Taoism

• Taoism


  A system of belief that originated in China, and is seen more as a way of life rather than a religion
• Taoism


  • Had a strong influence on the religious life and culture of China and other East Asian countries
• Taoism emerged as early as

  200 BCE
• Taoism


  Did not initially begin as a massive organized religion, but was instead composed of scattered believers
• Lao Tzu


  A figure who is said to have existed around 500 BCE, the name stands for "Old Master"
• Lao Tzu


  Many Taoists refer to him as the founder of Taoism as it is claimed that he wrote the Tao Te Ching, a book containing many core beliefs about Taoism
• Tao Te Ching


  A book that is central or core to Taoism, it is a collection of the core beliefs of Taoism
• Zhuang Zhou


  Another figure who lived around 3rd-4th Century BCE, he wrote a book named after himself, The Zhuangzi, which contained many oxymoronic statements about humanity and nature
• Zhuangzi


  Still considered to be a foundational text for many Taoists, the text is said to have helped in the beginning of Taoism as an organized religion
• Dao/Tao


  The very center of Daoist belief, it is also translated as "The way or the path", known to be the "source of all creation", governing the existence of things, and dictates all that is heavenly and earthly
• Dao/Tao


  It is the order of the universe, unexplainable but present in people and everywhere, it is also nameless since it has no form but people who follow it can express it
• Taoism


  • While the concept of Dao is not a deity or spirit, there are ancient Chinese deities and spirits that are honored in Daoism
• Lao Tzu's disappearance


  It is believed that it was his journey towards ascendance to becoming a deity
• Law of Reversion


  Chinese tradition often thought that the universe could be seen through opposite but complementary principles, the Law of Reversion states that despite the polarity of many things, they are still intricately intertwined to one another
• Yin and yang


  A symbol that shows the constant balance between positive and active energy (yang) to its opposite (yin)
• Wu Wei


  Translating to non-action, it does not immediately stand for being a bystander, it means the avoidance of spontaneity and unnecessary actions
• Wu Wei


  An example of this is the growth of plants; it does not need to force itself to grow, rather it takes time and effort to do so
• The three treasures

  • Compassion
  • Frugality
  • Humility
• Compassion


  A person must learn to show compassion to the beings around them
• Frugality


  To be frugal is to know the value of what one consumes. It means to live within one's means without excess and greed
• Humility


  One must remain humble, modest, and simple in living
• Tianshidao


  Literally translates to "Way of the Master", they focused on the concept of qi, they were considered to be the first organized group of Taoism, signifying the beginning of Taoism as an organized religion
• Quanzhen


  Can be translated as "The Way of Complete Perfection", they are a large denomination of Taoists, believing in the importance of alchemy, both internal and external, they also put an emphasis on the concept of qi
• Because of various historical events in China, there was a Taoist Diaspora that inadvertently led to the spread of Taoism around Asia
• Taoism was suppressed in China especially around the 1950s-1970s
• Nowadays, Taoism is estimated to have around 140 million followers
• The religion has had a strong revival particularly in China due to the non-suppression of religious or philosophical beliefs
• Qi


  Literally translating to "vital breath" or "air"/ "vapor" / "breath", it is the idea that there is a living energy or presence in all of the universe's things, in relation to the Dao, qi is the guiding principle
• Qigong


  A martial art that involves physical exercise and meditation, in Taoism, qigong allows any individual to balance their qi
• Tai-Chi


  A form of qigong, Tai-chi is a martial art that is practiced for self-defense and for health, it often combines slow deliberate movements, and wave-like motions to result in gentle exercise
• Wushu


  A term that refers to the sport of martial arts or Chinese fighting styles, it draws on concepts from Tai-Chi and Taoism in general
• Kung-Fu


  An umbrella term that refers to Chinese fighting styles or martial arts, they do have some Taooist influences
• Kung-Fu is present in both Western and Eastern popular culture in the form of movies
• Tao Te Ching


  Sometimes known as Li Er, an archivist of the court of zhu
• Polytheistic


  While the concept of Dao is not a deity or spirit, some ancient Chinese deities and spirits are honored in Daoism. They believe that the presence of such deities and spirits ultimately helps people live their lives. It is believed that Lao Tzu’s disappearance was his journey towards ascendance to becoming a deity