The Convergence of Dao Composed by Li Daochun 道德会元

The Convergence of Dao

Composed by Li Daochun.

Roughly completed in the 27th year of the Zhiyuan reign period of Emperor Shizu of the Yuan Dynasty (1290). Consisting of two volumes, it is included in the Yujue (Jade Commentary) category of the Dongshen Section of the Daozang (Daoist Canon).

In his preface, the author states: "I have added annotations to each sentence of the classic text to interpret the meaning of the scripture and verify the essentials of nurturing the spirit and cultivating qi. I have also summarized the principles at the end of each chapter to clarify the sequence of investigating the essence and tracing the origin. Furthermore, I have composed odes for each chapter to fully reveal the mechanism of enlightening the mind and perceiving the nature. As for self-cultivation, family harmony, state governance, world peace, principles and institutions, the daily practices of the common people, and the ordinary path of conduct—whether grand or trivial, extensive or subtle—nothing has been omitted". This is precisely the style and core purpose of the book, which interprets the Laozi through Confucian ethics and Chan Buddhist theories of mind and nature.