TAOISM
GROUP 5
MOST ESSENTIAL LEARNING COMPETENCY:
Analyze the belief, history, core teachings, fundamental beliefs,
practices, and related issues of Taoism
At the end of the module, you should be able to:
K - understand the history of Taoism.
S - explain the core teaching and practices of Taoism.
A - develop and practice the beliefs of Taoism in your daily life
TAOISM
• Taoism (also known as Daoism)
is a Chinese philosophy
attributed to Lao-Tzu (c. 500
BCE, also known as Laozi or LAO-TZU
Lao-Tze)
• The people primarily in the rural 500 BCE
areas of China and became the
official religion of the country DAOISM
under the Tang Dynasty.
• They also emphasizes doing
what is natural and "going with
CHINA
the flow" in accordance with the
Tao (or Dao), a cosmic force
which flows through all things
and binds and releases them.
TAOISM
Taoism exerted a great influence during the Tang Dynasty (618-907 CE) and the
emperor Xuanzong (reigned 712-756 CE) decreed it a state religion, mandating that
people keep Taoist writings in their home.
It fell out of favor as the Tang Dynasty declined and was replaced by Confucianism
and Buddhism but the religion is still practiced throughout China and other countries
today.
Taoism holds that humans and animals should live in balance with the Tao, or the
universe.
“ORIGIN”
ORIGIN
The historian Sima Qian (145-86 BCE) tells the story of
Lao-Tzu
Lao-Tzu believed in the harmony of all things and that people could live
easily together if they only considered each other's feelings once in a
while and recognized that their self- interest was not always in the interest
of others.
Lao-Tzu grew impatient with people and with the corruption he saw in
government, which caused the people so much pain and misery.
As he was leaving China through the western pass, the gatekeeper Yin
Hsi stopped him because he recognized him as a philosopher.
ORIGIN
Yin Hsi asked Lao-Tzu to write a book for him before he left civilization
forever and Lao-Tzu agreed.
He sat down on a rock beside the gatekeeper and wrote the Tao-Te-
Ching (The Book of the Way). He stopped writing when he felt he was
finished, handed the book to Yin Hsi, and walked through the western
pass to vanish into the mist beyond.
Sima Qian does not continue the story after this but, presumably (if the
story is true) Yin Hsi would have then had the Tao-Te-Ching copied and
distributed.
“TEACHING: THE TAO-TE-CHING”
TEACHING: THE TAO-TE-CHING
The tao-te-ching is an attempt to remind people
everyone could live together peacefully if people would
only be mindful of how their thoughts and actions affect
themselves, others, and the earth.
It is a classical Chinese text written with 81 chapters
and mainly concerning tao/ dào "way," te/dé "virtue",
life, strength.
TEACHING:THE TAO-TE-CHING
Taoist thought focuses on genuineness, longevity, health,
immortality, vitality, wu wei (non-action, a natural action, a
perfect equilibrium with tao), detachment, refinement
(emptiness), spontaneity, transformation and omni-potentiality.
A typical verse advises, "Yield and overcome/Empty and
become full/bend and become straight" to direct a reader to a
simpler way of living
TEACHING:THE TAO-TE-CHING
Instead of insisting one is right all the time, one can empty one's self of that
kind of pride and be open to learning from other people.
Instead of clinging to old belief patterns and hanging onto the past, one
can bend to new ideas and new ways of living.
The Tao-Te- Ching is an attempt to remind people that they are connected
to others and to the earth and that everyone could live together peacefully
if people would only be mindful of how their thoughts and actions affect
themselves, others, and the earth.
“YIN YANG THOUGHT”
YIN-YANG THOUGHT
A good reason to believe that Lao-Tzu was not the author of the Tao-Te-
Ching is that the core philosophy of Taoism grew up from the peasant class
during the Shang Dynasty (1600-1046 BCE) long before the accepted
dates for Lao-Tzu.
During the Shang era, the practice of divination became more popular
through the reading of oracle bones which would tell one's future.
Reading oracle bones led to a written text called the I-Ching (c. 1250-1150
BCE), the Book of Changes, which is a book still available today providing
a reader with interpretations for certain hexagrams which supposedly tell
the future.
YIN-YANG THOUGHT
A person would ask a question and then throw a handful of
yarrow sticks onto a flat surface (such as a table) and the I-Ching
would be consulted for an answer to the person's question.
These hexagrams consist of six unbroken lines (called Yang
lines) and six broken lines (Yin).
