Lao Tzu is a legendary Chinese sage, according to legend, the founder of the religion of Taoism and the creator of the treatise “Tao Tze Jing”. According to this book, Tao (the eternal path) is metaphorically compared to water - an ever-flowing element.
The Legend of Lao Tzu
He was born in a village called “Distorted Kindness” in the “Bitterness” district of the “Cruelty” province. Having spent more than 80 years in his mother’s womb, he came out a very old man, but every year he became younger. His name can be translated as “Old Child,” although some researchers translate it as “Eternal Teacher.”
Having spent his entire life as a keeper of books and having gained wisdom from them, in his old age he mounted a black and red bull and set off towards the distant Western Mountains to leave China forever and find a blessed country where there is no sorrow and suffering.
At the request of a guard stationed at the border, he drew five thousand hieroglyphs, which later formed the book “The Tale of Tao,” which contained all the wisdom of the world.
After leaving China, he moved to India and became Buddha.
Facts from the life of a sage
Lao-er was born at the beginning of the 7th century BC. in, served as an archivist in the Chu book depository. Already as an old man, he communicated with Confucius and had a great influence on the formation of his worldview.
Soon after this fateful meeting, Lao Tzu was about to leave China forever, but was stopped at the border by a wandering monk who asked to dictate to him the basic tenets of Taoism and possible moral and ethical laws for the existence of people in society. According to legend, Lao dictated more than five thousand words to him, which became the famous book “The Book of Tao and Te.” After which he continued his journey to India.
According to some legends, he is considered the father of the founder of the first world religion, Buddhism, Gautama Sidhartha.
How did Taoism originate?
Why can't people live in peace and harmony? Why does the strong always offend the weak? Why do terrible wars take thousands of lives and leave orphans and widows?
Why are we constantly dissatisfied with our lot? Why do we envy? Why are we greedy, as if we are going to live forever and can spend all the riches in the world? Why do we change our beliefs and, having achieved what we want, again begin to desire something unrealistic?
The Chinese sage gives us the answer to all these questions. We are too subject to the opinions of others, and at the same time we want to subordinate people to our will. We live by our desires, obeying the body, not the soul. We cannot change our views and beliefs and, most importantly, we do not want to change them if they go against our desires.
We do not think that the world is ruled by the DAO - the great and unshakable path to comprehending the truth. The DAO is both the basis and the world order; it is he who rules the world and all things, material and spiritual, in this world.
Therefore, if a person follows the right path, the path of the DAO, he renounces his carnal unrighteous desires, renounces money and precious things, rethinks his beliefs and turns into a naive child who comprehends new laws of existence. In this case, he follows the path of harmony with nature and the universe, the path of the DAO.
It is believed that one must begin the path of understanding Taoism by reading the book of Lao Tzu. It is difficult to understand and comprehend the truths contained in it, but you need to read it over and over again and then learn to read between the lines and understand the inner meaning of what is written. Intuitively, you will comprehend the previously incomprehensible, and your mind will change and be able to expand the horizons of knowledge.
One Taoist liked to repeat: “If I don’t read the Tao for two or three days, then my tongue becomes stone and cannot preach the teaching.”
Basic dogmas of Taoism
“Heaven and earth are durable because they do not exist for themselves.“,” Lao wanted to say that both heaven and earth are eternal and unshakable, every person needs them and gives joy to everyone. If the sky is always above your head, and the earth is under your feet, then you don’t need to look for anything else and you don’t need to achieve anything except self-improvement.
"For real a wise man never shows off his knowledge, he puts himself lower than others, but is ahead of everyone,” This saying of the sage is so clear that it does not require any interpretation; it is very similar to the saying of Socrates: “All I know is that I don’t know anything.”
The more knowledge a person has, the more he understands that he has only touched the truth of knowledge, but it is impossible to know everything and only a fool will boast of his knowledge.
Lao Tzu considered water to be the basis of life; he said that there is nothing more tender, softer and weaker than water, but in an instant it can become a cruel and destructive element and can destroy a strong stone.
By this he wanted to say that with the help of tenderness and weakness one can defeat the strong and strong. Any person comes into the world tender and weak, and leaves it strong and tough. Everyone understands this, but no one acts accordingly, because they try to be cruel to the cruel, and gentle only to the gentle.
The sage also wanted to say that it is reason and knowledge that are the most powerful weapons, although they can be called “gentle.” Aggression causes retaliatory aggression, and tolerance will help achieve mutual understanding without cruelty.
“He who knows people is smart, he who knows himself is wise” and again we return to the philosophy of antiquity. The ancient Greek philosopher Thales of Miletus said: “What is most difficult? Know yourself." And indeed, it is difficult for a person to look into his soul and know the origins of his actions. And if you can understand the deep origins of your actions, you will be able to recognize other people, since people are the same in many ways.
“If you don’t allow yourself to look at what makes you want, your heart won’t flutter.”
By this the Chinese sage wanted to say that people constantly strive for unnecessary things: they want money, jewelry, silks and luxury, but if you do not know about their existence and never see such things, then you will not desire them. And if you strive only for fame, honors and wealth, instead of leading a righteous life full of reflection and knowledge of the world, then over the years you will have to be sad about missed opportunities.
“He who does not worry about life is wiser than he who understands life,” At first glance, this statement is somewhat vague, but it is precisely this thought that runs through all world philosophy. A person must live every day and appreciate every minute of his existence. A person needs to overcome the fear of death and go through life without being afraid to face it. This fear makes us weak and prevents us from achieving our goal.
Only by getting rid of this fear can you live life to the fullest, breathe deeply and enjoy every moment.
DAO is the eternal and unshakable Absolute, to which all living things strive, even the eternal Heaven is subject to the laws of DAO, and the meaning of life for any person is to merge with it in eternal harmony and fast the divine ecstasy of the unity of cosmic souls.
There are people who have changed the minds of not only their generation, but also influencing those who will live many, many centuries after. They came from nowhere, but did not leave without a trace, but left behind a Path. The narrow path hurries on its own and leads away everyone who decides to take it, following the sound words of the pioneer. That's it Lao quotes Tzu once flew out like birds and managed to fly around the whole world, giving birth to followers of True Wisdom. Who is Lao Tzu? What is this Wisdom and how does it help you manage your life?
The old man is a legend. Majestic mountains with lonely pine trees on them, a sky that stretches upward like a dome and silence that can be heard as a drawn-out melody. All this provided opportunities and leisurely but deep plans. It was here that philosophers were born who helped people see the beauty of life and the true calling of man.
Where did he come from and how did the man, the philosopher, who took the name Lao Tzu appear? There is no single version. Some of his contemporaries insisted that he, 81 years old, was born by a mother who had been carrying a child under her heart all this time. And he appeared already gray-haired and wise.
In another version, this man came from India, but he did not bring any teaching with him, like a blank slate, he went to China to study and learn. And therefore, his statements fully reflect the Eastern philosophy of worldview.
