A basic understanding of Taoism – a philosophy founded some 2 500
years ago which later became a religion – is believed to be a prerequisite
for understanding Chinese philosophy, spirituality, medicine, art and
culture.
Taoism
Apart from its 20-30 million adherents worldwide, Taoism today has a significant impact on
21st century Western culture through the rising popularity and influence of, among other
things, accupuncture, herbalism, holistic medicine, meditation and martial arts.
In essence, original Taoism is a naturalistic philosophy or thought system that explains and
aims to order life, existence and conduct within its mystical relationship with nature. Its aim was
basically to achieve a quiet, peaceful, restful, humble simplicity in living. However, later additions
to the original philosophies of Taoism led to the establishment of “religious” or “magical” Taoism
which strives to attain magical power and immortality.
ABOVE: Ancient painting of Lao-Tse, founder os Taoism, riding a bull.
General beliefs
Indescribable Tao
Central to the philosophy of Taoism is the Tao – mysterious, beyond knowing and beyond
human (especially Western) understanding. It is sometimes called the “first-cause”, “All-Father” or
“mother of the universe” that existed before heaven and earth. Although the Tao can be
described as the “Ultimate Reality” or even "Supreme Being", it cannot be known in a personal
way and is therefore not comparable to God as He has revealed himself in the Bible.
Instead, Taoists believe the Tao is the “Way” or pattern according to which things happen
naturally as well as the force of existence from which the world and all natural things “flows”. The
Tao is simultaniously the “soundless, formless force of existence that flows everywhere” and
something undescribable but related to “nonexistance” from which the force originates.
According to Taost philosophy, there is a constant interaction between existence and
nonexistence; between “being” and “nonbeing”. Being and nonbeing produce each other and
from them, everything else in the world flows. Tao produces all things from nonbeing and all
things go back to their common nonexistent origin and blend into one.
Individual Te
According to Taoism, there is a spesific unique pattern within each object – the Te - which makes
it what it is. Our Te determines our individuality and is also our inner connection to the universal
Tao. If we accept the Te in ourselves and in other things, we will live in peace and harmony with
each other and with the natural flow of the universe.
This means that we should also resist from trying to convince others to adapt to our own
idea’s of right and wrong. Concepts such as right and wrong is determined by each object’s
unique Te, so what is right for the one may be wrong for another. A Taoist illustration of this
principle is the fact that while humans may find it extremely uncomfortable to sleep in a wet
place, frogs enjoy it, Both ways of sleeping is right, depending on whether you are a human or a
frog!
Yin Yang – balanced Duality
Taoist philosophy states that from nonbeing Tao produced being (sometimes refered to as “the
One”), and then from being came “the two”. The two are yin and yang – two opposite but
balanced forces within nature. Through their constant interaction with each other, yin and yang
produces life.
The two are interdependent and when one looks at nature, you know the one only from its
contrast to the other. For example, light (yang) cannot be perceived without darkness (yin) while
good (yin) cannot be defined without evil (yang) and love cannot be appreciated without hate.
This balanced dualism is portayed in the ying-yang symbol which is also the symbol of Taoism
(see picture): a circle with a white and a black halve curling into each other.
ABOVE: The Yin Yang – symbol of Taoim.
Other examples of Yin Yang is that the yin (dark side) is the breath that formed the earth while
the yang (light side) is the breath that formed the heavens. Yin is female while yang is male; yin is
negative while yang is positive; yin is good while yang is evil; yin is weak while yang is strong; yin
is dark while yang is light; yin is right while yang is left; yin is cold while yang is hot; yin is
responsive while yang is aggresive; and yin is passive while yang is active. (See paragraph
“Magical Taoism” below.)
Man and the Tao
Taoists believe that the way in which the Tao moves or flows, produces harmony, health, and
peace. As individuals and society we experience unhappiness, suffering, disorder and
unfulfilment because we seek our own plan and are not “aligned” with the eternal plan or flow
of the Tao.
Man’s goal is to become aware of the way in which the Tao flows in the world and then to
align ourselves with it and ultimately become one with it. This means being transformed from
our current state through individual “inactivity” (wu-wei), discovering our uniqueness (te), and
then to “go with the flow” of the Tao. Taoists believe this will result in personal peace and
fulfillment as well as a harmonious society.
ABOVE: A Taoist priest in Taiwan.
Inactivity – Wu-Wei
Taoists believe that violence or forcefull behaviour (eg imposing one’s will ons someone else) is
against the natural flow of the Tao and that that is the reason why violent people seldom die a
natural death. Violence or forcefull behaviour causes the victim’s natural pattern (Te) to resist and
this ultimately leads to failure.
All straining, all striving and all effort are not only vain but counter-productive. Instead, in order
to achieve one’s goals, you should follow the art of wu-wei, (“inactivety”) which is to achieve
action by working with the patterns (Te) within each object. Wu-wei comes down to taking no
“unnatural action” and let the "natural flow of Tao" run its course. It has been described as
follows:
"It is the practice of going against the stream not by struggling against it and thrashing
about, but by standing still and letting the stream do all the work. Thus the sage knows
that relative to the river, he still moves against the current. To the outside world the
sage appears to take no action - but in fact he takes action long before others ever
foresee the need for action.”
