Daoism/Taoism
Daoism, sometimes referred to as Taoism (pronounced dow), is a religion that most people know but do not realize that they know it. Its traditions can be seen in martial arts, Yin and Yang, and even in the little red envelopes you see around lunar new year. This religion plays a major role in the development in Chinese culture and traditions and is one of China’s oldest indigenous religions. Although Daoism can be very sophisticated and confusing to many, it is certainly not any more different than any other religion as it also has its own set of beliefs, traditions, and purposes. What makes Daoism unique is its level of complexity unlike many straightforward religions such as Christianity and Islam. However, if broken down, Daoism can be very easy to understand.
Daoism originated in China around 500 B.C.E. to 400 B.C.E. during the time of the Zhou dynasty (Hartz 3). It can be traced back to Laozi, who is often credited with writing the Daoist book Tao Te Ching. During the Zhou dynasty, many people developed and believed in cosmic ideas about the earth and heaven. A few of these ideas are the “Five Transformation Phases,”, the doctrine of Chi (energy), Yin and Yang, and the I Ching (Terhart, Franjo 267).
There are many major people that shape Daoism and its beliefs. The most notable among these figures is Laozi who is often credited with founding Daoism. Laozi, the “Wise Old Man,” was said to travel across China on the back of an ox, spreading his philosophy. A legend had said that Laozi had been in his mother’s womb for sixty years and was born with white hair and a beard which explains why he was so wise. Although Laozi is considered to be the father of Daoism, he was not the founder of the religious form of...
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... the land, and redeem lost souls which lasts for a period of three days. The burning of incense is also a major part of Daoist tradition which is done to honor the spirits of ancestors. Paper money is burned at funerals to provide wealth for the dead in the next world. On Chinese New Year, Daoists celebrate the rebirth of Yang and sweets are offered to the gods. Then wooden blocks are thrown like dice to determine when the gods have finished their meals and have granted the hopes and prayers of the people. The famous dragon dance is a symbol of bringing long life, immortality, and union with the heavenly spirits as the dragon swallows a bright red ball (the white dot in the Yin and Yang symbol). It is also a tradition for the family of the deceased to regularly visit the graves to offer food, incense, and flowers so that the spirits can rest peacefully in heaven.
Although the Han Dynasty used Confucianism mainly as a practical philosophy and moral code by which they should live, Daoism was also practiced at the same time as a religion as well. Also, later in the Han Dynasty, Buddhism came to flower in China, which came from India. Daoism entails the concept of all things at equilibrium, as well as being one with a basic life force or nature. The Gupta Empire favored the usage of Hinduism, although Buddhism was still practiced at that time by the people. Hinduism is a polytheistic religion that entails the concepts of the caste system, reincarnation, karma, dharma, and the goal of being one with Brahman, which is called moksha. Buddhism is similar in most aspects except in the belief of the necessity of the caste system. The Han Dynasty and the Gupta Empire are similar in their religion in that both brought about the renewal of an old way of life that used to be more prevalent. The Han Dynasty brought back the usage of Confucian principles and the Gupta Empire revived the Hindu religion in India. Concerning the religions themselves, Hinduism and Buddhism are similar to Daoism in the fact the there is an end goal, which is to join together to unite with a universal force. They also are obviously different from each other, contrasting in many different
After watching the documentary The Long Search: Taoism: A Question of Balance—China, I am totally surprised by the details in the video, which explain every single aspect of people’s daily life in Taiwan as religious, especially Taoist. Since China does not consider itself as a nation of religious beliefs and practices, I do not actually think of what Chinese people do everyday as religious. However, after studying Religions in China for a semester, I finally realize that all the Chinese traditions and beliefs have evolved as a mixture of Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism. As a result, it all makes sense to see in the video that Taoism is a dominant religion that has deeply influenced individuals’ life in Taiwan.
Philosophy is a complicated subject. Since the beginning of human existence, many tried to come up with theories about life, happiness, reality and knowledge. From philosophical ideas different beliefs sprung, and existence of different religions followed. Every theory raised by a philosopher attracted different followers. In today's modern society aside from major religions, there are thousands of others that suggest that their explanations to universal questions are the only accurate ones, and all of these religions seek to gain more followers to join their "way". One of these religions is the religion/philosophy of Taoism. Taoism has it roots in China, where the founder of Taoism Lao-Tse was searching for a way that would avoid the constant feudal warfare and other conflicts that disrupted his society during his lifetime. The result was his book: Tao-te-Ching. Lao-Tse described Taoism as a path or a way which one must follow in order to reach inner serenity and peace. In order to reach these inner goals one must live in harmony with nature and natural process that creates the balance in the universe.
There are many Chinese Philosophies within the world, including Confucianism, Daoism, and Legalism, in which they have all originated as a result of the collapse of the Zhou dynasty in China, however, they do not all have the same beliefs.
By the beginning of the common era, another philosophy emerges and gains wide acceptance among the commoners. Daoism, just like the predecessor and also as the name implies, puts emphasis on "the way," that a certain individual is to abide by. Even though the two systems had different concepts about the way, the common denominator of both schools was to achieve total harmony in the society.... ... middle of paper ... ...
As was the case in China, Cao depicts the two forms of belief existing alongside one another, and not necessarily practiced exclusively to one another. Confucianism involves the concern for worldly affairs and order within a rigid social hierarchy, with importance placed on filial piety and family relations. Daoism is a way of thought that encompasses ideas of transcendental worlds of spirit through observation of simplicity, a comprehension of natural law and order, and a desire to lead with compassion, rather than force.
