道祖姓李名耳，谥聘。周楚苦县濑乡曲仁里人。母怀孕八十二年，生而白首故称老子，周时为守藏史。通礼乐。盛德犹龙。孔子师之，学以自隐，无名为务。周昭王二十三年。驾青牛。过函谷关。至关令尹喜曰：“子将隐疾。强为我着书”于是着道德经上下篇。共五千言。乃玄莫知其所终本不以宗教各。自东汉张道陵以符禄禁咒之法行世，乃有道教教民之立奉老聘为教祖。其哲火包括儒释之精髓。而道者，乃其所称谓一定之理，犹道路为人所曲也其旨惟[抱一]，抱一者惟何?即德念，德化，德行之德耳!其道非他，乃道本于道，非德则非道，无德则无道：故道德经上下二篇，为后世宣扬德教者之楷模。唐德宗时。柳师浑。倡明德教，尊崇老子为教祖，而奉行教化普及人间。------------------------------------------------------------
Laozi was a native of Chu State. His surname was "Li" and his given name was "Er". He lived during the Zhou dynasty (ca. 11th century BC - 256 BC), and acted as the head of the state library. It was said that after consulting Laozi about etiquette, Confucius (551 - 479 B.C.E) likened him to a "Dragon". Laozi learning was devoted to self-effacement and not having fame. After witnessing the decline of Zhou, Laozi departed on an oxen to travel westward. In response to a request from Yinxi, a guardian of the Western Pass, Laozi wrote a book in two sections dealing with Dao: the Book of Dao and its Virtue (Dao De Jing). In later times, this book became the most important scripture of religious Daoism. Religious Daoism regards Laozi as its founder; accordingly, he is revered as the "Supreme Venerable Sovereign (Tai Shang Lao Jun)'.
