Taoism

(TAO-KIAO.) Taoism is the second of the three state religions (San-kiao) of China. This religion is derived from the philosophical doctrines of Lao-tze. "Lao-tze s Taoism"! sa"s Legge (#eligions of China! $$%)! "is the e&hi'ition of a (a" or method of living (hich men sho)ld c)ltivate as the highest and p)rest development of their nat)re". According to *e +root (#eligio)s ,"stem of China! I-! p. ..)/ "Taoism! as the (ord indicates! is the #eligion of the Tao! a term meaning 0ath or 1a"! ')t denoting in this pec)liar case the (a"! co)rse or movement of the 2niverse! her processes and methods. In other (ords! Taoism is the #eligion of 3eaven and 4arth! of the Cosmos! of the 1orld or 5at)re in the 'roadest sense of these (ords. 3ence (e ma" call it 5at)rism". Lao-tze! the e6)ivalent to "the Old or -enera'le 0hilosopher" (if ta7en as a title of respect)! or to "Old 8o"" (if literall" translated)! (as 'orn in the third "ear of Ting 1ang! 0rince of Cho)! i.e. in .9:! at K io-;in! in the Kingdom of Ts )! to-da" 3o-nan 0rovince. The legend given '" Ko 3)ng in his "#ecord of ,pirits and Immortals" ((ritten in the fo)rth cent)r" A.*.)! sa"s that "he (as not 'orn till his mother had carried him in her (om' sevent"-t(o "ears or! according to some acco)nts! eight"-one "ears". "5o (onder"! adds Legge (<. c.! pp. $9=-:) "that the child sho)ld have had (hite hair! > an old 'o" of a'o)t fo)rscore "ears?" This date of .9:! in accordance (ith historical tradition! is not given '" ,ze-ma Ts ien in the 'iograph" (hich he devoted to the philosopher in his ",he-7i" (3istorical @emoirs)A if this date 'e accepted! it is diffic)lt to admit of the a)thenticit" of the meeting 'et(een Lao-tze and Conf)ci)s! B99 8.C.A if the latter (as then fift"-one "ears old according to Ch(ang-tze! Lao-tze (as then one h)ndred and fo)r "ears old. The famil" name of Lao-tze (as Li! his name 4)l (meaning "4ar")! his honorar" title 0e"ang! and his posth)mo)s name Tan (meaning "Clat-eared"). 3e (as one of the ",ze"! recorders! historiographers! 7eepers of the archives of Lo! the Co)rt of the princes of the Cho) d"nast". Coreseeing the deca" of this d"nast"! he gave )p his office! and )ndertoo7 a ;o)rne"A at the 3an-7o) 0ass! 3o-nan 0rovince! the (atchman! Din 3i! 'egged him to (rite his tho)ghts for his o(n instr)ction 'efore he retired from the (orldA conse6)entl"! Lao-tze (rote his (or7 in t(o parts in the Tao and the Te! and having entr)sted it to Din 3i! he disappearedA the time of the death of the philosopher is not 7no(n. Lao-tze had a son Called Ts)ng (ho (as a general of the Kingdom of 1ei and (ho o'tained the grant of land at T(an-7an. 3is son named Ch) had himself a child K)ngA 3ia! grandson of K)ng! (as an official )nder 4mperor 3iao-(en-ti! of the 3an d"nast". Kiai! son of 3ia! 'ecame a minister of K iang! King of 7iao-si! and! o(ing to this circ)mstance! settled (ith his famil" in the Kingdom of Ts i. This stor" is too matter of fact and lac7s the marvello)s legend (hich sho)ld s)rro)nd the person of the chief of a ne( religion. Legend (as provided for. Ko 3)ng! alread" mentioned! had placed the legend of Lao-tze at the 'eginning of the ",hon-sion-ch -(an"

