One day, Yen-Tzi saw a very auspicious planetary alignment. Curious, he sought news only to discover that the venerable Lao-Tzu had decided to leave his position at the royal archives and renounce the world. Yen-Tzi hurried toward the mountain to search for the wise Master, afraid that his wisdom would be lost forever.
His quest was over when he finally caught up with Lao-Tzu at the Hangu Pass. Yen-Tzi humbly approached Lao-Tzu and said, “Revered sir, you are such a wise man and these are such troubled times. Could you write just a few words to help man understand the nature of things?”
Lao-Tzu was so moved by this plea that he immediately sat down upon the prayer rug that Yen-Tzi had provided for him and with the stroke of his brush and a handful of bamboo sticks, the spiritual masterpiece referred to as the Tao Te Ching came to be. This book of 5000 words contains powerful insights into the nature of all things in the universe.