Philosophical and religious Taoism have both given rise to many cultural
activities and practises including art, Chinese alchemy, astrology
Chinese geomancy, divination, food cures,healing practises such as acupuncture medicine and tai chi.
The notion that all existence is permeated by an energy force known
as ch'i for instance is central to Chinese alchemy, the geomantic arts
(feng shui,) diet, the healing arts and the martial arts. Likewise, not-doing or negative action
is a concept that is integrated into Chinese martial arts and exercise
regimes such as tai chi chuan.
Chinese Geomancy or Feng Shui
Feng shui,which literally means "wind and water,"
is the Chinese Art of Geomancy
which seeks to bring harmony in the environment through synchrony with nature.
One of the key tenets of Taoism is the world and universe at large are interconnected
and form a unified whole. Taoism also teaches that our inner worlds are also linked
to our surroundings and the universe. Just as global or cosmic events resonate with
the world of humans, the feelings, actions and level of comfort of humans
impact the greater environment. Ch'ior universal energy, furthermore,
is present in all things and there is an ever constant flow of ch'i.
When ch'iis misdirected or obstructed the life and fortunes of humans can be
negatively affected. Feng Shui is the art of directing the flow of ch'ialong
pathways that are synchronous with nature so as to bring about positive outcomes.
Feng shui is used to designate the location, design and construction
of buildings with the intent of maximizing the good fortune of its occupants.
It is also used to designate propitious locations and orientations of burial
sites, highways, offices, restaurants, and places of worship.
The arrangement of furniture in rooms, color schemes placement of decorative
objects also come within the purview of feng shui. Today, feng shui
is used all over the world by real estate agents, interior decorators, architects and
people who are interested in aligning their lives with the natural environment.
Tai Chi and Taoist Philosophy
There is evidence that as far back as 122 BCE there was already a tradition of exercise
being used by Taoist monks known as the tai yin. In the 6th century CE, a Chinese
monk named Ta Mo introduced a school of exercise known as the Eighteen Form Lohan Exercise which evolved eventually
into the wei chia or so-called "outer forms"exercises.
Tai chi chuan
was developed in the 15th century CE by another monk named
Chang San-feng. Emperor Ying-tsung would later confer the
title of chen-jen, or "authentic person" on Chang. This is a designation
that is made only to someone who has already attained the Tao and sufficiently detached
from the dictates of the senses. By the Ming Dynasty from the 14th to 17th century CE
the philosopher Wang Yang-ming introduced a blend of Taoism and Ch'an
Buddhism which was integrated into existing movement systems.
Some of the examples of how Taoist teachings inform tai chi include the following:
"Stiff and unbending is the principle of death.
Gentle and yielding is the principle of life.
Thus an Army without flexibility never wins a battle.
A tree that is unbending is easily broken.
The hard and strong will fall.
The soft and weak will overcome.Tao Te Ching 76
Yield and overcome;
Bend and be straight.Tao Te Ching 22
What is firmly established cannot be uprooted.
What is firmly grasped cannot slip away. Tao Te Ching 54
Returning is the motion of the Tao.
Yielding is the way of the Tao.Tao Te Ching 40
The influence of Chuang Tzu is also evident on the development of tai chi:
"The wise person does not either lean forward or backward to be accommodating.
This is stance is known as 'tranquility in the midst of turmoil."
It is in the midst of turmoil that tranquility is perfected." Chuang Tzu
"The pure ones in ancient times could sleep without dreaming and awake without
anxiety. They ate without indulging in sweet tastes and breathed deeply.
The pure ones draw deep breaths from the depths of their
heels, the multitudes only from their throats."
Chuang Tzu
The I Ching and Divination
The I Ching refers to both one of the books in the
Confucian canon as well as to the ancient Chinese art of divination. The I Ching,
or art of divination represent some of the earliest attempts by
humans to understand the relationship between nature and human societies.
The art of divination which integrates both Taoism and Confucianism has developed over
several centuries and speculations are that it may date back over
five thousand years to the time of the emperor Fu Hsi.
The eight trigrams and sixty-four hexagrams which are central to reading the divinations of the I Ching are attributed to
Fu Hsi. Archaeological evidence substantiates the existence of these ancient trigrams and
hexagrams on tortoise shells.
The meanings derived from the random arrangements of the trigrams and hexagrams
have been compiled and were probably first used to divine the nature of harvests,
the probability of impending natural disasters, or the outcomes of battles.
Approximately three thousand years ago, Emperor Wen provided the first
first interpretations regarding the configurations of the sixty-four hexagrams. He was
said to received a vision of the interpretation that was projected onto the wall of the
prison in which he was incarcerated.
The simplest method for casting an oracle is to use three coins and a
chart with the hexagrams.
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