Background: Chinese Taoist cognitive therapy (CTCT), a culture-oriented psychological therapy for Chinese mental well-being, has been proposed for decades. However, the evidence for its effects is unclear. This study aimed to systematically assess the effect of this therapy on symptoms of depression and anxiety in Chinese adults. Methods: Relevant studies were searched from major electronic databases through November 2018 without language limits. Several search terms used include “anxiety” OR “depression” AND “Taoism” OR “Daoism” OR “Chinese Taoist Cognitive Therapy”. A total (...) of 11 clinical trials focusing on CTCT were included in this meta-analysis. Random-effects meta-analytical models were conducted. Heterogeneity and publication bias were also explored. Results: Eight clinical trials for 580 subjects were included. The majority of these studies explored samples with depressive symptoms. Overall, CTCT significantly reduced depressive symptoms with a small positive effect (SMD = 0.16, 95% CI: -0.36-0.68). Medium-to-large effect sizes were observed across individuals with clinical or nonclinical depression and chronic physical diseases (SMD = 0.70, 95%CI: 0.27-1.13 and SMD = 0.72, 95%CI: 0.09-1.35, respectively). However, the effectiveness for anxiety symptoms remains debatable. Conclusions: Our findings hold promise that CTCT can help reduce depressive symptoms in Chinese adults, including patients with chronic physical diseases and clinical or nonclinical depression. Our findings may be generalized to Chinese communities in other countries. (shrink)

This article offers a fresh interpretation of The Secret of the Golden Flower, the influential Taoist meditation manual translated by Richard Wilhelm (1873–1930) and introduced to Western readers with commentary by Carl Gustav Jung (1875–1961). While traditionally shrouded in esoteric language and mystical symbolism, this study demystifies the text by framing it as a practical guide to inner light meditation. Drawing on the emerging field of phosphene phenomenology, we suggest that the “Golden Light” described by Master Lü Dongbin (circa 8th–9th (...) century CE) corresponds with meditation-induced luminous phenomena commonly reported in deep contemplative practice. We examine the phenomenological markers and confirmatory signs detailed in the text, such as the perception of inner light, bodily dissolution, auditory shifts, and upward floating sensations, and relate them to modern accounts of entoptic imagery and altered states of consciousness. Through this synthesis, we reframe the Golden Flower as a coherent and instructive map for engaging with the luminous dimensions of consciousness through focused inner light awareness. (shrink)

A beautifully clear and accessible explanation of how to live a Taoist life--by reknowned Taoist master Eva Wong. Being Taoist is one of the most readable books on Taoist philosophy available. It shines a light on exactly what it takes to live a Taoist life. Taoist living rests on four pillars--the public, the domestic, the private, and the spirit lives. Not only do Taoists strive to live these four aspects fully and in a balanced way, they also believe there (...) is an outlook and an art to each of them. Eva Wong uses the teachings of Taoist masters (one for each pillar) to explain the essential concepts. She then gives voice to these texts--simplifying them, removing barriers to understanding, and making them completely accessible and relevant to the modern reader. Wong is a clear and enthusiastic guide to this intriguing spiritual Way, and she challenges us to stop, reflect, and ask ourselves: Do we balance the public, domestic, private, and spirit aspects in our lives? Do we emphasize some at the expense of the others? Do we ever think about unifying worldly and spiritual wisdom in our lives? (shrink)

The Taoist culturecultureTaoist culture is another component of traditional Chinese culture, and it contributes to the formation of traditional Chinese aestheticsaestheticstraditional Chinese aesthetics. The core concept of TaoismTaoism is “Tao” [道 dao] or “the Way.”.

