《道德经》是世界翻译史上除《圣经》外，译本最多的典籍之一。法国则是西方世界第一个回应其翻译召唤的国家。1842年首个《道德经》法语全译本的出版，带动了整个欧洲重新认识中国哲学家老子、重新认识中国文化。在此后的三个世纪里，《道德经》在法语语境下的传播，经历了以学术化翻译为开端、以大规模复译为发展、以跨文类衍生创作为特点的三大历史阶段，与目的语文化不断交流互动，生成了丰富的译本形态，成为中国思想、中国文化海外传播的典范。

Tao Te Ching is one of the most translated works in world history, second only to the Bible. France was the first country in the Western world to respond to the demand for its translation. With the publication of the first complete French translation of Tao Te Ching in 1842, it promoted a re-evaluation of Chinese philosopher Laozi and Chinese culture throughout Europe. In the following three centuries, the spread of Tao Te Ching in French-speaking contexts experienced three major historical stages: academic translation as a beginning, large-scale re-translation as development, and cross-genre derivative creation as a new feature. Through continuous exchange and interaction with the target language culture, it has generated a rich variety of translations and become an exemplary model for the overseas dissemination of Chinese thoughts and culture.