Another typical Taoist saying or motto goes as follows:
The Taoist sage has no ambitions, therefore he can never fail. He who never fails
always succeeds. And he who always succeeds is all- powerful.
Magical Taoism
“Religious” or magical Taoism is sometimes viewed as a bastardazition of the original philosophies
of Taoism. It is basically a mixture of religious and occult beliefs, practices and techniques from a
wide spectrum of origins (including Mahayana Buddhism, Chinese folk religions and
Confucianism) thrown in with the basic doctrines of Taoism. Unlike original Taoism, its main aim
is to harness the force of the Tao in order to attain magical power and immortality.
An example is the belief that one can use ch’i – breath or one’s own “vital energy – to purify
yourself in order to achieve immortality. Alchemy is also practiced by some in an effort
In magical Taoism, the yin and yang is used in divination rituals. Today, both the concept and
the symbol has been accepted by several other occult groups and religions (see articles:
“Satanism”, “New Age,” “Neo Paganism”). It has lately become a popular symbol in the Western
world and is often seen on clothing and other graphic designs.
Sacred Texts of Taoism
The writings of Lao-Tse (the Tao Te Ching or "The Way of Power") and Chuang Tse (The Chuang
Tse) are the main sacred texts in Taoism.
Except for the Analects of Confucius, the Tao Te Chin is the most influential book in Chinese
literature. It has been the object of at least a thousand commentaries and has been translated
into English more than forty times. Interestingly enough some experts doubt that the entire Tao
te Chin was written by Lao-Tse. They believe that the book is the result of contributions by
numerous authors over centuries and that it evolved into its present form around the fourth
century BC.
Martial Arts and Accupuncture
ABOVE: Martial arts.
During the 20th century, various Taoist practices and beliefs gained some measure of acceptance
and popularity in the Western World. Among these are acupuncture, holistic medicine,
meditation and martial arts.
Tai Chi
Taoists have been practicing what is now being referred to as the martial arts for centuries in
order to attain better health and also as a way of self-defense. Whereas scores of different
schools and techniques of martial arts exist, Tai Chi is a form of the martial arts spesifically
associated with Taoism. Originally mainly practised by priests, it has lately become quite popular
in the West.
As a way of physical exercise, Tai Chi claims to work on all parts of the body. It "stimulates the
central nervous system, lowers blood pressure, relieves stress and gently tones muscles without
strain. It also enhances digestion, elimination of wastes and the circulation of blood. Moreover,
tai chi's rhythmic movements massage the internal organs and improve their functionality."
The traditional Chinese approach to medicine teaches that illness is caused by blockages or
lack of balance in the body's "chi" (intrinsic energy). Tai Chi claims to maintain balance in this
energy flow.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is an age-old Chinese healing practise dating back at least 5 000 years and closely
related to Taoism. According to the doctrine of Yin and Yang, the whole universe (including
man) consist of impersonal, polarized energy. In order to maintain mental, spiritual and physical
health, the positive and negative aspects of this energy has to be maintained.
Advocates of acupuncture claim that human body has a myriad of energy paths (called
"meridians") which, if they become blocked, causes unbalances in the body's energy flow which
disturbs the Yin Yang balance resulting in physical and/or mental illness.
In order to restore the flow of energy, needles (of gold, silver, steel or copper) are inserted into
the skin at some of the approximately 365 - 800 "meridian points" to stimulate the increase or
decrease of Yin and Yang as needed. It is claimed that acupuncture can be used to treat
emotional problems such as stress, anxiety and depression as well as a variety of physical
conditions and diseases including headaches, ulcers, digestive disorders, arthritis, sciatica,
psoriasis, asthma, bronchitis, etc.
During the 2nd half of the 20th century, acupuncture became popular in Western countries as
a method of "alternative healing". It is especially popular among New Agers and other occult
groups (see article: "New Age").
ABOVE: Old acupuncture chart depicting energy points where needles should be inserted.
History of Taoism
Taoism originally started as a combination of psychology and philosophy but, as was the case
with Confucianism, gradually evolved into a religion. During its zeneth in 440 AC Taoism was
declared as a state religion in China while its founder, Lao-Tse was venerated as a deity.
Lao-Tse: Philosopher and Founder
ABOVE: Ancient drawing of Lao-Tse.
Like Confucianism (see article: "Confucianism"), Taoism was founded in ancient China during the
6th century BC. Numerous myths and legends cloud the true facts about the historical person LiUhr, known as Lao-Tse ("Old Philosopher" or "Old Master") who lived from 604 to 531 BC and is
regarded to be the founder of Taoism. According to one legend, Lao-Tse was immaculately
conceived by a shooting star; carried in his mother's womb for eighty-two years; and was
eventually born a full grown wise old man!
