Is the hometown of Laozi, the founder of Taoism, in Luyi?

I think Laozi’s hometown is in Luyi, Henan

Laozi’s hometown is in Taiqinggong Town, Luyi County, Henan. This is evidenced by both ancient documents and unearthed cultural relics. The geographical location is also completely close to each other. At the same time, it also proves that the current claim that Lao Tzu’s hometown is in Guoyang is not valid.

Key words Laozi’s hometown, Luyi Solution

As for the location of Laozi’s hometown, ancient and modern scholars have put forward many opinions. Among them, the Luyi theory (Liu Pangsheng 1998), which has solid evidence and is the most widely circulated, is the Guoyang theory (Sun Yikai 2002, Li Yucheng 2003) that confuses the world the most and is the most fallacious. This article re-evidences the Luyi theory from four aspects, while the Guoyang theory is self-defeating.

1. The literature is trustworthy but has evidence

The record of Laozi's hometown was first seen in Sima Qian's "Historical Records: Biography of Laozi". It says: "Lao Tzu is from Qurenli, Li Township, Ku County, Chu." Chu refers to the ancient Chu State, Ku County is today's Luyi County, and Li Township (or "Laixiang, Laixiang") is to the east of the county. Taiqinggong Township, and Qurenli is the seat of the current township government - Taiqinggong Town. This book is an ironclad case, and it has been documented throughout the ages. For example, Ku County in ancient times is now Luyi, and there are several families who recorded it in public and private writings.

"Historical Records Suoyin": "Kuxian County originally belonged to the Chen State. Chu destroyed Chen in the Spring and Autumn Period, and Ku County belonged to Chu, so it was called Ku County of Chu. In the eleventh year of the Supreme Emperor, the Huaiyang State was established. Chen County and Ku County both belong to Yan. According to "Geographical Records", Ku actually belongs to Huaiyang County. "Historical Records of Zhengyi" quotes "Chronology": "Huaiyang County." In the third year of Emperor Jing's reign in Yang State, when the history of the Han Dynasty was being compiled, Chun, the king of Chu, was in Pengcheng, which was close to the state of Chu. p>"Tongdian Prefecture": "The true origin is Ku County in ancient times, where Lao Tzu was born."

"Kuo Di Zhi": "Ku County is on the boundary of Guyang County in Bozhou. There is Lao Tzu's house." As for the temple, there are still nine wells in the temple, which are located in Zhenyuan County, Bozhou today. "Volume 25 of "Geographic History Table": "Ku, the Han Dynasty belonged to the Huaiyang Kingdom, and the Later Han Dynasty belonged to the Chen Kingdom. It was still called Ku County in the Three Kingdoms. It was renamed Guyang in the third year of Chengkang of the Jin Dynasty. It was renamed Zhenyuan in the first year of Qianfeng of the Tang Dynasty. It was renamed Xianyuan in the first year of Shenlong in the Song Dynasty. In the summer of the seventh year of Fu, the name was changed to Wei Zhen, and the name was changed to the same name. In the early Yuan Dynasty, Wei Zhen was transferred to Luyi, and later moved to Luyi to govern. This belongs to Bozhou. "

"Yuanhe County. Volume 7 of "County Map Chronicles": "Zhenyuan County, originally Ku County of Chu, belonged to Chen in the Spring and Autumn Period, and was later annexed by Chu. It belonged to the Huaiyang State in the Han Dynasty. Ku County in the Later Han Dynasty belonged to the Chen State. Jin belonged to Liang County,

Emperor Cheng changed the name to Guyang, and Gaoqi Province was incorporated into Wuping County. In the sixth year of Emperor Kaihuang's reign in the Sui Dynasty, Guyang County was established, and it was managed by Bucheng, which belonged to Bozhou."

"The territory of the Han Dynasty is represented by the Huaiyang Kingdom. ": "Kuxian, Kuxian County of Chu, 10 miles east of present-day Luyi County."