But, like any other legendary figure, Lao Tzu fights for “life.” Some historians even dispute the existence of this philosopher. And all his quotes and aphorisms are distributed between Confucius and his lesser-known contemporaries.
So did the man whose wisdom formed the basis of one of the most grandiose teachings actually live? Was he the one whom Confucius called like the Dragon and recognized his wisdom as unattainable? Let's leave this behind the scenes, focusing on simple, but wise aphorisms Lao Tzu.
He who talks a lot often fails.
Never judge a person until you have walked a long way in their shoes.
Be more attentive to your thoughts, they are the beginning of actions!
He who takes fills his palms, he who gives fills his heart.
There is nothing in the world weaker and more delicate than water, but it can destroy the hardest object!
A pot is made from clay, but only for the sake of the emptiness that is inside...
He who knows how to control others is strong, and he who knows how to control himself is powerful.
It is necessary to restore order when there is still no turmoil.
The path of wisdom. These quotes are almost 14 centuries old, but each of us willingly recognizes their practicality for modern man. They seem to become even wiser with age. What is their secret? It's simple. The philosopher did not speak about temporary concepts, not about fashion trends, he based his teaching on eternal concepts, such as: love, simplicity of thinking, common sense, and harmony with the surrounding world.
This all became the beginning of the Path. Where does it lead? Towards the unity of nature and man. Nature makes people strong and perfect; a person takes care of everything that surrounds him. And he does it not for his own benefit, but in fairness, considering everything a part of himself. Is there meaning and wisdom here? Without a doubt! The philosopher's sayings are deep and accurate. And most importantly, they touch the life of every person.
Overcoming the difficult begins with the easy, the realization of the great begins with the small, for in the world the difficult is formed from the easy, and the great from the small.
There is no greater misfortune than the inability to be content with what you have.
He who neglects his life does not value his life.
Anyone who forces himself will not achieve success. Anyone who feels sorry for himself cannot improve.
When going uphill, don’t hit the feet of those you pass along the way. You will meet them again when you go down.
A smart person expands his knowledge every day. The wise person erases the excess every day.
Cloudy water, if allowed to stand, becomes clear.
One wheel has thirty spokes, but only the void between them makes movement possible. Vases are made from clay, but they take advantage of the emptiness in the vase. They break through windows and doors in the house, but take advantage of the emptiness in the house. This is the benefit of being and non-being.
We all want to get so much from life that sometimes we rush somewhere and are in a hurry, passing by important and actually necessary things. In pursuit of material things or pleasures, we forget about the eternal: about love and friendship, about what really matters and brings true joy and meaning to our lives.
The wise words of Lao Tzu put everything in its place. He, without haste, calmly shows what a person really needs for the completeness and harmony of his existence. Without making any distinction between young and old, noble or a simple person who have achieved and strive to achieve something truly important, the thinker shows what surrounds us beautiful life. His phrases help us see and appreciate all the possibilities that we have. And strive no longer for empty and weak goals, but for your own happiness.
On our website we have collected a worthy collection of sayings of the sage. All these aphorisms can be downloaded for free and shared with friends.
Lao Tzu is an ancient Chinese philosopher of the 6th-5th centuries BC. e., one of the founders of the teachings of Taoism. In the religious and philosophical teachings of most Taoist schools, Lao Tzu is revered as a deity. The treatise Tao Te Ching sets out the foundations of Taoism. At the center of the doctrine is the teaching of the great path of Tao - the universal Law and the Absolute. Tao dominates everywhere and in everything, always and limitlessly. Nobody created him, but everything comes from him. Invisible and inaudible, inaccessible to the senses, constant and inexhaustible, nameless and formless, it gives origin, name and form to everything in the world. To know the Tao, to follow it, to merge with it - this is the meaning, purpose and happiness of life. Today we have prepared an incredible selection for you best quotes Lao Tzu. We are sure that they will inspire you and help you find correct solution, if you are currently at a crossroads in life.
No one will climb up if all the best remains below. No one will steal if the most valuable things become available to everyone.
Whoever saves a lot will suffer big losses. He who knows when to stop will not have failures. He who knows the limit will not be in danger. It can become durable.
Anyone who is just trying to start will never start.
Anyone who is in too much of a hurry will achieve nothing.
He who is visible to everyone cannot see clearly himself.
Anyone who thinks he is right cannot improve.
Anyone who forces himself will not achieve success.
Anyone who feels sorry for himself cannot improve.
For the unknown, all names are one. Seeing the miraculous in the miraculous is the key to all the secrets of the world.
Consciousness is a diamond, its purity determines its value human life, and what is your cup of consciousness filled with?
When everyone knows that the beautiful is beautiful, then the ugly arises. When everyone knows that good is good, then evil arises. And therefore, being and non-being give rise to each other, heavy and light balance each other, and past and present follow each other...
Although war may have peace as its goal, it is undeniably evil. Even the best weapons do not bode well.
If you want to become whole, allow yourself to be divided into parts. If you want to become complete, allow yourself to be empty. If you want to get everything, let go of everything.
When people praise their ruler, discord begins in the state. When people place undue importance on things, theft occurs. When what one desires is put on display, passion arises.
At birth a person is tender and weak, but at death he is hard and strong. All creatures and plants are tender and weak at birth, and dry and rotten at death. The hard and strong are what perish, and the soft and weak are what begin to live. Therefore, a powerful army does not win and a strong tree dies. The strong and powerful do not have the advantage that the gentle and weak have.
Water is the softest and weakest creature in the world, but in overcoming the hard and strong it is invincible, and there is no equal in the world. The weak overcome the strong, the soft overcomes the hard.
Without opening doors, you can open your heart to the world. Without looking out the window, you are able to see the essence of the true Path. The more you know, the less you understand. The wise man comes without leaving, sees the light without looking, achieves without doing.
People are not afraid of being oppressed, and therefore they bring themselves to complete oppression. By depriving themselves of the pleasure of living easily and without worries, they deprive themselves of the opportunity to enjoy life. Only he has no barriers who does not build them himself. This is why the wise man knows himself, but does not show himself off. Loves himself, but does not think highly of himself. And therefore, giving up one, he gains another.
The morning's strong wind does not continue until the afternoon; heavy rain does not continue all day. Neither heaven nor earth can exist forever. Moreover, a person.
It is better to be soft on the outside and hard on the inside than hard on the outside and soft on the inside.
Overcoming the difficult begins with the easy, the realization of the great begins with the small, for in the world the difficult is formed from the easy, and the great from the small.
He who thinks he has comprehended everything knows nothing.
When a country follows the true Path, people plow and sow. When a country resists the Path, warehouses are bursting with weapons. There is no greater illusion than fear. There is no greater misconception than preparing for self-defense. There is no greater sorrow than having an enemy. He who can see through any fear will always be safe.
The wise man allows things to happen. He makes decisions about events as they happen. He does not stand in their way and allows the Path to take place in its natural course.
If you look for completeness in others, you will never be complete. If your happiness depends on money, you will never be happy. Be happy with what you have; Enjoy what you have. When you realize that there is nothing that you do not have, the whole world will belong to you.
