david_dawei Posted January 22, 2007 Report Share Posted January 22, 2007 This part was originally the only one I was going to do.. but then couldn't see doing so without some reference to history, cosmology and other chinese philosophical thought... There has been alot said about Dao and Daoism in the other sections, and I would still recommend reading them in order. It might make this section, which I think is harder to understand, more understandable... but in the end, I did this writeup with the hope of explaining Daoism; not because it is most important, but probably least understood. There is no desire for converts; hopefully one sentence makes sense, and don't means we agree or you embrace it, just that you understood what was meant. Daoism as a philosophy (µÀ¼Ò- Daojia) and as a religion (µÀ½Ì - Daojiao) are two traditional and distinct branches. This write-up only discusses the philosophical principles and it¡¯s relationship with Traditional Chinese medicine, Feng Shui, Ying Yang, and internal Martial Arts, as well as some discussion on the most important texts in daoism: Yi Jing/I Ching/Book of Change, Dao De Ching/Tao Te Ching/The Way and it¡¯s Power and Huang Di Nei Jing/The Yellow Emperor¡¯s Classic of Medicine. V. DaoDaoism--Dao--Metaphysical Dao--Change--Action without Action (wei wu wei)--Spontaneity/Naturalness (zi ran)--Harmony--Reversal (¡°Reversal is the movement of Dao¡±)--Neo-Taoist ContributionsDaoist Influences--Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)--Feng Shui--Internal Martial arts--Qigong--Jing Essence Daoist writings--Yi Jing (I Ching, Book of Change)--Huang Di Nei Jing ¨C The Yellow Emperor¡¯s Classic of Medicine--Lao Zi¡¯s Dao De Jing (Tao Te Ching, The way and the Power) To see Daoist Scrolls: http://www.edepot.com/taoart.html Link to comment
david_dawei Posted January 22, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 22, 2007 DAO: Dao ( µÀ ) - path, way ; Character is made up of two parts; a man walking. The term in the west is ¡®Tao¡¯. Left side: åÁ ¨C chuo4 radical; to walk.Right side: Ê× ¨C shou3: head identified by the long hair pinned up signifying an adult; De ( µÂ ) ¨C power, virtue; character is made up of a road, straight, and heart. In Daoism, the person of virtue is one who is in harmony with Dao; The virtue of Dao becomes the virtue of man. Left side: áÜ- left half of road (chi fu) Right side: Ö± ¨C zhi2, straight; ÐÄ ¨C xin1, heart Laozi wrote the definitive text of Daoism, called the Dao De Jing (DDJ) /Tao Te Ching/The Way and it¡¯s Power. The Zhuangzi is another often cited text and their combined importance would be known as Lao-Zhuang. As well, the Huang Di Nei Jing (HDNJ)/ Yellow Emperors Classic of Medicine and the Yi Jing (YJ)/I Ching/Book of Change are ancient texts. Other texts would include the Huainanzi, and the Guanzi. Dao: simply means a ¡°way¡± or ¡°path¡±; by extension, the philosophical principle, even used by Confucius ("Set your aspirations on the Dao, hold to virtue (de), rely on your ren, and relax in the study of the arts."), in the sense of a ¡®proper path in life¡¯; a pattern or standard by which the universe is governed, and man should likewise follow. The cultivation of Dao results in the harnessing of it¡¯s virtue or power, de. The metaphysical characteristics of Dao include, Dao as the source of all things. Some important concepts in Daoism include:1) Metaphysical Dao leads to discussions on Dao as the source of all things (everything finds it¡¯s origin in Dao and returns to Dao), and the understanding of Being (you) and non-being (wu); not exactly ¡°is¡± / ¡°is not¡± as in the west. 2) Change (motion and rest; Dao, through the movement of Tai Ji and manifested in Yin Yang). 3) Action without action, effortless action, (wei wu wei)4) Spontaneity or naturalness (zi ran)5) Harmony (balance of the two forces of Yin Yang within the three poles of man-earth-heaven) has it¡¯s origin in the belief that nature acts (unfolds, changes) naturally without effort (zi ran); doing without doing (wei wu wei). 6) Reversal (a natural outcome of change) and a return to the source. Dao as a universal process, source of all things and everywhere: Dao also is described as more than just a ¡®way¡¯, but the ultimate principle or process of change that occurs within the universal realm of man-earth-heaven; the reality from which all things have their origin and their return. That Dao is the ultimate source of change and movement also meant that Dao is everywhere and in everything. The Zhuangzi text stated: "It exists even in human waste.¡±Believing that Zhuangzi was kidding, Dongguozi thought better of saying anything more. But Zhuangzi went on, "You want me to be specific about where dao is. I can not make you see where it is unless I can make you see that it is found in the most lowly and common things. " Cosmologically speaking:Dao (the source of everything in the universe) is the process of reality and reflects the historically important idea that ¡®change¡¯ is a fundamental defining characteristic of the universe, of life as a process. This first occurs in the primeval state of the universe; An empty state called Wu Ji. The way of Wu Ji is Chaos, an energized empty space. The movement of Chaos is Tai Ji, in rest, it reunites (empties); in movement it divides (energizes, creating Qi). This energy is divided into the interdependent poles, Yin Yang. Yin Yang represents a state of harmony based on balance; disharmony based on imbalance. The interaction between the two interdependent forces generates the changes throughout the universe. Origins:The question of origins naturally arises, and how to resolve where ¡®things¡¯ come from or how they come about. This is a complicated topic which requires comments on ¡®being¡¯ and ¡®non-being¡¯ which are not necessarily the same as used in the west, where they form a more dualistic counterpart. In the west, being is ¡®existence¡¯ and the ability to think remains as the surviving exemption to doubt (you cannot doubt away your ability to think). Thought and being as the same was put forth by Parmenides, but famously stated by Descartes as: ¡°I think, therefore I am¡±. Sartre preferred the construction of a ¡®thinking thing¡¯. Thus, for the west, philosophy is generally grounded in ontological questions (questions about being and existence). For the west, non-being ranged from it¡¯s impossibility (Parmenides¡ªuniverse is an eternal ONE being but static, also Aristotle) to it¡¯s necessity (see atomism in Democritus and Leucippus ¡ªatoms or void; Plato¡ªgod [non-being] created the [non-eternal] cosmos; All of these Greek Philosophers lived about the same time as the Warring period and the ¡°School of Six¡±; contemporaneous with