Taoism or Daoism refers to either a school of philosophical thought or to a religion;both share ideas and concepts of Chinese origin and emphasize living in harmony with the Tao. The Tao Te Ching,a book containing teachings attributed to Laozi (老子),together with the later writings of Zhuangzi,are both widely considered the keystone works of Taoism.
Tao or Dao is the natural order of the universe whose character one's intuition must discern to realize the potential for individual wisdom,as conceived in the context of East Asian philosophy,East Asian religions,or any other philosophy or religion that aligns to this principle. This intuitive knowing of life cannot be grasped as a concept. Rather,it is known through actual living experience of one's everyday being. Its name,Tao or Dao(Chinese ),came from Chinese,where it signifies the way,path,route,road,or sometimes more loosely doctrine,principle,or holistic belief.
Taiji or Tai chi is a Chinese cosmological term for the "Supreme Ultimate" state of undifferentiated absolute and infinite potential,the oneness before duality,from which Yin and Yang originate. It can be compared with the old Wuji.
The Liezi is a Taoist text attributed to Lie Yukou,a c. 5th century BC Hundred Schools of Thought philosopher,but Chinese and Western scholars believe it was compiled around the 4th century CE.
The Huainanzi is an ancient Chinese text that consists of a collection of essays that resulted from a series of scholarly debates held at the court of Liu An,Prince of Huainan,sometime before 139 BC. The Huainanzi blends Daoist,Confucianist,and Legalist concepts,including theories such as yin and yang and Wu Xing theories.
Neidan,or internal alchemy,is an array of esoteric doctrines and physical,mental,and spiritual practices that Taoist initiates use to prolong life and create an immortal spiritual body that would survive after death. Also known as Jindan,inner alchemy combines theories derived from external alchemy,correlative cosmology,the emblems of the Yijing,and medical theory,with techniques of Daoist meditation,daoyin gymnastics,and sexual hygiene.
The Guanzi is an ancient Chinese political and philosophical text that is named for and traditionally attributed to the 7th century BCE philosopher and statesman Guan Zhong,who served as Prime Minister to Duke Huan of Qi. At over 135,000 characters long,the Guanzi is one of the longest early Chinese philosophical texts. The Han Dynasty scholar Liu Xiang edited the received Guanzi text circa 26 BCE. It contains a wide variety of material from many different authors over several successive centuries,largely associated with the 4th century BCE Jixia Academy in the Qi capital of Linzi,but much of it may actually not have been compiled until after the book Han Feizi.
Nan Huai-Chin was a Chinese Buddhist monk,religious scholar,and writer. A well-regarded spiritual teacher in contemporary China,he was considered by many to be the major force in the revival of Chinese Buddhism. While Nan was regarded by many in China as one of the most influential Chan Buddhist teachers and Vajrayana teachers,particularly in the Cundīpractices,he was little known outside the Chinese cultural sphere. Nan died at the age of 94 on Sept. 29th,2012 in Suzhou,China.
The history of Taoism stretches throughout Chinese history. Originating in prehistoric China,it has exerted a powerful influence over Chinese culture throughout the ages. Taoism evolved in response to changing times,with its doctrine and associated practices being revised and refined. The acceptance of Taoism by the ruling class has waxed and waned,alternately enjoying periods of favor and rejection. Most recently,Taoism has emerged from a period of suppression and is undergoing a revival in China.
Xuanxue is a metaphysical post-classical Chinese philosophy from the Six Dynasties (222-589),bringing together Taoist and Confucian beliefs through revision and discussion. The movement found its scriptural support both in Taoist and drastically-reinterpreted Confucian sources. Xuanxue,or "Mystic Learning",came to reign supreme in cultural circles,especially at Jiankang during the period of division. The concept represented the more abstract,unworldly,and idealistic tendency in early medieval Chinese thought. Xuanxue philosophers combined elements of Confucianism and Taoism to reinterpret the I Ching,Daodejing and Zhuangzi.
