Daoist Philosophy Research Papers - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

The article discusses uses of xiu shen, one among a number of terms referring to practices of moral and mental discipline in early China. It sketches out the contexts and discourses in which the term appears and hopes thus to contribute,... more

The article discusses uses of xiu shen, one among a number of terms referring to practices of moral and mental discipline in early China. It sketches out the contexts and discourses in which the term appears and hopes thus to contribute, albeit in a limited way, to eventual broader assessments of the role which different concepts, ideals, and practices of self-discipline played in political and social thought.

We have been lied to about what real Pythagorean harmonics alchemy is. The lie started with Philolaus who wrote a book, even though he was not a real practitioner of the Pythagorean training, requiring five years of silence meditation as... more

During the twentieth century the views on the historical identity of Laozi and on the appearance and interpretation of Dao De Jing became increasingly diverse. In this article I first briefly introduce traditional and modified-traditional... more

During the twentieth century the views on the historical identity of Laozi and on the appearance and interpretation of Dao De Jing became increasingly diverse. In this article I first briefly introduce traditional and modified-traditional views on Laozi and Dao De Jing. Then I deal more thoroughly with the genesis of Daoism according to Russell Kirkland. In his book Taoism: The Enduring Tradition (2004) this American scholar presents in a synthetic way results of many specialized studies, applying the historical-critical method known, e.g. from the biblical hermeneutics. Kirkland defends, among other things, the following four theses: (1) Laozi is a fictitious person, (2) Dao De Jing is the result of a complex editorial process, (3) Dao De Jing is a bundle of proverbs, not the work of a unified vision, (4) Daoism as an identifiable movement emerged only in the 5th century AD. In spite of reservations expressed in my paper toward Kirkland's theses, it is necessary to consider his book as a substantially important challenge for all Daoist scholars.

A review of: David Chai, Zhuangzi and the Becoming of Nothingness.
Albany: State University of New York Press, 2019, 216 pages.
Published in Dao, June 2019, Volume 18, Issue 2, pp 291–294.

Confucianism is often erroneously referred to as a religion, but as this paper will show it is more correctly the first humanist ethical system, and is deeply embedded within the popular notions of humanism. This is critical if we are to... more

Confucianism is often erroneously referred to as a religion, but as this paper will show it is more correctly the first humanist ethical system, and is deeply embedded within the popular notions of humanism. This is critical if we are to properly refine humanism as a philosophy, and provides suggestions for how a coherent humanist codex and system can be developed.
This paper investigates the ways in which the Confucian ethical system operates as the conceptual predecessor and foundation of modern-day humanist thought, by looking at specific cases of ethical beliefs that were developed at that time and which find analogy so strong as to be identity in modern western thought.
In the same way that Siddhartha Gautama rejected the authoritarian and hierarchical approach of Hinduism, Confucianism succeeded the autocratic nature of legalism as the state philosophy in China. When it became the state philosophy it underwent significant conceptualisation and codification.
In developing its societal approach, Confucianism presents the first codification of humanist ethics. It is unlikely that the commonalities between Confucian thought and the humanist perspective are coincidental, as explored in the first paper in the series.
NOTE: This paper is the third in a series tracing the development of humanist thought across Eurasia. For an overview and details on how the philosophy developed and was transferred across Eurasia, please see the first paper, which present a historical overview. Other papers detail the development of humanist spiritual, legal and professional systems through Buddhist & Taoist Indo-china, Medieval Islam, and modern medical practice, respectively and chronologically.

A review of Schipper's academic classic "The Taoist Body".

This chapter introduces the commentary of Heshanggong 河上公 and reveals its important role in the development of the Daoist concepts Dao 道 and ziran 自然. If we only consider the fragments of the Daodejing, it is nearly impossible to observe... more

This chapter introduces the commentary of Heshanggong 河上公 and reveals its important role in the development of the Daoist concepts Dao 道 and ziran 自然. If we only consider the fragments of the Daodejing, it is nearly impossible to observe a coherent and complete theory describing Dao, ziran, and their relationship. Ziran’s definition is particularly elusive, as the term only appears five times in the text and often in circumstances suggesting quite divergent meanings. As it is the role of the commentator to “save the text” from contradictions, Heshanggong complicates and explains this term, situating it within his system, and in so doing plays a role in affirming ziran as one of the key pillars of Daoist thought. Heshanggong elevates ziran by terming it the “nature of Dao,” and defining Dao as transcendent because it is ziran. This means ziran becomes fundamental to how Dao functions at all three levels of cosmos, individual, and society.

