Abstract Originally the smallest positive integer, One ( yi 一) underwent a revolutionary transformation when Laozi elevated it to a philosophical concept. In this new identity, it became a central concept in Daoist philosophy and metaphysics, resonating with and complementing the Way ( dao 道), while also standing in contrast to the concept of “the many.” As in the Shuowen Jiezi 說文解字, where One is explained as “In the beginning of time, the Way was erected at the One, split into Heavens and Earth, and then transformed into the ten thousand things” (惟初太始, 道立於一, 造分天地, 化成萬物。) – an interpretation rooted more in metaphysics than in its literal meaning – the Daoist concept of the One during the Eastern Zhou period is similarly revealed in excavated texts such as Taiyi sheng shui 太一生水, Fanwu liu xing 凡物流形, and The Four Classics of the Yellow Emperor ( Huangdi sijing 黃帝四經). These texts, in conjunction with transmitted works perceive the One as a symbolic representation of origin, norm, and order. It emerges as the root of all things, the ultimate foundation for both the unity and diversity of the myriad things, and the most universal principle and rule for establishing a harmonious order.
Zhongjiang Wang (2026) studied this question.