China 's Most Strapping Religion

Tao Te Ching is one of the most well-known Chinese philosophical scripture believed to be penned between 6th and 4th Century BC and authored by Lao Tzu. It has been a bedrock for the ancient spiritual and religious tradition of Taoism. Tao Te Ching includes two books of poetic verses explaining principle aspects of Taoism such as the metaphysical concept of ‘Tao’ roughly translated as the Way or the path, the consequences of action and inaction, virtue and the juxtaposed behavior of nature. The first book discusses the manifestation of the Way and how it directs us in harmonizing with our own qualities, morals and virtue which eventually help us in harmonizing with the working of the nature. The second book deals with the difficulties of governing

Taoism is an ancient Chinese religion dating back to the sixth century. The basic foundation of Taoism is a life philosophy and method

This is a summary of the growth of Taoism. This is extremely relevant to my topic and will be an important source.

1a) Taoism originated with a man named Lao Tzu. A shadowy figure, born about 604 B. C. Before his retirement from society, he left five thousand characters titled Tao Te Ching, or The Way and Its Power. He didn't preach he didn't organize or promote, he wrote a few pages on request, rode off on a water buffalo, and that was it as far as he was concerned

Taoism has the same worldview as Confucianism or ancient Chinese folk religion. Its philosophy operates within the same paradigms. It celebrates man's association and interdependency with nature. Moving on to a wider plane, the relationship between religion and the universe takes the form of veneration, which lies beyond the confines of time and space, ancestor worship and belief in the sovereign. The principles on which the system thrives even today include Ch'i, Feng Shui, interdependency between life and death, the Eight Immortals and the Ultimate Reality.

DBQ: Buddhism in China After the fall of the Han dynasty, many Chinese people converted to Buddhism. They seeked a simpler way of life among all of the chaos and political instability going on at the time. This led to a drop in productivity in China, as many Buddhists spent their time meditating. The rise in Buddhism among the lower class led to a hate for the religion by the upper-class. While some people saw Buddhism as a new form of thinking in China’s evolving social landscape, many others saw it as a threat to the traditional Chinese way of life, as they were reluctant to change.

Buddhism and Taoism both originated and influenced most the Asian area. They are not just religions but a way of living life with philosophic principles. They are both seeking equality and moral existence. Buddhism have several branches just like the Hinayana, Mahayana, Esoteric, Pure Land, and the Zen Buddhism. Taoism can also be divided into a few. The main ones are the Southern and Northern Taoism. Taoism got many principles borrowed from the Buddhist one they influenced each other through their history. Taoism in the beginning was rather a mixture of mythology, folk, and philosophy teachings. With the arrival of Buddhism, it was forced to renew and reorganize itself. Both of the religion does their practices in monasteries, temples and shrines and also both of them use statues and pictures expressing their beliefs.

There are about 20 million Taoists worldwide, most of whom live in China, Taiwan, and Southeast Asia. (“Taoism”). Although this religion has a large following, there are events throughout its history that have impacted its growth. For example,

Taoism is the idea of respect for nature (A much needed attribute to daily life) and the belief of living a simple, quiet life in order to come in terms with nature. This is first, a good idea in today's society because nature has been disrespected and thrown aside when it needs to be cared and nurtured in order for the human species to survive. This life of respect of your own needs and not climbing for power would also help people to create their own decisions based on what is good for the world, not themselves. This custom would be terrible for megalomaniacs who only want power and large merchandise companies that only want money, not the good of the environment that surrounds them and what they will ultimately have to live with. They forget that they need to take care of the environment and not have the need to grow their business, which is a good highlight of what Taoism stands for.

By traditional accounts, Daoism, or Taoism as it is also known, was founded during the sixth century BCE in China under the influence of the legendary philosopher Lao Tzu and the Tao Teh Ching (Coogan 222), but, as with every religion, this origin has been questioned (Jurji 24). The validity of Lao Tzu has been brought into question, and many believe the Tao Teh Ching is actually the work of several authors in one compilation of ideas thought well before the sixth century or even fourth century, BCE (Coogan 222). Notoriously hard to define, Daoism has taken many shapes over the years and is as much as a way of life as a religion.

The religions, Confucianism and Taoism, both originate from indigenous Chinese beliefs and practices. Although they come from the same area in the world, they have several differences alongside their similarities. Additionally, they both are influenced by the Tao; however, they have different meanings behind the concept. Taoism can be summed up as appreciating all that is natural; whereas Confucianism is ideal society model created through a lifetime of relationship dedication. Neither of these religions worship a “god,” but they do have their own unique form of worship. The likenesses and differences of Confucianism and Taoism can be found in their beliefs and concepts of self-cultivation, texts, and society and nature.

<br>Taoism and Buddhism are the two great philosophical and religious traditions that originated in China. Taoism began the sixth century BCE. Buddhism came to China from India around the second century of the Common Era. These two religions have shaped Chinese life and thought for nearly twenty-five hundred years. One dominant concept in Taoism and Buddhism is the belief in some form of reincarnation. The idea that life does not end when one dies, is an integral part of these religions and the culture of the Chinese people. Reincarnations, life after death, and beliefs are not standardized. Each religion has a different way of applying this concept to its

According to tradition, at approximately the same time that Confucius was teaching his ideas, another aspect of Chinese religion—Taoism—was taking form. Lao-tzu, simply known as “the old man” in Chinese tradition, compiled the classic text, the Tao Te Ching, the Way and its Power. Although there are institutional forms of Taoism that emphasize longevity of an individual’s life, the Tao Te Ching remains the classic statement of Taoist ideals.

When relating the power of myth to Taoism, one the greatest belief is found in the first cause of the universe. Tao is said to be the first cause of the universe. The force that produces the universe is what flow through all life. Tao is what a person needs to live harmoniously with nature. If anyone follows this religion, one must nurture the Ch’I, which is the air, and the breath that has been given to him or her.

Tao is the great ultimate in Taoism, which entails the single principle running the universe. In the universe, there are two opposite principles, where one can be reduced to the other. These principles are represented by the yin and the yang. All the opposite principles in the universe, hence, are represented by the yin and the yang. Yang represents principles that govern maleness, heat and so on. The opposing sides of these principles are femaleness, coldness and such; these are governed by yang. Ideas of things come from heaven under yang and materialize on earth and yin.