— Anonymous
Tao Te Ching was interesting to read, and I consider it a great work. The text contains the characteristics necessary to be considered a great work. My definition of a great work would be “a story that can be assimilated to any culture and time period. A story that can be slightly tweaked to fit the major themes of human life and still capable of delivering a certain message or narrative”.
A great work is a story that is relatable to the audience both within multiple cultures and different time periods. A story worth re-telling and printing so future generations could examine them. Tao Te Ching stories have stood the test of time and remain a relevant topic for modern discussion. The text covers many aspects of human life that are still relevant today. Topics of leadership, health and a higher being resonate within cultures and different time periods.
Lastly, is the story flexible enough to deliver a certain message or narrative? Tao Te Ching stories are written with enough ambiguity to foster constructive discussion. This gives the text flexibility for analysis and discord among different ideas and thoughts. Every reader will have their perspective on what the “Tao” is and what it could possibly mean. Also, the other themes of health and leadership is written where the reader can formulate their own context and ideology. This flexibility gives the text the characteristics necessary to be considered a great work.
Lao Tzu’s, Tao Te Ching poems contain both breadth and width regarding relatable themes that are still relevant today. The unique writing style is abstract, allowing it to deliver a unique message. These two factors make the poems a “great work”.
