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Analysis of taoism
Reflections about Taoism
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More handpicked essays just for you.
Analysis of taoism
Reflections about Taoism
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Because the Chinese during the Tang dynasty liked to create statues, they created a statue of Buddha, which represents the blend of cultures with the religion because of the Chinese’s devotion to the religion. Zong Mi, a leading Buddhist scholar, described that “Confucius, Laozi and the Buddha were perfect sages.” and states that their teachings were similar and that “...they must be observed with respect.” (Doc 6). Confucianism, founded by Confucius, and Daoism (Taoism) founded by Laozi are philosophies that were all founded in China and was very popular to Chinese people. With the spread of Buddhism in China, Zong Mi wanted to compare the three philosophies together to where they blend with one another, so that Buddhism would be a religion that can be accepted into the Chinese
Similar to Confucius, Laozi also sought out a solution to create harmony in a world full of chaos and fragmentation. But Laozi found the solution through Daosim. The three ideas, the Dao, wuwei and yin and yang, are three key concepts in Daoism that leads to the harmony that Laozi strived for. These ideas, although created hundreds of years ago, still deeply influence Chinese thinking and culture
World religion such as Christianity and Buddhism contain a figure respectively that is spiritually supernatural and greater than human. Comparing Confucianism to Daoism, Daoism did not go through so much controversy as there are Daoist priest and Shaman stated explicitly in the doctrine of Daoism. Moreover, Kang Youwei who started this controversy advocated the worshipping of Confucius and he believed that the Confucian teachings are based on the Mandate of Heaven (Chen, 2012). Ren Jiyu recognized Confucius as its religious founder and proposed that Song-Ming Neo-Confucianism which is the transformed form of Confucianism worshipped tian (天), di (地), jun (君), qin (亲), shi (师) which are heaven, earth, emperors, ancestors and teachers (Chen, 2012).
Daoists principles encourage them to remove themselves from society and live off of the land. The yang is represented as active masculine energy and the yin mean passive feminine energy. Confucius was born in the state of Lu in 551. In the beginning of his lifetime, he showed interest in bringing people into order while uniting them.
From its reclusive origins, Daoism centralizes itself about “the Dao,” or “the Way,” in which human life must coexist with other life forms, preaching the significance of removing oneself from the temptations of society, quieting the mind in the practice of “wuwei,” and essentially deeming oneself selfless to the acts of nature. Eastern philosophy seems to adopt these praxes, despite their great differences from those accepted in the Western hemisphere, driven by Christianity and the belief that the earth’s purpose entails bending to the use of humans. Though Christianity dominates most of the world today, Daoism offers a distinct alternative, and critique, to Western methods of reasoning, as articulated by Laozi in The Daodejing. Throughout
In Confucianism Ren and Li enable one to preserve the Dao, when an individual’s Benevolence and the proper manners or behavior pattern combine, a mystical power is produced with human and spiritual relations. Only through ritualized interactions with others and with the spirits can one realize one’s full potential as a human being. Daoism Dao is the primordial entity that exist in an undifferentiated state prior to the coming into being of the myriad things. Daoism evolved out of the same ancient Chinese religious mindset as Confucianism
The Tao is not a thing and it is not seen like a God because it is not worshipped, it is more of a system of guidance. It is best described as “developing oneself so as to live in complete conformity with the teaching of the Tao.” Daoism is a religion of opposites and unity. It is where yin and yang started and the principal of it is it sees the world as filled with complementary forces. Daoism practices include meditation, which is concentration or mindfulness or visualization.
Confucianism, Daoism (or Taoism), and Legalism, were three major religions in ancient China. Confucianism was based on the thought that all men had a Dao or a way and that it was their own duty to follow their Dao. It was also based on the thought of humanity and that government positions should be open to not only nobles, but to men of equal qualities. Confucianism was more of a philosophy than a religion, as was Daoism (or Taoism). Although the two had this in common, Daoism was mostly the opposite of Confucianism.
An important concept of Daoism or Taoism is the concept of “Wu Wei.” Wu Wei is translated into English as meaning the action of non- action. Wu Wei means natural action, or an action that does not involve struggle or excessive effort. Wu Wei is the refinement of a state of mind in which our actions are effortless in arrangement with the flow of life. This go with anything mentality, although it can be quite useful, is characterized by great ease where we naturally act perfectly.
In China there are three prominent religions that are followed, Daoism, Confucianism and Buddhism. Daoist are usually concerned with unity with the natural universe and everyone is born good. Confucianism is the establishing of human laws and rights that are maintained to prove that all humans are good. Buddhism takes the path of spiritual development hoping to see the true nature of reality because they believe that nothing is fixed or eternal. Confucianism and Daoism are both oriental religions that mostly follow Buddhism, their language is Mandarin or Cantonese and the influence was spread over East Asia for almost two eras '.
In the broadest sense, a Daoist attitude toward life can be seen in the accepting and yielding, the joyful and carefree sides of the Chinese character (www.brittannica.com).” Moreover, Laozi (lao Tzu), the sage of China believed to have been the author of “Dao De Jing (Tao Te Ching) and is regard as the founder of Daoism. However, I glean historically, Daoism developed forms that included common people as well as philosophers. Conversely, some sought immorality through alchemy, some, special ways of healing, health, also magical and political powers (Matthews 184). Yet, if understanding correctly, to describe and rate Daoism’s strengths or weaknesses, one must be an excellent Chinese scholar.
To the Chinese, “the world consists of and operates on two great powers that are opposing in nature: yin, like a negative force in the Western terms; and yang, analogous to a positive one” (Wendan 176). These two concepts are represented in the Daoist symbol known as the Great Ultimate; the black part is yin and the white part is yang. The Great Ultimate represents duality and unity. “Yin and yang are two poles between which all manifestation takes place” (Wendan 176). There is a major difference in the metaphors of Western culture and the Chinese view of these opposites, in which oppositions are always in conflict.
Term Paper: Daoism Daoism, also known as Taoism, is originally a Chinese religious tradition that is centralized in living in harmony with the Tao, meaning “way”, “path”, or “principle”. Taoism is one of the two great philosophical and religious traditions that originated in China. In Taoism, the Tao indicates something that is both the source of, and the force behind, everything that exists. Taoism is practiced to be essentially a nontheistic religion, although some divisional communities worship the founder of the doctrine, Laozi. Daoism, along with Confucianism, branches out of an ancient religion from China that took shape no longer than 1500 B.C.E. (Brood).
The sculptures are mainly about the gods and goddesses or other historical figures within Taoism, such as Laozi. The yin and yang symbol is considered to be the primary symbol which core idea is balancing polar opposites, which is in this case shown in Taoist
It can be said that opposites attract as well as complement each other. Within the religions of Daoism, Confucianism, and Shinto lay harmony, respect, and ethical behavior towards nature, ancestors, oneself, and others. Although Daoism and Confucianism are native to China and Shinto to Japan, East Asian cultures integrate these religions and practices with openness and acceptance. They are the light and dark without reference to good or bad as the opposites necessitate one another. (Fisher, 2014, 201) Instead the interwoven religions of Daoism, Confucianism, and Shinto compliment each other in addition to having distinct differences.