Taoism

:For other uses of the words "tao" and "dao", see Dao (disambiguation).

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Taoism or the School of Tao refers to a set of philosophical teachings and religious practices rooted in a specific metaphysical understanding of the Chinese character Tao. For Taoists, Tao could be described as the continuity principle behind the whole process of the constantly changing Universe.

Related Topics:
Philosophical - Religious - Metaphysical - Chinese character - Tao - Universe

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Taoism has had a deep and long-lasting influence in many domains of Chinese culture, including philosophy, the arts, literature, medicine, and cuisine. It has spread widely throughout East Asia. Taoism emphasizes freedom, nature, cosmology, self-cultivation, and even the search for immortality. Some accounts prefer to separate two Taoisms: one being mostly philosophical, metaphysical and aesthetical, the other focused on religious practices and encompassing exorcism, alchemy, and a wide set of popular beliefs. Often considered as the counterpart of mainstream Confucianism and challenged by Buddhism, Taoism is more accurately seen as an integral element of the vast and diverse Chinese experience.

Related Topics:
Chinese culture - Philosophy - The arts - Literature - Medicine - Cuisine - East Asia - Freedom - Nature - Cosmology - Self - Immortality - Exorcism - Alchemy - Confucianism - Buddhism - Chinese

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