Where is Lao Zi from? At present, there are two mainstream theories, Lu Yi Theory and Yang Guo Theory. Mr. Ni Jinsong from Anhui wrote in your magazine that Lao Zi is from Luyi, Henan, not Yang Guo, Anhui. I can't agree with this. This manuscript is specially written for your magazine.
First, the culture of Laozi and Zhuangzi is Chu culture, and Lu Yi in the era of Laozi and Zhuangzi does not belong to Chu.
The theory of Lu Yi in Henan Province has probably become the main theory since the Qing Dynasty: Emperor Song Zhenzong once erected a monument in Taiqing Palace in Lu Yi, Henan Province, praising Laozi's mother. Although I didn't mention Laozi's hometown, I can definitely say that Lu Yi is indeed a very important religious and cultural memorial of Taoism in China. In modern times, before 1990, the theory of Lu Yi, Laozi's hometown, was uncontroversial.
After 1990, relevant parties in Anhui Province and some cultural circles in Guoyang County obtained a large number of documents and physical materials on the study of Laozi's hometown through searching historical materials, local cultural relics archaeology and field excavation. They confirmed that Lao Zi was Ren Xiang in the Spring and Autumn Period and Song Dynasty, and was born in the site of Meteor Garden in Taiqing Palace, Zhabei Town, Guoyang County today. From then on, the dispute over Lao Tzu's hometown began.
Laozi and Zhuangzi are important figures in the ancient ideological and cultural history of China, and their Taoism, like Confucianism, is the spiritual pillar in the history of our Chinese nation. The source of Taoist thought and culture, I think, is related to historical and cultural regions, just like Confucianism.
It is Sima Qian's Biography of Lao Fei that clearly records Lao Zi's native place: "Lao Zi is also from Qurenli, Chuku County." Unlocking Lao Tzu's native place starts here. It is very important to explore where "Chuku County" is.
Historical Records of Justice clearly records that Ku County is close to Pengcheng, and at the same time quotes Ku Di Zhi as saying: "Ku County is at the boundary of Guyang County in Bozhou, and there are nine wells in the temple, which is also in zhenyuan county, Bozhou today." Where is Guyang County in Bozhou? Is it in Lu Yi? Guyang must have something to do with valley water. There is no valley water in Lu Yi, and the valley water has entered the whirlpool of Yang Guo today.
Laozi's birthplace has its geographical characteristics:
In the eighth year of Yan Xi (A.D. 165), Emperor Huan of the Han Dynasty used to visit Shiba and pay homage to Laozi. Bian Shao's "Laozi Monument" said: "Laozi is also a native of Chuxiang County. Xiang county is empty and barren, and now it is miserable, so the old city still exists. It is in the east of Lai Xiang, and the whirlpool is in the sun. "
At the beginning of the 6th century AD, the Notes on Water Classics written by Li Daoyuan in the Northern Wei Dynasty also described the geographical features of Laozi Temple: "Vortex water bends to the northeast, and valley water is injected into it", and "Valley water flows into the east from here. The vortex is north, crossing the east of Laozi Temple. " "Confucius Temple ... laojunmiao on the north side, there are nine wells in the East Temple. To the north, on the side of the whirlpool, there is the Li Mother Temple, which is located in the north of the Laozi Temple. There is mother Li's tomb in front of the temple, and a monument erected in Changsha in the first year of Yongxing in the east. Yun Bei: I was born in a winding vortex. "
There are also descriptions of Laozi Temple in ancient poems:
The Source of Ancient Poems (Volume 14) contains a poem "To the Temple of Laozi" written by Yu Xin (5 13 ~ 58 1), a poet of the Northern Zhou Dynasty, in which there is a sentence of "Three gates are facing the bitter county, and nine wells are facing the Lingxi". Tang Dynasty poet Wen (? ~ AD 866) There is also a poem "laojunmiao", in which there is a sentence: "The night in front of the temple is colder, and the sun is setting.". These two poems clearly describe the geographical features of "Vortex Water in its Yang", "Nine Wells" and "Lingxi".
Tang Xizong (reigned in 874-888 AD) wrote a full-length Tang poem "A Gift to Bozhou Taiqing Palace", which pointed out that "Bozhou Taiqing Palace is a land of mixed yuan" and there is a "auspicious well in Kowloon".
In the Tang Dynasty (AD 850-933), Du Guangting wrote in The Efficacy of Taoist Temple, Bozhou Taiqing Palace (Taoist Collection10–804): "The Taiqing Palace in zhenyuan county, Bozhou is also the place where saints and old gentlemen were born. The calendar has been from Yinzhou to the Tang Dynasty, but the nine scenes and three forks have always been there. " Du Guangting's Preface to Tao Te Ching and Guang Yi Sheng also clearly pointed out Lao Tzu's birthplace: "Born in Bo, that is, Taiqing Palace in Jiulong Well, zhenyuan county is his place." (full Tang language P.430 1)
The books of humanistic history listed here reflect the characteristics of the humanistic historical geography of Laozi's birthplace, that is, this Laozi temple and Laozi's former residence are located in the north of the vortex water, and the vortex water is in the sun; Next to Laozi Temple, valley water is injected; In the east of Laozi Temple, there must be nine wells. With these characteristics, it can be the birthplace of Laozi. Today, the land of Tianjing Palace in Yang Guo is consistent with it. The "Tianjing Palace" Laozi Temple, which was built in the Yuan Dynasty, is still there, lying on the north bank of the river, and the water is in the sun. Wujiahe (ancient valley water) next to the temple is injected with whirlpool water; Nine ancient wells in the Spring and Autumn Period were also unearthed in field archaeology.
From the point of view of historical geography, Guoyang County in Anhui Province was a Song country township in the Spring and Autumn Period, which was renamed Ku County after the Chu occupation. Today, Guoyang County is near Pengcheng (now Xuzhou), and the region belongs to Pei. Therefore, in historical materials, Lao Tzu is from the Song Dynasty, Chu County, Pei and so on, all in the same place. This place is the foundation of Laozi Temple in Hebei, Guoyang County, Anhui Province. In the Tang Dynasty, this place was called zhenyuan county. Some people say that zhenyuan county is Luyi County. Is this possible? Don't! During the Tang, Song and Yuan Dynasties, zhenyuan county and Lu Yi coexisted. I quite agree with Mr. Ni's sentence: "The ancient county towns were about a hundred miles apart." There cannot be Zhenyuan, Lu Yi and Bozhou (Qiaocheng) counties within dozens of miles. Zhenyuan county was renamed Guyang County, and Guyang was the grandson of Gushui. Shui Gu is not near Lu Yi, but has just entered the vortex of Guoyang County today!