(#ecords of ,pirits and Immortals)! and he sa"s/ "3is mother carried him after the emotion she felt in seeing a large shooting star. 3e received from 3eaven the vital 'reathA as he (as 'orn in a ho)se (hose proprietor (as called Li (0ear tree)! so he (as named Li". ,ome a)thors sa" that Lao-tze (as 'orn 'efore heaven and earth. According to others! he possessed a p)re so)l emanated from heaven! 3e 'elonged to the Class of spirits and gods. The chief (or7 of Lao-tze! in fact the onl" one (hich has 'een ascri'ed to him (ith some pro'a'ilit"! is the "Tao-teh-7ing". In the "China #evie(" (@arch-April! <EE.)! *r. 3er'ert A. +iles (rote a sensational article! "The #emains of Lao Tz)"! to sho( '" vario)s arg)ments that the "Tao-teh-7ing" is a sp)rio)s (or7 and that its no( sp)rio)s portions have 'een mostl" mistranslated. It (as the starting-point of a controvers" in (hich *r. Chalmers! *r. Legge! *r. 4d7ins! and some other sinolog)es too7 part. The a)thenticit" of the (or7 has 'een admitted '" most of them. 1"lie sa"s (5otes on Chinese Literat)re! ne( ed.! p. $<.)/ "The onl" (or7 (hich is 7no(n to 'e tr)l" the prod)ction of Lao Ke)n is the TaF) tih 7ing ! (hich has maintained its rep)tation and sec)red a pop)larit" to a certain e&tent among reading men generall" of ever" denomination. " Legge (rites (#eligions of China! p. $9=)/ "5o other (riting has come do(n to )s from the pencil of LGo-tsze! its a)thor"! and (8rit. H)art. #ev.! I)l"! <EE=! p. %)/ "1e 7no( that Lao Tz) (rote the Tao TJ Ching "! and (p. <<)/ "The Tao TJ Ching is a gen)ine relic of one of the most original minds of the Chinese race! p)tting his tho)ghts on record $:99 "ears ago. " The +erman 4. Ca'er (China #ev.! KIII! $:<) sa"s that "there is little room left for do)'ts regarding the a)thenticit" of o)r Canon." 8esides the "Tao-teh-7ing" a good man" (or7s treat of Taoism/ the "Din-f)-7ing-7iai" (hich professes to 'e an e&position of the oldest Taoist record in e&istenceA "Ts ing-tsing7ing" (The 8oo7 of 0)rit" and #est)A the "T ai-hsi-7ing" (#espiration of the 4m'r"o)A the "T ai-shang-Kan-"ing-pien" (Tractate of Actions and their #etri')tions). The chief Taoist philosophers are/ Tso)-")en (:99 8. C.)! a)thor of a (or7 on the infl)ences of the five r)ling elements! infl)enced '" 8)ddhist doctrinesA K(ei7)-tze (=E9 8. C.)! a m"stic! astrologer! and fort)ne-tellerA 3o-7(an-tze (=$B-$%E 8.C.)! an orthodo& Conf)cianist (hen (riting on ;)rispr)dence! a Taoist in other (ritingsA Ch(ang-tze (==9 8. C.)! the a)thor of the "5an-h)a" classic! the adversar" to @enci)s! and according to 4itel "the most original thin7er China ever prod)ced"A ,hi-tze ($E9 8. C.)! a Taoist (riter! infl)enced '" the heterodo& philosopher! Dang-ch) (:B9 8. C.)! the Apostle of ,elfishnessA the statesman 3an-feitze ($B9 8. C.)A Li)-ngan or 3(ai-nan-tze (died <<$ 8. C.)! a cosmogonist. 8)t the first disciples of Lao-tze (ere Kang-sang-tze (BL9-B:= 8. C.)! the first e&positor of Taoism as a distinct s"stem! the sceptic Li-tze (B99 8. C.)! and 1en-tze (B99 8. C.). The historian ,ze-ma-ts ien spea7ing of Ch(ang-tze sa"s/ "3e (rote (ith a vie( to asperse the Conf)cian school and to glorif" the m"steries of Lao Tze. . . 3is teachings are li7e an over(helming flood! (hich spreads at its o(n s(eet (ill. Conse6)entl"! from r)lers and ministers do(n(ards! none co)ld appl" them to an" definite )se." +iles (Chinese Literat)re! .9) concl)des from this passage/ "3ere (e have the 7e" to the tri)mph of the Tao of Conf)ci)s over the Tao of Lao Tze. The latter (as idealistic! the former a practical s"stem for ever"-da" )se."