In an era when individuality has been increasingly emphasized, the development of science and technology has provided technical support for the realization of individuation. However, in an examination-oriented education system, the education model has not attached sufficient importance to individuality. The modern education industry focuses much on the massive production of college degree holders. Student’s unique talents are mostly neglected, and their personality and creativity are not given due consideration in the teaching process. It is time to emphasize individualized teaching (...) and learning in the contemporary paradigm of education. Taoist wisdom of individuality, pluralism, and diversity has great philosophical value and practical revelation to the modern education. Thus, an eastern perspective on the understanding of individualized teaching and learning is presented. The author argues that a university should not be an industrial factory, but a nurturing garden where students’ nature as humans are understood and their individual differences are respected. Some Taoist transformative paradigms for the future pedagogies are proposed in the hope of provoking arguments and exploring the future of higher education in an age of disruption. Finally, some Taoist practices for a better understanding of individualized teaching and learning are introduced. (shrink)

Based on the intertwined complex conversations among Heidegger, Dewey, and Lao Tzu, this book explores the possibilities of the Taoist Pedagogy of Pathmarks as a clearing between truth and untruth, responding to the spiritual call of Tao as inaction and teaching as releasement. In this book, Yu provides a critical exploration of the rich dynamics in the “direct” conversations among the three great thinkers of east and west, highlighting the implications of their ideas for education throughout. As more educational researchers, (...) teacher educators, and teachers recognize the limitations of didactic teaching-as-telling, the author brings an alternate pathway to light. (shrink)

Blend classically beautiful illustrations with the wisdom of the ages to awaken your inner being as never before. Read this collection from cover to cover, and then concentrate on applying the different thoughts on your daily life. Start with first light, going with the flow, detachment, and harmony. Turn to a quote each day as a focus for meditations like these: Being a good listener spares one the burden of giving advice. Peace and knowledge will be yours!

This final chapter pulls together connective threads among the preceding chapters to help readers develop another way to think about teaching, which I have called the Taoist Pedagogy of Pathmarks. It first discusses how this pedagogy can be cultivated through reflective experience in a recursive loop to “let learn” (Heidegger in Martin Heidegger basic writings. Routledge, London, p. 380, 1951–1952/1993b), improvize, and promote the “collateral learning” of “enduring attitudes of likes and dislikes” in students (Dewey in Experience and education. Collier, (...) New York, NY, p. 48, 1963). It then responds to the practical question, “What does the Taoist Pedagogy of Pathmarks mean to me, a practicing teacher, as I face my class on Monday morning?” Finally, this chapter concludes the cumulative work of this book with a brief discussion on the essence of the Taoist Pedagogy of Pathmarks as releasement. (shrink)

There are many strains in Heidegger’s thought to which he often refers, but one that he never mentions, Taoism. Otto Pöggeler has noted that Heidegger’s engagement with Chinese philosophy, and in particular with the Tao Te Ching of Lao-tzu, exerted a decisive effect on the form and direction of his later thinking. With Reinhard May’s careful comparisons of passages from Heidegger’s major texts with translations of the Tao Te Ching and various Zen Buddhist texts, there is now general agreement on (...) Heidegger’s indebtedness to Chinese philosophy. The recurrent themes of his later lectures can all be found in Taoist texts. Often these are points on which he is labeled a mystic or an irrationalist and taken to task by his Western critics. This essay examines some key facets of his thought and compares his position to that of the Tao Te Ching so as to determine the extent to which Heidegger has departed from the Western tradition to become a Taoist. (shrink)

The discovery of the oriental poetry, specially Japanese and Chinese, had a deep impact in the poetic writing and personal evolution of the mexican poet Octavio Paz. The initial approach to the taoist aesthetic and philosophical universe was made trough the synthetic, sensorial and deeply suggestive strength of oriental poetry, and Paz found immediately an essential resemblance between the universe just discovered and the prehispanic cosmovision. As a result of that experience, in 1955 he published “Piedras sueltas”, a brief poem (...) collection, in which he combines the evocative power of the poetic image typical of the japanese haiku with several indigenous topics. The influence and the attraction to Oriental thought, particularly Taoism, is also present in El arco y la lira (1956),book that represents the pinacle of Octavio Paz’s ultimate poetic thought. (shrink)