A wise man does not strive for power - this is how he gains true power. An ordinary person wants to get more and more power - that’s why it’s never enough for him. The wise man does not commit anything, but also does not leave a single task unfinished. An ordinary person is always busy with something, but things only increase in number. The wise man does not look at the surface, but in depth; he looks for fruits, not flowers. He is free from his desires. He remains in reality and lets go of all illusions.
Easily achieved agreement is not trustworthy.
No knowledge. That's why I don't know anything.
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Philosophy of Lao Tzu
In approaching the exposition of the moral teachings of the Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu, the teachings contained in his work “Tao Te Ching,” or “Book of the Way and Virtue,” I consider it useful to first resolve the misunderstanding that exists in Russian literature regarding this remarkable monument of Chinese philosophy. I mean the famous specialist in Chinese literature, Professor Vasiliev. I need to touch on him because the solution I propose to the question he posed could also serve as proof that the “Book of the Path and Virtues” really belongs to the pen of Lao Tzu.
The venerable professor in 1875 published his excellent and not devoid of originality work on the religion of the Chinese under the general title: “Religions of the East.” The reasoning and conclusions presented in this work are very often correct and in many points witty. The venerable professor expresses his opinions with great authority, and indeed they are authoritative. But regarding the question of the authenticity of Lao Tzu’s “Book of Path and Virtue,” I cannot, to my greatest regret, agree with the professor’s opinion.
Having made a brief overview of the current state of society of Taoists, that is, followers of Lao Tzu, and assessing its significance, Professor Vasiliev pronounces the following judgment: “One thing we can say affirmatively about the work of Lao Tzu (“Tao Te Ching”) is that , that it could not have been written at the time to which it is attributed” (that is, in the 6th century BC, earlier than Confucius). This book, the author of “Religions of the East” concludes, “was written when the ideas of Confucianism had already gained weight” (that is, not earlier than the 2nd century BC).
This idea of the professor is proved by him from two points of view:
1. Since the philosophy of Lao Tzu is the diametric opposite of the moral philosophy of the Chinese sage Confucius, it could not have appeared before the system of Confucius.
2. In the philosophy of Lao Tzu, a reflection of Buddhist philosophy is noticeable. This, according to the venerable professor, was possible only after the transfer of Buddhism to China, which happened in the 2nd century. BC e. Consequently, the teachings of Lao Tzu could not have appeared until the 2nd century. BC e.
On what does Professor Vasiliev base his first thesis?
Confucius, born in November 551 BC. e. and who died in April 479, who acted and preached his teachings mainly during the reign of Emperor Kei-voo from the Siu dynasty, did not soon receive such authority as he later enjoyed for more than twenty centuries. The orthodoxy of Confucius's teachings was finally proven by Mencius, who lived in the second half of the 4th century. BC e. Thanks to him, the teachings of Confucius received unshakable authority in the Middle Empire. Therefore, the teachings of Confucius received canonical significance for the Chinese people at least in the 3rd century, but not earlier. From here, according to Professor Vasiliev, it follows that the philosophy of Lao Tzu, which supposedly is an action movement against Confucian moral philosophy, could only appear in the 2nd century. BC e.
Let's see how correct this reasoning of Professor Vasiliev is.
First of all, you should ask yourself: is the philosophy, the creator of which the professor considers Confucius, to be solely his creation? Of course not. In his conversations with his students, Confucius very often says that his teaching is not his own, but only an exposition of the “Teaching of the Most Blessed Kings.” He made this statement not in order to give his teaching more authority, but sincerely, without any ulterior motive.
Therefore, it gives us every right to conclude that the moral teaching of Confucius is not a completely new and independent creation of his mind, but only a development of the morality that existed before him. If we open the books “Shi-ching”, “Shu-ching”, “I-ching”, the origin of which undoubtedly dates back to pre-Confucian times, that is, to the first years of the reign of the Xiu dynasty, we will see that these books contain everything those ideas that Confucius later preached.
In saying this, I do not wish to deprive Confucius of the merits attributed to him. He, without a doubt, accomplished a great deed for his country, finding out exactly what the moral teaching of the most blessed kings was, and establishing with his authority for many centuries the ideals of moral life created by the people over the course of previous centuries.
Nevertheless, there is no doubt that philosophical morality, the creator of which the professor recognizes Confucius, already existed in China before this moral teacher. If so, then it is clear that Lao Tzu’s “Book of the Way and Virtue” could have been written in opposition to traditional morality and the ancient worldview of China in general, and not specifically against Confucianism. Lao Tzu thought that the evil weakening the Middle Empire lay in traditional morality, in the so-called “Teaching of the Most Blessed Kings.” Therefore, wanting to give the people a completely natural moral teaching that could eradicate the supposed evil of the morality then dominant among the people, he created his own highest degree a meaningful and original philosophical system.
If the philosophy of Lao Tzu arose as a protest against the moral teachings of Confucius, then the author of The Book of the Path and Virtue would have said at least one word about the teaching against which he wrote his treatise, but he makes no allusion to it. There is not even a single expression in The Book of Path and Virtue that even indirectly refers to Confucius. Our philosopher presents his teaching calmly and dogmatically: he has absolutely no polemical tone. This gives us reason to assume that Lao Tzu wrote his famous treatise only in order to leave behind an exposition of his ideas.
Does the venerable professor provide any historical data to support his hypothesis?
This question has to be answered in the negative. Professor Vasiliev, offering his opinion, does not tell us on what it is based. Not only does he not refer to historical data, but for some reason he is also distrustful of the words of the famous Chinese historian Sima Qian, that is, the only reliable story about Lao Tzu. True, Sima Qian tells us very little about the life of this thinker, but nevertheless he gives us some reliable information about him.
The famous Chinese historian lived in the second half of the 2nd and the first half of the 1st century. BC e. Being a taisi, that is, the head of the commission for drawing up ancient history China, Sima Qian, by order of the then king of the Middle Empire, in 91 BC. e. published his excellent work “Historical Narrative” - “Shi Chi”, consisting of 126 books. The historian, possessing remarkable literary talent and rare tact, used all kinds of documents stored in the imperial archives and book depositories when compiling his history. When presenting historical facts he, like a true historian, acts extremely carefully: he treats every fact of history critically; therefore, he does not allow anything legendary when there is more or less reliable news.
Living close to the era of Lao Tzu and Confucius, Sima Qian could collect quite reliable information about them. He writes in his Historical Narrative, among other things, that Confucius had a meeting with Lao Tzu. There is no reason to deny the authenticity of this historical news.
In the 63rd book of “Historical Narrative”, Sima Qian sets out, among other things, the biography of three thinkers of China: Lao Tzu, Soxi and Kanpisi. He considers the last two to be followers of the first, but does not say whether they were direct students of Lao Tzu or not. Judging by this, it should be concluded that they were not contemporaries of Lao Tzu: our philosopher apparently lived many years earlier than Sosi and Kanpisi.