Most experts agree that Lao-Tse was a contemporary of Confucius who, just like Confucius,
was concerned about the social and political breakdown of Chinese society at the time. Unlike
Confucius, however, he believed that harmony could not be restored by imposing external
morality or laws on the people. Instead, man should practice "purposefull inactivity" (wu-wei) to
align himself with the Tao (or more spesifically with his individual Te) and that would then lead
to social harmony. The government should not involve itself in this process or try to impose it on
its citizens.
Lao-Tse wrote his philosophies and ideas down and these writings became known as the Tao
Te Ching ("The Way and Its Power"). At this point Taoism was clearly a philosophy concerned
about the quality of life and with no apparent interest in the heavens, gods, rituals, or life after
death.
Chuang Tze: Mystical Taoism
The philosophies of Lao-Tse were studied mostly by scholars and philosophers for about two
centuries untill Chuang Tze (399-295 BC) came into the picture. Taking Lo-Tse's philosophies as
his starting point, Chuang Tse developed them further and focussed on the mystical nature of
the Tao.
Chuang Tse also emphasised the importance of individual transformation by realizing the
inividual Te. More than Lao-Tse, Chuang Tse succeeded in spreading the philosophies of the Tao
and making it acceptable to a wider portion of the population. His ideas are complied in writings
known simply as the Chuang Tse.
Religious Taoism
Over the next few centuries after Chuang Tse, Taoism gradually developed from a mystical
philosophy into a religion. As have been explained above (see paragraph "Magical Taoism"), this
was largely a result of it being integrated with a variety of beliefs and practices from various
origins such as Buddhism, Chinese folk religions and Confucianism.
Some schools started to interpret passages from the Tao Te Ching and Chuang Tse literally
instead of figurativley as it was intended. This lead to the formation of at least three distinct
branches in Taoism crepectively focussing on hygiene, alchemy and P'eng-lai – a mythical island
where a drug could be found which prevented death. In the process, religious or magical
Taoism shifted the emphasis from its original intend of individual tranformation to utilizing the
Tao in order to attain spiritual power and immortality.
This must have contributed to making Taoism more attractive to the masses which resulte in
Taoism being declared a state religion in China while Lao-Tse was venerated as a deity. Taoism,
along with Buddhism and Confucianism, became the three great religions of China.
Taoism Today
Typical of many oriental religions, it is sometimes difficult to distinguish Taoism and its
practicioners from the other religions and philosophies with which it has been integrated over
centuries. Nevertheless, two main groups can be identified in modern-day Taoism – the more
religious "Orthodox" Taoists (among which are the "Tao Masters" and "Black Headed Taoists") and
the more philosophical "Spirit Cloud Taoists" (among which are the "Masters of Methods"). The
first group stress the importance of rituals, cosmic renewal, and controlling spirits while the latter
concentrate on meditation and "pure conversation".
With the end of the Ch'ing Dynasty in 1911, state support for Taoism ended. Much of the
Taoist heritage was destroyed during the next period of warlordism. After the Communist victory
in 1949, religious freedom was severely restricted. "The new government put monks to manual
labor, confiscated temples, and plundered treasured. Several million monks were reduced to
fewer than 50,000" by 1960. During the cultural revolution in China from 1966 to 1976, much of
the remaining Taoist heritage was destroyed. Some religious tolerance has been restored under
Deng Xiao-ping from 1982 to the present time.
There are currently about 20-30 million Taoists on earth, most of which are concentrated in
Taiwan. According to the 1991 cencus, about 30 000 Taoists live in North America.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Article by Manie Bosman (E-Mail [email protected])
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Glossary
Brahman – In Hinduism, the ultimate source of all that is (the visible and invisible world), and is at
the same time part of everything and above everything. Also described as the impersonal
“Absolute”, the “World Soul” or the “force of existance” which penetrates everything. The term is
also used for the highest of the Four Castes in ancient India at the time of Shakyamuni. They
served Brahma, with offerings; the keepers of the Vedas, i.e. priestly caste.
Dualism / Dualistic: Belief in two equal powers which can be opposing each other (competing
dualism) or in balance with each other (balancing dualism such as Yin and Yang).
I Ching - An ancient Chinese method of predicting the future by using dice or coins and a book
with meanings contributed to specific numeric values from 1 to 64. Part of the Sacred Texts of
Confucianism (see article: "Confucianism").
Meditation - A process of deep thought.
Meridian – Energy paths that runs through the body.
Monism: A believe that “all is one” – an impersonal God that is part of everything and everything
is part of God.
Occult: A study and alleged 'science' of the hidden, secret, esoteric, demonic, paranormal and
supernatural - not related to the true God of the Bible.
Tao - The first-cause of the universe. It is a force that flows through all life. Simultaniously the
“Way” or pattern according to which things happen naturally as well as the force of existence
from which the world and all natural things “flows”.
Te – A unique pattern of the Tao within each object which makes it what it is.
Yin -Yang – Two opposite but balanced forces in nature. (See article: "New Age".)