Quote: "Taoism emphasizes living in harmony with what is known as the Tao—generally understood as being the impersonal, enigmatic process of transformation ultimately underlying reality."
A belief system that originated in China, focused on the principles of Yin and Yang, the Tao, and the concept of Wu Wei.
Tao: The principle of the universe that governs all things and the foundation of Taoism philosophy.
Yin and Yang: The concept of opposing forces that make up the universe and the balance between them.
Wu Wei: The principle of action through inaction, or effortless action.
Qi: The vital energy that flows through all things and the foundation of Traditional Chinese Medicine and martial arts.
Zen Buddhism: The fusion of Taoist and Buddhist philosophies that developed in China.
The Tao Te Ching: The foundational text of Taoism, attributed to the philosopher Lao Tzu.
The Zhuangzi: A Taoist text attributed to the philosopher Zhuangzi, containing a mix of stories, poems, and philosophy.
Taoist Ethics: The ethical principles and values of Taoism, including humility, simplicity, and compassion.
Taoist meditation: Practices and techniques used to cultivate stillness, mindfulness, and connection to the Tao.
Taoist art and aesthetics: The significance of art and aesthetics in Taoist philosophy, including nature, simplicity, and balance.
The Three Treasures: Taoist teachings on the three essential elements of life: jing (physical energy), qi (vital energy), and shen (spiritual energy).
Taoist alchemy: Practices and techniques used to transform and purify the self, including the use of herbs, meditation, and visualization.
Feng Shui: The Taoist practice of arranging one's environment to enhance harmony, balance, and energy flow.
Taoist Philosophy and Ecology: Taoism's perspective on the relationship between human beings and the natural world.
The Taoist Sage: The ideal person in Taoist philosophy, embodying humility, wisdom, and compassion.
Philosophical Taoism: This branch focuses on the natural principles and ethics of Taoism as presented in the Tao Te Ching and Zhuangzi.
Religious Taoism: This branch is characterized by the belief in deities, ceremonies, and rituals associated with Taoism.
Neo-Taoism: This branch emerged in the Han dynasty and emphasizes the practical aspects of Taoism and the inherent virtues of human nature.
Cosmogonic Taoism: This branch focuses on the origin and nature of the universe and presents the Tao as the ultimate reality.
Yin-Yang Taoism: This branch emphasizes the concept of yin and yang, and believes that they represent complementary forces that are present in all natural phenomena.
Huang-Lao Taoism: This branch emphasizes personal morality and self-cultivation, and combines elements of Confucianism and Taoism.
Contemporary Taoism: This branch involves the integration of Taoist beliefs and practices with modern insights and perspectives, such as environmental ethics and social justice.
Quote: "The Tao is represented in Chinese by the character 道 (pinyin: dào; Wade–Giles: tao4), which has several related meanings; possible English translations for it include 'way', 'road', and 'technique'."
Quote: "Symbols such as the bagua and taijitu are often employed to illustrate various aspects of the Tao."
Quote: "Taoist thought has informed the development of various practices and rituals within the Taoist tradition and beyond, including forms of meditation, astrology, qigong, feng shui, and internal alchemy."
Quote: "There is generally an emphasis on virtues such as effortless action, naturalness or spontaneity, simplicity, and the three treasures of compassion, frugality, and humility."
Quote: "Due to the terse quality of Classical Chinese as well as the abstract nature of the ideas themselves, many of these concepts defy simple definitions."
Quote: "The core of Taoist thought crystallized during the early Warring States period c. the 4th and 5th centuries BCE."
Quote: "The two works widely regarded as the principal expressions of Taoist philosophy, the epigrammatic Tao Te Ching and the anecdotal Zhuangzi."
Quote: "Early Taoism drew upon a diverse set of influences, including the Shang and Zhou state religions, Naturalism, Mohism, Confucianism, the Legalist theories..."
Quote: "Later, when Buddhism was introduced to China, the two systems began deeply influencing one another, with long-running discourses shared between Taoists and Buddhists."
Quote: "The status of daoshi, or 'Taoist master', is traditionally only attributed to clergy in Taoist organizations."
Quote: "Daoshi often take care to note distinctions between their traditions and others throughout Chinese folk religion, as well as those between their organizations and other vernacular ritual orders..."
Quote: "Many denominations of Taoism recognize various deities, often ones shared with other Chinese religions, with adherents worshiping them as powerful, superhuman figures exemplifying Taoist virtues."
Quote: "The highly syncretic nature of Taoist tradition presents particular difficulties when attempting to characterize its practice and identify adherents: debatably moreso than with other traditions..."
Quote: "Today, Taoism is one of five religious doctrines officially recognized by the Chinese government, also having official status in Hong Kong and Macau."
Quote: "It is also considered a major religion within Taiwan, and it has significant populations of adherents throughout the Sinosphere and Southeast Asia, particularly in Korea, Japan, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Singapore."
Quote: "Taoism has also taken on diverse forms in the West, including those hewing to historical practice, as well as highly synthesized practices variously characterized as new religious movements and often associated with the New Age subculture."