A recent conversation highlighted the paucity of diverse viewpoints expressed here. Basically, we hear from various flavors of Christians arguing with various flavors of atheists (including me).
One of the perspectives that was noted as not represented here is Taoism (Daoism), and I said to myself–wait a sec, I’m a Daoist, I could present that POV. So here’s the first in what may be an occasional series on Daoism. Let’s start with some basics:
Taoism. . .Daoism. . .What gives?
“Taoism” and “Daoism” are two different spellings of the same word [skip to the next section if you don’t care how we got there]. There are different systems of rendering Chinese words in a Western alphabet. An older system is called Wade-Giles, which renders a “T” sound as “T’” (T with an apostrophe) and a “D” sound as a “T” (T without an apostrophe). This has largely been replaced by Hanyu pinyin, in which a “T” sound is represented with a “T” and a “D” sound is represented with a “D.” So “Taoism” is Wade-Giles and “Daoism” is Hanyu pinyin. Either way, it’s pronounced “Dow-ism.” I will generally use pinyin, but sometimes slip into Wade-Giles due to convention.
Two flavors of Daoism
There are (at least) two forms of Daoism, and they’re quite different.
- Early philosophical Daoism draws on the early Daoist classics and is not explicitly religious, though it is often thought of as spiritual and mystical.
- Religious Daoism draws heavily on Chinese folk religion as well as the Daoist classics and has various gods.
I don’t know much about religious Daoism and will focus on early philosophical Daoism (which I may call EPD for short at times). That’s what I’m more familiar with and what I identify with.
Major texts
The primary texts of Daoism are:
- Tao Te Ching (Wade-Giles) aka Daodejing (pinyin)–pronounced “Dow-duh-jing.” This one is almost always referred to by the older spelling, Tao Te Ching. Attributed to Lao Tzu (aka Laozi, pronounced “Lao-dzuh”), it’s written in verse and dates from 4th to 3rd century BCE. It is short, composed of 81 short chapters.
- Chuang Tzu (Wade-Giles) aka Zhuangzi (pinyin)–pronounced “Jwong-dzuh.” Attributed to Zhuangzi, this one is prose and came a little while after Tao Te Ching. It’s a wild ride.
What does a Daoist believe?
After I embraced Daoism, my friends and family would ask me that and I could never come up with a good answer. By the time I figured out how to answer, they had stopped asking. Tragic.
A Daoist believes it doesn’t matter what you believe. What matters is how you live.
That’s my version anyway.
So how to live according to Daoism?
A sampling: Pay attention to how things work. Don’t force square pegs into round holes. Don’t be too impressed with yourself, your beliefs, your opinions. Don’t force your way on others. Accept everything. Hang back; learn what matters.
More to come in future OPs.
What is the Dao?
Dao translates roughly as “way” or “path.” It’s viewed as the source of everything as well as the way to live. So fancy that: maybe the source is an adverb, not a noun.
How about we close with a couple of quotes from the original sources?
The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao.
The name that can be named is not the eternal name.
–Tao Te Ching
Uncle Lack-Limb and Uncle Lame-Gait were seeing the sights at Dark Lord Hill and the wastes of K’un-lun, the place where the Yellow Emperor rested. Suddenly a willow sprouted out of Uncle Lame-Gait’s left elbow. He looked very startled and seemed to be annoyed.
“Do you resent it?” said Uncle Lack-Limb.
“No-what is there to resent?” said Uncle Lame-Gait. “To live is to borrow. And if we borrow to live, then life must be a pile of trash. Life and death are day and night. You and I came to watch the process of change, and now change has caught up with me. Why would I have anything to resent?”
–Zhuangzi
Questions:
- Are you familiar with Daoism? How does my description compare with your understanding?
- OK, that Zhuangzi quote is a little weird: WTH?
- What matters more: What you believe or how you live?