The meeting of Confucius and Lao-tzu, as recounted in various historical and philosophical texts, symbolizes the encounter between two distinct yet profoundly influential philosophical traditions: Confucianism and Taoism.
This story takes place at the Court of Chou, where Lao-tzu, serving as the court librarian, reprimands Confucius for his adherence to rigid social norms and self-serving behaviors. This moment highlights the fundamental divergence between Confucian emphasis on societal roles and moral rectitude, and the Taoist embrace of natural spontaneity and the ineffable Tao.
Confucius's reflection on this encounter reveals a profound acknowledgment of Lao-tzu's wisdom and the mystical nature of Taoist understanding.
The metaphor of the dragon illustrates Lao-tzu's transcendence of ordinary human limitations. Birds, fish, and animals represent beings confined to their respective elements and vulnerable to human ingenuity. In contrast, the dragon, a creature of myth and majesty, transcends earthly confines, embodying a mystical wisdom that cannot be captured or constrained by conventional means.
This story subtly alludes to the shamanic origins of Taoism. The dragon's ascent to heaven symbolizes the shaman's journey into the spiritual realms, a practice rooted in ancient rituals and beliefs.
The dragon, akin to the Feathered Serpent of Mesoamerican mythology, unites terrestrial and celestial attributes—scales and wings—signifying the shaman's ability to traverse different planes of existence. The scales represent transformation and rebirth, akin to the snake shedding its skin, while the wings or feathers denote the freedom and transcendence of spiritual flight.
In the twilight of antiquity, where wisdom dwelt in silence and nature whispered secrets to those who could listen, there occurred a meeting that rippled through the ages. Confucius, the sage of the known, the master of the measured step and the harmonized society, came to the Court of Chou, drawn by the lure of an ancient librarian's renown. Lao-tzu, the keeper of the timeless scrolls, awaited him, his presence as unobtrusive as the flow of water, yet as profound as the abyss.
Confucius approached with the gravitas befitting his stature, his mind a library of rites and proprieties. He bowed and presented his questions, seeking guidance, seeking affirmation. Yet, in Lao-tzu's eyes, he found neither approval nor reproach, but a depth that mirrored the boundless sky.
"Your ways," said Lao-tzu, his voice as soft as a breeze yet piercing as an arrow, "are bound by the visible, the tangible. You shape the uncarved block into forms and structures, forgetting that the true essence lies in its untouched potential."
Scolded thus, Confucius felt a tremor in his being, a crack in the polished façade of his certainty. He left the court, his thoughts a tempest of humility and awe. To his disciples, he confessed:
"I know that birds can fly, fish can swim, and animals run. For those that run, a net may be set, for those that swim, a line cast, and for those that fly, an arrow set free. But a dragon’s ascent to heaven walks the wind and swims through clouds, and I know of no way to trap him. Today I have met Lao-tzu, who is both man and dragon."
The dragon, in its majestic ascent, speaks to the ancient soul of Taoism. It is the shaman's journey, the flight of spirit beyond the mundane, the shedding of old skins for new truths. Like the Feathered Serpent of distant lands, it embodies a harmony of opposites, a unity of earth and sky.
Its scales, like the serpent’s, hint at transformation, a rebirth into deeper understandings. Its wings, like the bird’s, symbolize the liberation of the spirit, the unbounded exploration of the cosmos.
In this tale, we glimpse the roots of rituals that sought to bridge the seen and unseen, the tangible and the mystical. The dragon's flight is a testament to the shaman’s path, a dance between worlds, a reminder that true wisdom often lies beyond the grasp of structured thought and rigid dogma.
So, let us ponder this ancient meeting, this clash and confluence of minds. Let us remember that while the ways of society and the codes of conduct have their place, there exists a deeper current, a Tao that flows beyond words and forms.
In acknowledging the dragon, in embracing the mystery, we honor the timeless dance of the spirit, the eternal quest for harmony with the universe.
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Wow! Thank you so much for sharing this story 🐉 A good reminder that I need to brush up on my Taoist texts.
Once, I was in a shamanic journey, where I found a pool of clear water in the forest. I dove in, and at the bottom I found a Golden Egg.
I knew it was mine.
I grabbed it, feeling its warmth, and resurfaced, to find my spirit guide, a Golden Dragon waiting for me at the top of the waterfall.
The Dragon told me:
You are the Egg AND the Dragon, because your essence is not bound by time. In any moment, you can choose which to be: the nourished and protected Egg or the wise and powerful Dragon.
I asked: What does it mean to be a Dragon?
The Dragon said:
To be a Dragon is to have the powers of any and all forms. The greatest strengths of any animal. Every shape is available to you whenever you call upon them.