The Dao: What Is the Dao?

If you had to pick the Chinese character with the most meanings, it would surely be “Dao.” It can refer to a dish, the ancient Yellow River route, the way to govern a country, respect for teachers and the Way, a Buddhist monk and a Daoist priest, unorthodox methods, or eloquence. With each use of the character, you may find its specific meaning differs. This is one reason it cannot be translated precisely into other languages. The Dao as understood by Chinese people also varies depending on the circumstances. As the saying goes, there are three thousand Great Daos and six thousand lesser ones.

Daoism holds that Dao is the Supreme Lord Lao. The "Xianger Commentary on the Laozi" says: “Dao” disperses into qi, and when qi gathers, it takes the form of the Supreme Lord Lao.

So what exactly is Dao? The Dao that can be spoken of is not the eternal Dao.