The novel The Samurai's Garden by Gail Tsukiyama shows several connections to Daoism. The Daoist religion is based on a book thought to be written by Laozi. In the Daoist religion, people should be able to find happiness and peace within themselves, not in success and wealth. The book is about a young man, Stephen, who has contracted tuberculosis and has to go to a city in Japan to rest and recover from his sickness. There, he is cared for by a servant, Matsu. While living in the town, Tarumi, he meets people and develops relationships with them. In the novel, the main characters express many ties to Daoism. The three characteristics of traditional Chinese/Japanese culture, nature, relationships, and harmony, are evident in Dao's Daodejing and in the novel The Samurai's Garden.

The novel emphasizes the importance of nature. Matsu's garden is a very important part of...