Introduction to Chinese

Thoughts: Daoism

Traditionally, Laozi is
founder of
philosophical Daoism
and also revered as a
deity in religious forms
of Daoism. But we will
study Daosim as
philosophy by
considering from
Daodejing, his most
famous writing.
Moreover, book of
Zhuangzi which is
another important
Daoism book, will be
added to elaborate in
some point discussion.

Laozi tired of the moral decay

of city life and the kingdoms
decline. He decided to
journey west. Before leaving
from the city, a guard at the
city gate recognized him, and
asked Laozi to produce a
record of his wisdom.
The result was Daodejing, a
book like poetry consisting of
two parts, 81 chapters, which
discusses the meaning of
Dao and Virtue. Thereafter,
Laozi left the city on his
buffalo; no one knew where
he had gone but belief that
he lived as a hermit in the
forest at the age of 160.

Laozi said to Confucius that he should

withdraw from changing world and live like
water. What does analogy water mean?

No Contribution is true
contribution

The Weak survive, the mild

persist. Nothing is softer than
water, and yet aggression and force
never triumph over water So be
like water

significant character of water. When refer to

powerful force, most people generally think
of powerful force from strength and
thickness. But Daoism values powerful force
from softness or weakness. This kind of
power can support, foster and nourish myriad
of things without defeat, obstruct, or
intervene like water can support a boat not to
sink, even though it is fluid.
In Daoism view, perhaps the best way to
solve the problem is no action because
confusion or disorder comes from our taking
action to intervene or obstruct other thing or
life.

Why Laozi finds the way of good life

and social harmony from the way of
nature?
What is the way of nature?
What is Daoism good life and social
ideal?

Part 1: Nature and Culture

Part 2: Dao (tao) and Yin-Yang (BeingNon being)
Part 3: Wu-wei (non-action) and Daoist
social Ideal

Part 1:
Nature and
Culture

When the great Way (Dao) declined,

There were humaneness and rightness.
When intelligence and wisdom emerged,
There was great artifice.
When the six relationships were no longer
harmonious,
There were filial children.
When the realm fell into disorder,
There were loyal ministers.

(Daodejing, ch18)

Although Daoism argues Confucianism, it

does not mean that moral conduct is not
important for Daoism. The point is that
when find the way to make social
harmoniously, one should consider on the
real cause of disorder which is our
ignorance of Dao or the way of nature, and
the conflict between human and nature. To
bring the ancient tradition back (such as
Confucius attempt) is not the real
solution.

Another schools of thought in

Chinese philosophy, except Daoism,
concern with the problems of man
and government. This leads to fail
for the most part of their thought
within the scope of ethics and
morality. The unique aspect of
Daoisms philosophy lies in
extending the boundaries from
human life to the entire universe.
Laozi views that human life not as
something independent from myriad
things, but rather as an integral part
of the cosmos.

Laozis overall philosophy can be

regarded as a development from
cosmology to humanism, and from
humanism to political philosophy.
Although his primary concern is
the demands of human life, he
chooses to regard human life in its
position in cosmological whole. We
can also conclude that while
Confucianism is humanism and
anthropocentric philosophy,
Daoism is macrocosmic and deanthropocentric philosophy.

If one desires to take the empire and

act on it,
I see that he will not succeed.
The empire is a sacred vessel, that
cannot be acted upon.
In being acted upon, it is harmed; And
in being grasped, it is lost.
(Daodejing,Ch29)

Quiz 1

In your opinion, what thing or

condition is indication of achievement
good life?

What is the good life in

Daoism thought?
longevity according to human
life span
longevity reflects livelihood
harmonizing with nature.
longevity is not only ideal of
individual life, it is also a norm to
consider what things or human
conduct conflict with the way of
nature.

Daoism thought could be as a

guidance for environment ethics.(?)

For Laozi, longevity is not immortality.

Part 2:
Dao (Tao) and
Yin-Yang (Being-Non
being)

What is yin-yang?
How they involve with
reality of Dao?

1)Dao as Metaphysical
principle:
Interdependence of BeingNon being

Clay is molded to form a vessel;

There being nothing (non-being)
inside,
the vessel is useful.
Doors and windows are carved out to
make a room, There being nothing
(non-being) within,
the room is useful.
Thus, with something one gets
advantage, while with nothing (nonbeing) on gets usefulness.
(Daodejing, Ch11)

When everyone in the world

knows beauty as beauty,
ugliness appears.
When everyone knows the good
as good, not-good (evil) arrives.
Therefore being and non-being
give birth to one another
(Daodejing, ch 2)

2) Dao as Natural Law:

Circularity of Being-Non
being

3) Dao as Standard for

human behavior: Nonaction

There is nothing softer and weaker

than water,
And yet there is nothing better for
attacking hard and strong things.
For this reason there is no substitute
for it.
All the world knows that the weak
overcomes the strong and the soft
overcomes the hard.
But none can practice it
(Daodejing, Ch 78)

Laozi uses water to illustrate the

principle that the softness
overcomes strong. The small
trickle of water can reduce a
giant boulder to gravel. Flood
water can destroy man-made
structures in seconds. This is
Laozis meaning when he asserts
that the weak overcome strong.
He uses metaphor of water to
guide the ruler to regulate
people without violence and
authority just like water could
overcome things without
imposing any form of external
interference.

