Tao Te Ching, which can be translated from the traditional chinese to The Book of the Way and its Virtue, is an important classic Chinese text. Written around 600 bce by Taoist Lao Tzu (or Lao Tsu, Lauzi), who was a sage and keeper of records at the court of the Zhou Dynasty. The Tao Te Ching is an important compilation of maxims from a significant period in the history of Taoist Chinese philosophy, and has strongly influenced Chinese Buddhism and Neo-Confucianism. Tao Te Ching has often been ysed by Chinese poets, painters, and calligraphers as a major source of inspiration.