Do the Dao (the way) in Confucianism and the Dao (the way) in Tao Te Ching/Dao De Jing (The Classic of the Way and Its Power) refer to the same thing? Why or why not? Give at least two direct quotes from the reading materials to support your argument
hdbm
7.Daosim_Zhuangzi.pdf
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Daosim II
Zhuangzi (Chuang Tzu)
• Zhangzi (Master Zhuang) developed the mature Daoist philosophy
The “Dao” (Way) of Laozi v.s. The “Dao” (Way) of Zhuangzi
The “Dao” (Way) of Laozi A cosmic force (order) governing everything
The “Dao” (Way) of Zhuang Zi
Everything is constantly in flux, constantly transforming into everything else.
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The “Dao” (Way) of Zhuang Zi
Plants and animals act spontaneously in the ways appropriate to them.
Zhuangzi: Ways to Achieve Happiness
• Humans are not spontaneously part of the flux and transformation of the universe
• Becoming one again with the way is the source of all happiness.
Zhuangzi: Ways to Achieve Happiness
• “The duck’s legs are short, but if we try to lengthen them, the duck will feel pain. The crane’s legs are long, but if we try to shorten them, the crane will feel grief. Therefore we are not to amputate what is by nature long, nor lengthen what is by nature short”
(Zhuangzi: chapter 8)
Zhuangzi: Ways to Achieve Happiness
“Why don’t you plant it in Nothing At All town or vast nothing wilds?”
The useless large tree
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Zhuangzi: Ways to Achieve Happiness How shall we understand the Way of life?
The story of Cook Ding
The lord said, “Excellent! By listening to Cook Ding I learned how to nurture life.”
Zhuangzi: The Relativity of All Experience
• Right or wrong are built up by each person on the basis of his/her own point of view
• “Suppose that you argue with me. If you beat me, instead of my beating you, are you necessarily right and am I necessarily wrong?”
(Zhuangzi: chapter 2)
• “The morning mushroom can understand nothing of the alternation of night and day; the summer cicada can understand nothing of the progress of the seasons.”
(Zhuangzi: chapter 1)
Zhuangzi: The Relativity of All Experience
The Tension Between Illusion and Reality We need to learn how to bypass the illusory world and recapture the Way.
Zhuangzi: The Relativity of All Experience
• “Everything is something and is good for something. There is nothing which is not something or is not good for something. ... All these by means of the Way are united and become one.”
(Zhuangzi: chapter 2)
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Zhuangzi: Ways to Achieve Happiness
The non-distinction between life and death
The death of Zhunagzi’s wife
“Something changed and vital energy appeared; when the vital energy was changed, form appeared; with changes in form, life began. Now there is another change bringing death.”
Zhuangzi’s Social Philosophy • When people find something thing that is good for them, they may be
anxious to see that others have it also. But this good intention only makes the situation more tragic.
“Water is life to fish but is death to man. Being differently constituted, their likes
and dis-likes must necessarily differ. Therefore the early sages did not make abilities and occupations uniform.”
(Zhuangzi, Chapter 18)
The Yin-Yang School
The “Dao”: (The Way)
A “harmonious” qi-energy that informs human beings
Accomplish Changes
Five Agents/ Five phases (wu xing)
Yin-Yang and The Five Agents/Phases (Wu Xing) Theory
• Used to explain structure and change • the movements of the stars • the change of seasons • the workings of the body • the nature of foods • the qualities of music • the progress of time • the ethical qualities of humans
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Yin-Yang and The Five Agents/Phases (Wu Xing) Theory
• Zou Yan (305-240 BC) applied the five phase theory to the dynastic change
• The rise of the Yellow Emperor is associated with the agent of earth • Yu, founder of the Xia dynasty, reflected the dominance of wood in
his age • The Shang conquest signaled the dominance of metal • The Zhou conquest indicated the ascendance of fire
• Yin-yang and the five phases became the dominant cosmology of the state in the Han Dynasty
Yin-Yang and The Five Agents Theory in Traditional Chinese Medicine
• The main source of the traditional Chinese medical theory: The Yellow Emperor's Classic of Medicine
• A question-and-answer format between Yellow Emperor and six of his ministers
• Basic Questions (the Suwen) cover the theoretical foundation of Chinese Medicine and its diagnostic methods.
• The referred-to text (Lingshu, Spiritual Pivot) discusses acupuncture therapy
Causes of illness in Chinese Medicine Disturbance in the balance of yin-yang and the five agents
• Heat and cold • Emotions • Food • Aging • Change of the seasons …….
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Treatment of the Chinese Medicine Treatment of the Chinese Medicine: Dietary regulations
Finding the balance of Yin –Yang in food
• according to the season, your own body tendencies, and needs. • through preparation, temperature, flavor
Exercises Methods
Qigong (pronounced: chee-gong) • Mind-body exercises that integrate physical postures, breathing
techniques and focused intention • Static or dynamic postural exercises characterized by rhythmic
movements incorporating breath regulation, mindful meditation (intent), and self-massage
• Internal Qigong is self practice to achieve mind-body-breathing integration
• External Qigong involves the therapeutic transfer of vital energy through a skilled practitioner to the client
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Forms of exercises of Qigong Eight Pieces of Brocade (Ba duan jing) The name of the form refers to how the eight individual movements of the form characterize and impart a silken quality (like that of a piece of brocade) to the body and its energy.
1. Pressing the Heavens With Two Hands; 2. Drawing the Bowstring and Letting the Arrows Fly; 3. Separating Heaven and Earth; 4. Wise Owl Gazes Backward; 5. Punching With Angry Gaze; 6. Bouncing on the Toes; 7. Big Bear Turns From Side to Side; 8. Touching the Toes Then Bending Backwards.