the rise of Daoism and Confucianism.) The central issues of being, existence, and phenomena gave rise in the twentieth century to phenomenology and existentialism. In Daoism (as opposed to Hinduism or Buddhism where deep metaphysical discussions occur and the concept of becoming is important--Process Philosophy--and where atomism pre-dates the Greeks¡ªand some debate exists whether this was actually imported to the Greeks), being and non-being have no common nor relational etymology; They are not set off as contradictory or necessarily distinct but can have some sort of mutual co-existence, much the same way as Yin Yang are not independent nor pure forms of two ¡®things¡¯, their function and manifestation can only occur because of their co-existence and interdependency, yet can also be described as two forms. But the real difference is not in the manifestation but the deconstruction through the process of reversal: For Buddhism, it is a reversal to nothingness; for Dao, it is a reversal to Dao. Some brief comments were made in the Part I, Introduction, that although ¡®being¡¯ is said to come from ¡®non-being¡¯, this is not a ¡®creation from nothing¡¯. Since Dao is considered as the source of everything which implies (if the terms must be use) that being and non-being co-exist as does Yin Yang; This is more akin to the Buddhist notion of the undivided reality and all things tracing to nothing (becoming Sameness or Oneness). Neither is this to be understood as a violation of the philosophical and scientific thought that ¡®nothing can come from nothing¡¯: It is more a principle of self-generation (evolution). An eternally, dynamically changing universe simply unfolds of itself in a ¡®self-so¡¯ manner (zi ran, naturalness). A separate write-up would have to explain this more thoroughly and probably in contrast to the western view so that the eastern oneness can be understood against western dualism (and maybe western non-dualism as well). Change:Change is the fundamental principle of the universe. That change is inherent in nature is both the example to follow and the inseparable whole that affects the part, which includes man. As a primary principle, it is grounded in cosmology and the basis of the classic text YJ, The book of Change. It is interesting to note that the Greek Heraclitus lived at approximately the same time as Laozi and taught that life dynamically changes through opposites as unity; ¡°Everything flows¡±, ¡°cold things warm themselves¡±, ¡°we are and are not¡±. His famous line that ¡°one cannot step in the same river twice¡± is based upon the idea that change has occurred (the water one steps into at one time is not the same water one steps into at another time). His concept of an eternal ¡®becoming¡¯, neither beginning nor end (everything that exists has always existed and will always exist), is very similar to the Buddhist and Daoist concept of life as a cyclic process. Although the existentialist Sartre also taught the idea of ¡®becoming¡¯, his famed saying ¡®man makes himself¡¯ sounds a little more like a socialized Confucian than a naturalized Daoist. Action without Action: wei wu wei: ΪÎÞΪ (traditional: žéŸožé ) , ¡®action [that is] non-action¡¯ ; ¡®doing [as] non-doing¡¯. The metaphysical characteristics have been mentioned; The personal characteristics would be in the sense of acting/doing without interference [of the mind] or completely on instinct; ¡®acting alone¡¯ (free of distraction, thought, etc). This should be understood as contrasted to the Confucians predilection for institutionalized and prescribed action and ethics. Spontaneity / Naturalness: zi ran: ×ÔÈ» (often spelled as tzu-jan, reflecting the strong Wades-Giles influence prior to pinyin) In this usage, ZI means self or natural, as in ¡®without cause¡¯; RAN means to exist, to be, is. Their combined meaning is to exist without cause or without influence; ¡°To be without cause/origin¡±, or ¡°Self-so¡±. (Interesting to note that RAN is not the word used when describing the existence of beings in Daoism, since these ontological issues are not the concern of Daoism. Rather, Daoist text tended to use the Chinese YOU (to have) when referring to ¡®being¡¯; This could possibly be understood as their concern is one ¡®has being-ness¡¯ not that one ¡®is a being¡¯¡ in the same way that the Confucian ideal man has virtue, or acquires it, and the Daoist ideal man has de, or acquires it through harmonizing back to Dao). Harmony:There are various ¡®ways¡¯ one can live life, but Daoism seeks harmony of the three principle spheres: man¡¯s way (ren dao), earth¡¯s way (di dao) and heaven¡¯s way (tian dao); The goal of Daoism is for man to align (return) his way to that of earth and heaven. The ¡®heavenly way¡¯ (tian dao) is spontaneous, natural action without interference (zi ran) from any outside influence or any pre-existent cause; naturally doing without effort or plan (wei wu wei); naturally manifesting its movements (ie: seasons) and naturally affecting nature and humans; the universal process of change unfolding. One eventually reduces or restricts their efforts, thoughts, and actions to what is necessarily natural; In this sense, ¡®restrict¡¯ is a natural and logical reduction; A wind blows east for the very reason it is not blowing west. At that moment, the direction of the wind is restricted to the east but not because of any restraining effort or external force; It¡¯s a natural restriction due to the natural course of movement, of the unity of the universe. This is considered Heaven¡¯s way; In Daoism, simply ¡°Dao¡±. Once man¡¯s way is that of heaven¡¯s way, man is said to have returned to Dao, doing without doing. The Confucian seeks to create harmony and change in order to develop moral principle (li) and humanness (ren) for the purpose of cultivating the ideal man (jun zi). The Daoist prefers a more passive approach, allowing one¡¯s nature (man¡¯s way¡ªren dao) to respond in accordance with the nature of earth (earth¡¯s way--di dao) and heaven (heaven¡¯s way¡ªtian dao). To operate off of man-mind standards is to cause one¡¯s nature (natural state) to stagnate; Planning prevents and ultimately suffocates spontaneity/naturalness (zi ran). The Daoist preferred to decrease stagnation by promoting a state of naturalness, or harmony (similar line of thought in TCM where Qi stagnation causes disharmony). In this way, one returns to nature, or returns to Dao. This is not a form of idealized or passive fatalism, where a person feels that they are the victim of circumstance or of cause-effect. In eastern thinking, there is no separation of ¡®you¡¯ and the ¡®circumstance¡¯; no separation of man-earth-heaven. Life happens (changes are a cyclic process); It is not