Taoism is one of the most important religious and philosophical movements in southeast Asia. Taoism, Confucianism and Buddhism developed almost simultaneously. As a result, there are, as it were, three paths one can take. Taoism is best known in the West for the meaning of Yin and Yang, which symbolize a contrast but nevertheless form a unity. We can learn a lot from the spiritual movements that originated in the East.
- How did Taoism originate?
- Confucianism
- Wu Wei
- Yin and Yang
- Wu Xing
- Taoism is one of the most important philosophical movements
- Neo Taoism and Buddhism
How did Taoism originate?
Taoism originated in the fifth century BC in China. It is the second important movement, not only a religious but also a philosophical movement that indicates the path that transcends human understanding and that man will have to take. Tao means away. The lyrics are written in the Tao Te Ching. This is a book of 81 verses. The texts are believed to have been composed by several writers, but the most important is Lao Zi (Old Master). The texts provide insight into how one should walk the path to live a good life. It is seen as a flow and an indivisible principle from which everything flows. Naturally, the texts were first passed on orally, later put into verse and written down around 300 years before Christ. A second important founder was Zhuang Zi. This placed more emphasis on the individual person.
Confucianism
Originally, Taoism was a reaction to early Confucianism. The first Chinese philosopher was Confucius and he lived from 552 to 479 BC. in Lu State. in the ancient Zhou empire. Confucius wanted to restore the hierarchy by restoring the old values of the Zhou empire. Confucius’ philosophy was based on humanity and mutuality. People tried to order society by active and political action, while the Taoists rejected this. Finally, under the influence of Buddhism in the Middle Ages, one can say that the three paths converge. Taoists look for connection instead of analysis. They envisioned a much more passive attitude in the China of that time. With great respect for the universe. Living from not knowing. Taoism has a few important concepts where Dao, or Tao, is the path we should follow in life. This path offers us the following:
- The way gives life, perfects and creates peace
- The way gives life but does not try to possess it
- The road does not make people dependent
- The way matures people but does not control them
If you follow this road you will discover Tai Chi. This means the sum total of the infinite principle of evolution. For Taoists this is reflected in following the principles:
- Wu Wei
- Unity of Yin and Yang
- Wu Xing
Wu Wei
We call this way of acting Wu wei and it literally means not acting. This does not mean that people live passively, but that they act without pursuing their own interests. One tries to follow Dao or the way. The Taoist ideal is to become natural again. Your own creativity is also stimulated and developed in this way. People rely on a natural cycle of life and death. In doing so, one tries to get rid of one’s own ego and tries to achieve this by not speaking, not acting and not knowing. This creates great freedom.
Yin and Yang
Yin and Yang are the most important concepts in Taoism and everything is derived from them. Due to the contrast but also the interplay of Yin (the feminine) and Yang (the masculine), things are constantly subject to change. The most important thing is heaven and earth as an abstract concept. They are separate from each other and influence each other. One is the cause of the other. Only when we compare can we imagine yin or yang. This is how we know:
- Hot and cold
- wife and husband
- dark and light
- Hard and soft
- Death and life
- Inside and outside
- Even and uneven
- Earth and heaven
- Sun and shade
We should not underestimate the importance of Yin and Yang. After all, this plays a major role in the daily lives of Taoists. Yin and yang are taken into account when cooking. Certain products are yin and should be supplemented with yang. But these concepts are also important in architecture. If something is built completely straight, a certain bend will be applied to bring the yin and yang into harmony. Yin and yang are also important in the medical world. The human body has yin and yang components, but medicines are also provided taking yin and yang into account.
Wu Xing
The five forces arise from the interaction between Yin and Yang. These include the five element system of water, fire, metal, earth and wood. There is an ongoing transformation. This system has two components. The nourishing and the controlling. The symbol is a circle with a five-pointed star.
Taoism is one of the most important philosophical movements
The ideal image of the Taoists is a small and orderly state in which the monarch can, as it were, make himself invisible. No power politics and people prefer to stay in one place in a simple manner. There have been attempts to run a state in China in this way, but this turned out to be unsuccessful. Taoism flourished in the Han dynasty.
Neo Taoism and Buddhism
During the Chinese Middle Ages, a new religious movement emerged that was not so much about philosophical principles but about obtaining immortality and communicating with spirits. China was flooded with texts from Indian schools. This heralded the period of the introduction of Buddhism. The new philosophy was not seen as indigenous or barbaric. The Taoists preferred to stay in nature. But from a combination, the book of change, the Yi Ying, emerged. The writings came from Wang Bi who was a sympathizer of both Confucianism and Taoism.