Do you think that the Daodejing has a different outlook on women as opposed to the Analects, which portrays women as being inferior to men (i.e. 17.25)? For example, in Chapter 6, the Daodejing states, “The spirit of the valley never dies; She is called the ‘Enigmatic Female.’ The portal of the Enigmatic Female; is called the root of Heaven and earth.” From this text Laozi seems to imply that Dao is female in nature. What do you think?
A great question. It seems to me possible to revere the Female without valuing women, but it certainly opens up an imaginative possibility not present elsewhere. As for the Dao being the Female...I dunno. Certainly they are related.
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