Laozi of the Grand Hall of Tai Chang Temple

This wooden statue of Laozi is 1.96 meters in total height and is gilded and painted. With a serious yet kind expression, as if preaching or meditating, opening the "door of mystery", the extraordinary tranquility of a person of great wisdom is carved to perfection. Looking at this sacred statue, one cannot but be impressed by the superb skills of the ancient art masters. Laozi, also revered by Taoism as the Supreme Elder Lord, is the founder of the Taoist school in the Pre-Qin period of China. Laozi wrote the Tao Te Ching with his supreme wisdom. It is precisely the vast capacity of this great philosopher's thoughts covering the universe, society and life, as well as the profound and extensive nature of his philosophy, that throughout history, whether it be military strategists, legalists, strategists, martial arts practitioners or astrologers, all have sought their roots and found their theoretical foundations and behavioral norms in the "Tao Te Ching". Taoism has reached the extreme in this regard, regarding the Tao Te Ching as a sacred scripture, expounding the concepts and categories of "Tao" and "De" from a religious perspective, forming its own theological principles, and on this basis, deriving and developing its doctrines and teachings. After long-term and multi-faceted deification and embellishment by Taoists, Laozi was eventually elevated from an individual and a philosopher to the supreme deity of the universe who created the world. This Laozi statue at Tai Chang Guan is of extremely high quality. Both its form and expression perfectly demonstrate the ancient traditional culture's understanding of Laozi's thoughts. It vividly presents the cosmology, outlook on life and methodology of "serenity and non-action", and is both a precious cultural relic and a beautiful work of art. It evokes endless reverie and endless aftertaste.