Harmonious Classrooms with the Daoist Principle of Wuwei
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The Unity of Yin and Yang: a Philosophical Assessment
The Unity of Yin and Yang: A Philosophical Assessment Thaddeus T'ui-chieh Hang National Chengchi University, Taipei "One yin ^ and one yang d, constitute what is called Tao 51"; "When yin and yang are united in their virtue, the soft and the hard attain their physical shape." These famous statements are drawn from the "Appended Remarks" (Hsi-tz'u Slit?) of the / Ching %M.. Since they were uttered more than two thousand years ago, they became the metaphysical foun- dation for the two great philosophical schools of China, namely, Taoism and Confucianism. For both these schools, yin and yang, two contrasting but mutually compensating components constitute unity in harmony. We shall endeavor to give an historical account of this concept, describe it phenomenologically, and venture a philosophical assessment from cos- mological, anthropological, as well as theological points of view. I. An Historical Account The origin of yin-yang ideas must be sought in very ancient times. In the Book of Poetry (Shih-ching I^M?i<) the words "yin" and "yang" signified the north and south sides of a mountain.1 In the Book of Historical Documents (Shu-ching US?) the two words never appeared together ex- cept in the apocryphal "Chou-kuan" /SJ1T. Even in the Analects of Con- fucius there is no mention of yin-yang. However, the eight trigrams were probably in use at the beginning of the Chou )*] dynasty (late 12th cen- tury B.C.). Since the eight trigrams consist of combinations of broken and 'James Legge, The Chinese Classics: Vol. IV, Book of Poetry (Taipei, 1972), Ode 19, p. -
The Qi Connection: a Study in Studying Qi
University of Northern Iowa UNI ScholarWorks Presidential Scholars Theses (1990 – 2006) Honors Program 2004 The Qi connection: A study in studying Qi Elizabeth Brooke Barrett University of Northern Iowa Let us know how access to this document benefits ouy Copyright ©2004 - Elizabeth Brooke Barrett Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.uni.edu/pst Part of the Alternative and Complementary Medicine Commons Recommended Citation Barrett, Elizabeth Brooke, "The Qi connection: A study in studying Qi" (2004). Presidential Scholars Theses (1990 – 2006). 17. https://scholarworks.uni.edu/pst/17 This Open Access Presidential Scholars Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Honors Program at UNI ScholarWorks. It has been accepted for inclusion in Presidential Scholars Theses (1990 – 2006) by an authorized administrator of UNI ScholarWorks. For more information, please contact [email protected]. The Qi Connection: A Study in Studying Qi A Thesis in Completion ofa Presidential Scholarship By Elizabeth Brooke Barrett Thesis Advisor: Dr. Robert Seager Professor of Genetics and Evolution, Department of Biology University of Northern Iowa Presidential Scholar Class Advisor: Dr. Betty DeBerg Head, Department of Philosophy and Religion University of Northern Iowa ,, The concept of Qi (pronounced "chee") is a difficult one to understand, let alone study. It strikes most of us as amorphous at best. Traditional Chinese Medicine enthusiasts in the West translate the term as "life-energy". How much more broad could it be! Some try to make the term scientific, referring to Qi as "bio-electrical" or "bio-magnetic", but they succeed only in clouding the issue further. -
Religion in China BKGA 85 Religion Inchina and Bernhard Scheid Edited by Max Deeg Major Concepts and Minority Positions MAX DEEG, BERNHARD SCHEID (EDS.)
