What is the philosophy of Taoism?

When it comes to Taoism, people will naturally think of Taoism, the only religion born and raised in China. It reminds people of the old gentleman with white hair and beard in China's legend, the Taoist priest of Laoshan who holds fairy dust in the hands of Pu Songling, a writer in the Qing Dynasty, and the feathering mage who worships, divines good and bad luck and prays for God to cure the disease and refine the elixir in reality. ...

Taoism actually refers to a school of thought in pre-Qin hundred schools of thought, and Taoism only rose in the late Han Dynasty. The Taoist school was initiated by Lao Zi, a pre-Qin thinker (Li Minger, Bai Yang, about the end of the Spring and Autumn Period, the year of birth and death is unknown), and it was inherited and developed in Zhuangzi (Zhou Ming, Zi Zixiu, about 369-286 BC). Later, people called the academic school with the purpose of Laozi and Zhuangzi's "Tao" theory Taoism.

During the Qin and Han Dynasties, there was a "Huang Lao School" called Huangdi Laozi to show that Taoism originated from Huangdi, but that was only an illusion. As far as the basis of Taoist thought is concerned, the pioneering work of Taoism can only be Laozi, which is a profound and unique philosophical classic in China's early days. The book "Laozi" is only about 5,000 words, which systematically expounds Laozi's thoughts around "Tao" and "Morality". Later, people used to call it "Tao Te Ching" or "Five Thousand Articles of Laozi". Because Taoism advocates Laozi, Sima Tan in the Western Han Dynasty began to call him a "Taoist scholar" in On the Essentials of the Six Classics, while Historical Records, Preface to Taishi and Records of Han Dynasty officially called him a Taoist and listed him as one of the "Nine Streams". Because the core of Taoist thought can not be separated from Taoist philosophy represented by Laozi and Zhuangzi, the main spirit of Taoist philosophy runs through Taoism; We can see that Taoism regards Laozi as its ancestor, respects Laozi as the old gentleman on the throne, and regards his Tao Te Ching as one of the main classics. Therefore, Taoism is generally classified as Taoism.

After Laozi, many scholars inherited and developed Laozi's thoughts, such as Yang Zhu, Song Shuo, Yin Wen, Meng Peng, Shen Dao and Tian Pian. Most of them attended Jixia Xuegong in Qi State, which was the academic center where various schools gathered during the Warring States Period. People usually call it "Xia Ji Taoism" or "Huang Lao School". Zhuangzi is the most important figure in Taoism after Laozi, and he is a master of Taoist thoughts. His thoughts are embodied in the rare book Zhuangzi. He explored and expounded many profound truths in vivid language, further developed Laozi's philosophy of life and made Taoism more complete. His academic thoughts have a great influence on the culture of China for more than two thousand years, so people also call Taoism "the study of Zhuangzi".

In 1930s, Hu Shi highly summarized the central idea of Taoism in Peking University's Lecture Notes on China's Medieval Ideological History, and thought that there were three aspects:

(a) A world view of natural change,

(2) the outlook on life of being good at life and keeping promises,

(3) the laissez-faire political view.

If Taoism, represented by Laozi and Zhuangzi, is far away from politics because of cynicism and pays attention to the pursuit of inner freedom, tranquility and simplicity, then the Huang family in the early Han Dynasty began to interfere in politics, continue to be inclusive, learn from others, conform to nature and govern by doing nothing, thus gaining the respect of the rulers.

When the Qin Dynasty perished and the Han Dynasty flourished, everything in society was in ruins. With the demise of Qin Ershi, Legalism became infamous. Confucianism, on the other hand, cannot be appreciated by the rulers for a while because of its complexity and triviality; In contrast, Taoist thought is only because it is quiet, simple and easy to do, and is beneficial to people's recuperation; In addition, most of the founders of the Han Empire, represented by Liu Bang, came from the lower classes, so the simple and generous Taoist thought was more likely to win their favor, which may be the direct reason for the prosperity of the study of Huang Lao in the early Han Dynasty. In the early years of the Western Han Dynasty, Cao Can, the prime minister, used Huang Lao's skill of changing merits to govern the country, which was praised by the people. When he arrived at Emperor Wen, he advocated the theory of Huang Lao and advocated "governing by doing nothing". Because Dou Taihou is also "good at Huang Lao's words, not (Yue) Confucianism", Jingdi and Prince (later Emperor Wu) had to "read Huangdi and Laozi and respect their skills" (historical records, consorts' family). This prosperous period, which was called "the rule of Wenjing" by later generations, has something to do with the quiet rule adopted by Wendi and Jingdi.

After Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty "ousted a hundred schools of thought and respected Confucianism alone", Taoist thought declined. Roughly in the Eastern Han Dynasty, Taoism began to divide. On the one hand, it developed in the direction of immortalization and mystification, forming a local religion in China-Taoism, which competed with Buddhism. On the one hand, it combined with Confucian orthodoxy and formed a new form of Taoist thought in Wei and Jin Dynasties-metaphysics.

During the Han and Wei Dynasties, social unrest and various ideas became active, and Taoism re-entered the historical stage in the form of metaphysics in Wei and Jin Dynasties. As another branch of Taoism, Taoism has also developed rapidly, but its theoretical contribution is far less than metaphysics. Metaphysics in Wei and Jin Dynasties replaced divination theology in Han Dynasty with the idea of reviving Laozi and Zhuangzi. Its main representatives are: Yan He, Wang Bi, Ji Kang, Ruan Ji, Xiang Xiu and Guo Xiang. Metaphysical scholars call Laozi, Zhuangzi and Zhouyi "San Xuan", and interpret Confucian classics with their own understanding of Laozi and Zhuangzi, forming an ideological pattern of combining Confucianism and Taoism; At the same time, they use the indifferent attitude towards nature to save humanity suppressed by Confucianism, trying to get rid of the shackles of red tape advocated by Confucianism and pursue a detached and open life. It can be said that from its birth to the Wei and Jin Dynasties, Taoist thought experienced numerous political changes and numerous tests, showing a life attitude of being calm in times of crisis and calmly dealing with the world.

During the Tang and Song Dynasties, the rulers gave Taoism a higher status and honor. Because Laozi's surname is Li, and the surname is the same as that of the royal family in the Tang Dynasty, the ruler claimed to be the descendant of Laozi in order to raise his background. First of all, Tang Gaozu stipulated the order of the three religions, putting Taoism before Confucianism and Buddhism. Subsequently, Tang Gaozong named Lao Zi as "Emperor Tai Xuan Yuan" and ordered the tributes to consult the Tao Te Ching. Tang Xuanzong spared no effort. He directly regarded the Taoist priest as the family of the royal family and built the Xuanyuan Emperor Temple all over the country. He also respected Taoist celebrities one after another, built Taoist temples, set up halls of metaphysics, set up disciples to learn from Laozi and Zhuangzi, and personally annotated the Classic of Tao Te Ching, ordering people to keep one at home, so as to carry forward Taoist thoughts and constantly improve the status of Taoist teachings. As soon as Tang Wuzong acceded to the throne, he designated February 15, Laozi's birthday, as "Sanctification Day". What's more, many emperors in the Tang Dynasty were keen to take the elixir refined by Taoist priests in order to live forever. In the end, they died prematurely because of taking the elixir of life, and so did emperors such as Emperor Taizong, Tang Wuzong and Emperor Xuanzong. The rulers of the Song Dynasty followed the practice of the previous dynasty and made great efforts to unite with Taoism. Song Huizong even made monks and nuns wear cassock.

Because of this, the Tang and Song Dynasties became the heyday of Taoism, especially Taoism. However, the traditional culture of China is dominated by Confucianism. Even in the period of Li Tang, who tried his best to identify his ancestors as Taoism, the rulers still practiced the policy of integrating Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism. After the Song Dynasty, the new form of Confucianism-the rise and continuous development of Neo-Confucianism in the Song and Ming Dynasties-formed the ideological pattern of Confucianism dominating the world. Later, the rulers of the Qing Dynasty adopted the policy of emphasizing Buddhism and restraining Taoism, which made Taoism's position in the royal family decline day by day.

However, in the big system of China's traditional culture, the position and function of Taoist thought can't be ignored. If, as some scholars think, cultural thoughts are divided into rigid, flexible, explicit and implicit, then, in contrast, the spirit of Confucianism is more prominent, while Taoism emphasizes the spirit of submission, inaction, retreat and concealment. People often say that there is no "pure Confucianism" after Qin and Han Dynasties, and it can also be said that there is no "pure Taoism" after Qin and Han Dynasties. Confucianism and Taoism repel each other and absorb each other; The two are opposite to each other and blend with each other. They are two indispensable and complementary aspects of China traditional culture in the development process of more than two thousand years. In this sense, Confucianism and Taoism are one family. For the traditional culture of China, they are like two wheels of a car and two wings of a bird, which are indispensable. Even in the period when Confucianism dominated the whole country, Taoism did not die out. It permeates Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism in various forms, permeates all aspects of real life, invisibly affects China people's attitude towards life, and embodies the hidden characteristics of Taoist thought.

