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Lao Tzu is often depicted
riding on a bull as he leaves the city and civilization
behind for a life of contemplation.
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Taoism, along with Confucianism,
is one of the two main philosophies native to China. The principles
of Taoism were first articulated in the Tao Te Ching, a
collection of writings attributed to Lao Tzu, an accountant in
the Chinese royal court, who is said to have written down his
final thoughts as he prepared to leave society and embark on a
life of meditation. His series of epigrams counseling simplicity,
wisdom, and the importance of following "The Way" or
The Tao was initially designed as a guide for the emperors
and court nobles he had left behind.
The Tao is considered
the primordial creative force of life which flows through nature,
giving rise to the opposing forces of Yin (passive) and
Yang (active). Quietly observing nature and its patterns and
performing inner meditations can bring one closer to unity with
the Tao, helping one to achieve longevity, wisdom, and
ultimately, physical and spiritual immortality. It is at once
a thing and "no-thing", a nameless force at work throughout
the universe.
In Taoist philosophy, doing is
less important than "non-doing", Desire for success,
power and monetary gain run contrary to the wisdom of The Tao,
which holds that everything in life changes and one should learn
to flow and adapt with these changes. Powerful rulers should therefore
be humble, the rich should comprehend poverty, and what appears
to be bad luck may be good luck in disguise (and vice-versa).
To achieve immortality, one must
nurture the "Three Treasures": one's vitality or original
essence (jing), physical energy and strength (qi)
and spirit or shen, through meditation, mental discipline,
exercise, and proper lifestyle
habits like proper diet and sleep. Depleting any or all of these
essences can lead to disease and eventually death, according to
Taoist wisdom. A key to meditation is the concept of wu wei,
emptying the mind of all thought to let The Tao enter
With the support and encouragement
of their emperors, the early Taoist sages engaged in the arts
of alchemy in order to find an "elixir of life" which
would grant immortality. Along the way they discovered thousands
of natural plants and compounds that now form the basis of Traditional
Chinese herbal medicine.
Besides the Tao Te Ching,
other seminal texts comprising the Five Classics of Taoist
philosophy include The Yellow Emperor's
Classic of Internal Medicine, or Huang Ti Nei Jing;
the Chuang Tzu, an eponymous collection of stories illustrating
the principles of the Tao Te Ching in a way that common
folk could understand; and the I Ching, a book of prophesy.
These books led to the widespread acceptance of Taoism throughout
China and led to the development of a formal
religion.
Taoist Religion and
Festivals >>