The above-cited classics list Laozi as a native of Kuxian County, and record the change of name and affiliation of Kuxian County: Eastern Zhou Dynasty And before it belonged to Chen Guominglu (now Xinji Township, Luyi)-→Spring and Autumn Chu

Guoku County-→Guoku County in Huaiyang in the Western Han Dynasty-→Chen Guoku County in the Eastern Han Dynasty-→Kuxian County in the Three Kingdoms-→Jin changed its name Guyang County - → Northern Qi Dynasty withdrew Guyang into Wuping County - → Sui Dynasty Guyang County - → Tang Dynasty

Named Zhenyuan County, Xianyuan County, Zhenyuan County - → Song Dynasty changed its name to Weizhen County - → Yuan Dynasty Withdrawn from Weizhen County into Luyi County (moved to the present governance), it was followed in the Ming and Qing Dynasties, and was also part of Bozhou (or Qiao

County) many times.

There are also several classics recording Guli Township (or Se Township, Lai Township) as follows.

"Book of the Later Han Dynasty, Records of Prefectures and Countries, Chen Guo": "Suffering... depends on the countryside." It also quoted Fu Tao's "Records of the Northern Expedition" as saying that "there is Laozi Temple", and "Ancient History Research" as saying that "there is Qu Renli, Laozi

""Jin Taikang Diji": "There is Laixiang Temple in the east of Ku County, where Laozi was born."

< p>"Zhu Tao Yuzhao" and "The Legend of Immortals": "Laozi, a native of Qurenli, Laixiang, Ku County, Chu State."

Volume 7 of "Yuanhe County Map Chronicles": "(Tang Dynasty) Qianfeng In the first year of the year, Emperor Gao visited Seto Township, and Emperor Xuanyuan lived there, so it was renamed Zhenyuan County."

"Yu Di Zhi" records: "Laozi Temple is the old house where Laozi was born."

Volume 25 of "Geographic History List of Past Dynasties": "Bitterness, called Xiang in the Spring and Autumn Period, has Laixiang is where Laozi lives. "

"The Territory List of the Han Dynasty and Huaiyang Kingdom": "I was a native of Lixiang, Ku County, and belonged to Chen in the Spring and Autumn Period; after Chu destroyed Chen, Ku belonged to Chu again."

The above all record in detail that Laozi was a native of Li, Laixiang or Laixiang in Ku County.

Taking a look at the phonology, "Lai, Lai, Li" are variations of the same rhyme, and "Lixiang, Laixiang, Laixiang" are actually different names for the same place. The history of this place name can be traced back to the Shang Dynasty. At that time, in the east of present-day Luyi County, there was a small country called Lai (Lai, Li). After Zhou destroyed Shang, Lai returned to Chen. However

Some people believe that Lai State did not exist during the Western Zhou Dynasty. "The 15th year of Duke Xi in the Spring and Autumn Period" says: "The Chu people attacked Xu" ("Xu" is about 50 miles northwest of present-day Sixian County, Anhui Province); "On the seventh month of Autumn, Qi Division and Cao Division attacked Li "Zuo Zhuan" said: "Qiu, cut off Li to save Xu Ye." Huidong's "Zuo Zhuan Supplementary Notes" believes that it is the reason for "Zuo Zhuan Huan 13th Year" in Hubei today. Lishandian in Sui County of the province has followed the Hui theory since the Jin and Song Dynasties. Wang Fuzhi's "Baishu" takes this as another Li, namely Li Township, Ku County. Now we can test it based on geography, and move together to save Xu.

