Search results
Results from the WOW.Com Content Network
Taoism evolved in response to changing times, with its doctrine and associated practices being revised and refined. The acceptance of Taoism by the ruling class has waxed and waned, alternately enjoying periods of favor and rejection. Most recently, Taoism has emerged from a period of suppression and is undergoing a revival in China.
Taoism or Daoism ( / ˈ t aʊ. ɪ z əm / ⓘ , / ˈ d aʊ . ɪ z əm / ⓘ ) is a diverse philosophical and religious tradition indigenous to China , emphasizing harmony with the Tao 道 ( pinyin : dào ; Wade–Giles : tao 4 ).
The term Tao means "way", "path" or "principle", and can also be found in Chinese philosophies and religions other than Taoism. In Taoism, however, Tao denotes something that is both the source and the driving force behind everything that exists. It is ultimately ineffable: "The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao." [1] Also called Daoism.
In Taoism, an absolute entity which is the source of the universe; the way in which this absolute entity functions. 1. b. = Taoism, taoist. 2. In Confucianism and in extended uses, the way to be followed, the right conduct; doctrine or method. The earliest recorded usages were Tao (1736), Tau (1747), Taou (1831), and Dao (1971).
A daoshi (Chinese: 道士; pinyin: Dàoshi; Wade–Giles: tao 4 shih 1; lit. 'scholar of the Tao') or Taoshih, translated as Taoist priest, Taoist monk, or Taoist professional is a priest in Taoism. The courtesy title of a senior daoshi is daozhang ( 道長 , meaning "Tao master"), and a highly accomplished and revered daoshi is often called a ...
Taoism gained official status in China during the Tang dynasty, whose emperors claimed Laozi as their relative. [34] The Gaozong Emperor added the Daodejing to the list of classics (jīng, 經) to be studied for the imperial examinations. [35] This was the height of Taoist influence in Chinese history.
Taoism is an East Asian religion founded in ancient China with many schools or denominations, of which none occupies a position of orthodoxy and co-existed peacefully. [1] Taoist branches usually build their identity around a set of scriptures, that are manuals of ritual practices. [ 2 ]
Taoism does not fall strictly under an umbrella or a definition of an organised religion like the Abrahamic traditions, nor can it purely be studied as a variant of Chinese folk religion, as much of the traditional religion is outside of the tenets and core teachings of Taoism. Robinet asserts that Taoism is better understood as a way of life ...