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• By admin
• In Chinaknowledge
• 2013-06-17

Daoism

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Daoism is one of the largest religions native to China. Daoism’s earliest roots trace to a philosophical text called the Daode JingDaode Jing The Daode Jing is one of the most well known philosophical classics in world literature. It is the foundational text for Daoist philosophy and is also extremely important in the Daoist religion. It has been identified as the second most frequently translated text in the world. There are a large number of versions of the Daode Jing that have appeared throughout Chinese history, but on the whole, they generally only vary in minor ways. Originally, the Daode Jing was a text written to adDaode JingChinese, 道德經 Dàodé Jīng, "The Classic of the Way and its Virtue"wYESilk Road Adventure & Private Tours - Silk Road China Tours
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the core text of philosophical Daoism, said to have been composed by a legendary figure called Laozi; it is a text that many Daoist religious traditions revere as well.wYESilk Road Adventure & Private Tours - Silk Road China Tours
View Dictionary 道德經, composed around the 4th century BCE. This text, attributed to a man called LaoziLaoziChinese, 老子 Lǎozǐ, "the Old Master" or "the Venerable Master"wYESilk Road Adventure & Private Tours - Silk Road China Tours
a legendary figure whom is credited authorship of the Daode Jing, an ancient philosophical text; it is unknown if Laozi ever existed; he is considered to be a divinized form of Laozi.wYESilk Road Adventure & Private Tours - Silk Road China Tours
View Dictionary 老子,3The name Lǎozǐ translates literally to "old master." It is thus uncertain whether the name Lǎozǐ signifies an actual name or a title. advocated following the natural order of things. A frequently used metaphor is that Daoists should act like a stream when a large rock is dropped into it. The stream will not stop flowing, but instead, it will flow around the obstacle and resumes its natural course. Similarly, Daoist philosophyDaoist Philosophy When the western world first came to know of the Daoist tradition, it was solely through philosophical texts such as the Daode Jing . Often placed side-by-side with the Daode Jing are two other philosophical texts from the same period: the Zhuangzi and the Liezi . Although not overtly religious in nature, these texts employ a variety of philosophical approaches that ultimately relate to the concept of the Dao and how it was understood during the 3rd and 4th centuries BCE in China.  generally advocates following the path of least resistance.wYESilk Road Adventure & Private Tours - Silk Road China Tours

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Daoism was not transformed into an organized religion until the establishment of a group known as Tianshi DaoTianshi Dao Tianshi Dao is the earliest form of organized Daoism to appear in historical records. The beginnings of the Tianshi denomination—and with it, the Daoist religion—are commonly traced to a man named Zhang Daoling. According to legends, Zhang received a divine revelation in 147 CE, during which time he established a covenant with Laozi and formed the religion. However, even though Zhang is generally credited with founding Tianshi Dao, the denomination is generally thought to have been systematizTianshi DaoChinese, 天師道 Tiānshī Dào, "the Way of the Celestial Masters"wYESilk Road Adventure & Private Tours - Silk Road China Tours
the first known denomination of Daoism to be established; it was founded by Zhang Daoling in 142 CE.wYESilk Road Adventure & Private Tours - Silk Road China Tours
View Dictionary 天師道 during the 2nd century CE. It is difficult to estimate how many practicing Daoists there are in the world because many do not necessarily label themselves as Daoist.wYESilk Road Adventure & Private Tours - Silk Road China Tours

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A famous story illustrating this quest for spiritual freedom comes from the Zhuangzi: one day Zhuang Zhou dreamed he was a butterfly, happily flying around. He did not know that he was Zhuang Zhou. But then he awoke and found himself to be Zhuang Zhou. He could not be sure whether he was Zhuang Zhou dreaming that he was a butterfly, or a butterfly dreaming that he was Zhuang Zhou.wYESilk Road Adventure & Private Tours - Silk Road China Tours

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A number of motifs with Daoist associations appear frequently in Chinese paintings, and on ceramics and textiles: deer, peaches, the lingzhi fungus and gourds are among the most popular.wYESilk Road Adventure & Private Tours - Silk Road China Tours
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