Daoism/Taoism
Its beginnings: Lao Tzu; 604-534 BC Teacher, philosopher, mentor, advisor, librarian for politicians, and had political ambition Lao Tzu believed the only way to change government corruption was from the inside Lao Tzu may or may not have crossed paths with Confucius; He was considered the wisest man of his time, so people wanted to hear his thoughts Librarians were record keepers for wealthy families—they kept the documents about finances, assets, and personal things, including family secrets. This meant that librarians had to have the utmost trust and respect of the people they were serving. He was so good at this and so trusted that he served as the librarian for many families. This differed from Confucius because Confucius thought that one should avoid politics entirely because they were corrupt.
What is Daoism/Taoism? Tao roughly translates to The Way, The Path, or The Journey It has to do with life and what you do with it There is a Universal Soul that connects us all Universal Soul is the belief that my soul connects to all other living things, both human and non. They actually believe that the soul carries weight within the body (fun fact, scientist have weighed people just before and just after death and found that the dead bodies are slightly lighter, supporting the notion that there is something like a soul that leaves us when we die) A good decision benefits the entire soul and all of us. A bad decision damages the entire soul and all of us. Be cautious of your actions because they affect those around you
What’s Pu got to do with it? Pu=Uncarved Block (metaphorically speaking, of course) Pu is the idea that when we are born, we are an uncarved block. As we go along in life, our path is what carves us into what we become. We can either become good people based upon our actions or bad people.
Tao Te Ching This is the book of teachings Lao Tzu wrote, but the story of it’s creation is a thing of legend: Lao Tzu had become very old and sick. He didn’t want to be a burden on his family, so he decided to go into the woods to die. He got on his water buffalo and went to the edge of the city where there was a border guard. The border guard asked, “Master, where are you going? The forest lies ahead and many perils dwell within. You should go home where you are safe with your family.” Lao Tzu replied, “I am going into the forest to die. Please let me pass.” The border guard shook his head. “Master, I cannot let you pass until you have shared your knowledge with the world.” Lao Tzu rode his water buffalo home. There, he wrote the Tao Te Ching (way of life) and then returned with it to the guard on his water buffalo. The guard accepted the gift of the book and allowed Lao Tzu to go into the forest to die. The guard then made sure that the book and its teachings were spread throughout the world.
Yin Yang A student of his created the yin yang symbol Idea of perfectly balanced opposites (not just good and evil) Resemble koi fish Emulating nature For example, all things feminine need a little masculine in them Koi fish are revered for their beauty and grace in China and are never eaten. In fact they have breedings and shows for these fish the way we do for horses and dogs If we emulate natural, we will live well and help the Universal Soul. It is when men do what is unnatural to them that we all suffer. In nature, there is no ambition, only survival. Man must learn to live this way.