Blanc et Noir: POTPOURRI: Taoism

Taoism refers both to the philosophy outlined in the Tao Te Ching (identified with Lao-Tzu) and to China's ancient Taoist religion. Next to confucianism, it ranks as the second major belief system in traditional Chinese thought.
The formulation of Taoist philosophy is attributed to Lao-Tzu (fl. 6th or 4th century BC) and Chuang-Tzu (c.369-c.286 BC) as well as the Lieh-tzu (compiled during the Han dynasty, 202 BC-AD 220).
Three doctrines are particularly important: Tao (way) is nonbeing (wu), the creative-destructive force that brings everything into being and dissolves everything into nonbeing; return (fu) is the destiny of everything - that is, everything, after completing its cycle, returns to nonbeing; and nonaction (wu wei), or action in harmony with nature, is the best way of life.
Chuang-tzu taught that, from a purely objective viewpoint, all oppositions are merely the creations of conceptual thought and imply no judgments of intrinsic value (one pole is no more preferable than its opposite). Hence the wise person accepts life's inevitable changes. The Lieh-tzu said that the cultivation of Tao would enable a person to live for several hundred years. Taoism teaches the devotee to lead a long and tranquil life through the elimination of one's desires and aggressive impulses.

Taoism Religion

Taoism Tao Te Ching Lao-tzu Chuang-tzu

Often regarded as a corruption of Taoist philosophy, the Taoist religion began in the 3rd century BC with such practices as alchemy (the mixing of elixirs designed to ensure the immortality of the body). The alchemy was carried out by Taoist priest-magicians at the court of Shih Huang-ti of the Ch'in dynasty (221-207 BC). These magicians were also acclaimed as spirit mediums and experts in levitation. They were the heirs of the archaic folk religion of China, which had been rejected by the early Confucianists. Among the prominent features of Taoist religion are belief in physical immortality, alchemy, breath control and hygiene (internal alchemy), a pantheon of deities (including Lao-tzu as one of the three Supreme Ones), monasticism and the ritual of community renewal, and revealed scriptures. The Taoist liturgy and theology were influenced by Buddhism. Its scriptures, the Tao-tsang, consist of hundreds of separate works totaling more than 5,000 chapters.
Among the principal Taoist sects to emerge was the Heavenly Master sect, founded in West China in the 2nd century AD. It advocated faith healing through the confession of sin and at one time recruited members as soldiers and engaged in war against the government. The Supreme Peace sect, also founded in the 2nd century, adopted practices much like those of the Heavenly Master sect and launched a great rebellion that went on for several years before ending in AD 205. The Mao-shan (Mount Mao) sect, founded in the 4th century, introduced rituals involving both external and internal alchemies, mediumistic practice, and visionary communication with divinities.
The Ling-pao (Marvelous Treasure) sect, also founded in the 4th century, introduced the worship of divinities called T'ien-tsun (Heavenly Lords). The Ch'uan-chen (Completely Real) sect was founded in the 12th century as a Taoist monastic movement. Eventually the Heavenly Master sect absorbed most of the beliefs and practices of the other sects and, in the 20th century, became the most popular Taoist group.

Tao Te Ching

Taoism Religion Lao-tzu Chuang-tzu

A philosophical classic by Lao-Tzu, the Tao Te Ching is the single most important text of Chinese Taoism. According to tradition, the sage composed its approximately 5,000 words in the 6th century BC at the request of a gatekeeper who wanted a record of his teachings. The book is now considered to date from the 4th century BC. Laced with richly poetic imagery, it counsels balance, restraint, simplicity, and the avoidance of activity and desire as the means of achieving harmony with the natural currents of the Tao, or universal way. In ancient China Lao-tzu's thoughts rivaled those of Confucius in popularity, and his book has elicited hundreds of commentaries and translations.

Lao-tzu (Laozi)

Taoism Religion Tao Te Ching Chuang-tzu

Lao-tzu, or Master Lao, is the name of the supposed author of the Taoist classic Tao-te Ching. According to Taoist legend, Lao-tzu, the founder of Taoism, was named Li Erh and had the courtesy name Lao Tan. An older contemporary of Confucius (551-479 BC), he was keeper of the archives at the imperial court. In his 80th year he set out for the western border of China, toward what is now Tibet, saddened and disillusioned that men were unwilling to follow his path to natural goodness. At the border (Hank Pass), however, the guard Yin Hsi requested that Lao-tzu record his teachings before he left, whereupon he composed in 5,000 characters the famous Tao-te Ching (The Way and Its Power). The essential teaching of Lao-tzu is the Tao, or Way, to ultimate reality - the way of the universe exemplified in nature. The harmony of opposites (T'ai Ch'aiwu wei), an effortless action whose power (te) maintains equanimity and balance.

Chuang-tzu (Zhuangzi)

Taoism Religion Tao Te Ching Lao-tzu

The Chinese thinker Chuang-tzu, who lived between 399 and 295 BC, is generally considered with Lao-Tzu to be a founder of philosophical Taoism. Little is known of his life, except that he was born at Meng in present-day Honan. He declined an offer of premiership by the ruler of Ch'u, preferring personal freedom. Freedom is the keynote of Chuang-tzu's teaching, which stemmed from the Taoist concepts of nature. Since Tao is the Way of nature, which is in constant flux and transformation, to be one with nature is to free oneself from all human bondage and to transcend the phenomenal world.
Among the Taoist canons, the Chuang-tzu, a collection of Chuang-tzu's essays, is perhaps the most influential. Its impact is felt by rival schools of philosophy, as shown in the development of confucianism and zen buddhism. It has especially inspired Chinese art and poetry. The extant version of the Chuang-tzu, compiled by the commentator Kuo Hsiang in the 3rd century BC, consists of 33 chapters. The uneven style suggests spurious additions by later hands; but the first seven "Inner Chapters" and a few others that are thought to be genuine demonstrate the author's great imagination and originality as a writer as well as a philosopher. His prose is rich in poetic imagery; his arguments are driven home with fantastic allegory and the humorous dialogue of imaginary persons.

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