Taoism

1
Taoism

• IAS 2540 / UGD 2270 History of Traditional
  Chinese Thought

2

• Lao Tzu and Chuang Tzu
• Only vague sketchy accounts (even in Ssu-ma
  Chiens Shih Chi)

3

• Lao Tzu was of the surname Li, his formal name
  was Erh, and his courtesy name was Tan Lao may
  have been the clan name.

4

• Lao Tzu Tao Te Ching
• Authorship was questionable (?) Yet, definitely
  was classic in the thought of Taoism.
• It was divided into 2 books
• Book 1 Tao Ching ( 37 Chapters)
• Book 2 Te Ching (44 chapters)
• Therefore, total of 81 chapters
• (In Dec., 1973, the discovery in a Han tomb at Ma
  Wang Tui Book 2 was in the front, book 1 was
  after. More complicated.)

5

• The Way that can be spoken of is not the
  constant Way. I(1) D.C. Laus tr.
• The name that can be named is not the constant
  name.
• the Way is forever nameless, XXXII(72) D.C.
  Laus tr.

6

• The nameless was the beginning of heaven and
  earth
• the named was the mother of the myriad creatures.
• ..
• These two are the same but diverge in name as
  they issue forth. Being the same they are called
  mysteries, mystery upon mystery the gateway of
  the manifold secrets. I(23) D.C. Laus tr.

7

• Because of his mastery of the ancient rites, it
  was said that Lao Tzu was appointed keeper of the
  archives of the Chou court. Lao Tzu was senior in
  age to Confucius, and there were reports that
  Confucius had visited Lao Tzu to ask him about
  the rites. Nevertheless, Lao Tzu devoted himself
  to the study of Tao (the Way), and its Te (the
  Virtue power). Then he resigned his official
  post and withdrew from the world, nothing is
  known of the end of his life.

8

• Similarly, Chuang Tzu lived without leaving any
  traces. His given name was Chou.
• He was famous for his allegorical (satirical)
  writings.
• He was also a most skilful writer user of
  phrases.
• Cf. Plato
• Cf. Lu Hsun
• Dreaming of becoming a butterfly
• Jokes with the sophist Hui Shih

9

• Cf. Confucius attempted to employ positive
  governmental methods based on benevolence and
  righteousness, to overcome disorder and restore
  things to their proper functioning, thus,
  optimistic.
• However, Lao Tzu and Chuang Tzu tended toward
  negativism, offering the methods of withdrawal
  whereby the individual could preserve his own
  safety and be at ease with himself, thus,
  pessimistic.

10

• Weakness or yielding softness (no-jo) is the
  function of Tao.
• Men are soft and weak at birth, rigid and tough
  in death all plants and trees are yielding and
  tender in life, stiff and brittle in death.
  Therefore, unyielding strength is the companion
  of death, while yielding softness is the
  companion of life.

11

• Cf. Tai ChI chuan
• Judo
• In Kung-fu Fighting
• Cf. Kenny Rogers Coward of the County

12

• Lao Tzu believed that the causes of disorder in
  the world lay, not in the shortcomings of
  specific institutions, but rather in the fact
  that institutions themselves were an
  unsatisfactory method of achieving order.
• Therefore
• The reversal or return to pu ( the primitive)
  the uncarved block of wood) the movement of
  Tao.
• (return to the original) let the people revert
  to the use of knotted cords (to remember things)
  a method of recording which was used before
  writing was invented.

13

• In all the world, there is nothing softer than
  water, yet it attacks the unyielding and the
  firm, nothing can prevail against it. This is to
  say that water conquers through softness.
• Water?stone into sand
• For weakness and softness can insure
  self-preservation, while the firm and the strong
  must be broken.
• Therefore softness and weakness conquer firmness
  and strength the essential art in dealing with
  lifes problems.

14

• Indeed, Lao Tzu accepted the doctrine of yielding
  and humility and developed it further. Thus, a
  political philosophy of inaction (wu-wei) or,
  of taking no purposive action was developed by
  Lao Tzu Chuang Tzu. Yet, this political thought
  is not completely negative. Lao Tzu and Chuang
  Tzu were skeptical about the government but
  affirmed the value of the individual.
• Therefore, the preservation of life and the free
  expression of mans nature became the ultimate
  goal of Lao Tzu and Chuang Tzus political
  philosophy.

15

• Wu-wei
• Taking no action, yet leaving nothing undone.
• The Way never acts yet nothing is left undone.
  XXXVII(81) D.C. Laus tr.
• Do that which consists in taking no action, and
  order will prevail. III (10) D.C. Laus tr.
• When one does nothing at all, there is nothing
  that is undone. XLVIII (108), D.C. Laus tr.

16

• I take no action and the people are transformed
  of themselves. LVII (133) D.C. Laus tr.
• The ideal state of the Taoist is one in which the
  people are innocent of knowledge and free from
  desire.
• Therefore, in governing the people, the sage
  empties their minds but fills theirs bellies,
  weakens their wills but strengthens their bones.
  He always keeps them innocent of knowledge and
  free from desire, and ensures that the clever
  never dare to act. III (9) D.C. Laus tr.

17

• The aim of sage is to keep the people in a
  childlike state where there is no knowledge and
  so no desire beyond the immediate objects of the
  senses.
• And if I cease to desire and remain still, the
  empire will be at peace of its own accord.
  XXXVII (81) D.C. Laus tr.
• Lao Tzus political philosophy of inaction bears
  some resemblance to the laissez faire doctrines,
  but it differs from anarchism. Because it takes
  no action yet leaves nothing undone.

18

• The ideal form of political organization let
  there be a small country wuth few people.
• Let the people revert to the use of knotted
  cords.
• Through a neighboring state within sight, so that
  they hear each others cocks crowing and dogs
  barking, yet the people will grow old and die
  without ever visiting one another. LXXX (193)
  Motes tr.

19

• Therefore, Blunt the sharpness, untangle the
  knots, soften the glare, let your wheels move
  only along old ruts. IV (12) D.C. Laus tr.
• The story of the fighting cock (as dull as a
  wooden cock) by Chuang Tzu.