Confucianism and Taoism, one is vigorous and promising, and the other is resignation; One is to make progress after China's entry into WTO, and the other is to retire, which is the real premise for them to realize communication and complementarity. Therefore, many ancient literati in China can become Confucianism after entering the WTO, become Taoism after birth, or merge Confucianism and Taoism in one furnace, and move forward freely.

Historically, during the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, with the gradual disintegration of slavery, China entered an era of great turmoil and great change. Some slave owners and nobles gradually lost their original privileged position in economy and politics and became poor or slaves. Some of them used grass as huts, plowed the fields together and lived in seclusion. In the Analects of Confucius, they are called "hermits" or "hermits". These people are strongly dissatisfied with the jungle and chaotic real society. Like Confucius, Mencius, Laozi and Zhuangzi, they denounced "there is no way in the world"! At the same time, Confucianism and Taoism took two different paths.

Facing the real society, Confucianism tries to explore a way to transform the objective world, even if it is personal self-cultivation, and ultimately it is to rule the country and level the world. Confucius thought that the difference between him and those hermits was that he was "indispensable" (The Analects of Confucius). In the words of Mencius, it is: "Confucius can be an official, stop it, stop it for a long time, and stop it quickly." Confucius has always advocated: "There is a way to see in the world, and there is no way to hide." (The Analects of Confucius Taber) But in fact, no matter whether there is a road in the world or not, he seems to have no intention of retiring. In order to change this "no way out" world, although he ran into a wall everywhere, he was indomitable and still had the same strength in his bones: "I know what I can't do." In this respect, Mencius is not inferior to Confucius. In his view, no matter whether you succeed or not, no matter when you are in trouble or when you are enlightened, you should not escape from this world; He advocates "ruling the world" in his own way and realizing his ideal of "kingly way"; And threatened "who else in the world today if you want to rule the world?" (Mencius Gong Sunchou) He has no intention of retiring.

Facing the cruel reality, Taoism is deeply rooted in people's hearts and seeks a life path of self-salvation from nature. According to the applicable records of Historical Records, Biographies of Laozi and Zhuangzi to North Korea, Laozi himself is a recluse gentleman. According to legend, he worked as a librarian in the Zhou Dynasty, and Confucius asked him for a "gift". Later, he retired and wrote a book, Lao Zi. Zhuangzi served as the manager of the lacquer garden in Song Dynasty. After resigning, he said that he "will not be an official all his life, which will make my ambition faster". He would rather live in seclusion in a humble alley, borrow rice to feed his hunger, make his own sandals, and live a poor life, than go to the position of Chu Xiang at the invitation of Chu Weiwang's high salary. From Laozi's thought of doing nothing, being natural, selfish, and being gentle with women, to Zhuangzi's spiritual realm of doing nothing, being nameless and having no desire, and being at ease, all show the difference between a pioneer and Confucianism. Taoism is tenaciously guarding the dignity of human spirit in an unprecedented way, tirelessly reclaiming the desert of human spirit, saving life from all the pain and disasters that cannot be eliminated, transcending the predicament of life and secular lust, and making people gain a quiet, free and holy state of mind. Both Lao Zi and Zhuangzi are hermits, but they are different from ordinary hermits. Their retirement is not only to escape the unchangeable evil reality, nor to avoid doing evil and help others, but more importantly, to seek a spiritual freedom beyond reality. Perhaps because of this, Taoism has fallen out of Sun Shan in the list of outstanding scholars in Han Feizi. It can be said that the real life of a large number of hermits emerged in the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, as well as the personal experiences of intellectuals represented by Laozi and Zhuangzi, are the social basis for the emergence of Taoist thought. Confucius and Mencius, on the other hand, are far away from the life experience of hermits, so their ideological course is bound to be different from that of Laozi and Zhuangzi.

Xunzi was a thinker at the end of the Warring States period, and he summarized the thoughts of the pre-Qin philosophers. When he talked about Zhuangzi in "Revealing the Secret", he pointed out: "Zhuangzi covers the sky and doesn't know anyone." This means that Zhuangzi only paid attention to the "heaven" representing nature, so he ignored the "man", that is, he covered up the man with nature. Xunzi further pointed out that understanding "Tao" like Zhuangzi can only be a kind of adaptation to nature. In fact, Xunzi only saw one side of the problem. On the other side of the problem, Zhuangzi made a beneficial exploration of people's spiritual freedom along Laozi's thought of "Taoism is natural", which greatly promoted people's understanding of themselves. How can this be said to be "hiding in the sky and not knowing people"?

In real society, people often use words such as "negative" and "world-weariness" to describe Taoist philosophy of life. Actually, there are some misunderstandings here. As long as we go deep into the profound philosophy of life of Taoism, we will not rashly use words such as "negative" and "world-weariness".