When a person looked at the pattern the yarrow sticks made
when they were thrown, and then consulted the hexagrams in the
book, they would have their answer.
YIN-YANG THOUGHT
The broken and the unbroken lines, the yin and yang, were both necessary
for that answer because the principles of yin and yang were necessary for
life.
Historian John M. Koller writes: Yin-yang thought began as an attempt to
answer the question of the origin of the universe.
According to yin-yang thought, the universe came to be as a result of the
interactions between the two primordial opposing forces of yin and yang.
Because things are experienced as changing, as processes coming into
being and passing out of being, they must have both yang, or being, and
yin, or lack of being.
YIN-YANG THOUGHT
The world of changing things that constitutes nature can exist only when
there are both yang and yin.
Without yang nothing can come into existence.
Without yin nothing can pass out of existence (207).
Although Taoism and the Tao-Te-Ching were not originally associated with
the symbol known as the yin-yang, they have both come to be because the
philosophy of their lifetimes.
Often, people will do exercises to help preserve their chi, therefore
extending their lifetimes.
“BELIEFS AND RELATED
ISSUES”
BELIEFS AND RELATED ISSUES
Other Chinese texts relating to Taoism are the Chaung-Tzu (also known as the
Zhuangzi, written by Zhuang Zhou, c. 369-286 BCE) and the Daozang from the Tang
Dynasty (618-907 CE) and Sung Dynasty (960-1234 CE) which was compiled in the
later Ming Dynasty (1368- 1644 CE).
All of these texts are based on the same kinds of observation of the natural world and
the belief that human beings are innately good and only needed a reminder of their
inner nature to pursue virtue over vice.
There are no "bad people" according to Taoist principles, only people who behave
badly.
Given the proper education and guidance toward understanding how the universe
works, anyone could be a "good person" living in harmony with the earth and with
others.
BELIEFS AND RELATED ISSUES
According to this belief, the way of the Tao is in accordance with nature while resistance to the Tao is
unnatural and causes friction.
The best way for a person to live, according to Taoism, is to submit to whatever life brings and be flexible
If a person adapts to the changes in life easily, that person will be happy; if a person resists the changes
in life, that person will be unhappy.
One's ultimate goal is to live at peace with the way of the Tao and recognize that everything that happens
in life should be accepted as part of the eternal force which binds and moves through all things.
This philosophy corresponds closely with the Logos of the Roman stoics like Epictetus and Marcus
Aurelius. They claimed the Logos was a force of reason and that nothing which happened according to
the Logos could be bad; only people's interpretations of what happened made those circumstances seem
bad
BELIEFS AND RELATED ISSUES
Taoism claims the same thing: nothing is bad in itself, only our self-interest makes us think that some
events in life are bad and others good.
Actually, all things happen in accordance with the flow of the Tao and, since the Tao is natural, all things
are natural.Unlike Buddhism (which came from India but became very popular in China), Taoism arose
from the observations and beliefs of the Chinese people.
The principles of Taoism impacted Chinese culture greatly because it came from the people themselves
and was a natural expression of the way the Chinese understood the universe.
The concept of the importance of a harmonious existence of balance fit well with the equally popular
philosophy of Confucianism (also native to China).
Taoism and Confucianism were aligned in their view of the innate goodness of human beings but differed
in how to bring that goodness to the surface and lead people to act in better, unselfish, ways.
“TAOISM AND CONFUCIANISM”
TAOISM AND CONFUCIANISM
The philosophy of Taoism grew into a religion of the peasant
classes of the Shang Dynasty, who lived closely with nature.
Their observations of the natural world influenced their
philosophy, and one of the things they incorporated was the
concept of eternity.
The tree which seemed to die came back to life in the spring
season and the grass grew again.
They concluded that when people died they went somewhere
else where they continued to live, they did not just disappear.
TAOISM AND CONFUCIANISM
Everyone's ancestor who had ever died still lived on in another place and
in the presence of the gods; Confucians believed in this same concept and
revered their ancestors as part of their daily practices.
Ancestor worship became a part of Taoist rituals, although the Tao-Te-
Ching does not support it outright, and a reverence for nature and the
spirits in nature - very similar to the Shintoism of Japan came to
characterize Taoist observances.
