Brief introduction of Taoism

Taoism (also known as Taoism) was attributed to Laozi by China's philosophy (about 500 BC). The people who developed religion from the folk mainly lived in the rural area of China, and became the official religion of the country after the Tang Dynasty. Therefore, Taoism is both a philosophy and a religion.

It emphasizes letting nature take its course, "letting nature take its course", following Tao (or Tao), a cosmic force that runs through everything, binding and releasing everything. Philosophy originates from the observation of the natural world, while religion originates from the belief in the cosmic balance maintained and regulated by Tao. The original beliefs may or may not include customs such as ancestor worship and spiritual worship, but these principles have been observed by many Taoist priests today and have existed for centuries.

Taoism had a great influence in the Tang Dynasty (6 18-907), and Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty (reigned in 7 12-756) made it the state religion, requiring people to keep Taoist works at home. With the decline of the Tang Dynasty, it fell out of favor and was replaced by Confucianism and Buddhism, but today China and other countries still believe in this religion.

origin

Historian Sima Qian (BC 145-86) told the story of Lao Zi, the director of the Royal Library of Chu, who was a natural philosopher. Laozi believes that everything is harmonious. People can live together easily as long as they occasionally consider each other's feelings and realize that their own interests are not always consistent with those of others. Lao Tzu became more and more impatient with the people and the corruption he saw in * * *, which brought so much pain and suffering to the people. He was so depressed that he couldn't change people's behavior, so he decided to go into exile.

When he left China from Xiguan, the gatekeeper Yin Xi stopped him because he recognized him as a philosopher. Yin asked Lao Tzu to write a book for him before he left civilization forever, and Lao Tzu agreed. He sat on a stone next to the doorman and wrote Tao Jing. When he stopped writing, he felt that he was finished, handed the book to Yin and disappeared through Xitang into the fog. Sima Qian did not continue to tell this story, but it is speculated that Yin will copy and distribute the Tao Te Ching (if the story is true).

Tao Te Ching

Tao Te Ching tries to remind people that if people only pay attention to how their thoughts and actions affect themselves, others and the earth, then everyone can live in peace.

Tao Te Ching is not a "classic" by any means. It is a collection of poems, presenting a simple way of life, which follows the Tao and lives in peace with itself, others and the ever-changing world. A typical poem implies that "submission and overcoming/emptiness and becoming whole/bent and straight" leads readers to a simpler way of life. Instead of struggling with life and others, it is better to adapt to the environment and let unimportant things pass. Don't always insist that you are right, let yourself get rid of that kind of pride and be willing to learn from others. People can succumb to new ideas and new lifestyles instead of sticking to old belief patterns and the past.

Tao Te Ching was probably not written by Lao Tzu in Xiguan, or it may not be written by him at all. Laozi may not exist, but Tao Te Ching is a collection of proverbs written by an unknown scribe. It doesn't matter whether the origin and belief system of this book originated from a man named Laozi, when it was written, or how it was written (the book itself will agree). What matters is what the work says and what it means to readers. Tao Te Ching tries to remind people that they are connected with others and the earth. If people only pay attention to how their thoughts and actions affect themselves, others and the earth, everyone can coexist peacefully.

Yin-yang thought

There is every reason to believe that Lao Tzu is not the author of Tao Te Ching. The core philosophy of Taoism was developed among the peasants in Shang Dynasty (BC 1600- 1046), long before Laozi was accepted. In Shang Dynasty, divination by reading Oracle Bone Inscriptions became more popular. Reading Oracle Bone Inscriptions led to a written text called the Book of Changes (BC 1250-65438+ BC 0 150), which still exists today, providing readers with some explanations of divination symbols that are said to predict the future.

Yijing bagua

A person will ask a question, then throw a yarrow stem on a flat surface (such as a table), and then consult the Book of Changes to answer this person's question. These hexagrams are composed of six connecting lines (called Yang lines) and six lines (called Yin lines). When a person throws yarrow, look at its pattern, and then look up the numbers in the book, and there will be an answer. Intermittent lines, yin and yang are necessary for this answer, because the principle of yin and yang is necessary for life. Historian John Kohler wrote:

Yin and Yang thought began to answer the question of the origin of the universe. According to the thought of Yin and Yang, the universe is the result of the interaction between two primitive opposing forces of Yin and Yang. Because things are experienced as changes, which are the process of appearance and disappearance, there must be yang or existence, yin or non-existence at the same time. The change of natural things The world can only exist if there are both Yin and Yang. Without Yang, nothing can exist. Without Yin, nothing will disappear (207).

Although Taoism and Tao Te Ching were not initially associated with the symbol of Yin and Yang, they are so because Taoist philosophy embodies the principles and thoughts of Yin and Yang. As the Yin and Yang symbols express, life should be balanced. Yin and Yang are the symbolic balance of opposites-dark/light, passive/aggression, female/male-everything except good and evil, life and death, because nature does not recognize the good and evil of anything, and naturally it is impossible to distinguish the difference between life and inanimate objects. Everything in nature is harmonious, and Taoism also tries to encourage people to accept and live in this harmony.

Faith; believe

Other Taoist classics about China are (also known as Zhuangzi, writing the Zhou Dynasty in Zhuang Dynasty, about 369-286 BC) and Taoism was collected in the late Ming Dynasty (A.D. 1368- 1644) from the Tang Dynasty (6 18-907 CE) and the Song Dynasty (960-/KLOC). All these texts are based on the same observation of nature and the innate good faith of human beings. As long as they are reminded of their inner nature, they can pursue virtue instead of evil. According to the principle of Taoism, there are no "bad guys", only people with bad behavior. Through proper education and guidance, anyone can become a "good person" and live in harmony with the earth and others by understanding how the universe works.