But when did the philosophers Sosi and Kanpisi live and act? According to Chinese historians, both of them lived in last decades reign of the Sioux dynasty, which finally fell in 241 BC. e. From this it is clear that the years of activity of these two philosophers date back to the beginning of the 3rd and the end of the 4th century. From this, in turn, we conclude that Lao Tzu undoubtedly lived and acted before the 4th century. And if so, then the chronological date of the appearance of Lao Tzu’s work indicated by Professor Vasiliev is devoid of any basis; The Book of the Path and Dignity appeared at least three or four centuries earlier than the venerable Sinologist suggests.
Now let us turn to the testimony of the philosopher Kanpisi about Lao Tzu.
Although the influence of Lao Tzu on the Soxi system is very clear, the latter does not talk about it in his numerous writings. On the contrary, Kanpisi writes a lot about Laozi's philosophy. In one of his best works, he gives an excellent exposition of the philosophical views of Lao Tzu. This gives us firm grounds to assert that already in the 4th century. BC e. the work of our philosopher “The Book of Path and Dignity” was quite widespread.
True, in Kanpisi’s writings there is no indication of when Lao Tzu lived and acted, but nevertheless he speaks of him as a person who lived much earlier than him. There is no doubt that at the time Kanpisi expounded the Lao Tzu system, its creator had long been dead.
Sima Qian's account of Lao Tzu says that our philosopher expounded his philosophy in 5 thousand words at the request of a Western border official. Professor Vasiliev is very distrustful of this news. According to my calculation, all the words included in this famous work amount to 5296. Thus, the mentioned indication has a certain value, and due to the fact that it is not entirely accurate, there is no reason to deny the authenticity of the narrative.
The second basis for Professor Vasiliev’s hypothesis is that in the teachings of our philosopher there is a reflection of Buddhist philosophy, etc. This argument also seems rather arbitrary.
First of all, it should be noted that pessimism is characteristic of the human soul in general, and of the inhabitants of the East in particular; therefore we should not be surprised that we find it in the system of Lao Tzu. The rich nature of China was not protected from random disasters that could ruin the well-being of the people; excess water often devastated vast areas; the invasion of wild tribes could not always be prevented; internal political discord sometimes destroyed everything acquired by the people. All these troubles contributed to the formation of a pessimistic outlook on life.
If we take Laozi's pessimism and compare it with Buddhist pessimism, we will find an indelible difference between them. Buddhism preaches the absolute cessation of all kinds of mental processes that constitute the advantage of a rational being, that is, it preaches nirvana. We do not find anything like this in Lao Tzu. Buddhism maintains that moral evil lies in man's very existence; Lao Tzu did not allow this.
True, in one of the aphorisms our philosopher speaks of a period “when all (people) will become inactive” (“Tao Te Ching”, Chapter 33 and much more; further only the chapter number will be indicated. – Red.), and in others the idea is held that “in order to be holy, one must observe inaction,” but this is not yet Buddhist nirvana. Lao Tzu's "inactivity" must be understood in a special sense. He wants to say that “one should not spoil the natural state of man through excessive speculation.”
The need to understand Lao Tzu's "inaction" in this sense is confirmed by The Book of the Path and Virtues. Our philosopher zealously preaches self-improvement to people, which cannot be achieved through complete inactivity. Activity, according to Tao (that is, according to the teaching of true morality), is a wordless sermon about Tao:
“When a holy man rules a country, his heart is empty and his body is full; he weakens his desires, and thereby strengthens the bone” (3). This saying means that we need to try not to philosophize in vain, which never brings any benefit, but to act directly, just as a well-fed person is able to work more than a hungry person.
Thus, Lao Tzu does not preach nirvana, but, on the contrary, advocates activity without idle philosophizing. From this it is clear that there is a great difference between Buddhist and Lao Tzu pessimism. Professor Vasiliev’s theory about the dependence of Lao Tzu’s teachings on Buddhist philosophy, as it turns out, has no real basis.
It is impossible not to mention the language of the “Book of Path and Dignity” as one of the evidence of its antiquity and authenticity. It is distinguished by its extraordinary conciseness, force of expression, figurativeness, fragmentation and very often some darkness of expression. The method of Laozi writing is very original: it existed only in ancient times. In this respect, of all philosophers, Confucius alone can be placed on a par with Lao Tzu; Mensi, Kanpisi, Sosi and other writers who lived in the 3rd and 4th centuries. BC e., they write completely differently than our philosopher.
Of course, I do not present this consideration as the surest sign antiquity and authenticity of the Tao Te Ching, but nevertheless it can serve as confirmation of my thought.
The question of the personality of Lao Tzu is one of the most difficult in the history of Chinese philosophy. The news about our philosopher conveyed by Sima Qian is so poor and insignificant that there is no way to compile a complete biography of the thinker from it. True, in addition to the news of Sima Qian, there are a number of apocryphal legends about Lao Tzu in Chinese literature, but there is little reliable in them. Therefore, great care must be taken when compiling the biography of Lao Tzu.
There is no reliable data regarding the year of birth of our philosopher. The famous Sinologist Stanislas Julien thinks that Lao Tzu was born in 604 BC. e.
This chronological date, as Julien himself claims, was taken by him from apocryphal authors, but nevertheless deserves attention. If we believe the news conveyed by the historian Sima Qian that Confucius had a meeting with Lao Tzu, then we can assume that the years of flourishing activity of our philosopher refer approximately to the beginning of the political and philosophical activity of Confucius. From this we can probably conclude that Lao Tzu was born around the early 600s. BC e.
The philosopher's parents lived in the village of Kyoku-Zin, Lei County, Ku Province, which was located in the kingdom of So (near present-day Beijing). What their profession was, no information has been preserved about this. In any case, the place where Lao Tzu was born has not existed for a long time. The name Lao Tzu means "elderly philosopher." This is not his proper name; This is what the ancient and modern Chinese called him and still call him, wanting to express their respect for him as a thinker.
His last name was Li, first name Zi, pseudonym Hakuyan, and after his death he was given the nickname Sen (Long Ears).
The commentator on Sima Qian's Historical Narrative says that Lao Tzu bore the surname Li from his mother, and borrowed his pseudonym from his father's name.
No information has reached us about what kind of education Lao Tzu received. But, judging by the fact that our philosopher subsequently carried an important public service, access to which was open only to those who had passed special state exams, one must think that Lao Tzu in his youth received a good education, of course in the sense of that time.
One note in the history of Sima Qian quotes the apocryphal words: “Lao Tzu was (a man) tall; his complexion is yellow, beautiful eyebrows, long ears, broad forehead, sparse and ugly teeth, a quadrangular forehead with thick and ugly lips.”
Lao Tzu's lifestyle, according to legend, was very unique. There is no doubt that he fulfilled, or at least tried to fulfill, everything that seemed to him to be the truth, the truth.