The proposed paper presents an overview on the matter of virtue from different philosophical angles. It concentrates on three different schools of thought coming from the West and the East and their respective concepts of virtue. These... more

The proposed paper presents an overview on the matter of virtue from different philosophical angles. It concentrates on three different schools of thought coming from the West and the East and their respective concepts of virtue. These schools of thought and the therewith-associated personalities and works discussed in this paper are Aristotelian virtue ethics, Confucianism and Daoism. The paper focuses specifically on the Nicomachean Ethics (NE) by Aristotle, the Analects belonging to Confucianism, and the Dao De Jing coming from Daoism.
The paper is divided into three major parts. First, the concept of virtue of each school is outlined. In the second part, the concrete virtues as such according to each school are explained. In the third part, these virtues are then applied in specific business contexts like business practice, corporate culture and leadership, illuminating each school’s characteristic approach. The paper closes with a summary and conclusion.
In the conclusion the paper outlines differences as well as similarities between Aristotelian and Confucian virtue ethics. Yet, the author generally takes a critical stance towards comparisons merely for the sake of finding similarities. Particularly between Aristotelian and Confucian virtue ethics there is a significant difference when it comes to the cultural and historical background of these schools, which should not be ignored. Besides, even within Chinese philosophy there are already significant differences when it comes to concepts and practice.

马克·尚巴尼论证分析传统所谓的“专业”风格并不能确保论证专业，事实上，也不能保证论证者头脑清晰。

A critical introduction of Dao De Jing of Lao Zi in Urdu

Bendžamina Hofa grāmatiņas "Pūka Dao" tulkojums latviešu valodā.

The concept of 'nature' in the Daode jing 道德經 and the Zhuangzi 莊⼦ and its relevance to today's environmental issues. The inherent harmony and continuity between nature and human beings is an underlying and dominant theme in Daoist... more

The concept of 'nature' in the Daode jing 道德經 and the Zhuangzi 莊⼦ and its relevance to today's environmental issues.
The inherent harmony and continuity between nature and human beings is an underlying and dominant theme in Daoist studies and Chinese culture as a whole (Lai, 2003: 264). The environment, for Daoists, has functioned as a sacred space (Miller, 2003: 170) used for contemplation and reflection; the mindful attention to the natural environment was and is an edifying experience (Cooper, 2014: 98). Daoist (and Confucian) texts highlight the concept of the energy, qi 氣, that flows through everything-an endless binding force that inspires creativity in the forms of the universe, the songs of the bird, the ink brush to paper, shapes of the mountains and rocks etc (Weller 2011:126). The Daoist ideology is concerned with self-preservation and self-cultivation through observing dao 道, the 'way'; the cosmic pattern and 'course' of the natural world. This happens through meditation and observation of the cosmic energies from the external to the internal. A Daoist aims to reach conformity with the dao through an attitude of 'non-action' (wuwei 無為) and the cultivation of inner potency (dé 德) (Lai, 2007:233).
It is not surprising that recent scholars and policy makers have looked in this direction in the hope of finding a counterbalance to the presiding global view of nature as a commodity of sorts, an external entity, ever in service of human-being's perpetual needs and desires.
In light of the current global environmental concerns, research by scholars of religion in addressing such urgent contemporary issues may offer another perspective and insight into the problem and solution.

Monography on Daoism. History, Doctrinal Principles, Practices.

The Expository Commentary to the Daode jing (道德經義疏) by the Daoist monk Cheng Xuanying (7th century CE) is a quintessential text of Tang dynasty Daoist philosophy and of Chongxuanxue or Twofold Mystery teachings. Cheng Xuanying proposes a... more

The Expository Commentary to the Daode jing (道德經義疏) by the Daoist monk Cheng Xuanying (7th century CE) is a quintessential text of Tang dynasty Daoist philosophy and of Chongxuanxue or Twofold Mystery teachings. Cheng Xuanying proposes a reading of the ancient Daode jing that aligns the text with Daoist practices of his times. His philosophical outlook ties together the ancient text of the Daode jing and contemporary developments in Daoist thought which occurred under the influence of an intense interaction with Buddhist ideas. The commentary is a vivid testimony of the integration of Buddhist thought into an exegesis of the ancient classic of the Daode jing, and thereby also into Chinese philosophy.

廖育正_《莊子》的策略干擾──及對「觀點主義說」的再商榷

Humanism has a long and sophisticated history. Secular humanism encourages us to believe that humanism was born and faded in ancient Greece, then reborn in the renaissance as part of the narrative that includes the enlightenment and... more

Humanism has a long and sophisticated history. Secular humanism
encourages us to believe that humanism was born and faded in ancient Greece,
then reborn in the renaissance as part of the narrative that includes the
enlightenment and the modern era.
This is only true if we take a very limited view of humanism. In fact, humanist
philosophies that deny the supernatural and emphasise the human have been a
central part of the development of civilisation over the last two thousand years.
This paper unpacks an alternate, more historically accurate and inclusive
history of humanism. In this history, humanism begins in ancient Asia and transmits
to Europe, China, the Middle East, and back to Europe. In each case, there is a clear
point of cultural and conceptual contact, as well as a significant development in the
overall philosophy of humanism.
NOTE: this paper is the first in a series tracing the development of humanist
thought across Eurasia. Subsequent papers detail the development of humanist
spiritual, ethical, legal and professional systems through Buddhist & Taoist Indo-
China, Han China, Medieval Islam, and modern medical practice respectively.

