The stone tablet in the temple of Laozi. By Hsieh Tao-Hang of the Sui Dynasty

A
1:
After the Thai Ki (or Primal Ether) commenced its action, the earliest period of 
time began to be unfolded.

The curtain of the sky was displayed, and the sun and moon were suspended in it; 
the four-cornered earth was established, and the mountains and streams found 
their places in it. Then the subtle influences (of the Ether) operated like the 
heaving of the breath, now subsiding and again expanding; the work of production 
went on in its seasons above and below; all things were formed as from 
materials, and were matured and maintained. There were the (multitudes of the) 
people; there were their rulers and superiors.


2:
As to the august sovereigns of the highest antiquity, living as in nests on 
trees in summer, and in caves in winter, silently and spirit-like they exercised 
their wisdom. Dwelling like quails, and drinking (the rain and dew) like newly-
hatched birds, they had their great ceremonies like the great terms of heaven 
and earth, not requiring to be regulated by the dishes and stands; and (also) 
their great music corresponding to the common harmonies of heaven and earth, not 
needing the guidance of bells and drums.


3:
By and by there came the loss of the Dao, when its Characteristics took its 
place. They in their turn were lost, and then came Benevolence. Under the 
Sovereigns and Kings that followed, now more slowly and anon more rapidly, the 
manners of the people, from being good and simple, became bad and mean. 
Thereupon came the Literati and the Mohists with their confused contentions; 
names and rules were everywhere diffused. The 300 rules of ceremony could not 
control men's natures; the 3000 rules of punishment were not sufficient to put a 
stop to their treacherous villanies. But he who knows how to cleanse the current 
of a stream begins by clearing out its source, and he who would straighten the 
end of a process must commence with making its beginning correct. Is not the 
Great Dao the Grand Source and the Grand Origin of all things?


4:
The Master Lao was conceived under the influence of a star. Whence he received 
the breath (of life) we cannot fathom, but he pointed to the (pllum-) tree 
(under which he was born), and adopted it as his surname; we do not understand 
whence came the musical sounds (that were heard), but he kept his marvellous 
powers concealed in the womb for more than seventy years. When he was born, the 
hair on his head was already white, and he took the designation of 'The Old Boy' 
(or Laozi). In his person, three gateways and two (bony) pillars formed the 
distinctive marks of his ears and eyes; two of the symbols for five, and ten 
brilliant marks were left by the wonderful tread of his feet and the grasp of 
his hands. From the time of Fu-hsi down to that of the Kau dynasty, in 
uninterrupted succession, dynasty after dynasty, his person appeared, but with 
changed names. In the times of kings Wan and Wu he discharged the duties, 
(first), of Curator of the Royal Library, and (next), of the Recorder under the 
Pillar. Later on in that dynasty he filled different offices, but did not change 
his appearance. As soon as Hsuan Ni saw him, he sighed over him as 'the
Dragon,' whose powers are difficult to be known. Yin (Hsi), keeper of the 
(frontier) gate, keeping his eyes directed to every quarter, recognised 'the 
True Man' as he was hastening into retirement. (By Yin Hsi he was prevailed on) 
to put forth his extraordinary ability, and write his Book in two Parts,-to lead 
the nature (of man) back to the Dao, and celebrating the usefulness of 'doing 
nothing.'

The style of it is very condensed, and its reasoning deep and far-reaching, The 
hexagram which is made up of the 'dragons on the wing' is not to be compared 
with it in exquisite subtlety. (The Zo Kwan) which ends with the capture of the 
Lin, does not match it in its brightness and obscurity. If employed to regulate 
the person, the spirit becomes clear and the will is still. If employed to 
govern the state, the people return to simplicity, and become sincere and good. 
When one goes on to refine his body in accordance with it, the traces of 
material things are rolled away from it; in rainbow-hued robes and mounted on a 
stork he goes forwards and backwards to the purple palace; on its juice of gold 
and wine of jade he feasts in the beautiful and pure capital. He is lustrous as 
the sun and moon; his ending and beginning are those of heaven and earth. He who 
crosses its stream, drives away the dust and noise of the world; he who finds 
its gate, mounts prancing up on the misty clouds. it is not for the ephemeral 
fly to know the fading and luxuriance of the Ta-khun, or for a Fang-i to fathom 
the depth of an Arm of the sea. Vast indeed (is the Dao)! Words are not 
sufficient to describe its excellence and powers!


