The Syncretic Commentary on Dao De Jing 道德真经传

Composed by Lü Huizhi of the Northern Song Dynasty.

Consisting of four volumes—sometimes cataloged as two volumes—it is included in the Yujue (Jade Commentary) category of the Dongshen Section of the Daozang (Daoist Canon).

The commentary cross-references Confucian and Taoist doctrines to expound on the principles of self-cultivation and state governance. It regards the Dao as the foundation of emperors and kings; to uphold the Dao in engaging with the world is to "transcend both good and evil, and attain the ultimate unity of emptiness and tranquility". It also interprets the Laozi’s concept of "upholding the middle" through the Book of Documents’s teaching of "upholding purity and singularity, and sincerely grasping the middle way" regarding the human mind and the Daoist mind. The commentary argues that the ancient era is too distant to fully restore its governance; the essential approach is to understand the essence of rituals and music, and adapt to the realities of the current age—"one is compelled to act in that manner by circumstances, yet desires to return to the root and revert to the origin in this way". The core tenet of the entire work lies in using Confucianism to engage with the world, while taking Taoism as the ultimate destination.