happening ¡®to you¡¯, it is just happening. The separation of the ¡®you¡¯ is a mental construction which Buddhism, Zen, and Daoism do not hold to. If one views some life circumstance as happening ¡°to me¡±, this ¡®happening¡¯ and this ¡®me¡¯ are both mental constructions that break apart the unity of man-earth-heaven and tends to lead to a world view based upon cause-effect and dualism. The proper metaphysical construction of harmony is in unity, Man-Earth-Heaven; or a deconstruction of the mental constructions of labels or dualities. Their harmony to the environment (and it¡¯s natural influence on man) also leads to social behaviors and ethics, and superstitions; The avoidance of bad luck (Huo) and the desire for good luck (Fu) is mentioned later. The concept of harmony (unity) extends to many areas, particularly the body. To be in harmony with nature is for nature to have influence over your health (see later sections on TCM and Gigong). There is a harmony between the heart and mind in classical Chinese; there is no separation of the two and the character ÐÄ (xin1) was often translated as heart-mind. This would also be known as Xin Theory. The final step away from spiritually dependency occurred when Tian (heaven or nature) as a guiding external force was replaced with self-reliance; a reliance on man and his heart-mind. In principle, the heart-mind are co-joined and work together (ie: akin to Yin Yang). Thus, one can rationally respond in even emotional circumstances. That the Chinese behavior has at times been called ¡®stoic¡¯ is to misunderstand that heart-mind connection and not to fully appreciate what the Roman Stoics achieved in their philosophy as well. There is also a harmony between their philosophy and language and how it influences their thoughts/behavior. The various harmonies are a direct result of their world view that everything is a part of ONE; everything is interdependent. Reversal: All things return to Dao (that part of everything which can act without interference finds its origin in Dao.) This reversal has two meanings: 1. Returning to the Root, a process of reversal:¡°Heaven¡¯s way is circular, each thing returns to it¡¯s roots¡± -- DDJ¡°reversal is the movement of Dao¡±.-- DDJ¡°Be one with Dao¡±. ¨C DDJ [Compare to the idea in Buddhism of the undivided reality and that everything traces back to nothingness, creating a SAMENESS and ONENESS]. Since Dao is the ultimate reality and source, it does not undergo change or movement itself (The [energetic] impulse of the movement is Tai Ji through Yin Yang). A popular Daoist saying is: ¡°To work on learning day by day is to increase; To work on Dao day by day is to decrease.¡± This decrease is simply the stripping away of socially taught/learned ways in exchange for a return to a natural way; It¡¯s the deconstruction of the man-mind concepts. Reversal is central to Dao and particularly in the DDJ, where it states: ÈË·¨µØ, ren2 fa3 di4 , man models earthµØ·¨Ìì, di4 fa3 tian1 earth models heavenÌì·¨µÀ, tian1 fa3 dao4 heaven models daoµÀ·¨×ÔÈ». Dao4 fa3 zi4 ran2 dao models natural spontaneity ·¨ ¨C fa3 (Left part: water, Right part: go). Way of doing, to pattern or model after, to emulate. (Interesting to note, although I find no support for this coincidence, that this character¡ªfa3--is the one used to show the patterned return to Dao¡ and that Dao is often compared to water. The character could be pictorially understood as, ¡°water¡¯s movement or going or water¡¯s way¡±). 2. As to the interrelationship of opposite extremes: The DDJ states: ¡°Ill fortune is that beside which good fortune lies; Good fortune is that beneath which all fortune lurks¡±. [Hegal said that everything involves it¡¯s own negation; Heraclitus spoke of the ¡®unity of opposites¡¯]. For the Daoist, the key to their [emotional] success is remaining cautious in times of prosperity and hopeful in times of trouble; maintaining a point of view of the indistinguishable unity of opposites and the natural reversal that occurs; movement and change are fundamental. The Confucian would prefer for man to actively take control of his situation, his actions, his emotions; to be the master of his destiny¡ to ¡®make himself¡¯ [to borrow from Sartre]; The ¡®virtuous man¡¯ (perfect man) is without inappropriate emotions. Anything that may cause loss of face is avoided at all costs. A practical application that might be said to have turned superstitious practice can be seen in Fu (¸£) and Huo (»ö), which share the common left symbol for an alter but the right side represent Fortune and Misfortune, respectively; good luck and bad luck; blessing and disaster. The opposing interplay of life¡¯s ups and downs can be seen in the Chinese proverb, ¡°Extreme joy leads to misery¡±.( ÀÖ¼«Éú±¯, le ji sheng bei). Exercised self-control over one¡¯s emotions makes a happy event less likely to descend to misery; for disaster to really be blessing in disguise. Although the developments of these ideas are Daoist, the application of self-control gives it a Confucian touch. The fact that FU (fortune) is ultimately sought at all costs and HUO (misfortune) is to be avoided at all costs gives rise to it¡¯s importance in the social applications of ¡®face¡¯; One doesn¡¯t just avoid lose of face, one also seeks to accumulate or build up good face. Couple this with their concept of unity to the environment (and it¡¯s natural influence on man) and one doesn¡¯t even want to speak or hear of HUO-like issues; The mere mention of some disaster, bad outcome, ill-fortune, however hypothetical, becomes a potential reality and now can happen. Applying Confucian controlled human emotions to the concept of reversal would suggest that the ¡®emotional middle¡¯ is where reversal is non-existent; there is no movement, since to be at either extreme simply means a reversal will inevitably occur. Although this controlled middle way is an antithesis to Daoism (movement is the way of Dao), it has an interesting physical equivalent; if you bore a hole through the middle of a piece of wood, you do not diminish its strength but boring a hole towards either edge will. The idea of being in the emotional middle is a hallmark of the Chinese; thus manifesting a philosophical principle by combining both the influences of Confucianism and Daoism; in this case, the two opposing philosophies become a pragmatic ¡®unity of opposites¡¯. The Story of the Taoist Farmer:http://www.noogenesis.com/pineapple/Taoist_Farmer.html Taoist excerpts:http://members.tripod.com/~wa8914/tao.htm A little bit of Taoismhttp://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~chrislees/Ta...tro-taoism.html NEO-TAOIST CONTRIBUTIONS: The Neo-Taoist wrote commentaries on the earlier Taoist works. A few examples of their influence and clarification of certain Taoist beliefs follow: Tao as nothingnessWhile Tao is said to have no name, it was the Neo-Taoist who fully developed the idea that Dao is really nothingness; ¡°The Tao is everywhere, but everywhere it is nothing¡±. ¡°The Tao is capable of nothing. To say that anything comes from the Tao means it comes from itself.