Religions of foreign origin have shaped Chinese cultural history much stronger than generally assumed and continue to have impact on Chinese society in varying regional degrees. The essays collected in the present volume put a special emphasis on these “foreign” and less familiar aspects of Chinese religion. Apart from an introductory article on Daoism (the BKGA 85 BKGA Religion in China prototypical autochthonous religion of China), the volume reflects China’s encounter with religions of the so-called Western Regions, starting from the adoption of Indian Buddhism to early settlements of religious minorities from the Near East (Islam, Christianity, and Judaism) and the early modern debates between Confucians and Christian missionaries. Contemporary Major Concepts and religious minorities, their specific social problems, and their regional diversities are discussed in the cases of Abrahamitic traditions in China. The volume therefore contributes to our understanding of most recent and Minority Positions potentially violent religio-political phenomena such as, for instance, Islamist movements in the People’s Republic of China. Religion in China Religion ∙ Max DEEG is Professor of Buddhist Studies at the University of Cardiff. His research interests include in particular Buddhist narratives and their roles for the construction of identity in premodern Buddhist communities. Bernhard SCHEID is a senior research fellow at the Austrian Academy of Sciences. His research focuses on the history of Japanese religions and the interaction of Buddhism with local religions, in particular with Japanese Shintō. Max Deeg, Bernhard Scheid (eds.) Deeg, Max Bernhard ISBN 978-3-7001-7759-3 Edited by Max Deeg and Bernhard Scheid Printed and bound in the EU SBph 862 MAX DEEG, BERNHARD SCHEID (EDS.) RELIGION IN CHINA: MAJOR CONCEPTS AND MINORITY POSITIONS ÖSTERREICHISCHE AKADEMIE DER WISSENSCHAFTEN PHILOSOPHISCH-HISTORISCHE KLASSE SITZUNGSBERICHTE, 862. -
Yin and Yang in Medical Theory
Main | Other Chinese Web Sites Chinese Cultural Studies: Yin and Yang in Medical Theory [Ebrey Introduction] The concepts of Yin and Yang and the Five Agents provided the intellectual framework of much of Chinese scientific thinking especially in fields like biology and medicine The organs of the body were seen to be interrelated in the same sorts of ways as other natural phenomena, and best understood by looking for correlations and correspondences. Illness was seen as a disturbance in the balance of Yin and Yang or the Five Agents caused by emotions, heat or cold, or other influences. Therapy thus depended on accurate diagnosis of the source of the imbalance. The earliest surviving medical texts are fragments of manuscript from early Han tombs. Besides general theory, these texts cover drugs, gymnastics, minor surgery, and magic spells. The text which was to become the main source of medical theory also apparently dates from the Han. It is the Yellow Emperor's Classic of Medicine, supposed to have been written during the third millennium BCE by the mythical Yellow Emperor. A small portion of it is given below. The Yellow Emperor said ''The principle of Yin and Yang is the foundation of the entire universe. It underlies everything in creation. It brings about the development of parenthood; it is the root and source of life and death it is found with the temples of the gods In order to treat and cure diseases one must search for their origins. "Heaven was created by the concentration of Yang, the force of light, earth was created by the concentration of Yin, the forces of darkness. -
The Three Teachings of Ancient China
Social Studies – 6 Name: ______________________ The Three Teachings of Ancient China Taoism Laozi (Lao-tzu) wandered out to the western border of his state, riding his water buffalo. When he was eighty years old he set out for the western border of China, toward what is now Tibet, saddened and disillusioned that men were unwilling to follow the path to natural goodness. He searched for a place to live a simple life, close to nature and without trouble. With him, he carried his ideas. Before he could cross the boarder, officials made him write down his ideas: “Live a simple life, be free, be yourself, and be close to nature. Do these things and you will be happy.” Theses words have been kept in a little book called Tao Te Ching, the “Writing of God’s Way for a Good Life.” Like Confucius, Laozi had been troubled by the violence if his times. He thought it was a mistake to try to change people. He believed that people were naturally good. Man didn’t have to be “controlled.” Too much control was spoiling man. He saw that men were trying to live by “man-made” laws, customs, and traditions. They couldn’t do this and were unhappy. If men follow the ways of Tao, they will lead a good life. He really told each man to “do your own thing” – be yourself. Laozi wanted people to be closer to nature. He wanted to get away from the rules made by the government or society. To him, the government was selfish and power-hungry. -
The Daoist Tradition Also Available from Bloomsbury
