Lao Tzu may rightly be regarded as an immortal inspirer. His teachings constitute a bright beacon for the guidance of the human spirit to supreme fulfillment…He led a long, quiet and studious life and then vanished from the human scene, leaving behind a compact parcel of sublime wisdom in glorious poetry…He was not exactly a hermit or recluse, but simply loved the contemplative life. He preferred to stay in obscurity in the silence of the library, devoting himself to inner culture and the pursuit of truth, living with serene spontaneity and natural ease.

To our knowledge, Lao Tzu wrote absolutely nothing during his time at the Imperial Archives. But we do know of course that Lao Tzu wrote one thin volume entitled Tao Teh Ching, translated as “The Classic of the Way and Its Virture.”

Henry Wei writes in the same reference:

It was not until the Chou House showed glaring signs of decay and decline that Lao Tzu finally took his departure and decided to exile himself. As he reached the pass leading westward, the warden of the pass, Yin His said to him: “Since you are retiring from the world, will you please write a book for my enlightenment?” Lao Tzu consented and wrote a book in two parts about the meaning of Tao and Teh, consisting of a little over 5000 words.