As *e +root o'serves (l. s. c.! I-! .L)/ "Taoism 'eing f)ndamentall" a religion of the Cosmos and its s)'divisions! old Chinese Cosmogon" is its Theogon". It conceives the 2niverse as one large organism of po(ers and infl)ences! a living machine! the core of (hich is the +reat 2ltimate 0rinciple or T'ai-kih! comprising the t(o cosmic 8reaths or ,o)ls! 7no(n as the Yang and the Yin! of (hich! respectivel"! 3eaven and 4arth are the chief depositories. These t(o so)ls prod)ce the fo)r seasons! and the phenomena of 5at)re represented '" the lineal fig)res called kwa". In fact the Yang and the Yin prod)ce '" the po(er of their co-operation all that e&ists! man incl)ded. Ancient Chinese philosoph" attri')tes to man t(o so)ls/ <. The shen! or immaterial so)l! emanates from the ethereal! celestial part of the Cosmos! and consists of yang s)'stance. 1hen operating activel" in the living h)man 'od"! it is called k'i or 'reath ! and kwunA (hen separated from it after death! it lives as a ref)lgent spirit! st"led ming. $. The kwei! the material! s)'stantial so)l! emanates from the terrestrial part of the 2niverse! and is formed of yin s)'stance. In living man it operates )nder the name of p'oh and on his death it ret)rns to the 4arth" (*e +root! I-! p. B). Th)s the kwei is ')ried (ith the man and the shen lingers a'o)t the tom'. @ar7ing the distinction 'et(een the t(o so)ls! there e&isted in the legendar" period! according to the "Li-7i"! a sacrificial (orship to each so)l separatel"/ the hwun or k'i ret)rns to heaven! the p'oh ret)rns to earth. These t(o so)ls are compositeA in fact all the viscera have a partic)lar shen. "There are medical a)thors (ho ascri'e to man an indefinite n)m'er of so)ls or so)l-parts! or! as the" e&press. it! a h)ndred shen. Those so)ls! the" sa"! shift in the 'od" according to the age of the o(nerA so! e. g. (hen he is $B! =<! .E or L:! and older the" d(ell in his forehead! so that it is then ver" dangero)s to have 'oils or )lcers there! 'eca)se eff)sion of the 'lood (o)ld entail death. At other times of life the" nestle )nder the feet or in other parts and lim's! and onl" in the $<st! =Eth! :<st! and B9th "ears of life the" are distri')ted e6)all" thro)gh the 'od"! so that open a'scesses! (herever the" appear! do not heal then at all. ,)ch pathologic nonsense reg)lates! of co)rse! medical practice to a high degree" (*o +root! I-! p. LB). The liver! the l)ngs! and the 7idne"s correspond to the spring! to the a)t)mn! to the (inter! as (ell as to the east! the (est! and the north. The so)l ma" 'e e&tracted from a living manA the 'od" ma" still live (hen left '" the so)l! for instance d)ring sleepA the so)l of a dead man ma" 'e re'orn into other 'odies. +hosts ma" enter into relation (ith the living! not onl" in dreams! ')t the" ma" ta7e revenge on their enemies. At the head of the Taoist 0antheon is a trinit" of persons/ <. Yuen-shi-t'ien-tsun! "the hono)red one of heaven! first in time"! residing in "the ;ade-stone region"! (ho created the three (orldsA $. Ling-pan-t'ien-tsun! "the honored one of heaven (ho is val)ed and po(erf)l"! residing in the ")pper p)re region"! collector of the sacred 'oo7s! calc)lator of the s)ccession of time! and the reg)lator of the t(o principles yin and yangA =. Lao-tze himself! (ho e&posed to man7ind the doctrines )ttered '" the first person in the trinit" and collected in the form of 'oo7s '" the second.

5e&t come/ Yuh-hwang-ta-ti! "the great ;ade-stone emperor"! (ho governs the ph"sical )niverseA Hen-t'u-hwang-ti-k'i! ",pirit of imperial earth! r)ler of the soil"A the star gods! (hose lord (sing-chu) resides in a star near the poleA T'ien-hwang-ta-ti! (ho lives in the pole star! etc.A Liu-tsu! the "father of th)nder". "1hile he disco)rses on doctrine! his foot rests on nine 'ea)tif)l 'irds. 3e has )nder him thirt"-si& generals! t'ien tsiang" (4d7ins! "Io)rn. 5orth China 8r. #o". Asiat. ,oc.!" III! *ec.! <EB%! p. =l<)A the s)n and moonA the San-yuen or San-kwan! "the three r)lers" (ho preside over three departments of ph"sical nat)re! heaven! earth! and (aterA Hiuen-kien-shang-ti! "high emperor of the dar7 heaven"! (ho is descri'ed as the model of the tr)e ascetic. 