Zhenren is a Chinese term that first appeared in the Zhuangzi meaning "Daoist spiritual master",roughly translatable as "Perfected Person". Religious Daoism mythologized zhenren to rank above xian "transcendent;immortal" in the celestial hierarchy,while Chinese Buddhism used it to translate arhat "enlightened one".
The Xiuzhen tu is a Daoist diagram of the human body illustrating principles of Neidan 內丹"Internal alchemy",Chinese astrology,and cosmology.
The Zhuāngzi is an ancient Chinese text from the late Warring States period (476–221 BC) which contains stories and anecdotes that exemplify the carefree nature of the ideal Taoist sage. Named for its traditional author,"Master Zhuang" (Zhuangzi),the Zhuangzi is one of the two foundational texts of Taoism,along with the Tao Te Ching.
Huang–Lao or Huanglao was the most influential Chinese school of thought in the early 2nd-century BCE Han dynasty,having its origins in a broader political-philosophical drive looking for solutions to strengthen the feudal order as depicted in Zhou propaganda. Not systematically explained by historiographer Sima Qian,it is generally interpreted as a school of syncretism,developing into a major religion,the beginnings of religious Taoism.
Zuowang is a classic Daoist meditation technique,described as "a state of deep trance or intense absorption,during which no trace of ego-identity is felt and only the underlying cosmic current of the Dao is perceived as real." According to Louis Komjathy,this is one term for Daoist apophatic meditation,which also goes by various other names in Daoist literature,such as "quiet sitting","guarding the one","fasting the heartmind",and "embracing simplicity".
Waidan,translated as 'external alchemy' or 'external elixir',is the early branch of Chinese alchemy that focuses upon compounding elixirs of immortality by heating minerals,metals,and other natural substances in a luted crucible. The later branch of esoteric neidan 'inner alchemy',which borrowed doctrines and vocabulary from exoteric waidan,is based on allegorically producing elixirs within the practitioner's body,through Daoist meditation,diet,and physiological practices. The practice of waidan external alchemy originated in the early Han dynasty,grew in popularity until the Tang (618–907) when neidan began and several emperors died from alchemical elixir poisoning,and gradually declined until the Ming dynasty (1368–1644).
Taoist meditation,known in Chinese as "Xiu Dao",refers to the traditional meditative practices associated with the Chinese philosophy and religion of Taoism,including concentration,mindfulness,contemplation,and visualization. The earliest Chinese references to meditation date from the Warring States period.
The c. 350 BCE Neiye 內業or Inward Training is the oldest Chinese received text describing Daoist breath meditation techniques and qi circulation. After the Guanzi,a political and philosophical compendium,included the Neiye around the 2nd century BCE,it was seldom mentioned by Chinese scholars until the 20th century,when it was reevaluated as a "proto-Daoist" text that clearly influenced the Daode jing,Zhuangzi,and other classics. Neiye traditions also influenced Chinese thought and culture. For instance,it had the first references to cultivating the life forces jing "essence",qi "vital energy",and shen "spirit",which later became a fundamental concept in Daoist Neidan "internal alchemy",as well as the Three Treasures in traditional Chinese medicine.
Taoist philosophy also known as Taology refers to the various philosophical currents of Taoism,a tradition of Chinese origin which emphasizes living in harmony with the Dào. The Dào is a mysterious and deep principle that is the source,pattern and substance of the entire universe.
The ancient Chinese term fǎn is a basic concept of Daoism. The Daodejing says "Reversal is the movement of the Way ... Being is born from nonbeing." Daoist texts use fan in three interconnected meanings:"return to the root","cyclical return",and "return to the contrary". In Chinese cosmology,everything in the universe emerges from the primordial Dao,continually transforms,and inevitably returns to it,which parallels the eternal return in philosophy or cyclic model in physical cosmology. Fan is also significant in Chinese alchemy and Daoist meditation.
