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Taoism
The Chinese character for the Tao, often translated as 'way', 'path', 'technique', or 'doctrine'
Chinese name
Chinese道教
Hanyu PinyinDàojiào
Literal meaning"Religion of the Way"
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinDàojiào
Bopomofoㄉㄠˋ   ㄐㄧㄠˋ
Gwoyeu RomatzyhDawjiaw
Wade–GilesTao4-chiao4
Yale RomanizationDàujyàu
IPA[tâʊ.tɕjâʊ]
Wu
RomanizationDoh goh
Yue: Cantonese
Yale RomanizationDouhgaau
JyutpingDou6gaau3
IPA[tɔw˨.kaw˧]
Southern Min
Hokkien POJTō-kàu
Tâi-lôTō-kàu
Middle Chinese
Middle Chinesedáw kæ̀w
Old Chinese
Baxter–Sagart (2014)*[kə.l]ˤuʔ s.kˤraw-s
Vietnamese name
Vietnamese alphabetĐạo giáo
Chữ Hán道教
Korean name
Hangul도교
Hanja道敎
Transcriptions
Revised Romanizationdo gyo
Japanese name
Kanji道教
Hiraganaどうきょう
Transcriptions
RomanizationDō kyō

Taoism, also Daoism (Chinese: dàojiào) is an East Asian religion native to China, traditionally attributed to the legendary sage Laozi.

Overview

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Taoism is centrally concerned with the Tao, "a nameless, formless, all-pervasive power which brings all things into being and reverts them back into non-being in an eternal cycle."[1]

History

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In the early Han dynasty, scholars retroactively attributed labeled classical writings with no clear historical connection as "Taoist."[2] The first self-identified Taoists appeared in the 5th century CE, stimulated by the introduction of Buddhism to China.[3]

Mythological origins

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Taoism is traditionally attributed to the works of Lao Tzu and Chuang Tzu, two legendary figures of early China.

Sects and schools

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Historiography

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Western scholars have traditionally split Taoism into "religious Taoism" (道教; dàojiào) and "philosophical Taoism" (道家; dàojiā).[4][5] More recent scholars, such as Russell Kirkland, have considered "mystical models" in relation to "liturgical models", while Livia Kohn has proposed a tripartite typology of literati, communal, and self-cultivation Taoism.[6] These terms are foreign to Taoism itself.[7] Modern Taoists make a distinction between "Northern Taoism" and "Southern Taoism."[8]

Relationship to other religions

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Confucius handing over an infant Gautama Buddha to an elderly Laozi

Tang-era Taoists wrote extensively on "Tao-nature", which closely resembles "Buddha-nature" in East Asian Buddhism. Northern Taoism interacted intimately with Chan and late imperial Confucianism.[9]

See also

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Schools and organizations

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Concepts and objects

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Practice

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Deities

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Texts

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Regional Taoism

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References

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Citations

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  1. ^ Oldstone-Moore 2003, p. 6.
  2. ^ Kirkland, Russell (2002). "The History of Taoism: A New Outline". Journal of Chinese Religions. 30 (1): 177–193. doi:10.1179/073776902804760257. ISSN 0737-769X.
  3. ^ Kirkland 2004, p. 16.
  4. ^ Oldstone-Moore 2003, p. 13.
  5. ^ Kirkland 2004, p. 2: "For one thing, most scholars who have seriously studied Taoism, both in Asia and in the West, have finally abandoned the simplistic dichotomy of tao-chia and tao-chiao -- 'philosophical Taoism' and 'religious Taoism.'"
  6. ^ Kirkland 2004, p. 2.
  7. ^ Kirkland 2004, p. 2: "It should be noted in this connection, however, that Taoists have never made any distinctions of such kinds, and it is such very facts that challenge our hermeutical imagination."
  8. ^ Kirkland 2004, p. 4.
  9. ^ Kirkland 2004, p. 5.

General sources

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  • Kirkland, Russell (2004). Taoism: The Enduring Tradition. New York, NY: Routledge. ISBN 0-415-26322-0.
  • Oldstone-Moore, Jennifer (2003). Taoism: Origins, Beliefs, Practices, Holy Texts, Sacred Places. Oxford New York: Oxford University Press, USA. ISBN 978-0-19-521933-3.
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Category:Taoism Category:Chinese astrology Category:Chinese folk religion Category:Classical Chinese philosophy Category:Dualism in cosmology Category:East Asian religions Category:Three teachings