¡± There is no creator¡°We may say that the Tao is prior to things. But the Tao is nothing. Since it is nothing, how can it be prior to things? We do not know what is prior to things, yet things are continuously produced. This shows that things are spontaneously what they are; there is no creator of things.¡± ¡°I would like to ask if the Creator is or is not? If he is not, how can he create things. But if he is, he is simply one of the things, and how can one thing produce another? Therefore, there is no creator and everything produces itself and is not produced by another. This is the natural way of the universe¡±. Being eternally exists¡°Non-being cannot become being, but being also cannot become non-being. Though being may can in thousands of ways, it cannot change itself into non-being. Being eternally exists.¡± No such thing as right or wrong¡°If right is really absolutely right, in the world there should be none that considers it to be wrong; If the wrong is absolutely wrong there should be none that considers it to be right. The fact that there are uncertainty between right and wrong and a confusion in distinctions show that the distinctions are due to partiality of view. All things function according to their nature and enjoy themselves. Between them there is no distinction between right and wrong.¡± Live according to one¡¯s own nature, impulse (zi ran)Let the ear hear, eye see, mouth taste, nose smell. Obstruction of nature causes the vexations of life. Aesthetic over romanticThis seeks to explain the natural manner in which the eye will behold, yet the heart admires instead of desires. Link to comment
david_dawei Posted January 22, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 22, 2007 (edited) Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM): The principle source of TCM is the Daoist text, Huang Di Nei Jing – The Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Medicine. There are many pharmacological, herbal, and clinical works written that reflect the TCM point of view. TCM dates back to 5,000 BC where peasants are thought to have found a physician in nature and used herbs for ailments and general health. The philosophical origins of TCM are rooted in Daoism’s belief in harmonizing with nature, Yin Yang, and the five elements. TCM is based on the interaction of the body in relation to nature, food, internal organs, Qi energy, and emotions. Foods are classified by their energy value rather than calories. The ‘five’ Emotions are grouped to an Organ: 1) Joy-Heart; Sadness-Spleen; 2) Grief-Lungs; 3) Fear-Kidneys; 4) Anger-Liver. Organs are divided into Yin (primary and responsible for Qi and blood) and Yang (secondary and responsible transport and eliminate food); one from each is paired: 1) Heart/Small Intestine; 2) Spleen/Stomach; 3) Lungs/Large Intestines; 4) Kidney/Urinary Bladder; 5) Liver/Gall Bladder. The organs are interrelated by the ‘five’ element principle; disharmony in one can lead to disharmony in another. There are 12 regular meridians (comprising over 400 points) named after the body’s major organs and 8 others not associated with any one particular organ (approximately 2000 points exist). The flow of energy (Qi) in any meridian reflects the state of that organ; tracing the flow of Qi through the meridian can explain the emotions. TCM treats the person as a whole instead of treating a single symptom, condition, illness, or disease. For this reason TCM is not reserved to the administering of medicine but one can apply TCM’s underlying principles in a holistic manner to ensure one is medically sound (in a TCM way of thinking—proper nourishment, and regulating Qi and emotions will keep one healthy); thus administering the principles of TCM can be via a physician, martial arts, or one’s self. Illness, Qi imbalances or emotional disharmony can impact the organs which in turn can be diagnosed with reference to a patient’s history and manifestations to their body. Since the body will manifest the illness, emotion, or Qi imbalance in various places in or near the surface of the body, a few other methods include reading, massaging or manipulating certain areas: feet, hands, face, and various ‘points’ on the body corresponding to organs or body parts. The underlying principles of TCM are applied in treatment (acupuncture, herbs, massage), exercise (internal Martial Arts--Tai Ji, Gi Gong), and living (diet, rest, emotions, etc). To be most effective, often the treatments are used in combination. The twelve Meridians: http://www.yinyanghouse.com/acupuncturepoi...al_applications Points and Meridians: http://www.acuxo.com/index.asp Meridians: http://www.geocities.com/altmedd/acupunctu...y/meridians.htm Chinese Dietary Therapy:http://www.aaaom.org/CHINESE%20DIETARY%20T...tes%20of%20Food Taoist Herbologyhttp://www.taohealingarts.com/herbology.html Chinese Physicians of the Past:http://www.itmonline.org/docs/famous.htm History of Oriental Medicine:http://www.acupuncture-center.org/Historyo...alMedicine.html English-Chinese Medical Dictionaryhttp://www.esaurus.org/ Feng Shui Feng – ( 风 – wind) Shui – ( 水 – water) Traditional characters: ( 風水 ) – The traditional character of ‘Feng’ contains the picture of a sail and insect pushed around by the wind; Life is seen as capable within air or water. The book of Burials stated that Qi (energy) is said to ride on the back of the wind but rest with the waters; harmonizing with nature. Thus, wind and water are means by which Qi is controlled or regulated. The metaphysical implications are: avoid the scattering caused by the wind (dispersal is death) and encouraging the retention caused by water (binding is birth). Picture the year 2737 BC, and Chinese Emperor Shen Nung sitting under a tree while his servant boils some water. A leaf from a wild tea tree dropped into the water and Shen Nung decided to try this serendipitous brew. Finding the drink a pleasant and relaxing flavor, he ordered extensive planting of the crop. Thus runs the mythological story of the origin of tea in china. Yet, one can hardly doubt such a ancient setting of reclining along the still waters with a view of mountains, where man and nature shared each others company. Feng Shui is considered an ancient philosophy of practical considerations and was first documented in the Eastern Han dynasty (25-220). This living practice (and burial practice) of harmonizing with nature is said to have been started prior to the invention of writing (Shang dynasty 1400-1040 BC) and called ‘kan yu’ (look around), expressed by the following ancient proverb: "Raise the head and observe the sky above. Lower the head and observe the environment around us," The ancient Yin Yang theory as developed in cosmology and universal ‘change’ (I-Ching) is the source for Feng Shui practices. Formal methods (ie: inclusion of compass) and practical applications reach a peak in the Song dynasty (1126-1278) in Zhu Xi, who was a Confucian scholar. According to Zhu Xi: In the beginning one abstract principle or monad, called the "absolute nothing," which evolved out of itself the "great absolute." This abstract principle or monad, the great absolute, is the primordial cause of all existence. When it first moved, its breath or vital energy congealing, produced the great male principle. When it had moved to the uttermost it rested, and in resting produced the female principle.” Instead of Yin and Yang as the source of all movement, Zhu Xi substituted Qi (energy) and Li (principles, Confucian term). But the borrowing of the Yin Yang construction is unmistakable: Yang is the male principle which congeals and upon reaching its opposite extreme pole of rest it produces Yin; Their source is Tai Ji (great absolute) which evolved from Wu Ji (absolute nothing). Compare the parallel Confucian Yin Yang cosmology:'From Wu Ji comes Tai Ji. When Tai Ji moves it creates Yang. When movement reaches its extreme, stillness emerges. In stillness Yin is born. Thus movement and stillness follow each other...' The influences of this ancient practice over time would include: Energy (Qi), position (geomancy, divination by geographical position), interactive forces (Yin Yang) and direction (ba gua from I Ching for determining directional issues). The four periods of Feng Shui can be viewed as:1) Ancient – Early identification with nature and divination through use of the Ba Gua2) Qin-Jin Dynasties: Taoist masters use of this makes it known as an important practice3) Sui-Qing Dynasties: Divination arts reached their peak and decline4) Modern: Form (the perfect site) and Compass (the perfect direction) schools, although ancient in origin are two forms used today. In use, Feng Shui is an attempt to connect with the physical world and space, to determine proper placement, and to harness energy (Qi) to bring about happiness, health, wealth, love, and luck. Ba Guo used in Feng Shui:http://crystalclearfengshui.com/images/bagua_poster1.jpg History of Feng Shuihttp://www.fengshui.co.uk/FengShuiHistory.htm http://www.feng-shui-architects.com/tradition-history.htm Internal Martial Arts: Qigong and Tai Ji: Qigong and Tai Ji (Tai Chi) have evolved into popular forms of internal martial arts, where movement is the basis for the regulation of Qi, improvement of health, and training in martial arts. A popular story about the origin of Tai Ji is that a Daoist in the Wu Dong mountains observed a white crane attempting to capture a snake, yet the flexibility of the snake allowed it’s escape; softness overcame strength and thus was born the idea of Tai Chi. Qigong as a martial arts form traces to Daoists in the Wu Dong mountains. Qigong is broader than Tai Ji in application and can include forms of medical healing, massage, meditation, and martial arts. Qigong: The actually term Qi Gong is relatively new, but the practices and arts utilized are very old and originate in Daoist traditions. The practice includes the study of Qi through training, meditating, regulating, and balancing an individual’s internal Qi circulating in the body in relation to external Qi. Qi - ( 气 , 氣– air, internal energy ). Original character was “nothing” on top and “fire” below—no fire. When Yin Yang are in balance in the body, a state of ‘no fire’ is attained. Later the character became ‘air’ on top and ‘rice’ on the bottom—Qi circulates due to inhaling air and consumption of food (rice). The ancient recording of Qi and breathing dates back to Shang dynasty oracle bones. Modern practitioners, based on a long history of developed techniques, explain Qi as circulating through the body’s meridians. Gong ( 功 – accomplishment ). Often a replacement for “Gongfu” (kungfu)… Accomplishment comes from energy and time devoted to the study of an art. There are three principle energies/powers in the universe: 1) Heaven – (Tian Qi – common phrase to refer to weather) governs weather, climate, natural disasters. 2) Earth (Di Qi) – If the earth Qi energy is in balance, plants and animals can live.3) Man (Ren Qi) – persons, animals, plants… Since Qi is the source of life, if one understands how it functions and knows how to regulate it, one should be able to live a long and healthy life. Human Qi is affected and controlled by Heaven Qi and Earth Qi; the latter two determines the destiny of the first. If one does not regulate Qi in the proper way, one may become sick; this sickness is symptomatic of disharmony and manifested in the body in various forms by which a TCM practitioner can ‘read’ and provide some remedy (whether herbal, acupuncture/massage or internal martial arts). In Qigong, an imbalance in any of the ‘three treasures’ can create illness. There are three categories of causes of diseases:1) Internal2) External3) Non-Internal-External; Examples would include, emotions, weather, and excess indulgences. Qigong usually includes breathing patterns to help establish a balance of Qi. Qigong can focus on health, spirituality, and fitness, and also includes a more medical healing function (both self and external to another person). During the life time of the Buddha, the following inscription relates:In breathing, one must proceed as follows. One holds the breath and it is collected together. If it is collected, it expands. When it expands it goes down. When it goes down it becomes quiet. When it becomes quiet it will solidify. When it becomes solidified it will begin to sprout.After it has sprouted, it will grow.As it grows it will be pulled back again, to the upper regions of the body. When it has been pulled back, it will reach the crown of the head. Above, it will press against the crown of the the head. Below, it will press downwards. The Zhuangzi states of the Daoists’ breathing practice: "The men of old breathed clear down to their heels." Edited February 19, 2007 by DavidZixuan (see edit history) Link to comment