Apparently, he was a simple man, undemanding, modest and, so to speak, poor in spirit. What his material support was, there is very reliable news about this. In Chapter 20 of the Tao Te Ching he writes: “Many people are rich, but I have nothing, as if I had lost everything.” This gives us reason to conclude that Lao Tzu was not rich; but if we take into account the post he held during the period of his government activity, then it cannot be assumed that he was not at all well-off. However, there is reason to think that he distributed everything he had to the poor, doing it in secret from everyone. “I give alms,” says the 53rd chapter of the Tao Te Ching, “in great fear.” He taught not to philosophize, but to act, not to dream, but to work. Verbal teaching is invalid and insignificant, but true teaching, in his opinion, must be carried out in practice, that is, it is necessary to prove the truth of the teaching by deeds.
This gives us reason to think that during his official activities our philosopher did not so much preach his teaching as try to implement it in practice. Nevertheless, there is reason to assume that Lao Tzu’s teachings became widely known during his lifetime. “All over the earth (that is, in China),” he writes, “people say that my Tao is great” (67).
There is no doubt that Lao Tzu very early began to feel an inclination towards an ascetic life. He was very sensible; All kinds of outbursts of feelings and ecstasies were alien to him. There were no passions in his public or private life.
His ascetic mood and way of life, however, did not prevent him from leading family life, although we do not have any exact information about her. In the "Historical Narrative" of Sima Qian, however, there is interesting news regarding the fate of the descendants of Lao Tzu. The son of our philosopher So was a son of his time in the full sense of the word: he chose a military career, which his father had a negative attitude towards. He was not sympathetic to his father's teachings.
Lao Tzu, according to Sima Qian, was the head of the imperial book depository (or state archive). We do not know how long he held this position.
However, it should be noted that this service of Lao Tzu had a tremendous influence on the development of his philosophical thought, since it gave him free access to the repository of all kinds of knowledge. Contemporary Chinese society, among which he grew up, also did not remain without influence on his mind. And he, like Confucius later, wanted to save his fellow tribesmen from endless political strife. This desire was very clearly and characteristically reflected in the entire system of his philosophy.
In what relation Lao Tzu stood to the thinkers of his time, detailed information about this has not been preserved.
The historian Sima Qian gives us very interesting news about the meeting of two great philosophers of the Middle Empire: Lao Tzu and Confucius. I will try to literally convey what the historian of China writes.
“When Confucius was in Xiu,” writes Sima Qian, “he visited Lao Tzu to hear his opinion regarding the rituals.”
“Pay attention to this,” Lao Tzu said to Confucius, “that the people who taught the people died, and their bones have long since decayed, but their words still exist. When circumstances are favorable for the sage, he will ride around in chariots, but when not, he will walk, carrying a weight on his head, holding the edge of it with his hands.”
“I have heard that an experienced merchant hides his goods as if he had nothing. In the same way, when a sage has high morality, his appearance should not express this. Throw away your pride, along with all kinds of passions; leave your love for beauty along with your inclination towards sensuality, because they are of no use to you.”
“This is what I am telling you, and I will say no more.”
“After leaving our philosopher, Confucius said to his disciples: I know that birds can fly, fish can swim in water and animals can run. I also know that those running can be stopped with snares, those swimming with nets, and those flying with snares. But as for the dragon, I don't know anything. He rides on the clouds and rises into the sky."
“I saw Lao Tzu today. Isn't he a dragon?
Professor Vasiliev is skeptical about this news from Sima Qian; he is ready to rank him among the legends about Lao Tzu, but, as we have seen, without sufficient reason.
The possibility of a meeting between two Chinese philosophers is actually quite likely. Confucius, as an inquisitive person, searched for the truth for a long time. Therefore, he could turn to our philosopher, the most famous scientist of that time, in order to understand for himself what the essence of the rituals was, to which the Chinese attached great importance. Arriving in the capital of what was then China, Confucius naturally might have wanted to visit a local celebrity.
Moreover, if we turn to the content of the conversation we conveyed between the two great philosophers, we will have to admit that each expressed in it a characteristic and essential side of his philosophy. Lao Tzu, as a preacher of the theory of humility, invites Confucius to give up pride and passion for things of this world; Confucius, who attached great importance to everything concrete, asks Lao Tzu about rituals and is surprised at the sublime and thoughtful teaching of his interlocutor.
Lao Tzu was very dissatisfied with contemporary social and political affairs. This discontent was so strong that he, leaving his public service, retired into solitude. Wanting to live outside that country, the disorder and moral decline of which outraged him, he wanted to go across the western border to the countries of the barbarians. But then something unexpected happened to him. Seeing that this famous man was leaving the empire, the chief of the border guard, In-ki, said to him: “Philosopher! are you really thinking of hiding? If so, then I ask you to first expound your teaching for our instruction.”
And so Lao Tzu, satisfying the demand of an inquisitive official, allegedly wrote the famous “Book of the Path and Virtue.” But here the question arises: did Lao Tzu write his book all at once or at different times? The answer, I think, lies in the Tao Te Ching itself. A more thorough acquaintance with the work shows that each aphorism is completely independent and has no external connection with others. This gives every right to conclude that the Tao Te Ching was written at different times, for different reasons. Therefore, the manuscript “Tao Te Ching” given by our philosopher to the border official was probably a collection of his aphorisms. How Lao Tzu lived after he retired into solitude, absolutely nothing is known about this. “Some people think,” writes historian Sima Qian, “that Lao Tzu lived until he was 160 years old, others - up to 200 years old thanks to his holy life, in accordance with Tao.”
If this news is exaggerated, it is still likely that, leading a completely abstinent and moderate life, our philosopher enjoyed good health and lived to a ripe old age.
I think it would not be superfluous to now say a few words about what fate befell the teachings of Lao Tzu.
This teaching, which in some respects is the diametric opposite of the traditional worldview of the Middle Empire, apparently could not find many followers; nevertheless, in every century it has found interpreters who, wanting to further develop the philosophical views of their great teacher and complete the work of his thought, have partly damaged him. Sosi and Zun-xi, developing the theoretical and moral worldview of Lao Tzu, introduced many elements alien to it into his system, and Kanpisi, developing the political and social views of Lao Tzu, took them to the last extreme.
Thus, the system of our philosopher, soon after his death, underwent quite serious distortion, although it retained the name of Lao Tsizism. But the matter did not stop there: the further time passed, the more Lao Tzu’s teachings were distorted. Lao Tzu suffered especially much from Buddhism.
Buddhism was brought to China in the 2nd century. BC e. Spreading with extraordinary speed among the people, he attracted the attention of the Taoists.
The Taoists, who had assimilated only the ascetic idea of their teacher and did not understand the essence of his philosophical system, met the Buddhists with great joy: they saw in Buddhism the further development of their ascetic idea. This is where it begins sad story laozizma. The original worldview of the great Lao Tzu began to be forgotten among his followers; The external structure and internal structure of Taoist society finally changed: they included many Buddhist elements.
In addition to Buddhism, Taoist society was influenced by various folk beliefs.
Taoist society still exists in such a sad form in China and Japan.
