Abstract: This paper analyses and summarizes the theories, methods and perspectives of European studies of The Daoist Canon. This paper holds that: European scholars adopt the theories of Western historical periodization, the Tang-Song transformation and micro-history to classify The Daoist Canon by three historical periods and two circulation modes; they take the lead in adopting the methodologies of digital humanities and internal textual criticism to chronologize the Daoist scriptures in The Daoist Canon; and they adopt the perspective of cultural anthropology to argue that as a great contribution to the cultural gene bank of human civilization, The Daoist Canon preserves rich cultural traditions and original ideas and wisdom, whose thinking mode is of great significance in making up for and solving the crisis of Western epistemology. Finally, this paper discusses the implication of European studies of The Daoist Canon and argues that the study requires not only macro theoretical guidance, but also the comprehensive application of micro methods.

Key words: Europe, The Daoist Canon, Internal Textual Criticism