This book explores ways in which educational leaders can apply the wisdom of the Tao in their day-to-day work in schools. It offers an alternative to the standard ways of western thinking to give the leader more possibilities when confronting a situation. We tend to value immediate and decisive action, winning, directing, and getting one’s way. Taoist Lessons for Educational Leaders offers another way of approaching the workplace. We can also value waiting and reflection before acting, seeing all participants as (...) winners or at least no one as a loser, following as a form of leadership, and giving away some victories, as beneficial to the governance of a school. There is more than one way to “win” and more than one way assert one’s authority, as illustrated by this book. (shrink)

Revolutionizing received opinion of Taoism's origins in light of historic new discoveries, Harold D. Roth has uncovered China's oldest mystical text--the original expression of Taoist philosophy--and presents it here with a complete translation and commentary. Over the past twenty-five years, documents recovered from the tombs of China's ancient elite have sparked a revolution in scholarship about early Chinese thought, in particular the origins of Taoist philosophy and religion. In _Original Tao,_ Harold D. Roth exhumes the seminal text of Taoism--_Inward Training (...) (Nei-yeh)_--not from a tomb but from the pages of the _Kuan Tzu,_ a voluminous text on politics and economics in which this mystical tract had been "buried" for centuries. _Inward Training_ is composed of short poetic verses devoted to the practice of breath meditation, and to the insights about the nature of human beings and the form of the cosmos derived from this practice. In its poetic form and tone, the work closely resembles the _Tao-te Ching_; moreover, it clearly evokes Taoism's affinities to other mystical traditions, notably aspects of Hinduism and Buddhism. Roth argues that _Inward Training_ is the foundational text of early Taoism and traces the book to the mid-fourth century B.C. (the late Warring States period in China). These verses contain the oldest surviving expressions of a method for mystical "inner cultivation," which Roth identifies as the basis for all early Taoist texts, including the _Chuang Tzu_ and the world-renowned _Tao-te Ching._ With these historic discoveries, he reveals the possibility of a much deeper continuity between early "philosophical" Taoism and the later Taoist religion than scholars had previously suspected. _Original Tao_ contains an elegant and luminous complete translation of the original text. Roth's comprehensive analysis explains what _Inward Training_ meant to the people who wrote it, how this work came to be "entombed" within the _Kuan Tzu,_ and why the text was largely overlooked after the early Han period. (shrink)

Explores the work of Guo Xiang, a Neo-Taoist thinker who developed a radical philosophy of freedom and spontaneity.

Did Chinese mysticism vanish after its first appearance in ancient Taoist philosophy, to surface only after a thousand years had passed, when the Chinese had adapted Buddhism to their own culture? This first integrated survey of the mystical dimension of Taoism disputes the commonly accepted idea of such a hiatus. Covering the period from the Daode jing to the end of the Tang, Livia Kohn reveals an often misunderstood Chinese mystical tradition that continued through the ages. Influenced by but ultimately (...) independent of Buddhism, it took forms more various than the quietistic withdrawal of Laozi or the sudden enlightenment of the Chan Buddhists. On the basis of a new theoretical evaluation of mysticism, this study analyzes the relationship between philosophical and religious Taoism and between Buddhism and the native Chinese tradition. Kohn shows how the quietistic and socially oriented Daode jing was combined with the ecstatic and individualistic mysticism of the Zhuangzi, with immortality beliefs and practices, and with Buddhist insight meditation, mind analysis, and doctrines of karma and retribution. She goes on to demonstrate that Chinese mysticism, a complex synthesis by the late Six Dynasties, reached its zenith in the Tang, laying the foundations for later developments in the Song traditions of Inner Alchemy, Chan Buddhism, and Neo-Confucianism. (shrink)

