FAQ
1. What is Taoism?
Taoism takes the “Tao” of Huang Lao as its highest belief, and worships Laozi as its founder, respectfully called “Taishang Laojun”. The “Tao Te Ching” and “Du Ren Jing” are its main classics. “Tao” means the source of heaven and earth, the basis of human nature, the root of all things, the essence of benevolence, and the principle of nature; “teaching” means to impart and guide. “Taoism” is the teaching of purifying the soul, the teaching of morality, and the teaching of truth.
2. How did Taoism come into being in my country?
The formation of Taoism in my country has a history of more than 1,900 years. The founder was Zhang Daoling in the Eastern Han Dynasty, who established 24 jurisdictions in Heming Mountain, Qingcheng Mountain and other places, marking the formal formation of Taoism. Later, Zhang Jiao founded the Taiping Dao in Hebei, but it was not an orthodox Taoist sect. After the 4th century AD, with the efforts of some outstanding figures, Taoism began to mature in terms of rituals, organization, classics, and theory. In the process of spreading and development, Taoism continued to divide into various sects and spread all over China. Taoism is mainly spread among the Han people, and also among some ethnic minorities such as Bai, Zhuang, Naxi and other ethnic groups. It is also widely spread outside China, such as Korea, Japan, Germany, France, Britain, the United States and Southeast Asia.
3. Why is Taoism the traditional religion of the Chinese nation?
Taoism is believed not only by the Han people, but also by many ethnic minorities. In the process of its emergence and long-term development, many traditional thoughts and cultures of the Chinese nation have been integrated into Taoist culture, which has had a profound impact on many aspects of the traditional culture of the Chinese nation. The connotation of Taoism has been deeply imprinted in various cultures of the Chinese nation. Therefore, it has had a huge impact on the formation and development of the common psychological quality and cultural quality of the Chinese nation and the national character.
4. What contributions has Taoism made to human society?
Compared with other religions, Taoism’s great contribution to human society is not only that it tells the truth and human nature in a different way, and that it enables scholars to understand and practice the truth in a different way. The greatest thing about Taoism is that it values the preciousness of life, believes in the unity of man and nature, and follows the harmony between man and nature. It also explains the essence of morality (spiritual civilization), and points out the path and direction for the harmony of human society and all things.
5. What are the three ancestors of Taoism?
Taoist thought originated from Huangdi, so Huangdi is respected as the ancestor; Taoist doctrines are based on Laozi, so Laozi is regarded as the ancestor of Taoism; the establishment of the sect began with Zhang Ling, so Zhang Ling is regarded as the founder of the sect, which is called the three ancestors of Taoism.
6. What doctrines are Taoist philosophy based on?
Taoist philosophy is based on the principles of Yi. The Wuji of Yi gives birth to Taiji, Taiji gives birth to Yin and Yang, and then gives birth to four images, and then to the eight trigrams. The combination of Yin and Yang gives birth to the five elements (wood, fire, earth, gold, and water). These five elements are spread in all directions, operate in the four seasons, and nurture all things, changing endlessly. Laozi said: “Tao gives birth to one, one gives birth to two, two gives birth to three, and three gives birth to all things.” This is the principle of Tao, that is, the principle of Taiji Yin and Yang.
7. Who is the founder of Quanzhen Sect?
Zhang Daoling of the Eastern Han Dynasty was the founder of Taoism, a native religion of China, and the founder of the Zhengyi School. The founder of Quanzhen Sect was Wang Chongyang of the Jin Dynasty. Because Wang named his temple “Quanzhen Hall”, the name of the school “Quanzhen” began from then on.
8. What are the characteristics of Quanzhen Taoism?
The teachings of Quanzhen Taoism, in general, still inherit the inner alchemy ideas of Zhongli Quan and Lü Dongbin, but they are also unique. First, Wang Chongyang believed that the core of Taoism, Confucianism, and Buddhism is “Tao”, without any difference, so he advocated the unity of the three religions. His disciples also inherited this idea and advocated the equality of the three religions. Secondly, Quanzhen Taoism regards “full essence, full energy, and full spirit” as the highest realm of becoming an immortal. In terms of cultivation, it has determined the cultivation principle of cultivating the mind and seeing the nature in order to become an immortal and prove the truth, and advocates refining the essence, energy, and spirit to form an elixir to become an immortal, which is a combination of the dual cultivation of nature and life with traditional inner alchemy. Wang Chongyang’s “Fifteen Essays on Establishing a Religion” puts forward the religious practice principle of “suffering for the benefit of others” in a relatively comprehensive manner, emphasizing that “suffering for the benefit of others” is not only a religious moral requirement, but also an important condition for becoming an immortal. It requires Taoists to become monks and live in temples, and is not allowed to have wives, forming characteristics that are different from the old Taoist sects that advocated talismans, burning, and fasting.