1 ▁in ▁Nancy , ▁France ▁and ▁died ▁on ▁ 3 0 ▁December ▁ 1 9 3 9 ▁in ▁Paris . ▁ ▁Biography ▁He ▁was ▁born ▁into ▁a ▁military ▁family , ▁and ▁took ▁part ▁in ▁several ▁exped itions ▁in ▁China ▁serving ▁in ▁military ▁and ▁administrative ▁capac ities . ▁He ▁was ▁a ▁follow er ▁of ▁the ▁Christian ▁myst ical ▁system ▁Martin ism , ▁and ▁was ▁consec r ated ▁bishop ▁in ▁the ▁ ▁( F rench ▁G nost ic ▁Church ) ▁taking ▁the ▁name ▁of ▁T au ▁Simon . ▁His ▁long ▁periods ▁of ▁living ▁in ▁Ton kin ▁and ▁other ▁provinces ▁enabled ▁him ▁to ▁understand ▁Chinese ▁thought . ▁Under ▁the ▁influence ▁of ▁a ▁T ao ist ▁master , ▁he ▁was ▁initi ated ▁into ▁a ▁Chinese ▁secret ▁society , ▁and ▁adopted ▁the ▁name ▁" Mat gi ol " ▁( standing ▁for ▁" ey e ▁of ▁day "). ▁ ▁He ▁eventually ▁returned ▁to ▁France , ▁and ▁occupied ▁himself ▁with ▁the ▁teaching ▁of ▁T ao ism . ▁He ▁presented ▁T ao ist ▁do ctr ines ▁in ▁his ▁works , ▁especially ▁La ▁Vo ie ▁M ét aph ys ique ▁and ▁La ▁Vo ie ▁R ationale , ▁emphas izing ▁both ▁the ▁principles ▁and ▁the ▁applications ▁of ▁the ▁system . ▁ ▁He ▁also ▁wrote ▁several ▁book ▁on ▁China ▁and ▁the ▁French ▁colon ies ▁in ▁Asia . ▁ ▁Works ▁ ▁Le ▁T ao ▁de ▁La ot se u , ▁translated ▁from ▁Chinese ▁by ▁Mat gio i , ▁ ▁Lib ra irie ▁de ▁l ' Art ▁ind ép endant , ▁ 1 8 9 4