Learn the Dao — Tao Te Ching

Read, search and cite all 81 chapters of the Tao Te Ching, with per-rendering attribution.

CommunityDegradedNo sign-inGlobalFreeRead-only

What it can do

    What data it sees

    Do you need an account

    No: the server works without sign-in

    Read, search and cite all 81 chapters of the Tao Te Ching, with per-rendering attribution.

    How to connect

    How to connect Learn the Dao — Tao Te Ching to Claude

    The server address to paste into Claude settings:

    https://learnthedao.com/api/mcp

    1. Open Claude (claude.ai or the desktop app).
    2. Go to Settings → Connectors.
    3. Click Add custom connector.
    4. Paste the server address copied below into Remote MCP server URL and click Add.
    5. In a chat, click + → Connectors and switch the new connector on.

    Custom connectors are available on Free, Pro, Max, Team and Enterprise plans (Free is limited to one). On Team and Enterprise an organization Owner adds the connector first under Organization settings → Connectors.

    Authorization

    After you click Add, a sign-in window for the service opens. Sign in with your own account and approve access. Claude never sees your password.

    How to connect Learn the Dao — Tao Te Ching to ChatGPT

    The server address to paste into ChatGPT settings:

    https://learnthedao.com/api/mcp

    1. Open ChatGPT in a browser (chatgpt.com). A Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise or Edu plan is required.
    2. Turn on developer mode once: Settings → Apps → Advanced settings → Developer mode.
    3. Open Settings → Connectors and click Create.
    4. Fill in the form: Name (anything), Description (one line about what the service does), MCP server URL (copy it below).
    5. Under Authentication choose OAuth if the service requires sign-in, otherwise None. Click Create.
    6. In a new chat open + → Apps/Connectors and enable the connector.

    OpenAI has renamed this section before (Connectors → Apps/Plugins). If the label differs, search settings for "developer mode". On Business/Enterprise workspaces an admin must allow custom connectors first.

    Authorization

    On first use ChatGPT opens the service's sign-in window. Sign in and approve access.

    How to connect Learn the Dao — Tao Te Ching to Cursor

    The server address to paste into Cursor settings:

    https://learnthedao.com/api/mcp

    Fastest: click Open in Cursor below and confirm the prompt.

    Manually:

    1. In Cursor open Settings → Cursor Settings → MCP and click Add new global MCP server.
    2. Paste the JSON copied below into ~/.cursor/mcp.json (per project: .cursor/mcp.json in the repo root).
    3. Save the file. The server appears in the MCP list; authorize it there if asked.

    Authorization

    If the service needs sign-in, an authorize button appears next to the server in the MCP list.

    Server tool list (4)

    Raw names from tools/list. Only developers need these.

    list_chaptersList all 81 chapters of the Tao Te Ching with their titles, plus the attribution blocks for each available rendering. Start here to orient.
    get_chapterGet 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.
    search_chaptersSearch 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.
    consultGiven 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.