5:
Kwang Kau tells us, that, 'when Lao Tan died, Khin Shih went to condole (with 
his son), but after crying out three times, at once left the house.'

This was what is called the punishment for his neglecting his Heaven (-implanted 
nature), and although it appears as one of the metaphorical illustrations of the 
supercilious officer, yet there is some little indication in the passage of the 
reappearance of the snake after casting its exuviae.


B: The inscription
The inscription occupies not less than 352 characters in 88 lines, each of four 
characters. The lines are arranged in what we may call eleven stanzas of equal 
length. The second, fourth, sixth, and eighth lines of each rhyming together.
There is a good deal of art in the metrical composition.


1
Back in the depths of ancient time;
Remote, before the Tis began;
Four equal sides defined the earth,
And pillars eight the heaven sustained.
All living things in classes came,
The valleys wide, and mighty streams.
The Perfect Dao, with movement wise,
Unseen, its work did naturally.

2
Its power the elements all felt;
The incipient germs of things appeared.
Shepherd and Lord established were,
And in their hands the ivory bonds.[1]
The Tis must blush before the Hwangs;
The Wangs must blush before the Tis.
More distant grew Dao's highest gifts,
And simple ways more rare became.

3
The still placidity was gone,
And all the old harmonious ways.
Men talents prized, and varnished wit;
The laws displayed proved but a net.
Wine-cups and stands the board adorned,
And shields and spears the country filled.
The close-meshed nets the fishes scared:
And numerous bows the birds alarmed.

4
Then did the True Man get his birth,
As 'neath the Bear the star shone down.
All dragon gifts his person graced;
Like the stork's plumage was his hair.
The complicated he resolved, the sharp made blunt,
The mean rejected, and the generous chose;
In brightness like the sun and moon,
And lasting as the heaven and earth.

5
Small to him seemed the mountains five,
And narrow seemed the regions nine;
About he went with lofty tread,
And in short time he rambled far.
In carriage by black oxen drawn,
Around the purple air was bright.
Grottoes then oped to him their sombre gates,
And thence, unseen, his spirit power flowed forth.

6
The village near the stream of Ko [2]
Traces of him will still retain;
But now, as in the days of old,
With changed times the world is changed.
His stately temple fell to ruin
His altar empty was and still;
By the nine wells dryandras grew,
And the twin tablets were but heaps of stone.

7
But when our emperor was called to rule,
All spirit-like and sage was he.
Earth's bells reverberated loud,
And light fell on the heavenly mirror down.
The universe in brightness shone,
And portents all were swept away;
(All souls), or bright or dark, revered,
And spirits came to take from him their law.

8
From desert sands and where the great trees grow,
From phoenix caves, and from the dragon woods,
All different creatures came sincere;
Men of all regions gave their hearts to him.
Their largest vessels brought their gifts,
And kings their rarest things described;
Black clouds a thousand notes sent forth;
And in the fragrant winds were citherns heard.

9
Through his transforming power, the tripods were made sure;
And families became polite and courteous.
Ever kept he in mind (the sage) beneath the Pillar,
Still emulous of the sovereigns most ancient.
So has he built this pure temple,
And planned its stately structure;
Pleasant, with hills and meadows around,
And lofty pavilion with its distant prospect.

10
Its beams are of plum-tree, its ridge-pole of cassia;
A balustrade winds round it; many are its pillars;
About them spreads and rolls the fragrant smoke;
Cool and pure are the breezes and mists.
The Immortal officers come to their places;
The Plumaged guests are found in its court,
Numerous and at their ease,
They send down blessing, bright and efficacious.

11
Most spirit-like, unfathomable,
(Dao's) principles abide, with their symbolism attached.
Loud is its note, but never sound emits,
Yet always it awakes the highest echoes.
From far and near men praise It;
In the shades, and in the realms of light, they look up for its aid;
Reverently have we graven and gilt this stone
And made our lasting proclamation thereby to heaven and earth.


Notes
[1]'Bonds' with written characters on them superseded the 'knotted cords' of the 
primitive age. That the material of the bonds should be, as here represented, 
slips of ivory, would seem to anticipate the progress of society.


[2] The Ko is a river flowing from Ho-nan into An-hui, and falling into the 
Hwai, not far from the district city of Hwai-yuan. it enters the one province 
from the other in the small department of Po, in which, according to a Chinese 
map in my possession, Laozi was born. The Khang-hsi Thesaurus also ... the 
temple of his mother was ... at a bend in the Ko.