Professor Vasiliev is right when, characterizing the current state of this society, he says that they are followers of Lao Tzu only in name, and not in essence. “Taoism,” he writes, “is the most heterogeneous composition of all kinds of beliefs and techniques that have nothing in common with each other... All of them have in common only the name and the fact that they all recognize Lao Tzu as their teacher.”
With a more or less thorough acquaintance with the philosophical system of Lao Tzu, the question arises: where to look for the sources of his philosophical worldview?
This question is not easy to answer. In our opinion, you should look for them:
1. In the individual mindset of Lao Tzu.
2. In the historical conditions of existence of contemporary China.
1. If we pay attention to the development of thoughts in the “Book of the Path and Virtue,” then we cannot help but notice that Lao Tzu’s philosophy can be characterized as contemplative speculation. Lao Tzu is most interested in spiritual meaning and the inner law of existence. Every fact from the spiritual, moral and physical world that took place around him caused intense activity of his mind: he wanted to penetrate into the essence and inner meaning of every phenomenon. Everything that happened around him seemed only fleeting to him; at the basis of the rapid flow of things lies something essential and durable. And in one of his aphorisms, Lao Tzu states that “the beautiful is only the ugly; good is only evil” (2). This means that what is beautiful to the eye is not truly beautiful; good, in its ordinary sense, is not truly good. We can see what is truly beautiful only with the eyes of the mind; in the same way, truly good things are revealed only to our spirit.
This feature of Lao Tzu’s philosophy, reminiscent of the Greek teachings of Heraclitus, the Eleans and Plato, is the most significant: it appears very clearly in his every thought. Our philosopher searched for the essence of everything and delved into his inner world. Everything material and concrete seemed to him only apparent side being; The very fact that there is change in the world clearly proves the existence of the unchangeable, constant and embracing all being.
This unchangeable, constant and embracing all being, according to Lao Tzu, is Tao.
The concept of “Tao” is the starting point of Lao Tzu’s entire system and the foundation of his worldview; Our philosopher built the entire edifice of his mathematics on this concept.
A very complex, but brought into strict unity, Lao Tzu’s system of philosophy could only be developed through deep contemplative speculation. Having explored the essence of our knowledge, our philosopher said: “There is no knowledge,” because “I know nothing” (70). This saying of Lao Tzu very well characterizes his philosophy.
Although he did not know about the existence of the Delphic inscription “Know thyself,” he, through his own mental work, came to the above-mentioned conclusion. The Socratic formula: “I know that I know nothing” is essentially the same, but Lao Tzu expressed it a whole century before Socrates.
2. The environment, that is, the historical conditions of time, influences each individual in a significant way. And indeed, reading the history of the Middle Empire during the period of our philosopher’s activity in parallel with his “Book of the Path and Dignity,” one cannot help but be surprised at how characteristically Lao Tzu’s philosophical worldview was influenced by the contemporary historical conditions, which he was so indignant at. In this respect, Lao Tzu is even more characteristic than Confucius.
He was born at a time when the Xiu dynasty that reigned in China was experiencing the last period of its existence and the entire Middle Empire was divided into seven feudal kingdoms. This era in the history of the Middle Empire is known as the “era of wars.” The turmoil and wars, among which Lao Tzu spent his youth, influenced his fresh and powerful mind; the whole sad picture of public and private life at that time outraged his moral sense. There is no doubt that Lao Tzu wanted to bring his fatherland out of such a difficult situation. And this desire prompted him to study the causes of the country's misfortunes.
What did it lead our philosopher to?
He found that the cause of all troubles lies in the excessive philosophizing of people, in their lack of humility and philanthropy, and in their irresistible desire for wealth, power and honors. Therefore, he, first of all, teaches about renunciation of all kinds of speculation, from wealth, power and honors; he preaches philanthropy and humility in Tao.
When people stop speculating, our philosopher thought, they will prosper; when wealth loses its meaning, there will be no thieves; when honors lose all meaning, then people will stop hating each other; when power is destroyed, there will be no quarrels between people.
Lao Tzu derives this teaching from the concept of Tao. Tao is therefore above all beings and the lord of all existence because it stands below them. “The reason that the sea is the king of numerous rivers and rivers is that,” our philosopher writes, “it is located below the latter” (66). It (that is, Tao) is blissful because it does not think, does not strive for wealth, honor and power.
Tao does not think, according to Lao Tzu, and therefore is smarter than all smart people; does not seek wealth, and therefore is richer than all the rich; does not seek honors, and therefore the whole universe is full of his glory; it does not seek power, and therefore it is the king of all kings.
These points of Lao Tzu's teachings are diametrically opposed to the moral mood of the society of that time.
Thus, Laozi's system has a close connection with the contemporary moral state of the Middle Empire.
Let us now move on to a more detailed presentation of Lao Tzu’s system of philosophy.
We can call the philosophy of Lao Tzu the philosophy of Tao, because this concept developed by him serves as the only starting point of his system.
The Chinese word "Tao" means: "way", "obedience", "word", or "speak" - in common language; “truth” or what must necessarily be this way and not otherwise, in the philosophical sense; it also means imperative duty, or what a person should do as a person - in an ethical sense.
Thus, one philological explanation, borrowed from the Chinese explanatory dictionary Ko-ki, clearly shows the varied meaning of the word “Tao”.
Before the time of Lao Tzu’s philosophical activity, the word “Tao” (or, more accurately, That or Before) was used only in two senses: 1) road, or path; 2) imperative duty of a person. Our philosopher was the first to designate a supersensible being with this word and put it at the basis of his system, where there is not a single thought that is not in one way or another connected with the teaching of Tao. The metaphysical concept of Tao developed by Lao Tzu is completely independent and bears, as will be clear from our further presentation, its individual stamp.
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Lao Tzu (Old Child, Wise Old Man; Chinese translation: 老子, pinyin: Lǎo Zǐ, 6th century BC), ancient Chinese philosopher of the 6th-5th centuries BC. e., who is credited with the authorship of the classic Taoist philosophical treatise “Tao Te Ching”. Within the framework of modern historical science, the historicity of Lao Tzu is questioned, however, in scientific literature he is often still identified as the founder of Taoism. In the religious and philosophical teachings of most Taoist schools, Lao Tzu is traditionally revered as a deity - one of the Three Pure Ones.
Treatise Tao Te Ching written in ancient Chinese, which is difficult for today's Chinese to understand. At the same time, its author deliberately used ambiguous words. In addition, some key concepts do not have exact correspondence in either English or Russian. James Leger, in his preface to the translation of the treatise, writes: “Written signs Chinese language They represent not words, but ideas, and the sequence of these signs represents not what the author wants to say, but what he thinks." . According to tradition, Lao Tzu is considered the author of the book, so sometimes the book is named after him. However, its authorship has been questioned by some historians; it is assumed that the author of the book could be another contemporary of Confucius - Lao Lai Tzu. One of the arguments for this point of view is the words in the Tao Te Ching, written in the first person.