According to this belief, the Tao is natural, but resisting the Tao is unnatural and will cause friction. Taoism believes that the best way for a person to live is to obey everything that life brings and remain flexible. A person can easily adapt to the changes of life, and he will be happy; If a person resists the change of life, that person will be unhappy. One's ultimate goal is to live in peace with Tao and realize that everything that happens in life should be accepted as a part of eternal power, which combines and runs through everything.

This idea and its symbol are very similar to Romas's Duojia images epiktetos and Aurelius. They claim that logos is a rational force, and anything that happens according to logos will not be a bad thing; Only people's explanation of what happened makes these situations look bad. Taoism also advocates that nothing is bad in itself, but our own interests make us feel that some things in life are bad and some are good. In fact, everything is natural, Tao is natural, and everything is natural.

Unlike Buddhism (which comes from India but is very popular in China), Taoism originated from the observation and belief of China people. Taoism has a great influence on China culture, because it comes from people themselves and is a natural expression of China people's understanding of the universe. The concept of the importance of balanced and harmonious existence is very consistent with the equally popular Confucian philosophy (which also originated in China). Taoism and Confucianism have the same view on the goodness of human nature, but they are different in how to show goodness and guide people to act in a better and more selfless way.

Taoism and Confucianism

Taoist philosophy has developed into a religion of the Shang peasant class, which is closely related to natural life. Their observation of nature has influenced their philosophy, one of which is the concept of eternity. In spring, it seems that the dead trees come back to life and the grass grows again. They come to the conclusion that when people die, they will go to other places to continue their lives, not just disappear. Everyone's dead ancestors are in different places, before the gods; Confucianism believes in the same concept and regards respecting ancestors as part of daily practice.

Ancestor worship has become a part of Taoist rituals, although the Tao Te Ching does not fully support it. The reverence for nature and the spirit in nature-very similar to Japanese Shintoism-has become a feature of Taoist rituals. Although Taoism and Confucianism are very similar in many core beliefs, they are different in important aspects. Refusing to attend strict ceremonies and ceremonies makes Taoism and Confucius' philosophy completely different. Kohler wrote:

Confucius advocated rites and music, which developed and regulated lust. This is where the development of human nature lies. For Laozi, the efforts to develop and adjust desires and emotions seem to be artificial and often interfere with the harmony of nature. Lao Tzu does not standardize things to perfection, but advocates letting things run naturally. This means supporting everything in its natural state and allowing them to change spontaneously (245).

For Laozi (using this name here is an expression of Taoist thought), the more rules one demands, the more difficult it is for one's own life and others' lives. If we relax the artificial rules that should improve our lives, we will find that life naturally adjusts itself, naturally communicates with the Tao, and naturally adjusts and releases everything.

ceremony

However, this belief of letting life unfold according to the Tao did not extend to Taoist rituals. The etiquette of Taoist practice fully conforms to Taoist understanding, but it is influenced by Buddhism. Confucian practices, so that today, they are sometimes very complicated. Every prayer and spell that constitutes a Taoist ceremony or festival must be accurately spoken, and every step of the ceremony must be perfectly observed. Taoist religious festivals are presided over by a master (a kind of high priest), and these celebrations can last for several days to more than a week. During the ceremony, the master and his assistant must perform every movement and recite according to tradition, otherwise their efforts will be in vain. This is different from the usual Taoist understanding of "letting nature take its course", rather than worrying about external rules or complex religious customs.

Taoist rituals are related to respecting the ancestors of villages, communities or cities. The master will summon the souls of these ancestors while burning incense and purifying this area. Purification is a very important element in the whole ceremony. The public space of daily life must be transformed into a sacred space, inviting communication with spirit and God. There are usually four assistants who take part in the Masters in different capacities. They can be musicians, holy dancers or readers. The exorcist will perform the text read by one of his assistants with the gods and ancestors, which is related to spiritual ascension. In ancient times, ceremonies were held on the stairs leading to the altar, symbolizing a god who rose from his own environment to a higher level. Today, the ceremony may be held on the stage or on the venue.

The altar still plays an important role in the ceremony, because it is considered as the place where the world meets the sacred. Taoists have their own private altars where people worship their ancestors, family gods and village gods. Taoism encourages individuals to worship at home. Ceremonies and festivals are community activities that bring people together, but they should not be equated with other religious worship activities, such as going to church or temple. Taoists can sacrifice at home instead of attending festivals. Throughout history, most people have. Festivals are very expensive and are usually funded by members of towns, villages or cities. They are usually considered as community celebrations, but sometimes they are held when necessary, such as epidemics or economic difficulties. At these times, souls and gods are called to dispel the dark souls that cause problems.

conclusion

Taoism has exerted a great influence on China culture since Shang Dynasty. The development of art reflects people's understanding of the relationship between everything and people, their position in the universe and their mutual obligations. In the Tang Dynasty, Taoism became the state religion under the rule of Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty, because he believed it would create a harmonious balance among his subjects, and he was right for a while. The reign of Xuanzong is still considered as one of the most prosperous and stable periods in the history of China, and it is also the heyday of the Tang Dynasty.

Taoism has been designated as the state religion for many times in the history of China, but most people prefer the teachings of Confucius (or sometimes Buddhism), probably because the rituals of these beliefs provide the structure that Taoism lacks. Today, Taoism is regarded as one of the greatest religions in the world and continues to be believed by people in China and all over the world.