1. Taoism 도교

2. Taoism (도교) = Lao Tzu (노자)
Name literally means “Old Master”
May have been fictional
Lived at the end of the Zhou Dynasty (beginning of Warring States Period)
Scholar working for the king who had access to writings by the “Sage Emperors” and had many followers.
Became disillusioned by the declining Zhou and rode west on a water buffalo hoping to leave China
Many different stories about him. Most sound a lot like mythology.

3. Lao Tzu
Stopped by a border official who said he could not leave until he wrote down everything he knew.
The next morning Lao Tzu presented him, the “Tao Te Ching”
Lao Tzu then went to become a hermit and live with nature. He was never heard from again.
Did he go to meet Buddha? Is he still alive somewhere?

4. Taoism is clear that “The Tao” cannot be defined
So what is The Tao? (Dao)
Taoism is clear that “The Tao” cannot be defined
The word “Tao” means “The Way”

5. Yin Yang (음양) The Yin Yang symbol represents duality and balance.
Neither side is “good” or “bad” in an ethical sense, they just exist, and neither can exist without the other.

6. What should a Taoist do? Therefore the sages:
Conduct the teaching of no words
work with myriad things but do not control
They create but do not possess
They act but do not presume
They succeed but do not dwell on success
It is because they do not dwell on success
That it never goes away
Tao Te Ching - Ch. 2

7. What should a Taoist do? One key idea in Taoism is Wu Wei (무위)
It means to do by not doing,
to learn by un-learning or
Do without trying
“effortless action”
Tao Te Ching - Ch. 2

8. Tao The highest goodness resembles water
Water greatly benefits myriad things without contention
It stays in places that people dislike
Therefore it is similar to the Tao -Ch. 8
Nothing in the world is softer or weaker than water
Yet nothing is better at overcoming the hard and strong -Ch. 78

9. Tao Te Ching: we should return to our nature.
We should especially look to nature as an example, and should meditate in and on nature.
Water is the ultimate example of Taoist principles.

10. Religious Taoism vs. Philosophical Taoism
Many people all over the world are influenced by Taoist thought
Many great thinkers were influenced by Taoism including Sun Tzu (The Art of War) 손자병법 & Bruce Lee

11. Religious Taoism
For at least 20 million people (Mostly in China) Taoism is their religion
Influenced by other Chinese Religions
(Buddhism, Chinese Folk Religions)
Many Gods and Goddesses as
manifestations of The Tao.
(Often including Lao Tzu)

12. Religious Taoism Seeking of Immortality Meditation/Breathing Exercises
Physical exercise
Harnessing and using “Ch’i”
(Feng Shui 풍수지리, Tai Ch’i, Oriental Medicine/Acupuncture 한의/침술, fortune telling etc…)