david_dawei Posted January 22, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 22, 2007 CLASSICS: Yi Jing (YJ) ¨C I Ching, Book of Changes ¡°The great book of nature is written in mathematical language¡± ¨C Galileo Yi Ò× - ease or change. (Original Chinese symbol was a moon (Yin) underneath a sun (Yang))Jing ¾ - book Ba Gua °ËØÔ , 8 Trigrams Gua - ØÔ ¨C trigrams Left side: ¹ç ¨C Gui: Jade Tablet, Sun dialRight side: ²· ¨C Bu: divine As the sun hits the sun pole, it¡¯s shadow extends to the ground and breaks across up to 6 [solid] lines; at different times of day, solid and broken lines are represented. Sun Post: http://www.chinesefortunecalendar.com/CLC/Images/SunPost.jpg The earliest written is form dates to the 2nd century BC, although its practice is said to date back to Fu Xi (2700 BC).The YJ dates back to 2700 BC but it¡¯s practice may date back as far as 5000 BC. The written text has 64 chapters explaining each of 64 hexagrams (6 lines in combination of solid and broken); The 64 hexagrams are an 8x8 Hexagram arrangement; Each hexagram is two Trigams (3 lines) stacked. The study of the YJ is the deepest level of attainment for practitioners of Chinese medicine, meditation, and martial arts. Confucius stated late in his life that could he add years to his life, he would add 50 to the study of the YJ so as to avoid falling into error. The Ba Gua, is the octagonal arrangement of [8] trigrams [Tai Ji occupies the center, thus nine spaces are often depicted in a 3x3 square]. It is basically a binary and octal system; a system of interpreting the interactive forces of Yin Yang in order to harmonize oneself with nature, to create good fortune, and to predict the future). The YJ appendix states the follow cosmological formula:"In the Changes there is the Supreme Ultimate (Tai Ji), which produced the Two Forms (Yin Yang). These Two Forms produced the four emblems, and these four emblems produced the eight trigrams (Ba Gua). The eight trigrams serve to determine good and bad fortune (for human affairs), and from this good and bad fortune spring the great activities (of human life)." The progressive construction to the Ba Gua / 8 Trigrams / 64 Hexagram / 9 Spaces is as follows:1) One becomes Two forms: These [Tai Ji] ¡®changes¡¯ are represented by the interaction of Yin and Yang (Liang-I, 2 symbols); The possible combinations are 0 and 1.1) Yin lines (Yin-I) are broken and binary of 0). 2) Yang lines (Yang-I) are solid and can be represented as binary of 1; (the Chinese character for 1 is a solid line.)2) Two becomes four emblems: Stacking the 1 and 0 lines will produce four possible combinations: 11, 10, 01, 00 3) Four becomes eight trigrams: Stacking another layer will produce eight possible combinations: 111,011,101,001,110,010,100,000 (primal forces, often associated with objects, animals, body parts, directions, etc.)4) 8 Trigrams multiplied by itself, making 64 hexagrams represent all possible situations and changes in the universe. 5) With Tai Ji in the center space of 8 Trigrams, there are nine spaces; (3x3 box). Ba Gua with Yin Yang in Center: http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A9iby6Gb0LNFOywA...0Logo%25202.JPG Ba Gua as nine spaces:http://www.fastfengshui.com/images/fengshui_bagua2.gif Another progressive step-wise approach is to successively add one line to produce subsequent ratios of two: A stack of: 2 (4 combinations); 3 (8 combinations); 4 (16 combinations); 5 (32 combinations); 6 (64 combinations). [ In western mathematical terms, the Yin Yang system reflects a binary, two bit, three bit and octal system; Leibniz, the inventor of the binary system, was a few thousand years later. See the dynasty write-up for comments on Leibniz]. The resulting octagonal trigram arrangement is called Ba Gua. There are two orientations of the 8 trigrams: Heaven at the top (early, pre-Heaven) and Fire at the top (late, post-Heaven); They can be thought of as innate energies vs acquired energies. The early heaven configuration reveals polar opposites in axle positions like a wheel representing stillness prior to movement. The late heaven configuration reveals a progressive pattern, clockwise, representing growth or development. The powerfulness of the Ba Gua is self-expressed in the two lines:Áùس֮„Ó, liu4 yao2 zhi1 dong4: (six line¡¯s--hexagram--movement); movements understood as the interactive forces of Yin Yang Èý¼«Ö®µÀÒ² san1 ji2 zhi1 dao4 ye3: (three entities--man/earth/heaven--way also); three entities understood as the universe ¡°The [six lined] hexagram¡¯s movements are the way of the universe¡± A proper understanding and ¡®reading¡¯ of the two diagrams is said to maintain harmony, restore health and divine the future. These diagrams were also used in combination with internal martial arts (Tai Ji, Qi Gong), Feng Shui, and some TCM applications. The YJ is usually divined by one of two methods: 1) Metal (coin) 2) Wood (yarrow sticks, 50 was tradition). Explanation of each Method:http://www.avellunau.com/Taoism/iching.htm Statistical Comparison of the two methods:http://www.tryskelion.com/ichstick.htm Pre- Yi Jing influences to Ba Gua arrangements Yellow River Map: (odd numbers light, Yang; even numbers dark, Yin)http://www.sacred-texts.com/ich/img/01500.jpg Lo Scrolls: (An ancient 3x3 Sudoku, every direction adds to 15) 4 9 23 5 78 1 6 http://www.sacred-texts.com/ich/img/01800.jpg Ba Gua (Eight symbols-Trigram) Early and Late Heaven (Ba Gua arrangements) http://qi-journal.com/PhilosophyArticles/P...ngSequences.gif Ba Gua with Tai Ji in the center:http://www.egreenway.com/taichichuan/images/yyesb.gif Here are the twelve "sovereign hexagrams" representing the rise and ascent of Yin and Yang. This movement sometimes referred to as "ebb and flow" is apparent if the hexagrams are shown in the following way: http://www.fengshui-magazine.com/Image23.gif Yi Jing (I Ching, The Book of Change)http://ordinarium.com/ Link to comment
david_dawei Posted January 22, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 22, 2007 Huang Di Nei Jing (HDNJ) ¨C The Yellow Emperor¡¯s Classic of Medicine The Yellow Emperor, Huang Di, (one of five pre-dynasty emperors) has been credited with the invention of the principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Such practices are believed to be as much as 5,000 years old. The earliest work on Chinese medical theory dates back to around 2300 BC. The HDNJ takes the theory of Yin Yang as it¡¯s theoretical basis. This Taoist work provides a holistic picture of human life in relation to geography or climate. As well, by understanding the universal forces of nature, Yin Yang, and Qi, man can stay in balance (or return to balance) with nature and himself. Thus, it was considered a natural way to health; a life lived in harmony with the laws of nature and heaven. The HDNJ states that there are 12 channels (rivers) and 8 vessels (reservoirs) within the human body through which Qi circulates. Qi regulation can be achieved by