The Daoist Tradition Also available from Bloomsbury Chinese Religion, Xinzhong Yao and Yanxia Zhao Confucius: A Guide for the Perplexed, Yong Huang The Daoist Tradition An Introduction LOUIS KOMJATHY Bloomsbury Academic An imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc 50 Bedford Square 175 Fifth Avenue London New York WC1B 3DP NY 10010 UK USA www.bloomsbury.com First published 2013 © Louis Komjathy, 2013 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage or retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the publishers. Louis Komjathy has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988, to be identified as Author of this work. No responsibility for loss caused to any individual or organization acting on or refraining from action as a result of the material in this publication can be accepted by Bloomsbury Academic or the author. Permissions Cover: Kate Townsend Ch. 10: Chart 10: Livia Kohn Ch. 11: Chart 11: Harold Roth Ch. 13: Fig. 20: Michael Saso Ch. 15: Fig. 22: Wu’s Healing Art Ch. 16: Fig. 25: British Taoist Association British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. ISBN: 9781472508942 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Komjathy, Louis, 1971- The Daoist tradition : an introduction / Louis Komjathy. pages cm Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-1-4411-1669-7 (hardback) -- ISBN 978-1-4411-6873-3 (pbk.) -- ISBN 978-1-4411-9645-3 (epub) 1. -
Towards a Unified Field Theory of Chronic Disease with Regard to the Separation of Yin and Yang and `The Qi Is Wild'
1 Towards a Unified Field Theory of Chronic Disease With Regard to the Separation of Yin and Yang and `The Qi is Wild’ By Leon Hammer, MD First published in the Oriental Medical Journal, Vol. 6, No. 2 & 3, 1998 Foreword: This article explores the concept and the reality of the separation of Yin and Yang and `The Qi is Wild’ in the role of chronic disease. Our primary goal, through the introduction and discussion of these issues, is to raise awareness of the role of the separation of Yin and Yang in life threatening illness in the acupuncture community and thereby enhance the prevention of severe chronic disease. There are seven major themes throughout the article: The first theme of this article is that there is a common thread between many of the chronic conditions which confound both the conventional and the alternative medical communities. I call this common thread `the separation of Yin and Yang’. The second theme of this article is that this separation of Yin and Yang occurs after a process of gradual deterioration of the vital substances of Yin organ systems [Lung, Liver etc.] which occurs slowly over the course of a life time. The third theme is that the separation of Yin and Yang and the larger proportion of chronic disease involve the simultaneous dysfunction of more than one organ system. A fourth theme is the process towards the separation of Yin and Yang and chronic disease which sometimes follows a linear pathogenic thread from the mildest illness to the most severe condition primarily within the same organ system. -
Painting Outside the Lines: How Daoism Shaped
PAINTING OUTSIDE THE LINES: HOW DAOISM SHAPED CONCEPTIONS OF ARTISTIC EXCELLENCE IN MEDIEVAL CHINA, 800–1200 A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE GRADUATE DIVISION OF THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI‘I AT MĀNOA IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS IN RELIGION (ASIAN) AUGUST 2012 By Aaron Reich Thesis Committee: Poul Andersen, Chairperson James Frankel Kate Lingley Acknowledgements Though the work on this thesis was largely carried out between 2010–2012, my interest in the religious aspects of Chinese painting began several years prior. In the fall of 2007, my mentor Professor Poul Andersen introduced me to his research into the inspirational relationship between Daoist ritual and religious painting in the case of Wu Daozi, the most esteemed Tang dynasty painter of religious art. Taken by a newfound fascination with this topic, I began to explore the pioneering translations of Chinese painting texts for a graduate seminar on ritual theory, and in them I found a world of potential material ripe for analysis within the framework of religious studies. I devoted the following two years to intensive Chinese language study in Taiwan, where I had the fortuitous opportunity to make frequent visits to view the paintings on exhibit at the National Palace Museum in Taipei. Once I had acquired the ability to work through primary sources, I returned to Honolulu to continue my study of literary Chinese and begin my exploration into the texts that ultimately led to the central discoveries within this thesis. This work would not have been possible without the sincere care and unwavering support of the many individuals who helped me bring it to fruition. -
Ziran: Authenticity Or Authority?
religions Article Ziran: Authenticity or Authority? Misha Tadd Institute of Philosophy, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, 5 Jianguo Inner St., Dongcheng District, Beijing 100022, China; [email protected] Received: 26 December 2018; Accepted: 14 March 2019; Published: 18 March 2019 Abstract: This essay explores the core Daoist concept of ziran (commonly translated as spontaneity, naturalness, or self-so) and its relationship to authenticity and authority. Modern scholarship has often followed the interpretation of Guo Xiang (d. 312) in taking ziran as spontaneous individual authenticity completely unreliant on any external authority. This form of Daoism emphasizes natural transformations and egalitarian society. Here, the author draws on Heshanggong’s Commentary on the Daodejing to reveal a drastically dissimilar ziran conception based on the authority of the transcendent Way. The logic of this contrasting view of classical Daoism results not only in a vision of hierarchical society, but one where the ultimate state of human ziran becomes immortality. Expanding our sense of the Daodejing, this cosmology of authority helps unearths greater continuity of the text with Daoism’s later religious forms. Keywords: Heshanggong; Guo Xiang; ziran; authenticity; authority; transcendence; hierarchy; immortality 1. Introduction Ziran stands as one of the key pillars of Daoist philosophy, and, following the immensely influential theory of Guo Xiang (d. 312), has, in modern times, mostly been viewed as the spontaneous and natural “authenticity” -
