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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.

Taoism

Posted on November 27th, 2007 in Uncategorized by

Taoism (or Daoism) is the English name referring to a variety of related Chinese philosophical traditions and concepts. These traditions influenced East Asia for over two thousand years and some have spread internationally. Taoism’s origins may be traced to prehistoric Chinese religions in China. They are found in the composition of the Tao Te Ching (3rd or 4th century BCE), or amidst the activity of Zhang Daoling (2nd century AD). Laozi received imperial recognition as a divinity in the mid second century CE. Taoism gained official status in China during the Tang Dynasty, whose emperors claimed Laozi as their relative.Taoist propriety and ethics emphasize the Three Jewels of the Tao; namely, compassion, moderation, and humility. Taoist thought focuses on wu wei (” action that does not involve struggle or excessive effort” ) spontaneity, humanism, and emptiness. There is debate over how, and whether, Taoism should be subdivided. Some scholars have divided it into the following three categories

·         “Philosophical Taoism”. (Daojia). A philosophical school based on the texts Tao Te Ching and Zhuangzi;

·         “Religious Taoism”. (Daojiao). A family of organized Chinese religious movements originating from the Celestial Masters movement during the late Han Dynasty and later including the “Orthodox” (Zhengyi) and “Complete Reality” (Quanzhen) sects, which trace back to Lao Zi or Zhang Daoling in the late Han Dynasty;

·         “Folk Taoism”. The Chinese folk religion.

Tao can be roughly stated to be the flow of the universe, or the force behind the natural order. Tao is believed to be the influence that keeps the universe balanced and ordered. This is intimately tied to the complex concept of Te, or literally “virtue”. Te is the active expression of Tao. Taoism generally expresses this as “integrity” or “wholeness”. Tao is considered a “way”, while Te is the active living, or cultivation, of that “way”. The number of Taoists is difficult to estimate, partly for definitional reasons. There are many symbols associated with Taoism but the most famous one is  (”yin and yang”) symbol. Taoism has been a resource for those in environmental philosophy, who see the non-anthropocentric nature of Taoism as a guide for new ways of thinking about nature and environmental ethics.

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