...All people hold on to their “I”, only I chose to give it up. My heart is like the heart of a stupid man - so dark, so unclear! The everyday world of people is clear and obvious; I alone live in a vague world, like evening twilight. The everyday world of people is painted down to the smallest detail; I alone live in an incomprehensible and mysterious world. Like a lake I am calm and quiet. Unstoppable, like the breath of the wind! People always have something to do, but I alone live like an ignorant savage. I am the only one who differs from others in that above all else I value the root of life, the mother of all living things.
TEACHINGS OF LAO TZU
Around the 6th century. BC e. the doctrine of the semi-legendary
philosopher Lao Tzu, whose name literally means "old
philosopher." The teachings of Lao Tzu were presented in his words and
edited after as a small but interesting
philosophical work - "Tao-de-ching" ("Book of Tao"), before
which is a collection of aphorisms, wise, but sometimes
strange and mysterious sayings. Central idea of philosophy
Lao Tzu was the idea of Tao. The word "dao" in Chinese
literally means path; but in this philosophical system it
received a much broader metaphysical, religious
method, principle. The very concept of "Tao" can be interpreted
materialistically: Tao is nature, the objective world.
The philosophy of Lao Tzu is also permeated with a kind of dialectic.
"From being and non-being everything came into being; from the impossible and
possible - execution; from long and short - form.
the lower ones produce harmony, the previous ones subjugate
subsequent." "From the imperfect comes the whole. From
crooked - straight. From deep - smooth. From the old -
new." "What shrinks expands;
what
weakens - strengthens; that which is destroyed -
is being restored." However, Lao Tzu did not understand it as a struggle
opposites, but as their reconciliation. And from here they made
practical conclusions: “when a person reaches the point of not doing, then
there is nothing that has not been done"; "Who loves the people and
controls him, he must be inactive." From these thoughts
the basic idea of philosophy, or ethics, of Lao Tzu is visible: this
the principle of non-doing, inaction, quietism. Every aspiration
do something, change something in nature or in life
people are condemned. Lao Tzu considers all knowledge to be evil:
The "holy man" who rules the country tries to prevent the wise
dare to do something. When everything is done
inactive, then (on earth) there will be complete peace."
"He who is free from all kinds of knowledge will never be
get sick." "Who knows the depth of his enlightenment and remains in
ignorance, he will become an example to the whole world." "There is no knowledge;
that's why I don't know anything." "When I do nothing, then
the people are becoming better; when I'm calm, people are done
fair;
when I don't do anything new, then
people are getting rich..."
Lao Tzu placed the king’s power among the people very highly, but
understood it as purely patriarchal power: “The Tao is great,
the sky is great, the earth is great, and finally the king is great. So, in
there are four greatnesses in the world, one of which is
king." In Lao Tzu's understanding, the king is a sacred and
inactive leader. To his contemporary state
Lao Tzu had a negative attitude towards the authorities: “That’s why the people
The main virtue is abstinence. "In order to
serve heaven and rule people, it is best to observe
bngdepf`mhe.
Temperance is the first stage of virtue,
which is the beginning of moral perfection."
The teachings of Lao Tzu served as the basis on which the
the so-called Taoist religion, one of the three dominant
now in China.
Main ideas:
One should not strive for excessive education, increased erudition or sophistication - on the contrary, one should return to the state of “raw wood”, or to the state of a “baby”. All opposites are inseparable, complementary, and interact with each other. This also applies to opposites such as life and death. Life is “soft” and “flexible”. Death is "hard" and "hard". The best principle for resolving problems in accordance with Tao is renunciation of aggression, concession. This should not be understood as a call for surrender and submission - one should strive to master the situation without making too much effort. The presence in a society of rigid normative ethical systems - for example, Confucianism - indicates that it has problems that such a system only strengthens, being unable to resolve them. The central idea of Lao Tzu's philosophy was the idea of two principles - Tao And.
Dae The word "Tao" literally means "way" in Chinese; one of the most important categories of Chinese philosophy. However, in the Taoist philosophical system it received a much broader metaphysical content. Lao Tzu uses the word "Tao" with special caution, for "Tao" is wordless, nameless, formless and motionless. No one, not even Lao Tzu, can define “Tao.” He cannot define "Tao" because to know that you do not know (everything) is greatness. Not knowing that you don't know (everything) is a disease
. The word "Tao" is just a sound that came out of Lao Tzu's lips. He didn't make it up - he just said it at random. But when understanding appears, words will disappear - they will no longer be necessary. . “Tao” means not only the path, but also the essence of things and the total existence of the universe. “Tao” is the universal Law and the Absolute. The very concept of “Tao” can also be interpreted materialistically: “Tao” is nature, the objective world. One of the most complex concepts in the Chinese tradition is the concept of “De”. On the one hand, “De” is what feeds “Tao” and makes it possible (). This is a kind of universal force, a principle with the help of which “Tao” - as the way of things - can take place. It is also a method by which one can practice and conform to the “Tao.” “De” is a principle, a way of being. This is also the possibility of proper accumulation of “vital energy” - Qi. “De” is the art of correctly using “vital energy”, correct behavior. But “De” is not morality in the narrow sense. “De” goes beyond common sense, encouraging a person to release life force from the shackles of everyday life. Close to the concept of “De” is the Taoist teaching about Wu-wei, non-action.
The incomprehensible De is that which fills the form of things, but it comes from Tao. Tao is what moves things, its path is mysterious and incomprehensible. ...He who follows Tao in his deeds, ...purifies his spirit, enters into an alliance with the power of De
Lao Tzu on Truth
“A truth spoken out loud ceases to be such, because it has already lost its primary connection with the moment of truth.”
“He who knows does not speak, he who speaks does not know.”
It is clear from the available written sources that Lao Tzu was a mystic and a quietist in the modern sense, teaching a completely unofficial doctrine that relied solely on inner contemplation. A person finds truth by liberating himself from everything false in himself. The mystical experience ends the search for reality. Lao Tzu wrote: “There is an Infinite Being who was before Heaven and Earth. How calm it is, how calm! It lives alone and does not change. It moves everything, but does not worry. We can consider him as the universal Mother. I don't know his name. I call it Tao."
