Laozi is the philosopher traditionally credited with writing the foundational Daoist text, the Tao Te Ching.
Also called the Daodejing, the work is a compact collection of poetic chapters about the Dao, or “Way,” and the cultivation of de, often translated as virtue or inner power. It emphasizes simplicity, naturalness, humility, and wu wei—action that avoids forcing events against their natural course.
The text is traditionally associated with Laozi, whose name means “Old Master.” Later accounts describe him as a contemporary of Confucius and a keeper of archival records, but historians debate whether Laozi was a single historical person. Scholars also debate when the text was composed and compiled; excavated manuscripts show that versions existed by the late fourth century BCE.
Zhuangzi is another major Daoist thinker, but he is associated primarily with the Zhuangzi, a separate classic of stories and philosophical reflections. Mencius and Confucius belonged to the Confucian tradition rather than authoring the Tao Te Ching.