The Daoist way

Belief systems often have specific practices. These include rituals and laws. Daoism is a Chinese belief system. It is sometimes called Taoism. Daoism is different from other belief systems. Daoists try to avoid strict rules and laws. They practice inaction. That might sound like Daoists believe in doing nothing, but that is not quite right. It really means that a person should do nothing that conflicts with the Dao. So what is the Dao?

The Dao means “the way.” It is the natural order of the universe. Daoists try to be in harmony with this natural order. Instead of following rules, Daoists try to create a sense of naturalness. Daoists believe that by being in tune with nature, they can avoid suffering.

The Dao De Jing is a Daoist text. It was written around the year 500 CE. The text describes the ideas of Daoism. Daoists believe in obeying the natural order of things. They also believe it is important to balance opposites.

Most people say Laozi is the author of The Dao De Jing. Laozi is a famous Chinese thinker. However, historians are unsure if Laozi even existed at all. Some think he may have lived at the same time as Confucius. Confucius is another Chinese thinker. Confucius’ ideas make up another belief system called Confucianism.

Daoism and Confucianism have important similarities. Confucianists also use the word “dao.” However, Daoists and Confucianists disagree about what dao means. For Confucianists, dao means living in a fair way. Confucianists also believe in making strict rules. Daoists do not. They think nature controls how things change.

As a result, Daoists think human rules are not important. Confucianists also focus on culture and society. However, Daoists see culture as unnatural and unnecessary. Uncarved wood is one powerful Daoist symbol. Uncarved wood shows how simple nature is when humans do not try to change it.

Daoism and society

Daoism is not focused on action or rituals. However, Daoists do have a number of traditions. Some of these practices impact the ways both communities and individuals act. These include meditation and martial arts.

In general, Daoists have stayed out of government. They prefer to live simply. Wealth and fame were all big no- nos for Daoists. They preferred living in harmony with nature in small communities. This meant that Daoists stayed away from many aspects of Chinese culture. For example, they avoided Chinese language and education.

Daoists believe in living simply. This meant using simple clothes, food, and other items. Both Confucianists and Daoists believed that family is important. However, only Confucianists clearly separated men and women. Under Daoism, women could be religious figures and teachers. In fact, the Dao De Jing speaks highly of qualities associated with women. Women are often connected to things like softness and submission. Still, some of these associations could be unfair.

The ancient idea of yin and yang is another part of Daoism. The idea is that society is made up of opposites. These opposites exist harmoniously together. In Daoism, yin and yang symbolize the masculine and the feminine. The yin is considered feminine. It is seen as a necessary and natural part of the universe.

Confucianism and Daoism have big differences. However, they have both influenced Chinese society in significant ways. In fact, some people saw the two systems as a yin and yang. They balanced each other out. Confucianism guided public life. Meanwhile, Daoism influenced private life. Belief systems like Confucianism, Daoism, and Buddhism have influenced Chinese culture for hundreds of years. They continue to play a role in Chinese communities today.