A 12-week course introducing the basic schools and concepts of Chinese Philosophy from the ancient to the modern era covering Confucius, Mencius, Laozi, Zhuangzi, Xunzi, Mozi, Chan, Zhu Xi, Wang Yanging and Mao Zedong.

The Seventh Fu Jen University International Sinological Symposium “The Contribution of Russian Sinology to the Knowledge of China”. 第七屆輔仁大學國際漢學研討會：俄羅斯漢學對認識中國的貢獻. (Monumenta Serica Sinological Center, Fu Jen Catholic University, Taiwan,... more

The Seventh Fu Jen University International Sinological Symposium “The Contribution of Russian Sinology to the Knowledge of China”. 第七屆輔仁大學國際漢學研討會：俄羅斯漢學對認識中國的貢獻. (Monumenta Serica Sinological Center, Fu Jen Catholic University, Taiwan, R.O.C., Nov. 23-24, 2012).

As one of the greatest masterpieces in Chinese history, Dao De Jing is a philosophical work by Laozi (Li Er, c.571-471 BCE) published in the 4th century BCE. It contains 81 chapters/verses whose essence is on moral philosophy and ideal... more

As one of the greatest masterpieces in Chinese history, Dao De Jing is a philosophical work by Laozi (Li Er, c.571-471 BCE) published in the 4th century BCE. It contains 81 chapters/verses whose essence is on moral philosophy and ideal ways for humans to be in harmony with nature, self-cultivation, governing the country, deploying military forces, among other things. Although some of the ideas are only historically relevant at the time when Laozi lived, the majority of his thoughts is still pertinent today because human nature has not drastically changed since antiquity, and many social ills that Laozi mentioned still exist even now. Dao De Jing is one of the most translated works in world literature, and second most popular sacred scripture after the Bible. It is hoped that everyone can find something useful in these verses, as the Chinese saying suggests: “The benevolent sees benevolence, and the wise sees wisdom.” This translation has attempted to adhere as faithfully as possible to the original meanings in the Chinese text, and to reflect Mandarin pronunciations and recent revisionary development in Daoist scholarship. The edition has employed Pinyin rather than the older Wade-Giles system for transcribing Chinese words. Hence, the Chinese character for the “Way” is rendered “Dao” rather than “Tao,” Dao De Jing in place of Tao Te Ching, and Laozi for Lao Tzu. The 140-page volume is for anyone interested in Chinese philosophy, and for those who want to learn the art of living from it.

Philosophical Daoism and modern day Anarcho-thought are thought to be similar enough for some scholars to proclaim that philosophical Daoist texts, the Daodejing, the Zhuangzi, and sometimes the Liezi, are thought to hold a proto-form of... more

Philosophical Daoism and modern day Anarcho-thought are thought to be similar enough for some scholars to proclaim that philosophical Daoist texts, the Daodejing, the Zhuangzi, and sometimes the Liezi, are thought to hold a proto-form of Anarchism. Scholars proclaim that the Daodejing and Zhuangzi are the first Anarchist writings and commonly cite sections from the Daodejing and the Zhuangzi, as evidence in the thesis of philosophical Daoist thought being the first form of Anarchism. Religious Daoism will not be examined in this paper, as Religious Daoism does not deal with how one should deal with government, as philosophical Daoism does. The textual material that will be used for comparison with the notion of philosophical Daoism being Anarchist will be the Daodejing and the Zhuangzi, as these texts are commonly known and cited as proto-Anarchist texts. Sections selected from the Daodejing and the Zhuangzi that have been noted by some scholars as Anarchist. The findings from examining the supposed Anarchist sections of the Daodejing, and Zhuangzi, have found that the sections are not calling for complete no ruler/sage-king, but a lesser control of governmental powers and coercion from the ruler.

This bibliography is mainly addressed to students of my courses on Daoism. The earliest version dates from 1998. From time to time I update it, adding new materials and omitting a few of the older ones. The present version contains works... more

This bibliography is mainly addressed to students of my courses on Daoism. The earliest version dates from 1998. From time to time I update it, adding new materials and omitting a few of the older ones. The present version contains works dating to 2016.

