The Four Cardinal Virtues, According to Lao-Tzu

  Lao-Tzu was the author of the famous Tao Te Ching, the masterpiece of Taoism. In fact, he was considered to be the founder of this current of Eastern thought. This great philosopher wanted to synthesize a good part of his teaching in what he called the four cardinal virtues. They correspond to the axes of what, in his opinion, was a harmonious and meaningful life. Lao-Tzu, whose name means ‘old teacher’, propagated a doctrine in which the ultimate goal was to achieve harmony, both within yourself and in relation to everything that exists in the universe. The four cardinal…