Learn the Dao — Tao Te Ching
Read, search and cite all 81 chapters of the Tao Te Ching, with per-rendering attribution.
Should I use this
Quality & Safety
Based on automated analysis of tool definitions and protocol compliance.
Context Cost
This is the approximate number of tokens consumed each time the server's tools are loaded into a model's context. Higher counts reduce the attention available for other tasks.
Install
One-Click Install
Add this to your `claude_desktop_config.json` file:
{
"mcpServers": {
"learn-the-dao": {
"url": "https://learnthedao.com/api/mcp"
}
}
}Remote endpoints
https://learnthedao.com/api/mcpstreamable-httpWhat it can do
Tool inventory
Tools (4)
🟢list_chapters
List all 81 chapters of the Tao Te Ching with their titles, plus the attribution blocks for each available rendering. Start here to orient.
Input Schema
{
"type": "object",
"properties": {},
"additionalProperties": false
}🟢get_chapter(number)
Get one chapter (1-81) in both public renderings: the public-domain James Legge (1891) translation and Dao De Kooi, an original rendering by David Kooi. Each carries its own attribution and a ready-to-use citation string. The Kooi rendering is NOT public domain.
Input Schema
{
"type": "object",
"properties": {
"number": {
"type": "integer",
"minimum": 1,
"maximum": 81
}
},
"required": [
"number"
],
"additionalProperties": false
}🟢search_chapters(query, limit)
Search the full corpus for a word or phrase and get the matching lines with their chapter numbers. Use this when the user half-remembers a line and you need to find where it is.
Input Schema
{
"type": "object",
"properties": {
"query": {
"type": "string",
"minLength": 2
},
"limit": {
"type": "integer",
"minimum": 1,
"maximum": 50
}
},
"required": [
"query"
],
"additionalProperties": false
}🟢consult(situation, limit)
Given what a person is actually facing — in their own words — find the chapter of the Tao Te Ching that speaks to it, and the one line to hold. Use this when someone describes a situation (a betrayal, burnout, forcing an outcome, never feeling satisfied) rather than asking about the text. Unlike search_chapters, this matches the SITUATION, not the words: "a coworker took credit for my work" reaches chapter 63, which shares no word with it.
Input Schema
{
"type": "object",
"properties": {
"situation": {
"type": "string",
"minLength": 3
},
"limit": {
"type": "integer",
"minimum": 1,
"maximum": 5
}
},
"required": [
"situation"
],
"additionalProperties": false
}Community
Evidence