#10: Taoism Lecture
What country did Taoism originate in?
Taoism has no founder and no official founding date. It grew out of various religious and philosophical traditions in ancient China.
Name two historical events that caused the popularity of Taoism to suffer.
At one time it was the official state religion in China. However, it was somewhat pushed aside as Confucianism became popular.
Taoism also suffered with the rise of Communism in China. Taoism was banned and its followers re-educated, resulting in the number of practicing Taoists to fall by 99% in 10 years. It is not banned anymore but the number of followers never recovered fully.
What does the Tao mean?
Taoism is about the Tao. This is usually translated as The Way. The Tao is the ultimate creative principle of the universe. All things are unified and connected in the Tao
What is Wu Wei?
The most important thing about the Tao is how it works in the world, and how human beings relate to it. The method of following the Tao is called Wu Wei. Wu Wei is the act of not doing or non-action (doing the natural thing).
Is the Tao a god? How do gods and goddesses fit into Taoism?
The Tao is not a god and is not worshiped. There are however many gods and goddesses that are worshiped in Taoism. These gods are often borrowed from other religions and must be in harmony with the Tao.
What was Lao Tzu originally thought to be? What are the current idea about him?
The book The Tao Te Ching was written by Lao Tzu. He was originally considered to have lived around the 1st century BCE and be the closest thing to a founder that Taoism has, but now scholars believe it is a collection of writings from many early wise Taoists.
However, it is now believed that Lao Tzu was not a real man but instead a legendary figure who was made up to show the collective ideas of wise old masters.
What is the most important Taoist book?
The most important book is Taoism is the Tao Te Ching.
What are the believed benefits of reciting passages from the Tao Te Ching?
Reciting passages from the Tao Te Ching has been a spiritual practice for over 2000 years. First and foremost this practice is thought to make you a better person because of the content. However, many believe that reciting the words of the Tao Ti Ching can actually cure sickness, banish evil spirits and bring good luck.
If a Taoist wants to live well what should they do?
If a Taoist wants to live well they should take all their decisions in the context of the Tao, trying to see what will fit best with the natural order of things.
What does the concept ying yang represent?
In the Western world we are familiar with the black and white ying yang symbol. The meaning behind this symbol is important in Taoism. The symbol represents natural and complementary forces that depend on one another and do not make sense on their own. The forces are opposites but fit together perfectly and work in harmony.
What is qi (or chi)?
Ch'i or qi is the cosmic vital energy that enables beings to survive and links them to the universe as a whole. It is the basic material of all that exists