3e has transformed himself eight"-t(o times to 'ecome the instr)ctor of men in the three national religions (4d7ins! l. c.! p. =<$). A n)m'er of personages (ere (orshipped )nder the name of tsu! patriarchs. Conf)ci)s himself has a place assigned him among the deities of this religion! and he is addressed as " the hono)red one of heaven (ho ca)ses literat)re to flo)rish and the (orld to prosper" (4d7ins). ,ome men have 'een (orshipped as gods after their death/ K(an-ti! the god of (arA 3)-ts)! a ph"sicianA a medical divinit"! Ko-ts) ,a-ts) A etc. One ma" (ell as7 ho( the p)re a'stract doctrine of Lao-tze (as t)rned into a medle" of alchemical researches! a practice of (itchcraft! (ith the addition of 8)ddhist s)perstitions! (hich constit)te to-da" (hat is called Tao-kiao! the religion or the teaching of Tao. This (as the (or7 of a legendar" 'eing! Chang Tao-ling! a descendant of the eighth generation of Chang Leang! a cele'rated advisor of Li)-pang! fo)nder of the 3an d"nast". 3e (as 'orn in the tenth "ear of the 4mperor K(ang 1)-ti (A. *. =:) in a cottage of a small village of the Che-7iang 0rovince! at the foot of the T ien-m)-,han! in the 3ang-cho) 0refect)re. At an earl" age Chang st)died the (or7s of Lao-tze to (hich he added researches of alchem"! a science aiming at "prolonging life 'e"ond the limits assigned '" nat)re". 3e fo)nd the dr)g of immortalit"! and '" order of Lao-tze he destro"ed the si& great demons of the provinceA Lao-tze gave him also t(o 'oo7s! t(o s(ords! one male! one female! a seal Called Tu-kung! etc. Chang gave his s(ords and 'oo7s to his son 3eng! 'idding him to contin)e his pontificate from generation to generation. At noon on the seventh da" of the first moon of the second "ear D)ng-sho) of the 3an 4mperor 3eng (A. *. <BL)! Tao-ling ascended the Clo)d" @o)ntain (Yun-shan) (ith his (ife and t(o disciples! and (ith them disappeared into heaven. Chang 3eng! son of Chang Tao-ling! contin)ed his father s tradition 'oth in spirit)al and alchemical researches! and Chang L) the grandson! pla"ed an important part in the Dello( Cap #e'ellion at the 'eginning of the 3an d"nast". *)ring the fifth cent)r" A. *.! (hen the 1ei d"nast" (as r)ling in 5orthern China! a certain K i) Kien-che tried to s)'stit)te himself to the Chang famil" and received in :$= from the emperor the title of T'ien-shi! "0receptor of 3eaven"! (hich formerl" 'elonged to Tao-ling. In L:E the T ang 4mperor 3i)en-Ts)ng conferred this title )pon the heirs of the latter! and a grant of a large propert" near L)ng-h) ,han (as made to them in <9<. '" the ,)ng 4mperor ChenTs)ng. 3eredit" in the charge of high priest of the c)lt (as sec)red to the descendants of Chang '" the transmigration of the so)l of Tao-ling s s)ccessor! at the time of his demise! to the 'od" of a ;)nior mem'er of the famil"! (hose selection is indicated '" a s)pernat)ral phenomenon.

To-da"! at the head of the Taoist hierarch" is the Cheng-i-sze-kiao-chen-jen! "3eir to the fo)nder of the Taoist sect"A this title (as conferred '" the @ing d"nast" )pon Chang Cheng-shang! descendant from Chang Tao-ling of the thirt"-ninth generation. This title "'elongs! '" an hereditar" privilege! to the first'orn descending in a direct line from Chang Tao-ling. 3e lives )pon the L)ng-h) @o)ntain! in the Kiang-si 0rovince. 3is office consists in )sing his magical art to frighten demons a(a"! to 'affle dia'olical infl)ence! and to refrain the evil-doing so)ls of the dead. 3e names the ne( Ch'enghwang! t)telar" deities of the cities ! and for a fee! he gives to Taoists titles permitting them to cele'rate the ceremonies (ith more solemnit"" (0. 3oang! "@Mlanges s)r l Administration"! =:). In the capital of the empire the Taoist priesthood incl)des/ two Tao-lu-sze! s)periors! a title corresponding (ith that of the 8)ddhists! seng-lu-szeA t(o Cheng-i! Taoists of right simplicit"A t(o Yen-fa! rit)al TaoistsA t(o Che-ling! Taoists of great e&cellence! tha)mat)rg)sA and t(o Che-i! Taoists of great pro'it"! an inferior class of priests. In the provinces at the head of the priesthood are/ Tao-ki-sze Ton-ki! s)perior of the Taoists of a fu (prefect)te)! and Tao-ki-sze Fou Ton-ki! vice-s)perior of the Taoists of a fuA Tao-cheng! s)perior of the Taoists of a chou or a t'ing; Tao-hwei! s)perior of the Taoists of a hien. The s)periors are appointed '" the governors-general (tsung-tu)! or '" the governors (fu-t'ai)! on the presentation of the prefect of s)'-prefect of the chou t'ing! or hien.