A presentation on Taoism/Daoism for my Introduction to Religious Study class

1. DAOISM
(Taoism)
RL 101 | Dr. Joseph Kelly
Yuyang Wang | Thuy Le |
Tyler Cerny | Mason Schulefand
MARCH 17, 2015

2. Contents
History
Concepts
Traditions
Influences

3. history

4. The Beginning
Gods from the
Chinese folk tales
The God who divided the
sky and the earth

5. The Beginning
The Goddess who created
humankind.

6. The Beginning
The God who saved people from illness by testing
hundreds of medicine.

7. The Beginning
The God who united nations and brought peace

8. The fundamental era
The end of Spring
and Autumn period
(770 – 476 BCE)
Daodejing
by Li Er

9. The fundamental era
The story of
Li Er (571-471 BCE)
“I quit, not because I did not
want to teach nor the student did
not want to learn. It was because
that I only know so much and
there were so much more he
wanted to learn.”
- Li Er’s Master

10. The fundamental era
The story of
Li Er (571-471 BCE)
Gained the name Lao Zi – wise
master - for himself after
spending three years studying
in the capital.

11. The fundamental era
“I know birds can fly, fishes can swim, beasts can walk. But I do not
know what dragon can do. Lao Zi is like a dragon, knowing so much that
he can be anyone he wants. He is a true master.”
- Confucius on Lao Zi
Confucius
met
Lao Zi

12. The fundamental era
The story of
Li Er (571-471 BCE)
Later in life, Lao Zi wrote
Dao De Jing which later
becomes a fundamental
text of Daoism.
Lao Zi died at the age
of 101

13. From philosophy
to religion
Among hundreds schools
of thoughts, Lao Huang’s
school was most
significant

14. From philosophy
to religion
Han Dynasty
(206 BCE – 220 AD)
Zhang Daoling created the
official group for Daoism
to compete with Buddism
Daoism was still considered a
philosophical school

15. From philosophy
to religion
Temples were built, Gods were introduced
and worshippers now could gather
Laozi, Zhuangzi and Taoism

16. concepts

17. The dao (or tao)
The source of life
The “Way
The “Path”
The energy of the universe
The ultimate goal
=
To live in harmony
with the Tao

18. The dao (or tao)
Is not a God, a Creator
or a Being
The Three Pure Ones
The Jade Emperor

19. The dE (or tE)
The power of Tao
Virtue, inner power,
integrity
The manifestation of Tao
through human experience
Live true to one’s
essence and
influence your
kindness on others

20. The dE (or tE)
Compassion or Kindness
Three Treasures
Simplicity or Frugality
Humility or Modesty
love others like loving
oneself
live in simplicity, stay
away from material or
physical desires
not expressing assertive
authority

21. TAIJI/ YIN-YANG
Yang
Yin
Day
Light
Function
Hot
Sun
Dryness
Birth
Expressive
Male
Night
Dark
Structure
Cold
Moon
Fluid
Death
Calm
Female

22. TAIJI/ YIN-YANG
Duality
forming as
a whole
The nature
of change
balances to
halves

23. WU-WEI
NON-DOING
ACTION WITHOUT ACTION
Let the nature runs its course

24. WU-WEI
Tiger going to eat deer
Kill the tiger
Kill the cubs
Let the deer die
Feeling guilty
Do nothing
Do not interfere with nature
××


25. WU-WEI
Tiger going to eat deer
Kill the tiger
Kill the cubs
Let the deer die
Feeling guilty
Do nothing
Do not interfere with nature
××


26. IN SUMMARY
is achieved through
Wu-Wei (non-action)
The source
of existence
The root
of all beings,
seen & unseen
Dao (The Way)
Meditation
and reflection
in solitude
Living in peace,
simplicity and
tranquility
Acting
thoughtfully, not
impulsively
Acting in harmony
with nature

27. traditions

28. Traditional clothing
Confucianism Taoism

29. MUSIC & INSTRUMENTS
The Wudang is an essential instrument in Daoist music

30. Worshiping rituals
Alter surrounded by Gods 36 Gods
Great Master and chief cantor perform rituals
“Sacrifice of Writings”

31. WORSHIPPING RITUALS
Deceased ancestors Home and temples
Honor their deeds and memories
Family Ancestors

32. The DAO DE JING
Book of Teachings
Cannot fathom the “dao”
Mutually exclusive

33. The zhuangzi
Set of practices
Collects of stories and
imaginary conversations
“Life is bounded. Knowledge is
bounded. Using the bounded to
follow the unbounded is
dangerous. And if you take that
knowledge, that is really
dangerous.”
- Zhuangzi
“Flow by whatever happens and
let yourself be free. Stay
centered by accepting whatever
you are doing. This is the
ultimate.”
- Zhuangzi

34. influences

35. POPULARITY/SPREAD
Quanzhen Dao
Tianshi Dao
Practiced throughout
Northern China.
Focused on monastic
practices
Practiced throughout
Northern China.
Focused on monastic practices

36. Impact on Chinese culture
Architecture in natural
environments
Architecture in natural
environments

37. Impact on Chinese culture
Architecture in natural
environments
Medicine
Theories & Practices
Possessed both faith healers and
hygienists.
Consider their patients as a “whole”
rather than just their illness.
See the lack of harmony with nature
because it is a major contributor to
illness, disorders, and other ailments.
Basic premise of = to preserve health and ultimately
prolong the physical life.

38. Impact on Chinese culture
Architecture in natural
environments
Ethics
Practices have given birth to
martial arts such as Tai Chi
and Qigong
Martial Arts
Texts have established Chinese views
on mortality and behavior regardless
of religious affiliations.

39. Thank you!