Taoism - The "School of Tao"There are two kinds of Taoism: the
philosophical Taoism, also called tao-chia (school of tao), and the religious one (tao-chiao or the religious or mystical school).  Tao-chia flourished in China during the period of the Warring States, that is 5-4 century BC.
As way of life Taoism draws from the basic philosophical concepts developed by Lao Tzu in his Tao Te Ching
such as the emptiness (wu), nondoing (wu-wei) and fu. Tao itself is presented by Lao Tzu as something that can not be described, the origin of all things and beings (
the ten-thousand-things) in the Universe. The religious Taoism aims at long life and immortality and the means to attain these goals differ from one school to another.
In the opinion of the scholars, these two streams - tao-chia and tao-chiao - can not be really separated - the philosophical and religious Taoism exist together with the
ancient religious shaman concepts of antique China.
 The term tao-chia
was first used in the Han Dynasty. It designates a group of philosophers and their believes centering upon speculations on the nature of Tao, regarded as a unique, uncreated principle of the Universe.
All these beliefs were in contrast with the pedantry of the ethical philosophy of Confucius, and excelled in nihilist and hedonist attitudes concerning the relation of the human being with himself and with the world.
|