acupuncture, herbs, martial arts, massage, exercise, self-healing, and religious enlightenment. If the reservoirs are full, then the rivers are strong and Qi is regulated efficiently; When there is stagnation in any of the rivers, the flow of Qi will be abnormal and illness can occur. Illness results from Qi level being too positive (Excessive, Yang) or too negative (deficient, Yin). When the weather is dry the Qi in the lungs will tend to be more positive than when it is moist. When you are angry, the Qi flow in your liver channel will be abnormal. Between 11am and 1 pm the Qi flow in the heart channel is the strongest. When you experience sudden shock the Qi flow in the bladder becomes deficient. The human body is comprised of ¡®three treasures¡¯; an imbalance in any one can affect another:1) Shen ¨C spirit and mind (Éñ)2) Qi ¨C internal energy (Æø )3) Jing essence-of-life (¾«) Despite the ancient origin of the work, it already describes a decline in the proper maintenance of one¡¯s health:¡°In the past, people practiced the Tao, the way of life. They understood the principle of balance, of Yin Yang, as represented by the transformation of the energies of the unverse. Thus, they formulated practices as Dao-in, an exercise combining stretching, massaging, and breathing to promote energy flow, and meditation to help maintain and harmonize themselves with the universe. They ate a balanced diet at regular times, arose and retired at regular hours, avoided overstressing their bodies and mind, and refrained from overindulgence of all kinds. They maintained well-being of body and mind; thus, it is not surprising that they lived over one hundred years. These days, people have changed their way of life. They drink wine as though it were water, indulge excessively in destructive activities, drain their jing¡ªthe body¡¯s essence that is stored in the kidneys¡ªand deplete their Qi. SO it is not surprising that they look old at fifty and die soon after¡±. Some examples of the relationship of emotions to organs:¡°Excessive anger damages the liver, excessive joy damages the heart, excessive pensiveness damages the spleen, excessive sorrow damages the lungs, and excessive fear damages the kidneys.¡± Also examples of the relationship of emotions to Qi: ¡°excessive anger causes Qi to rise, excessive joy causes Qi to retard, excessive sorrow cause Qi to diminish, excessive fear cause Qi to fall, excessive shock cause Qi to scatter, and excessive pensiveness causes Qi to stagnate.¡± Examples of excess heat in the organs: ¡°When there is heat in the kidneys, the bone and marrow can weaken; When there is heat in the lungs, the face becomes pail and hair can fall off; When there is heat in the liver, the face becomes greenish-blue and the nails become dry; When there is heat in the spleen, the face is yellow and muscles twitch.¡± Jing / Essence:The jing/essence is associated with kidney essence and the basis for the physical body, carrier of our heritage: DNA, semen in the man and menstrual blood in the woman. The Kidney is thought to store and control jing, thus it is consumed in everyday life but cannot be renewed. As well, overindulgence (thinking, eating, emotions, work, sex, etc) depletes the jing/essence. Thus, it is believed to be of paramount importance to guard against any jing depletion. Since semen is believed to be stored jing, sexual activity (depletion) was felt best kept to a minimum and under the correct conditions: not recommended to have sex at night or when drinking alcohol. Since the sense organs are pathways to the outer world, they should be closely guarded to prevent any loss in the vital force, to keep organs nourished in proper proportion and to ensure longevity. The exhaustive coverage of the HDNJ is beyond easy summary; As well, its detailed explanations are beyond easy implementation. Yet compared to the divination of the YJ and the philosophy of the DDJ, the underlying principles of Chinese medicine are presented as the most practical advice of the three. It is the ancient ¡®way¡¯ to a long and happy life; a life in harmony with the universe. Classic Medical Texts:http://www.aaaom.org/CHINESE%20MED%20CLASSICS.htm Link to comment
david_dawei Posted January 22, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 22, 2007 (edited) LAO ZI’s DAO DE JING (DDJ) The Way and it’s Power Dao De Jing (道德经 - way - power/virtue - book ); Tao Te Ching (second most translated book behind the bible). This work was originally referred to as simply Laozi. Discoveries of the written text in 1973 on silk rolls and in 1993 on bamboo slips (intact since 300 B.C., the "Guodian Laozi," the earliest version of the Dao De Jing) have resulted in a better understanding of this great work. The famous opening lines below were actually not in Guodian version), and has led to the confirmation that the Dao De Jing has been edited and added to over a period of time: OPENING LINES: 1- 道可道, dao4 ke3 dao42- 非常道。 Fei1 chang2 dao43- 名可名， ming2 ke3 ming24- 非常名。 Fei1 chang2 ming25- 無名天地之始, wu2 ming2 tian1 di4 zhi1 shi36- 有名萬物之母。 You3 ming2 wan4 wu4 zhi1 mu37- 故常無欲, gu4 chang2 wu2 yu48- 以觀其眇。 Yi3 guan1 qi2 miao39- 常有欲, chang2 you3 yu410- 以觀其徼。 Yi3 guan1 qu2 jiao3 11- 此兩者同出, ci3 liang3 zhe3 tong2 chu112- 而異名. Er4 yi4 ming213- 同謂之玄 tong2 wei4 zhi1 xuan214- 玄之又玄 xuan2 zhi1 you4 xuan215- 眾妙之門 zhong4 miao4 zhi1 men4 The opening of the book reveals two realities ([1] [2] below): The ultimate one called Dao (a state of non-being, non-existence, or universal force) and another reality of human life and activity (a state of being, existence, or physical matter; a state of naming things). TRANSLATION:1- Dao as an expressed dao,2- Is not a constant Dao;3- Name as a named name,4- Is not a constant Name.5- Non- of naming is the origin of heaven and earth6- Naming is the mother of the myriad things.7- In the constant non- of desiring for things8- A subtlety is perceived.9- In the constant desiring for things 10- A boundary is perceived.11- Two emerge; One and the same12- Yet differ in name.13- Together, they are called mysterious14- Mysterious and more mysterious15- The gate to all subtlety EXPLANATION:1- Dao thus named as ‘dao’ becomes necessary for explanatory reasons (capital Dao is the inexpressible eternal non- of named, no explanation needed ‘way’; lower case dao is the convention of giving it a name and an explanation).2- Thus named, it does not reflect the fundamental principle that Dao is eternal (constant in representation; To be named is to be not constant, to be not eternal is to be a subjective, changing state based on a name).3- A Name thus named as ‘name’ is likewise necessary when speaking of things.4- Thus named, it does not reflect the fundamental principle that names