BURIED TREASURE

The ancient and venerable:
is ignored by the smart;
but sustains the sage.

The new and original:
makes suckers of fools;
but tests the mettle of the wise.

Tao is unfathomably old and dim;
yet ever fresh and sparkling;
unnoticed, yet obvious.

The sage is an outcast;
yet dwells within!

It is tempting to disregard, disparage or denigrate Taoism, as being an outmoded, quaintly dated and culturally limited philosophy.
Taoism is easily misrepresented as backward-looking, but actually subscribes to a body of 'truths' which it regards as being timeless.
Nor is Taoism opposed to novel ideas or ways of expressing itself, but does maintain a pragmatically sceptical stance toward them.

Many thinkers misguidely dismiss it because they fail to understand or comprehend it; a limitation which can be overcome.
Confusion arises because understanding or comprehending are inadequate and inappropriate ways of approaching Taoism.
This is a difficulty for philosophers, but is intrinsic to the nature of Tao, and fundamental to its enduring beauty and power.