A New Explanation of the Order of Parts in the Laozi

EDITOR’S ABSTRACT This paper argues that we cannot determine with certainty the sequence of the two parts of the Laozi text: “Way” (Dao) and “Virtue” (De). These two parts (pian) were originally written independently by Lao Zi and in an uncertain chronological order. They originally circulated separately, and were later combined differently by various editors. Thus emerged the two Laozi versions: The one with “Way” preceding “Virtue” has dominated the transmission; the alternative order can be retrieved from recently discovered sources such as the Mawangdui Silk Manuscripts and Han Bamboo Slips.