3rd c BCE

Chou Dynasty

time of political, social chaos

started as a mystical philosophy of life

was persecuted in China

"way" or "path"

source and order of the universe

• Taiwan
• Hong Kong
• Malaysia
• Thailand
• Singapore
• San Francisco

No creator god

Dao is the source of all gods

Dao is neither positive nor negative

No divine command, judgement

Dao is female, it nurtures

Dao created itself

Dao generated Qi

Qi manifested into human beings

"the one"

primordial energy

every human being has Qi

Daoism is based on nurturing one's Qi

Yin                                              Yang

dark                                             light

heavy                                          warm

obscure                                       airy

passive                                        active

earth                                            heaven

death                                           life

feminine                                      masculine

what the universe is composed

they harmonized and made humans

Human body = microcosm of the world

everything is connected

18th c CE

method of channeling Qi through organs

good for one's health

17th-12th c BCE

Ruler of the Universe

Ancestor of the Chinese

creator of moral order

"T'ien Ming"

Written in the Chou Dynasty

Meritocracy

the universe is impersonal

Heaven:

• supreme reality
• order of the universe
• self-existing virtue

Son of Heaven

Links Heaven and Earth together

Reading cracks in bones

shapes of sticks thrown on the ground

read from the I Ching

"Book of Changes"

6th c BCE

Born old

Wrote "Daodejing"

= The Way and Its Power

How can we achieve harmony?

"inaction"

refrain from agressive action

non-interference

without ego

Master Chuang

4th c BCE

also known as Laozi

Nature is above culture

Individual is above society

becomes a god

founded by Zhang Daoling

Secret society

is still around

worked with Alchemy

welcomed female practicioners

discovered the potion of immortality

ascended to heaven

gets reincarnated

"Way of Great Peace"

founded by Zhang Jue

conquered Yellow River 2nd c CE

Yin & Yang were out of balance

Made a new mandate

govern lesser gods

• Laozi
• Numinous Treasure
• Primordial Beginning

Shang Di

Ruler of Heaven

Emperor of China

governs regional gods

Keep records of human deeds

like the Fates

• Heaven
• Earth
• Water

• Human beings
• Eight Immortals: Maiden, Mountain Man
• 3 stars
• Queen of the West
• Shen = god of the stove