So I will tell a story about the process of Lao Tzu's philosophy entering the western world.

After17th century, Laozi's thoughts and China's traditional cultural classics were gradually introduced into Europe from China with the help of western merchant ships and followed in the footsteps of western missionaries, and quickly spread throughout the whole European continent.

That is to say, after the introduction of Laozi's philosophy into the western continent 1700 years ago, there is such an allusion. Quesnay, the leader of French physiocracy school, absorbed Laozi's thought of "inaction" and was the first to translate "inaction" into "laissez-faire" and founded physiocracy economics relying on natural laws. The time period is 1750- 1770.

Therefore, the earliest time for Laozi's philosophy to be contacted and recognized by western society was around 1750.

By the way, I attach a few comments from western society on Laozi's philosophy:

Tolstoy once said: "My good mental state is attributed to reading Confucius, mainly Laozi."

German philosopher Nietzsche praised Laozi: "Like an inexhaustible Jing Quan, full of treasures, put down the bucket and reach it."