Chapter 9: Chinese Religion and Daoism
Chapter Objectives
After reading this chapter, the student should be able to:
• Recognize the basic elements of Chinese religion and the paradoxes that exist.
• Discuss the interacting energy modes of yin and yang, and understand their central
importance to Chinese spiritual beliefs.
Chapter Summary
The basic elements of Chinese religion arose from a diverse source of myths, beliefs and
practices that spanned centuries and reinforced the Chinese’s belief in the great age and
uniqueness of their culture and the importance of ancestors. However, their myths of creation
share some similarities with others and like others they noticed the regularity and harmony of
nature.
The demise of the feudal system gave rise to two great traditions, namely Confucianism
and Daoism. From a political perspective Daoism was essentially against anything with
centralization of power and more concerned with the workings of nature as opposed to human
relations. As a philosophy it dates to about the 4th century BCE and is contained in the Dao De
Jing but scholars doubt it originated with one individual. The Dao De Jing is an ethical system
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based on harmony with nature and thus saw balance in all things as the way to ensure harmony.
The ethics which follow from it require one to exhibit the procedure of the Dao and also avoid
the meddling with the smooth course of nature.
Chapter Outline
I. Introduction
II. The Basic Elements of Chinese Religion
A. Mythic Ancestors
B. Cosmogonies
C. The Shape of Earth and Sky
D. The Yang and the Yin
E. The Dao (Tao)
N. The Grading of Social and Religious Functions in the Ancient Feudal Era
1. The Peoples of the South
2. The Decay of the Feudal System
O. The Rise of the Schools
P. The Great Traditions
III. Daoism as a Philosophy
A. The Legendary Lao-zi
B. Pre Daoists
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3. Low Position
D. The Ethics of the Dao De Jing
1. Wu-wei in Negative Terms
2. The affirmative Powers of Wu-wei
E. Mystical Invulnerability
F. The Essays of Zhuang-zi
IV. Daoism as Magic
A. The Methods
1. Blessed Isles and Elixir Academy
2. Hygiene and Five Element Coordination
3. Breath Control
4. Dietary and Sexual Restraints
B. Daoist Societies
C. Sacred Texts
Discussion Questions
1. The Dao as a universal framework for the evident harmony and order in nature as a whole is
central to Chinese philosophy and religion. How is this concept similar and different from the
concept of future monotheistic concepts of God?
