History of Philosophy: India, Africana, China HPC 37. She Stoops to Conquer: Femininity in the Laozi
Sep 28, 2025
Explore how the Laozi champions femininity, presenting it as powerful and fundamental. Discover the yin-yang connection and the importance of gender complementarity. Water metaphors emphasize tranquility and receptivity as strengths. Delve into the paradox of weakness as a form of strength and how feminine traits counterbalance masculine excess. Uncover insights on political wisdom through gentleness and the application of a humble approach in leadership. The discussion ultimately reveals the Laozi’s profound feminine philosophy that transcends traditional gender roles.
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Praise For The Underdog
- The Laozi subverts common hierarchies by praising the commonly despised member of complementary pairs.
- It values valley over peak and weakness over strength to reveal deeper complementarities.
Female As Cosmological Root
- Yin and yang map most closely onto female and male, with the Laozi assigning primacy to the female.
- The Tao is called mother and sages should understand the sons but keep to the mother.
Water As Feminine Power
- Water imagery links femininity to fecundity and humility while modeling generative power.
- The Laozi argues that the soft and weak (like water) overcome the hard and strong over time.