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Taoism

Taoism, or Daoism, is a set of Chinese traditions and religions focused on living in harmony with the Dao, the ultimate principle of reality. Key texts include the Daodejing and the Zhuangzi, and practices involve meditation, internal alchemy, and rituals aimed at achieving longevity and wisdom. Today, Daoism is recognized as one of the major religions in China and has a significant following in various regions across East and Southeast Asia, as well as among Western converts.

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9 views1 page

Taoism

Taoism, or Daoism, is a set of Chinese traditions and religions focused on living in harmony with the Dao, the ultimate principle of reality. Key texts include the Daodejing and the Zhuangzi, and practices involve meditation, internal alchemy, and rituals aimed at achieving longevity and wisdom. Today, Daoism is recognized as one of the major religions in China and has a significant following in various regions across East and Southeast Asia, as well as among Western converts.

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gzcristian031706
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Taoism (/ˈtaʊɪzəm/ (listen) or /ˈdaʊɪzəm/ (listen); Wade-Giles) or Daoism (/ˈdaʊɪzəm/; Pinyin) refers to a

set of Chinese traditions and religions which emphasize living in harmony with the Dao (Chinese: 道;
pinyin: Dào; lit. 'Way', 'Path'). The Dao is generally defined as the source of everything and the ultimate
principle underlying reality.[2][3] The Daodejing and the Zhuangzi are widely considered key Daoist
texts.

Daoism includes various self-cultivation methods, including meditation, internal alchemy, and various
rituals. Common aims include becoming one with the natural flow of the Dao, longevity, becoming a
sage (zhenren) and even an immortal (xian).[2][4] Daoist ethics vary depending on the particular school,
but they generally tend to emphasize virtues like: "non-action" (无为; 無為; wúwéi), "naturalness" or
"spontaneity" (自然; zìrán), "simplicity" (朴; 樸; pǔ), and the three treasures: compassion (慈; cí), frugality (俭;
儉; jiǎn) and humility (不敢为天下先; 不敢爲天下先; bù gǎn wèi tiānxià xiān).

The roots of Daoism go back at least to the 4th century BCE. Early Daoism drew its cosmological notions
from the School of Yinyang (also known as "the Naturalists"). Other influences include: Shang and Zhou
dynasty religion, Mohism, Confucianism, Legalist theorists like Shen Buhai and Han Fei, and the Chinese
classics, especially the I Ching and the Lüshi Chunqiu.[5][6][7]

Daoism has had a profound influence on Chinese culture in the course of the centuries and Dao masters
(道士; dàoshi), a title traditionally attributed only to the clergy and not to their lay followers, usually take
care to note the distinction between their ritual tradition and the practices of Chinese folk religion and
non-Daoist vernacular ritual orders, which are often mistakenly identified as pertaining to Daoism.
Chinese alchemy (especially "internal alchemy" - neidan), Chinese astrology, Chan (Zen) Buddhism,
several Chinese martial arts including Tai chi, traditional Chinese medicine, feng shui and many styles of
Qigong have been associated with Daoism throughout history.

Today, the Daoist religion is one of the five religious doctrines officially recognized by the People's
Republic of China (PRC), including in its special administrative regions (SARs) of Hong Kong and Macau.
[8] It is also a major religion in Taiwan[9] as well as throughout the Sinosphere and has a significant
number of adherents in a number of other societies throughout East and Southeast Asia, particularly in
Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam. Daoism also has adherents in the West, which includes Asian
immigrants as well as Western convert Daoists.

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