Scripture of the Conversion of the Barbarians
Daoist traditions portray Laozi travelling west and teaching foreign peoples. The polemical narrative places his figure in exchanges and rivalries between Daoism and Buddhism.
Understanding the text
Transmitted in fragmentary and revised forms, this scripture belongs to a later religious history. It is not an authenticated work by the ancient philosopher.
Key points
- 01
The journey
Travel west becomes a way of narrating the spread of a teaching.
- 02
Controversy
The account answers institutional and religious debates rather than supplying verified biography.
- 03
Transmission
Fragments and modern reconstructions do not establish a single recoverable original book.
How to read it
Distinguish surviving historical accounts from modern versions whose provenance needs examination.
Editions & sources
Summaries and key points are original editorial interpretations. They accompany reading the work and do not replace an edition of the text. Editorial method ↗