Daoism(Taoism)/ Confucianism

1
Daoism(Taoism)/Confucianism

• Religions of East Asia largely China.
• These religions coexist and complement each other.

2
Ancient Chinese Tradition.

• Chinese believed that the world is full of
  invisible spirits- ancestral spirits,nature
  spirits- plants, animals, etc.
• Nature spirits personified and honored as
  deities.
• Shangdi (Shang-Ti) the Supreme Being, the great
  spirit, ruler of the universe, masculine.
• This belief is traced to the Shang Dynasty
  (1751-1123 BCE).

3
Ancestral Spirits

• Veneration of ancestors- funeral mourning rites,
  sacrifices.
• Li- the sacred ritual directed towards ancestors
  for blessings/ to avoid trouble.
• Kings sought ancestors help through medium of
  oracles bones.

4
Mandate of Heaven

• Belief traced to the Zhou (Chou dynasty (1122-221
  BCE) that overthrew the Shang di dynasty.
• Believed in heavenly beings, impersonal power
  that controlled the universe.
• Rulers were urged to rule according to the
  mandate of heaven I.e the wish of heavenly
  beings.

5
Qi / Chi- Impersonal Self generating energy.

• Cosmos is a manifestation of an impersonal self
  generating energy Qi / Chi.
• Qi / Chi has two aspects to it- the Yin and the
  Yang.
• These aspects interplay causing the ever-changing
  phenomenon of the universe.
• Yin- dark, receptive, female
• Yang- the bright, assertive, male.

6
Wisdom

• Wisdom lies in recognizing the ever shifting but
  regular patterns moving within the Yin and the
  Yang.
• Dao/ Tao- The way of nature
• The creative rhythm of the universe.

7
Divination

• Forms of divination are necessary to understand
  how to stay in harmony with the universe.
• Yi Jing (I Ching) The Book of Changes is an
  ancient scripture of methods of divination.
• It instructs on how to interpret patterns in
  divination items e.g coins, stalks, bones that
  represent yin and yang (p. 179).

8

• Actions produce opposites as a balancing
  reaction.
• Hence extreme actions produce extreme opposites-
  refrain from these.
• The Yin and that Yang is the basis of Daoism
  (Taoism) and Confucianism.

9
Daoism- The Way of Nature and immortality

• Living according to Tao- the way of nature.
• Stay in harmony with the universe.
• Daoism- an invention of western scholars to refer
  to traditions which developed from early
  philosophical texts and practices.
• It involves meditation.

10
Dao de Jing (Tao Te Ching)

• Dao de jing- the classic of the way and the
  power
• This is that Daoist scripture believed to have
  been authored by Lao Zi (Lao Tzu) in the 6th
  century debatable.
• Laozi (Lao Tzu) was a curator of the royal
  library of the Zhou dynasty.

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• He was leaving society to retire to the mountains
  at age 160 when a border guard recognized him as
  sage and requested him to share his wisdom. He
  sat down, and wrote Dao- de Jing.
• Dao de jing teaches Wu Wei actionless
  action I.e one can harmonize with the natural
  flow (Dao) by being receptive and quite.

12

• I.e direct experience of the universe requires
  accepting and cooperating with things the way
  they are.
• Nothing is evil, things may only be out of
  balance.
• Zuangzi (Chuang Tzu) (365-290) was a sage, a
  government official who expounded on these
  teachings. He advocated detachment from the
  world.
• Golden age of Dao has declined as people depart
  from the way. Civilization leads to chaos.

13
Developments in Daoism

• The 2nd century saw the institutionalization of
  Daoism.
• Prophecies and revelations led to political and
  religious organizations.
• Some prophecies predicted the fall of the Han
  dynasty in 184BCE which led to rebellion and
  decline of this dynasty
• At the decline of Han dynasty (206-220CE) e.g Kan
  Ji received a vision that yin and yang were no
  longer in balance because rulers had not followed
  the ways of nature.

14

• In western China, Zhang Dao Ling (Chang Tao Ling)
  claimed to have seen a vision of Laozi as a
  heavenly lord. In this vision, Laozi was
  appointed as the representation of Dao on earth.
• He was given the title of Celestial Master
• He taught about healing by faith, and organized
  religion attracting many followers.

15
Highest Purity Daoism

• In 365, an aristocrat family in southern China
  claimed to receive revelations from a deceased
  member Lady Wei
• These were revelations of names and powers of new
  deities, meditation methods, alchemy and rituals.
• They were recorded in exquisite calligraphy and
  transmitted to a few disciples.
• Practiced by elite group of celibates.
• Despised celestial masters rituals and commoners.

16
The Numinous Treasure School

• Arose around 4th Century
• Assimilated many elements of Buddhism e.g
  meditation, divine beings scriptures, rebirth,
  heaven and shells.
• Complete Perfection.
• -Arose in the 12th century.
• -practiced in monastic schools.
• Unites Daoism inner alchemy with Zen Buddhist
  meditation and Confucianism,
• Teaches detachment to the world.
• Found in Beijing.

17
Longevity Daoism

• Use force that is within the body to maintain
  health, strength and to perceive the order of the
  universe.
• Jing- generative force
• Qi- vital life force
• Chen- spirit
• Involves breathing techniques, diets, gymnastics,
  vocalization, sexual energies, meditation
  absorption of solar and lunar energies. Etc.
• Alchemy- tapping these energies to achieve
  physical immortality.

18
Daoism today

• Still common in China, Taiwan, Hong King and
  Chinese communities overseas.
• Daoism blends with popular religions and
  cultures.
• Chinese temples combine Daoism, Confucianism and
  Buddhism.
• Indigenous Daoism seeking to spread their
  teachings to the young.

19

• 20th Century, the west became interested in
  Daoism with centers being established in the U.S.
• Acupuncture therapy uses Chinese traditional
  spiritual knowledge of energy believe to be in
  the body/ organs and the spine.
• Chinese traditional medicine and practices such
  as Taiji Quan (training for martial arts ) draw
  from Qi energy in trying to become one with yin
  and yang.