In the past, Emperor Zhuanxu was fifteen when he assisted the Yellow Emperor and twenty when he ruled over the world. When he ruled the world, he followed the way of the Yellow Emperor from above and practiced it; he studied the way of the Yellow Emperor and made it a constant.

In the past, Emperor Di Ku was fifteen when he assisted Emperor Zhuanxu and thirty when he ruled over the world. When he ruled the world, he traced back to the way of the Yellow Emperor above and clarified it; he studied Emperor Zhuanxu's way and practiced it.

This pattern of governance through faithful transmission is the heart of Huang-Lao Taoism — the political philosophy that traces all legitimate rule back to the Yellow Emperor's Dao. Each successor does not replace the Way but deepens it, embodying the living tradition of Huang-Lao governance that defines Taoist political thought across dynasties.

For Laozi, the sage ruler does not impose his own will but aligns with the eternal pattern — just as Zhuanxu and Di Ku aligned with the Yellow Emperor's example, reflecting the origin and development of Taoism as a tradition of living transmission.

Primary sources include the Shoushanige Congshu edition, the Mohaijinju edition, and the Zhengtong Daozang (Taoist Canon) edition.