Robert Ford Campany
CURRICULUM VITAE Robert Ford Campany CONTACT INFORMATION Office Asian Studies Program Vanderbilt University, VU Station B #351806, 2301 Vanderbilt Place Nashville, TN 37235-1806 phone (615) 322-7329 Home 2507 Blair Blvd., Nashville, TN 37212 phone (615) 440-1892 (mobile/voicemail) Fax (office) (615) 322-2305 E-mail [email protected], or [email protected] TEACHING and RESEARCH AREAS Primary History of Chinese religions (Daoism, Buddhism, Confucianism, and popular religion); methods and history of the cross-cultural study of religion; religion, culture, and thought in late classical and early medieval China (ca. 300 B.C. – 600 A.D.) Secondary East Asian religions; Asian religions and philosophy; Chinese literature and religion; classical Chinese language ACADEMIC APPOINTMENTS Tenured and tenure-track appointments 2010-present Professor, Asian Studies and Religious Studies, Vanderbilt University 2006-2010 Professor, School of Religion, University of Southern California (with additional Professorship in the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures) 2004-2006 Professor, Department of Religious Studies, Indiana University (with additional membership in the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures) 1995-2004 Associate Professor, Department of Religious Studies, Indiana University (with additional membership in the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures) 1988-95 Assistant Professor, Department of Religious Studies, Indiana University (with additional membership in Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures) Other appointments 2008 Directeur d’études invité, École Pratique des Hautes Études, 5e Section, Sciences Religieuses, Université de Paris Curriculum Vitae Robert Ford Campany EDUCATION Ph.D. with distinction The University of Chicago, 1988 (History of Religions) M.A. The University of Chicago, 1983 (Religion) B.A. -
The View of Ziran in the Inner Chapter of Baopuzi
Academic Journal of Humanities & Social Sciences ISSN 2616-5783 Vol.3, Issue 6: 81-88, DOI: 10.25236/AJHSS.2020.030608 The View of Ziran in the Inner Chapter of Baopuzi Wang Jin1,*, Ding Qun2 1.Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China 2.Shandong Foreign Trade Vocational College, Shandong, 266100, China *Corresponding Author ABSTRACT. Ge hong's thought of “ziran” basically extends the meaning of “ziran” in the tao te ching, but in the extension, he pushes the scope of application of “ziran” to a metaphysical world, a physical natural existence and human society. Moreover, he believes that transcendental “ziran” and realistic “ziran” are closely related. People can change or even create realistic “ziran” by grasping transcendental “ziran”. His special understanding of “ziran” also provides important examples and theoretical support for his thought of “immortals can be acquired through learning”. KEYWORDS: Ziran, Baopuzi, Ge hong 1. Introduction As a famous Taoist in the Jin Dynasty, Ge Hong’s thoughts have a tremendous influence. Joseph once called him “the greatest alchemist in Chinese history” [1]. Although he was a Taoist, he was not a man of blind faith at that time, but a man with high scientific literacy. As his classic work, Baopuzi also embodied this strong scientific nature. Joseph also said that the “earlier chapters of his Pao phu Tsu contained some scientific thinking at what appears to be a high level”[1]. Although Ge Hong defined the inner chapter of Baopuzi as “saying yellow and white” in author's preface, and later generations usually praised Ge Hong's contribution to the golden elixir thought of Taoism, Ge Hong also focused on another core issue in the inner chapter of Baopuzi -” Immortals (shenxian 神仙) can be acquired through learning “(shen xian ke yi xue zhi 神仙可以学致)[2], “ziran 自然” is a core concept used by Ge Hong in solving this problem, just as Chen Kewen said “Ge Hong's philosophy of “ziran” is the theoretical basis of his theory of immortals. -
「無為」の発展 the Evolution of Non-Action(Wuwei)In
Nagoya Future Culture College 名古屋文化短期大学研究紀要 第40集 2015年3月 『太平經』に見る道教の「無為」の発展 ロバート ジェームズ キング* The Evolution of Non-action(Wuwei) in Daoism as Seen in the Taipingjing Robert James King * Summary: Daoism is a Chinese religion that traces its roots back to the Warring States period in China. Historically it has been divided into two different groups, the philosophical Daoism of the Daojia(道 家) and the religious Daoism of the Daojiao(道教) . However, recent academic research points to Daoism without this division, where Daoism starts with a philosophical movement and then evolves into a religious movement. Both of these share the same terms and trace their creation back to the same source. In this paper I introduce the philosophical concept of non-action(無為) and compare it with the non-action found in the Taipingjing, a religious Daoist text, in order to investigate the changes that occurred in this Daoist evolution. Through this comparison, it is found that the concept of non-action , possibly due to the difficulty in understanding the concept itself, did not evolve in the way that other philosophical terms did, to create religious teachings that were necessary to establish a religious following Introduction terms, and the line between Daoism and Buddhism In approaching Daoism there are many in China has been difficult to draw ever since. difficulties in establishing a comprehensive, Daoism has most often been recognized as definitive definition of what it encompasses. a philosophy and a religion. This is based on the Daoism has been defined as a philosophy, an two common terms used to describe Daoist texts ethical system and a religion.