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Ying-Yang I

Posted on February 18th, 2008 in Beliefs, History, Spirituality by

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Yin-Yang is a dominant philosophical concept that is shared by most schools of Chinese philosophy. It is used to explain 3 basic things:

·         yinyang as the coherent fabric of nature and mind, exhibited in all existence,

·         yinyang as jiao (interaction) between the waxing and waning of the cosmic and human realms, and

·         yinyang as a process of harmonization ensuring a constant, dynamic balance of all things.

The earliest instances that have been found of ying-yang are inscriptions made on oracle bones where ying and yang are descriptions of natural phenomena such as weather conditions etc.

The interpretation of ying-yang that has stood the test of time for the longest is related to the concept of ‘chi’ or vital energy.  According to this interpretation ying and yang are ‘chi’ which operate in the universe.  In the “Duke Shao” chapter of the Zuozhuan (The Book of History), yin and yang are first defined as two of six heavenly qi:

There are six heavenly influences [qi] which descend and produce the five tastes, go forth in the five colours, and are verified in the five notes; but when they are in excess, they produce the six diseases. Those six influences are denominated the yin, the yang, wind, rain, obscurity, and brightness. In their separation, they form the four seasons; in their order, they form the five (elementary) terms. When any of them is in excess, they ensure calamity. An excess of the yin leads to diseases of cold; of the yang, to diseases of heat.

Ying yang has also been spoken of as some concrete substance (xingzhi) according to which yixing and yangxing explain all the concepts in the universe and yang was identified with the sun and ying with the moon.

It is believed that both human as well as heavenly bodies have ying-yang and that they are present everywhere to bring about harmony in the universe.

 

 

 

Chuang Tzu

Posted on January 25th, 2008 in History, Writings by

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People are well aware of Lao Tzu and his contribution to Taoism but Chuang Tzu is someone who is relatively unknown. Chuang Tzu (also referred to as Zhuangzi) was born in Wei in what is today called the Hu Nan province of China around the 4th century B.C when China was a mass of warring states. He was a small government office and was once offered a higher position which he refused saying that it would curtail his freedom.          

Chuang was well aware of the literature of his time and the views of popular philosophers but he was a follower of Lao Tzu’s philosophy and most of his writings are reflections of Lao Tzu’s doctrines.  Over the years Chuang Tzu also developed into a critic of Confucius and his disciples and criticized his beliefs with great satire in his writings.

Chuang Tzu was also known to be one of the first to propound the concept of anarchy and he said about the world that “it does not need governing; in fact it should not be governed” and he also believed that good order would result automatically when things were left as they were.

His philosophy is slightly skeptical as he believed that our knowledge of things is unlimited but the things in the world are unlimited and thus to use the limited to pursue the unlimited is foolish. He also was opposed to relativism which caused him to doubt many pragmatic arguments.

His self titled book Zhuangzi has been compiled from many sources and some parts of it were written by him and he does not restrict himself to Taoism in his book unlike most other writers of the time like Confucius  and Mencius.

 

Evolution of Taoism

Posted on January 4th, 2008 in History by

The history and evolution of Taoism is glorious. Tao means “the way of life”.  It is considered the highest order of life and following Taoism means being close to nature. Thus nature is the central theme of everything that has flowed from Taoism.

Lao Tzu was the first person to write in document form the philosophy of Taoism.  The book was initially given the writer’s name as its title but later on it became a classic and one of the basic texts of Taoism and the emperor Ging of the Tang dynasty gave it the name ‘Tao Te Ching’.

Later on Chuang Tzu wrote about Taoism using a lot of humour, anecdotes and fables to express his views about Taoism. His book was called Chang  Tzu and is another one of Taoism greatest books.

Taoism- From philosophy to religion

Posted on December 4th, 2007 in History by

The concept of Tao (Dao) has not yet been defined. Scholars and followers believe Taoism needs to be experienced to be understood. Tao philosophy is about how opposite elements in the universe co-exist and function in harmony. The Ying and Yang concept embodies this very concept. It is the male and the female part, the opposites, existing in mutual harmony.

Taoism started off as a mixture of philosophy and psychology, but over the centuries has evolved into a religious belief. It was for some time the state religion of China. It was started by the philosopher Lao Tzu, who lived around 600 B.C, a little before the other great Chinese philosopher and historian Confucius. The present Taoism is a mixture of the original beliefs of its founder and that of the people of China. Over the years spells and charms began to be included in Taoist beliefs and the indigenous people of China also began to worship their ancestors. Thus came into existence, Taoism as we know it.

Lao Tzu believed that there was energy in everything including plants and animals and these elements blend in harmony and that one cannot exist without the other. Lao Tzu also believed that people should be allowed to make their own decisions and the government should not intervene with laws and rules and thus forcing people to follow them blindly. He was against governance.

It is rumoured that Lao soon be angered and disappointed with the state China and decided to leave the country. On his journey across the borders, a guard stopped him and refused to let him leave until he recorded all his philosophy and teachings on paper. These documents were to become the religious book of Taoism, the Tao te Ching.

Taoism has around 30 million followers, most of them in Taiwan. It has given rise to many other forms and offshoots including the very popular form of martial arts- Tai Chi.