Religious Taoism
Religious Taoism at the beginning of the Middle Ages was divided into philosophical and religious directions, which was associated with the collapse of the Qingo and Han empires, wars and civil strife. Ancient deities penetrate into Taoism, and their hierarchy is formed; the practice of prayer and meditation leading to immortality (xian) is being revived. Alchemy (the creation of the “golden pill of immortality”) also received great development, and the practice of yoga and meditation was improved. This new Taoism began to be called religious Taoism (Tao Jiao) to distinguish it from the teachings of Lao Tzu and Zhuang Tzu, who strive only for longevity. The Chinese value longevity as a sign that a person follows the “Tao - the path of heaven and earth”, submits to the natural order of things, taking all joys and hardships for granted. Such ancient thinkers, for example Le Tzu and the author of the eclectic work "Huainan Tzu", as well as the school of "The Way of True Unity" and the later schools of "Supreme Purity" and "The Way of Perfect Truth" also played a significant role in the formation of Taoism. In modern China, purely religious Taoism is fading away, and of the once large schools, only two have survived: “The Way of Perfect Truth” and “The Way of the True One.” In religious Taoism (Tao jiao) special meaning attached to the search for immortality. They approached immortality through meditation, ritual practice, alchemy and philosophy. The direction of Taoism (Tao Jiao) consisted of the activities of numerous sects, groups and schools. Thus, in the 12th century, the canon of Taoist texts “Tao Tsang” was basically formed. Some schools focus on achieving harmony in the cosmic flows of yin and yang through ritual performance; others focus more on meditative practices, breathing exercises, and experiments to gain control of the mind over the body. Among the Chinese, who remain faithful to traditions, religious Taoism still plays an organizing role in many folk festivals, and clergymen still practice healing and exorcism: they perform rituals of expelling evil spirits, strive to establish control over the dangerous excess of Yang power, in order to thus maintain harmony at the cosmic, social and individual levels. However, managing energy flows and achieving immortality are available to only a few adepts and teachers. Immortality is practiced literally - the acquisition of an incorruptible body consisting of a certain substance, or symbolically - as the achievement of internal freedom and emancipation of the spirit.
Spiritual renewal
In addition to holidays in honor of countless saints, immortals and heroes, the Taoist religion draws great attention for sending main
rituals of the life cycle (the birth of children, and especially sons, weddings, funerals), as well as the observance of fasts: Tutan-zhai (fast of mud and coal), Huanglu-zhai (fast of the yellow talisman). An important role is played by the celebration of the New Year (according to the lunar calendar). The festival of He Qi ("fusion of the spirit") is secretly celebrated, during which Taoist believers consider themselves free from any sexual restrictions, much less prohibitions. Taoism places special emphasis on maintaining and preserving masculinity and feminine energies. Taoists, like Buddhists, attach great importance to the ritual reading of the canon. They believe that in this way moral improvement and spiritual renewal are achieved not only of the religious community, but also of society as a whole. In addition, participants in the ritual practice meditation and contemplation of religious symbols. Car rental, new conditions. The ritual helps to focus on the main thing in Taoism - establishing a balance between the forces of yin and yang and achieving harmony with nature. Taoism "stands" on the merging of man with nature. Reading the canon also plays a huge role, since it is believed that all its participants and patrons are guaranteed recognition of merit in the spiritual world. The sense of beauty and the desire to achieve union with the Tao continues to fuel this religion today. Taoism had a strong influence on literature, art, as well as other areas of Chinese culture and science; it still permeates all of Chinese society. The once closed mystical teaching moved to the level of everyday consciousness. For example, all Chinese medicine - acupuncture, breathing exercises, etc. - came out of Taoist practice. Taoism gave birth to many areas of traditional medicine in China. Taoism still has its adherents in China, as well as in Vietnam and Taiwan, but their exact number is impossible to determine, because those participating in Taoist magical rites a Chinese person can be a devoted Buddhist. According to a very rough estimate, by the end of the 20th century the most zealous Taoists numbered about 20 million people.
Qi energy
Taoism views the human body as a sum of energy flows of the organized substance qi, which is analogous to blood or "life force." The flow of qi energy in the body correlates with the flow of qi energy in the environment and is subject to change. In concentrated form, chi energy is a kind of seed called jing. This term is sometimes used to refer to sex hormones, but can also refer to a much more subtle area of sexual energy that manifests itself in emotional and mental reactions. Qi represents inhaled air, later spirit pneuma) and even some subtle substance of spirit, mind or consciousness - shen. Taoism emphasizes the close connection between body, mind and environment. Many principles of Chinese medicine and various psychophysical practices follow from this postulate. The management of qi energy received direction in breathing exercises. While concentrating, a person had to combine his qi energy with the natural qi energy. Gymnastics made it possible to improve one’s internal energy qi, to achieve longevity and increase human capabilities. Tai Chi Chuan gymnastics embodies the principles established in the Tao Te Ching, the most important text of Taoism. It is designed to provide concentrations of jing energy in order to resist the enemy, relying on the power of the earth and the qi energy of the sky. Medicine, also using qi energy, restoring the body with the help of acupuncture. Manuscripts (atlases) were created that showed meridians - invisible lines along which blood and qi energy flow. Vital organs are nourished through these channels and the balance of yin and yang forces is maintained. These atlases were considered relics and kept away from prying eyes.
Rituals and ceremonies
The religion of Taoism is characterized by colorful festivals, the cult of ancestors, belief in the world of spirits and magical rituals associated with all areas of life - from buying a house to treating ailments. In this religion there are various kinds of rituals, holidays and meetings. Belonging to a particular clan or family here symbolizes rituals of the life cycle and sacrifices to ancestors, and a person’s connections with society - New Year celebrations, renewal rituals and numerous cults that are dedicated to the most important deities. Rent the best cars. The meaning of numerous religious rites and rituals is the desire to achieve harmony of fundamental forces - yin and yang in nature, man and society. In houses, to protect against evil spirits, amulets depicting yin and yang symbols surrounded by eight trigrams were hung (trigrams are eight combinations of broken yin and solid yang lines.) They were especially popular before the celebration of the Chinese New Year, when people tried to cleanse their homes from the influence of yin power and ensure the protection of yang power for the entire coming year. At the end of January - beginning of February, the Chinese begin preparations for the New Year. Houses are thoroughly cleaned, red decorations are hung everywhere (they are believed to bring happiness), and children are given new clothes and toys. The New Year celebration continues for several days. Shops and various businesses are closed, people walk on the street, and fireworks are displayed. A symbol of the power of heaven and the highest manifestation of yang power is a dragon flying across the sky. In general, according to folk beliefs, dragons were the lords of rain and could take on a variety of forms, for example, they turned into clouds, a beautiful woman or a spring. One of the important practical elements associated with the daily religious life of people is Feng Shui (or geomancy). Feng Shui is the ability to determine favorable habitats for the living and the dead, where the flows of vital energy qi move freely. Advice on choosing the most favorable places is given by geomancers, who are very popular. Houses and settlements must be built according to these rules, the interaction of which creates the world in all the diversity of its forms and ensures the harmony of the forces of yin and yang. The most famous and popular deities in Taoism are Tsao-wang and Shouxing. Tsao-wang is the deity of the home; he and his wife constantly look after the lives of family members. According to legend, they report the results of their annual observations to Emperor Yudi in heaven on New Year's Day. In folk religion, Yudi is the supreme ruler, to whom the entire universe is subordinate: earth, sky, underworld, as well as all spirits and gods. The deity Shoushin is the deity of longevity. He was depicted as an old man holding a staff in one hand, to which was tied a gourd (a symbol of prosperity for offspring) and a paper scroll (a symbol of longevity), and in the other hand a peach, also a symbol of long life, with a hatched chick sitting inside.
