THE BELIEFS OF TAOISMSarah, Amy, Ally, Caitlin

LAO-TZU: FOUNDER OF TAOISM

Long story short, This dude told off

Confucius simply by saying, “Leave the world in its original

simplicity. Your teachings are of no use.” (BURRRRN).

Here’s the story:That’s a pic of Mr. Lao-Tzu himself.

Side note- Confucius is

the Confucianism founder.

THE TAO TE CHING

This is a collection of meditations that capture the essence of Taoism. It was written by Lao-Tzu himself. It is one of the most influential scriptures in all time.

Picture Below: Those are some writings from the Tao Te Ching.

Explanation Below:

DIFFERENCE:

Concerned with social order and regulating behavior.

Focuses on individual life and spirituality.

Confucianism Taoism

BUT…. In China, a person might be both a Taoist and a

Confucian.

THE TAO

Spoken of in the Tao Te Ching

It is a mystery to humans

The Tao is the overall order of the universe

Literally, “The Way” The Ultimate Reality

CH’I (OR QI)

It is the energy of the universe

Ch’i animates all the life on earth

In order to be healthy, our Ch’i must be balanced and uninhibited

Yuan Qi, which we are born with

Hou tai Qi, which we obsorb through air, water, food, and our practices

Wei Qi, which surrounds and protects the body

Ch’i means life-force Different Kinds of Ch’i

DEATH

Death, like life, is just an aspect of reality

Humans must accept death as part of life

Death is simply a transformation from being to non-being, the overall Tao does not change

IMMORTALS: THE SPIRITUAL BEINGS

1. Li Tie Guai2. Zhongli Quan3. Lan Cai He4. Zhang Guo Lao5. He Xian Gu6. Lu Tung-pin7. Han Xiang Zi8. Cao Guojiu

1. The sick

2. Military men

3. Florists

4. Old Men

5. Women (she is the only female immortal)

6. Barbers

7. Musicians

8. Actors

Eight Immortals Patron of…

LIFE’S PURPOSE

Obtained By: Taking care of the

body through diet and exercise

Regulating the breath in order to balance ch’i

Controlling sexual energy

Behaving in moral ways

Searching for contact with the Immortals

Achieving Immortality and Living in Accordance to the Tao

YIN-YANG

Represents how opposites are inter-related The outer black circle represents everything. The black and white in the middle represent

the interaction of two energies that cause everything to happen.

Yin-represents something being dark and passive.

Yang-represents something bright and active.

Yin… & Yang