Taoism | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Chinese name | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Chinese | 道教 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Hanyu Pinyin | Dàojiào | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Literal meaning | "Religion of the Way" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Vietnamese name | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Vietnamese alphabet | Đạo giáo | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Chữ Hán | 道教 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Korean name | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Hangul | 도교 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Hanja | 道敎 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Japanese name | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Kanji | 道教 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Hiragana | どうきょう | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Taoism |
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Taoism, also Daoism (Chinese: dàojiào) is an East Asian religion native to China, traditionally attributed to the legendary sage Laozi.
Overview edit
Taoism is centrally concerned with the Tao, "a nameless, formless, all-pervasive power which brings all things into being and reverts them back into non-being in an eternal cycle."[1]
History edit
In the early Han dynasty, scholars retroactively attributed labeled classical writings with no clear historical connection as "Taoist."[2] The first self-identified Taoists appeared in the 5th century CE, stimulated by the introduction of Buddhism to China.[3]
Mythological origins edit
Taoism is traditionally attributed to the works of Lao Tzu and Chuang Tzu, two legendary figures of early China.
Sects and schools edit
Historiography edit
Western scholars have traditionally split Taoism into "religious Taoism" (道教; dàojiào) and "philosophical Taoism" (道家; dàojiā).[4][5] More recent scholars, such as Russell Kirkland, have considered "mystical models" in relation to "liturgical models", while Livia Kohn has proposed a tripartite typology of literati, communal, and self-cultivation Taoism.[6] These terms are foreign to Taoism itself.[7] Modern Taoists make a distinction between "Northern Taoism" and "Southern Taoism."[8]
Relationship to other religions edit
Tang-era Taoists wrote extensively on "Tao-nature", which closely resembles "Buddha-nature" in East Asian Buddhism. Northern Taoism interacted intimately with Chan and late imperial Confucianism.[9]
See also edit
Schools and organizations edit
Concepts and objects edit
Practice edit
Deities edit
Texts edit
Regional Taoism edit
References edit
Citations edit
- ^ Oldstone-Moore 2003, p. 6.
- ^ Kirkland, Russell (2002). "The History of Taoism: A New Outline". Journal of Chinese Religions. 30 (1): 177–193. doi:10.1179/073776902804760257. ISSN 0737-769X.
- ^ Kirkland 2004, p. 16.
- ^ Oldstone-Moore 2003, p. 13.
- ^ Kirkland 2004, p. 2: "For one thing, most scholars who have seriously studied Taoism, both in Asia and in the West, have finally abandoned the simplistic dichotomy of tao-chia and tao-chiao -- 'philosophical Taoism' and 'religious Taoism.'"
- ^ Kirkland 2004, p. 2.
- ^ Kirkland 2004, p. 2: "It should be noted in this connection, however, that Taoists have never made any distinctions of such kinds, and it is such very facts that challenge our hermeutical imagination."
- ^ Kirkland 2004, p. 4.
- ^ Kirkland 2004, p. 5.
General sources edit
- Kirkland, Russell (2004). Taoism: The Enduring Tradition. New York, NY: Routledge. ISBN 0-415-26322-0.
- Oldstone-Moore, Jennifer (2003). Taoism: Origins, Beliefs, Practices, Holy Texts, Sacred Places. Oxford New York: Oxford University Press, USA. ISBN 978-0-19-521933-3.
External links edit
- BBC religions – Taoism
- Taoism on In Our Time at the BBC
- "Taoist philosophy". Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy.
- Early Taoist texts – Chinese Text Project
- Patheos Library – Taoism
- Taoist Texts at the Internet Sacred Text Archive
- Collection: "Daoism/Taoism" from the University of Michigan Museum of Art
Category:Taoism
Category:Chinese astrology
Category:Chinese folk religion
Category:Classical Chinese philosophy
Category:Dualism in cosmology
Category:East Asian religions
Category:Three teachings