Quiz 2

What another things or symbols of

weakness do you think of ? list at least
4 symbols.

Daoism famous symbol of

weakness
Infant
Female
Mother
River
Sea
Mud
Living body
Valley

abundance may be compared to an

infant.
Poisonous insects will not sting him.
Fierce beats will not seize him.
Birds of prey will not strike him.
His bones are weak, his sinews
tender,
but his grasp is firm.
He does not yet know the union of
male and female, But his organ is
aroused.
This means that his essence is at its
height.
He may cry all day without becoming
hoarse,
This means that his (natural) harmony

In general, infant is a symbol of

weakness. But for Laozi, infant is
weakness with pure or lack of
artificiality or constraint. Infant also
has an inner consolidation of
genuineness capable of neutralizing
all external threats.

Part 3:
Wu-wei (non-action)
and Daoism Political
Ideal

Meaning of Wu-wei
1) Action which does not have
Literally, desire.
wu-wei means doing
excessive
nothing.
2) Action which does not force,
but yields.
3) Spontaneous action which the
agent does not have intention or
make an effort to do it. (action with
aesthetic skill)

Three functions of Wu-wei

1) when things are running well, do
nothing to interfere.
2) when one has to do something,
let one do it with no personal,
selfish desire.
3) in all acts, one should conform to
the natural pattern of things, and
refrain from introducing human
intervention.

When I first began cutting up oxen, I

did not see anything but oxen. Three
years later, I couldnt see the whole ox.
And now, I encounter them with spirit
and dont look with my eyes. I rely on
the Heavenly patterns, strike in the big
gaps, am guided by the large fissures,
and follow what is inherent so. I never
touch a ligament or tendon, much less
do any heavy wrenching!... There are
spaces between those joints, and the
edge of the blade has no thickness. If
you use what has no thickness to go
where there is space. Oh! There is plenty
of extra room to play about in. Thats
why after nineteen years the blade of
my chopper is still as though fresh from
the grindstone. (Zhuangzi, Ch3)

Wu-wei as Political Guidance

for Ruler
The First step to apply wu-wei in
political realm, a ruler need to
reduce his desire and knowledge.
But not all kinds of desire and
knowledge should be reduced.
Simple desire and knowledge
(including technology) are
permitted.

Four kinds of learning are

rejected by Daoism
1) Knowledge of social distinctions
2) Knowledge gained from our
senses
3) Moral knowledge that
Confucians and other moralists
teach
4) Knowledge from record book

Do not exalt the worthy, and the

people will not compete. Do not
value goods that are hard to come
by, ant the people will not steal. Do
not display objects of desire, and the
peoples minds will not be disturbed.
Therefore in the ordering of the
sage, empties their minds, fill their
bellies, weakens their ambitions,
strengthens their bones He does
nothing (wu-wei), and there is
nothing that is not brought to order
(Daodejing, Ch 3)

Without passing through the door

one may know all-under-Heaven;
Without looking out the window
one may observe the Way of
Heaven. The further one goes, the
less one knows. This is why the
sage knows without moving,
understand without seeing,
succeeds without doing.
(Daodejing, Ch 47)

Let the state be small and the people be

few. There may be ten or even a hundred
times as many implements, But they should
not be used. Let the people, regarding death
as a weighty matter, not travel far. Though
they have boats and carriages, none shall
ride in them. Though they have armor and
weapons, none shall display them. Let the
people return once more to the use of
knotted ropes. Let them savor their food
and find beauty in their clothing, peace in
their dwellings, and joy in their customs.
Though neighboring states are within sight
of one another, And the sound of cocks and
dogs is audible from one to the other,
People will reach old age and death and yet
not visit one another. (Daodejing, Ch 80)

The highest is one (ruler) whose

existence no one knows.
The next is one who is loved and
admired.
The next is one who is feared.
And the next is one who is hated.
When his faith in them is not sufficient,
They will have no faith in him. Anxiously,
he values his words, Fulfills his tasks,
completes his work. The people all say,
And with us, it happened naturally.

(Daodejing, Ch17)