During the Warring States period China was going through chaos. The teachings of Confucianism and Daoism were welcomed by society to bring order, stability and liberate people from the misery and oppression. The rulers were greedy and desirous of political power and their own agendas; however they were looking for a new way to unite their people. It is often said that Confucianism and Daoism are the yang and yin, respectively, of Chinese religion. That is, they are not rivals so much as complementary traditions, working together to produce an overall balance in the lives of the Chinese. This is not true because the two religious philosophies were different from one another. Confucius believed that the traditions and virtues that were studied and taught in the old days by the Ancients was the best way to organize society (trickle-down approach). Also followers of Confucius believed in education, a moral force and human goodness to advance and progress within society. Daoism on the other hand relies on human nature and a balance of good and evil (Yin-Yang) to bring about social order. It neglects education, virtue and cultural norms because it is said that people are born faultless.
Liu, Jiahe, and Dongfang Shao. “Early Buddhism and Taoism in China (A.D. 65-420).” Buddhist-Christian Studies 12 (1992): 35–41. JSTOR. Web. 7 Nov. 2013.
Lao Tzu believed that Tao is a natural thing. He believes that you come by it or you realize its presents and experience it. The best way for me to explain how Lao Tzu perceives the Tao is to take it directly from our reading in Molloy, “The Doa cannot be named because it has no form. But the Dao can be experienced and followed by every individual thing that has a name (213).” Lao Tzu used Tao as a way of being and living in harmony with nature. Lao Tzu believed that Tao came to you by using his teaching of Wu Wei, Simplicity, Gentleness and Relativity (217-218).
Daoism is a Chinese philosophy that focuses on Dao, or, "the way". Daoists believe in the supernatural, nature, and hope to understand the natural principles that governed the world and how we could learn to live in harmony with them. Judge Dee relies heavily on spiritual inspiration when all else fails. When Judge Dee was having a hard time solving the Bee Hsun case, he decided to go to the city temple, and pray. Judge Dee thought that begging to the "Powers on High" (79) would show him to the way of this case. This suggests that the magistrate depends on spiritual forces in times of need. After, he tries to meditate, which is also a Daoist idea. "He sat down on the cushion, with crossed legs and his body erect. Closing his eyes, he tried to achieve a tranquil state of mind." (79) Judge Dee was using meditation, which is to reach a level of spiritual peace by becoming one with your surroundings, which is very Daoist. This shows that Judge Dee uses Daoist qualities in attempt to be a more effective
Confucianism and Daoism are two influential schools of thoughts that have existed in ancient China around the 6th century BCE. The former, led by the politician and philosopher Confucius, proposed that humans live in society according to a set of predefined rules and that they transform society through political action. Whereas the latter, led by the philosopher Lao-Tzu, promoted the idea of inaction; people should go with the flow instead of taking action to control their lives and dominate their surroundings. Although, at first glance Daoism and Confucianism seem to be two opposing philosophies, a more in depth analysis of two of their key ideas –filial piety and education—reveals that they do share some similarities.
Taoism and Buddhism were born in the same century. Siddhartha reached enlightenment in approximately 535 B.C. and Lao Tzu’s teachings were recorded around 500 B.C. There are many similarities in the basics of these two religions. Some of the similarities can be seen clearly when examining the three meaning of Tao.
“The whole character of Chinese popular religion flows in the direction of plethora of rituals and obligations without much discernable doctrinal underpinning” (Corduan, 2012, p.410). The Chinese popular religion has gravitated away the gods of Buddha and Daoism and captured the philosophy of luck and materialism (Corduan, 2012), while it “is less concerned with philosophical issues and
Although Daoism and Hinduism are two completely separate religions with the former indigenous to China and the latter to India, both of them encompass striking similarities that undeniably make it seem that one influenced the other. However, no known relations between the two religions exist. Comparing the small, but contextually vital part of the Hindu epic Mahabharata known as Bhagavad Gita with the central text to Daoism, Tao Te Ching offers an unparalleled journey of knowledge and understanding. Tao Te Ching emphasizes the crucial concept of Dao, which is translated as the “Way” while Bhagavad Gita stresses the all-encompassing Brahman. Since no sufficient language can express the full meaning of Dao, the most suitable example that shows its operations is the movement of water (TTC 8). Water simply flows with unity with nature – it can transform itself into whatever form is needed to flow. Dao is essentially an indescribable eternal energy and origin of the entire universe. Fully arriving at the Dao is the main goal of Daoism. Similarly, Brahman is the ultimate end to everything in the universe. In the Bhagavad Gita, Brahman is described as the source from which all beings originate from and eventually return. The fundamental principle of both concepts is, therefore, one and the same. I will specifically focus on vital parts of the two concepts in order to illustrate the parallelism of the eventual goal of the Dao and the Brahman. The emphasis on action with no desire for the “fruit” of the action, Dao and Brahman’s inexpressible essence, and following one’s own duty in order to complement the movement of the universe. These concepts illustrate the similarity between Dao and Brahman and ultimately demonstrate that they are ide...
Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism constitute the essence of the traditional Chinese culture. The relationship among the three has been marked by both competition and complementation in history, with Confucianism playing a more dominant role. Confucianism emphasized a reiteration of current moral values and Taoism developed a system of based upon a harmonization of man with the natural order. These two popular philosophies, however, developed into popular religions eventually. Besides the major religions, ancestor worship and animism also have strong support in China. Chinese people are very pragmatic, worshipping gods that might answer their prayers.