The theory of becoming a king can be proved by using the teacher to attack Li. In addition, the "Inscription of Lu Da Situ" on unearthed bronzes says: "Lu Da's heir (si) disciple Zhong Baizha (composed) his concubine Li Meng Ji left behind (匜)"

The word "Li" in the inscription is the traditional Chinese character for "Li". Based on this, Guo Moruo believed that it was the appropriate name for the country for Meng Ji, the eldest daughter of Lu Da Situ. It is a common practice in the Spring and Autumn Period that the structure of a woman's title before marriage is "ranking father's surname", and after marriage it is changed to "husband's country name and father's surname". The inscription "Li Mengji" is the post-marital title of "Meng Ji": "Li" is the name of the husband's country, "Meng" means "eldest, boss", and "Ji" is the surname of the Duke of Lu. According to "Shui Jing Zhu", "Whisui River flows eastward to the southwest of Ku County, and is divided into two rivers. Its branches flow from the northeast and enter the valley at Laicheng, which is called the Valley of Death." According to the records of "the wind flows from the northeast to the west of Laixiang, and the valley water flows into it" and "the vortex flows eastward to the south of Laixiangcheng", the capital of Laixiang in the Northern Wei Dynasty still had obvious ruins

otherwise Li Daoyuan would not have known it. Will tell the truth. According to reports, there should be two places for "Li" (or "Lai" or "Lai") in the Spring and Autumn Period: one is the Taiqing Palace in Luyi today, which was the capital of the ancient Li Kingdom and the hometown of Laozi. Please see, "Taikang Diji" says that "there is Laixiang Temple in the east of Ku County, where Lao Tzu was born"; "Yu Di Zhi" says that "Lao Tzu

Temple is the old residence where Lao Tzu was born"; "All Dynasties "Geographic History Table" says that "Kuxian County is where Laozi lives in Sexiang"; "Anthology of Historical Records" quotes "Kuo Di Zhi" as saying "Kuxian County is on the boundary of Guyang County in Bozhou, and there is Laozi's house." and temples"; "Yuanhe Prefectures and Counties Map" says that "in the first year of Qianfeng, Emperor Gao visited Seto Township, and Emperor Xuanyuan was here, so it was changed to Zhenyuan County"; Tang Dynasty

Seng Daoxuan's " "Preface to the Collection of Guanghong Ming Dynasty" says that "Li Sou was born in Lixiang"; "Taiping Huanyu Ji" quotes Cui Yuanshan's "Laixiang Ji" as saying that "Laixiang is in (ku) County"; "Territorial List of Historical Dynasties"

Huai "Yang Guo" says, "I am a native of Lixiang, Ku County. In the Spring and Autumn Period, I belonged to Chen; after Chu destroyed Chen, Ku belonged to Chu again." The above documents are completely credible and relevant today: "Laixiang" is the area around Taiqinggong Township in the east of Luyi County. The "Lu Da Situ Ming" unearthed in the old times and the latest archaeological excavations are both Strong evidence (details below).

As for "Qurenli", there is a couplet on the main entrance archway of Laojuntai in the east gate of Luyi County as evidence. The couplet goes like this: "The earth has been passed down forever to Qurenli, the sky is high and it is close to Taiqing Palace". Qurenli, as the lower-level administrative unit of "Laixiang", is now Taiqinggong Town (the author studied and worked in this town from childhood to youth).

Located 5 kilometers east of the county (which is consistent with "Lai Xiang Ji" and "Territorial List of Ancient Dynasties"), the old name is also "Yulong Town", which is derived from Confucius' "I" in "Historical Records of Laozi". Today

When I see you today, I look like a dragon evil." In the northwest corner of the town, there is a highland area of ​​several tens of feet, which is called "Yinyang Mountain" according to the legend of the elders. A small river originates from here, and the local name is still called "Lai (Lase) Xianggou". It runs through the entire territory of Taiqing Palace Township. This water name is consistent with the literature of the past dynasties (its original character should be "瀿"). As for the meaning of "Qurenli", it may be what Bian Shao said in "Laozi Inscription": "The place between Quwo is Qurenli".

2. Local relics still exist

"Kuo Di Ji", "Taikang Di Ji", "Taiping Huanyu Ji", "Sexiang Ji", "Yu Di Ji" , "Yuanhe County Map", "Geographic History Table of Past Dynasties", etc.

There is more evidence, but there is too much, so I have to stop here. Feel sorry!