere. "Since ancient times, its name will not disappear." Tao is eternal. The universality of Tao determines its great inclusiveness and implication.

"Tao is in the world, and the valleys are in the rivers and seas", which can accommodate all rivers and seas, showing its universality and infinity. "Goodness is like water" and "Water is more than Tao". Water is everywhere, and Tao is everywhere.

3. The Tao goes round and round.

The movement process of Tao is cyclic. Tao is eternal, flowing and circulating. "Wisdom, wisdom, wisdom", the Tao starts from the starting point, goes further and further, reaches a certain limit and comes back. It is "independent and unchanging, and it is not dangerous to move around", and it does not decay when circulating. It always starts from the starting point and finally returns to the starting point to form a circle.

This is very similar to the circle formed by the apparent movement of the sun in one day, and it is also very similar to the cycle of a solar year. The two are isomorphic. The orientation sequence of east, west, north and south is consistent with the time sequence of spring, summer, autumn and winter. Space and time are connected, time and space are connected, and time and space are unified. Space can be known from time, and time can be known from space.

4. The unity of opposites of Tao

Tao is the unity of complex contradictions, and the biggest contradiction is the contradiction between Yin and Yang, which is similar to the contradiction between Hegel's affirmation and negation. "everything is negative and holds yang", "one yin and one yang is the Tao". Yin and Yang are the functions and attributes of Tao, and Tao is the unity of Yin and Yang. Associated with this is the contradiction between "nothing" and "being", which are aliases and incarnations of Tao.

They complement each other and transform each other. Without nothing, there would be no you, and without you, there would be no nothing. Besides, there are a series of contradictions, such as difficulty, luck, strength, rigidity, beauty and evil, good and evil, and so on. Laozi is the first master of dialectics in the history of China, and his exposition contains rich dialectics thoughts.

5. doing nothing.

Inaction is the son of Tao and the essence and embodiment of Tao. Nature does nothing, and Tao "does nothing without doing anything". It didn't do anything, but it did everything. The sky gets it and becomes clear; Get it slowly and become quiet. The thought of inaction runs through the whole article of Tao Te Ching.

Laozi transformed the natural inaction of Tao into man, demanding that man be as natural as Tao. He pointed out that "governing by doing nothing", people can do everything well as long as they adhere to the principle of doing nothing.

References:

Baidu encyclopedia-Tao