The aim of this book is to acquaint its reader with the rich thought traditions of Asia (India, China, Japan, Korea, Tibet and South-East Asia), which have mutually influenced each other throughout history and consequently share large... more

The aim of this book is to acquaint its reader with the rich thought traditions of Asia (India, China, Japan, Korea, Tibet and South-East Asia), which have mutually influenced each other throughout history and consequently share large parts of their intellectual heritage. It can serve both as an introductory textbook for the future specialist and as a source of background knowledge for those whose primary interest lies outside Asian studies, be it religious studies, Western philosophy, political scienceor anything else. No previous knowledge of the history or cultures of this region is presupposed, entanglement in specific debates is avoided and names and terms have been kept to the minimum. If you think that an educated person anywhere in the world should know who are St.Augustine, Luther and Mother Theresa, or Aristotle, Kant and Wittgenstein, or Machiavelli, Rousseau and Marx, or what is the meaning of "cardinal sin", cogito and "separation of powers", the names and terms printed bold in this book are those you should be familiar with from a range of Asian points of view. I have done my best to keep the scope of the book equally balanced throughout and to maintain a more or less similar level of coverage in all areas. The book thus addresses all teachings, schools and individuals that have usually been included in the range of such introductory intellectual histories. However, the reader will notice that some authors and ideas not always present in similar overviews, such as feminist theorists, have been given more space here than has been customary up to now. [Extract from the preface]

translation I did of Sham Yat Shing's classic 1977 essay.

Walking an unexplored path, Huiwen Helen Zhang contextualizes Kafka’s pithy and cryptic parable, “Wish, to Become Indian,” in his transplantation of Daoist philosophy—an astonishing cross-cultural enigma that Zhang terms “Kafka’s Dao”—and... more

Walking an unexplored path, Huiwen Helen Zhang contextualizes Kafka’s pithy and cryptic parable, “Wish, to Become Indian,” in his transplantation of Daoist philosophy—an astonishing cross-cultural enigma that Zhang terms “Kafka’s Dao”—and parses it through a micro-level approach that Zhang terms “transreading.” Contextualizing “Wish, to Become Indian” in Kafka’s dialogue with ancient Chinese philosophers such as Laozi, Liezi, and Zhuangzi enables the reader to comprehend a series of otherwise incomprehensible puzzles. Zhang’s scrutiny of Kafka’s Dao shows how, through creative writing, Kafka not only penetrates esoteric Daoist classics, but also furthers their spirit in a way that transcends Richard Wilhelm, the pioneer European Sinologist. Transreading “Wish, to Become Indian” illuminates nuances that otherwise might have been overlooked. Wordplay, punctuational oddity, syntactic complexity, lyric density, and the curiously interlaced tenses and cases are all part of the idiosyncratic delivery of Kafka’s message. Integrating the four activities of transreading—lento reading demanded and enhanced by cultural hermeneutics, creative writing required and inspired by poetic translation—unravels Kafka’s riddle as a historical-cultural phenomenon.

Slides from a seminar on 'Neo-Daoism' at City Lit, London 2019

The Huming Jing (Scripture on Protecting Destiny-life-force, a.k.a Shengxuan huming jing – Scripture on Protecting Destiny-life-force and Ascending the Mysterious) is often mentioned adjacent to the Scripture on Clarity and Stillness... more

The Huming Jing (Scripture on Protecting Destiny-life-force, a.k.a Shengxuan huming jing – Scripture on Protecting Destiny-life-force and Ascending the Mysterious) is often mentioned adjacent to the Scripture on Clarity and Stillness (Qingjing Jing), one of the most important and recited Daoist scriptures, while being described as a Daoist version of the Buddhist Heart Sutra.
Included here is a commentary by Li Xiyue, founder of the Hidden Immortals Sect of Quanzhen.

Freedom from disease, physiological signs of well- being, and avoidance of death appear as consistent themes in many writings from preimperial and imperial China, but there were no direct analogues to a conceptual category like the... more

Freedom from disease, physiological signs of well- being, and avoidance
of death appear as consistent themes in many writings from preimperial
and imperial China, but there were no direct analogues to a
conceptual category like the English term “health.” These themes do
not appear under a universally consistent term or bounded theoretical
formulation. Instead they appear as common technical terms or
practical foci across different literary genres. Chinese writers refer to
material forces like breath (qi 氣), the force of life (sheng 生), and inner
nature (xing 性), which are cultivated or nourished (yang 養) in the
body, to lengthen one’s life (ming 命). Engagement with health was as
a quantitative object that could be stored in the body, as a processual
goal rather than a conceptual object. While the term “nourishing life”
(yangsheng 養生) only came to refer to a common, recognizable set of
practices after the first century CE, the practices and goals themselves
were understood to be coherent in sources as early as 400 BCE.
In this chapter I argue that three major periods of writing in preand
early imperial China produced dominant modes of writing on
bodily ideals that have continued until the present day. These writings
include philosophical works, self- cultivation manuals, canonical medical
writings, transcendence writings, and formal Daoist texts.