Even though Taoism and Confucianism are very similar in many core
beliefs, they are different in significant ways. A refusal to participate in strict
rites and rituals sets Taoism apart most dramatically from the philosophy of
Confucius. Koller writes:
TAOISM AND CONFUCIANISM
Confucius advocated rites and music so that the desires and
emotions might be developed and regulated, for therein lay the
development of humanity.
To Lao-Tzu, efforts to develop and regulate the desires and
emotions seemed artificial, tending to interfere with the harmony
of nature.
Rather than organize and regulate things to achieve perfection,
Lao-Tzu advocated letting things work to their perfection naturally.
TAOISM AND CONFUCIANISM
This means supporting all things in their natural state, allowing
them to transform spontaneously (245).
To Lao-Tzu (the name is used here as an expression of Taoist
thought), the more regulations one demanded, the harder one
made one's life and the lives of others.
If one relaxed the artificial rules and regulations which were
supposed to improve life, only then would one find that life
naturally regulates itself and one would fall into pace with the Tao
which runs through and regulates and binds and releases all
things naturally.
“RITUALS”
RITUALS
This belief in allowing life to unfold in accordance with the Tao does not
extend to Taoist rituals, however.
The rituals of Taoist practice are absolutely in accordance with the Taoist
understanding but have been influenced by Buddhist and Confucian
practices so that, in the present day, they are sometimes quite elaborate.
Every prayer and spell which makes up a Taoist ritual or festival must be
spoken precisely and every step of the ritual observed perfectly.
Taoist religious festivals are presided over by a Grand Master (a kind of
High Priest) who officiates, and these celebrations can last anywhere from
a few days to over a week.
RITUALS
During the ritual, the Grand Master and his assistants must
perform every action and recitation in accordance with tradition or
else their efforts are wasted.
This is an interesting departure from the usual Taoist
understanding of "going with the flow" and not worrying about
external rules or elaborate religious practices.
Taoist rituals are concerned with honoring the ancestors of a
village, community, or city, and the Grand Master will invoke the
spirits of these ancestors while incense burns to purify the area.
RITUALS
Purification is a very important element throughout the ritual.
The common space of everyday life must be transformed into
sacred space to invite communion with the spirits and the gods.
There are usually four assistants who attend the Grand Master in
different capacities, either as musicians, sacred dancers, or
readers.
The Grand Master will act out the text as read by one of his
assistants, and this text has to do with the ascent of the soul to
join with the gods and one's ancestors.
RITUALS
In ancient times, the ritual was performed on a staircase leading
to an altar to symbolize ascent from one's common surroundings
to the higher elevation of the gods.
In the present day, the ritual may be performed on a stage or the
ground, and it is understood from the text and the actions of the
Grand Master that he is ascending.
The altar still plays an important part in the ritual as it is seen as
the place where the earthly realm meets with the divine.
RITUALS
Taoism encourages individual worship in the home, and the
rituals and festivals are community events which bring people
together, but they should not be equated with worship practices of
other religions such as attending church or temple.
A Taoist can worship at home without ever attending a festival,
and throughout its history most people have.
Festivals are very expensive to stage and are usually funded by
members of the town, village, or city.
RITUALS
They are usually seen as celebrations of
community, though are sometimes performed in
times of need such as an epidemic or financial
struggle.
The spirits and the gods are invoked during these
times to drive away the dark spirits causing the
problems.
“AFTERLIFE”
AFTERLIFE
Taoism doesn't pay close attention to what happens after
death, the afterlife. Taoist have an ambition through their
whole life which is immortality.
Taoism stresses health and longevity through diet and
meditation.
Death is nothing but a return to Tao.
Taoist were traditionally not concerned with death
because they expected to live forever.
AFTERLIFE
Taoism significantly influenced Chinese culture from the Shang Dynasty
forward.
The recognition that all things and all people are connected is expressed in
the development of the arts, which reflect the people's understanding of
their place in the universe and their obligation to each other.
During the tang Dynasty, Taoism became the state religion under the reign
of the emperor Xuanzong because he believed it would create harmonious
balance in his subjects and, for a while, he was correct.
Xuanzong's rule is still considered one of the most prosperous and stable
in the history of China and the high point of the Tang Dynasty.
AFTERLIFE
Taoism has been nominated as a state religion a number
of times throughout China's history but the majority
preferred the teachings of Confucius (or, at times,
Buddhism), most likely because of the rituals of these
beliefs which provide a structure Taoism lacks.
Today, Taoism is recognized as one of the great world
religions and continues to be practiced by people in China
and throughout the world.
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