are likewise a subjective representation of an inexpressible non- of named. It is simply an explanatory convention. Since names or language are not constant, the spoken dao cannot be constant.5- In the beginning of heaven and earth was no names (non-of-being, non-of-existence, non-of-naming).6- Thus named, the mother of all things to named things; this is to make things stop in time (antithetical to the eternal or constant).7- The eternal, constant [principle of Dao] is a lack of desire [for things]8- All things can be seen for their subtlety, their core essence (just as if viewed for the first time without perception, without pre-definition)9- Having a constant desire [for things]10- All things are seen as limited within a boundary [of space-time]; things are within the functional boundary of man-made time.11- These two things arise from the same source; ergo, are one and the same12- but differ in their name (function, effect, manifestation)13- Their ONEness speaks of a profound subtlety14- A subtlety which leads to greater mystery15- It is the gate of all subtle mystery One passage relates the entire process in the above 12 lines in the following manner: “Reaching the supreme emptiness, keeping to the firm vacuity, ten thousand things start to emerge, and exist in a way so as to return. Heaven’s way is circular, each thing returns to it’s roots”. The contrast of the supreme emptiness and the ten thousand emerging things both exist on one level, yet by returning to one’s root makes them one and the same on another level. Historical Context:The Guodian Laozi discovered in 1993 does not contain the famous opening lines and begs the question why was this opening added later? It’s clear that the ‘School of Six’ were concerned with how man should be guided; A common thread in ancient china was not philosophical quests for truth but how to guide behavior effectively for social order and personal happiness. Particularly in light of DDJ25, DDJ40, and DDJ42, Dao is clarified and shown to be:- The unity of ‘pairings’ between the ‘wu’ non- of things and ‘you’ things itself, differing only in name. (non- of named and the named; non- of desires and desires. The term ‘Pairings’ is preferred over dualism for hopefully obvious reasons). Dao itself is undifferentiated. - The constant metaphysical principle, guide, or authority which existed prior to Heaven and Earth. (thus, even heaven has an authority or standard which is Dao. Up till this point seen as man’s moral authority of well-being—Mandate of Heaven, and model, standard, or law—fa3. See DDJ25, The fa3 of Dao is natural law, self-so--zi ran). Dao itself does not change. For Confucius, a well ordered society was paramount and the best order was one clearly defined with names, which he called the ‘Rectification of Names’. A name correctly rectified guides peoples actions. Heaven (Tian) was the authority for society (the impersonal entity—Tian--was replacing the Zhou’s more personal ‘shang di’). For Confucius, society must strive for Heaven’s moral order to actualize social order. This human way (ren dao) sought self-cultivation in order to develop the man of virtue (jun zi); thus, man must be active in his pursuit of the way. Xunzi’s focus was a rational view of humanity’s role in the creation of an orderly society; The sages of the past had discovered a Way which was to be transmitted by the teachers of the present. Mozi sought social and political order through utilitarian means (ie: justified through standards/models/laws—fa3). This fa3 needed to be impartial and objective, and he found this fa3 as originating in Heaven (Tian). Mozi sought to distinguish between the concepts of ‘same’ or ‘different’ (tong yi) and ‘this’ or ‘not’ (shi/fei) which required a standard by which to make these judgments. For Mozi, fa3 is akin to a guiding standard and a practical form of a constant dao, not historical (Shen Dao) nor conventional (Confucius). This would give rise to another school of thought, fa3 jia1, School of Law, which held that man is best guided by rigidly enforced laws (ie: punishments); That one doesn’t need books but only laws became their motto and lead to the infamous Qin book burning. The School of Names grew out of Mohism and was concerned with differentiating between ‘names’ and ‘things’; between ‘same’ and ‘different’; between ‘this’ and ‘not this’; Correct names produces order; Incorrect ones produce disorder. The story of the frontier guard stopping a passing rider saying, “Horses are not allowed to pass”. The School of Names leader replied, “My horse [a shape] is white [a color], and a white horse [shape-color] is not a horse [shape]”, and so saying he passed on his horse. In the Zhuangzi, we read Shen Dao had said, “abandon knowledge, discard self” and was indifferent to ‘shi/fei’ debates. He sought to dismantle Tian as authority and spoke of a higher authority, Great Dao (authority should come from circumstances not ethics nor laws), but without labeling it as a ‘correct’ way since that be appealing to ‘shi’; Thus, the Great Dao just is. Yet, the paradox remains that he is invoking a Dao which comes from a rational knowledge of history, which he said to abandon (since these types of dao’s cannot truly guide). For the Daoist, to argue about dao’s is to argue language, or words; one can use words about order and standards, but this is ultimately subjective; However concrete it may appear to the presenter, it is too subject to change as it is man’s way. A human centered way was easily described in words and man’s efforts were to advance it. Those who walk to a described and prescribed way, or those that did not recognize any single authoritative way, are both just walking to their own [man made] way. In such a period, the DDJ was written and expanded upon. The opening lines seek to show that which is unnamable (the eternal Dao, non-being, non-existence) and that which is namable (things, being, existence). The Daoist sought to show Dao as the source of all ‘things’; the world of things is a world of names. Although there may be an unnamable and a namable, they are one and the same. The DDJ is both a social and political commentary wrapped in philosophical Dao, expounding the important concepts discussed in this section. Some links are provided for online copies. Dao De Jing (Tao Te Ching, The Way and the Power, in Chinese and English with mouse over help) http://afpc.asso.fr/wengu/wg/wengu.php?l=Daodejing&no=1 http://www.yellowbridge.com/onlinelit/daodejing.html ---- This section was modified to include the entirety of DDJ1, and additional notes of the time. Edited March 8, 2007 by DavidZixuan (see edit history) Link to comment
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