This paper explores the influence of Daoist thought on the composition and performance of modern double bass concertos. In a cross-cultural context, the double bass has deeply integrated with traditional Chinese philosophy, particularly Daoist thought, giving rise to a series of outstanding works embodying Daoist principles such as “Dao follows nature”, “Wu Wei” (non-action), and “Xu Jing” (emptiness and tranquility). These works either employ new media and techniques to evoke an ethereal and flowing Eastern aesthetic, internalize Daoist thinking in their (...) generative logic to imbue the music with a unique rhythmic vitality, or highlight the contemporary dynamism of traditional culture through the fusion of Eastern and Western elements, thereby opening up broader expressive dimensions for double bass music. This trend suggests that Chinese double bass performers, while drawing upon the rich nourishment of indigenous philosophical thoughts like Daoism, should also embrace diverse artistic elements from around the world. Only through the dual interaction of inheritance and innovation, local and global perspectives, can a contemporary double bass musical lexicon be distilled—one that possesses both national characteristics and global expressiveness. (shrink)

Taoism, a foundational pillar of Chinese philosophy with an enduring influence spanning over two millennia, finds its classical expression by Laozi in Daodejing (道德经, The Classic of the Dao and of Virtue).1 Central to Taoist ethics is the concept of wuwei (无为, literally translated as ‘non-doing’).2 This piece explains wuwei, proposing it as a valuable lens through which contemporary bioethical debates can be reframed. Specifically, it argues that applying wuwei to neuroethical discussions can help discussants move beyond the natural versus (...) unnatural dichotomy that is commonly observed in public debates about new technologies (even though its usefulness as an ethical criterion is generally rejected by bioethicists), emphasising instead the subjective criterion of effortless harmony. Wuwei is a spiritual ideal of Taoism; Laozi advises the sage to govern and live in accordance with wuwei by aligning actions with the Dao (道, the Way).3 Taoism holds that Dao is the fundamental order of the universe and the natural flow of all things.3 Wuwei describes a state of harmonious equilibrium wherein one’s actions flow freely and intuitively—without force or resistance—thereby aligning with the person’s intrinsic nature (the Dao of the self), yet also appropriately respond to and accord with the external situation (the Dao of the environment). When acting in the state of wuwei, one obtains an effective …. (shrink)

For decades, a review of environmental education initiatives in and beyond schools indicates that many of them were implemented from an anthropocentric perspective. The rationale behind them is often that we must not destroy the environment because doing so is harmful for ourselves, human beings. One striking feature of the various forms of environmental education is the use of fear as a motivator, as people are warned about the frightening consequences of environmental destruction on their life. While this type of (...) fear-based environmental education may be effective to some extent, intimidation cannot be a fundamental solution to environmental issues. We need to form a loving relationship with nature, through love-based environmental education. From intimidation to love, love-based environmental education focuses on enhancing public environmental awareness through inculcating love, respect, and gratitude toward nature, thereby helping to solve present and future environmental problems and construct an eco-friendly world.Love-based environmental education is richly embedded in Eastern philosophies such as Taoism and contemporary Western eco-ethics. In this article, we synthesize the tenets of love-based environmental education mainly through the lens of Taoist philosophy, discuss implementation approaches, and explore contemplative methods to cultivate connection with nature. Finally, we point out fear-based and love-based environmental education are not mutually exclusive. We need a combination of, or a diversity of approaches to ensure that we effectively change attitudes and behaviors of people. (shrink)

When it comes to Chinese transformational leadership behavior, the focus seems to be Confucian work value; nonetheless, it represents only one of the Chinese traditions. In order to have a better understanding the relationship between Chinese traditional values and transformational leadership behavior, Taoist work value should also be taken into consideration. Thus, this study firstly develops Confucian and Taoist work value scale (study 1) and then applies this scale to examine its relationship with transformational leadership (study 2). The results show (...) that while Confucian work value is the most consistent predictor of core transformational leader behavior and high-performance expectations, Taoist work value is the most consistent predictor of intellectual stimulation. (shrink)

In the history of Chinese ethical thought, “Laozi” is a thinker who has been the subject of much debate while is still not received a universal consensus. There is no certainty as to what era “Laozi” was from, or whether “Laozi” was his work. The only reliable source for the study of Laozi’s life is Sima Qian’s “Shi Ji—Lao Zhuang Shen Han Lie Zhuan”. However, this article is only a record of different accounts of the time, which in itself is (...) full of contradictions and poses many difficulties for our research. From the accounts of Laozi in the article, it can be concluded a general idea of Laozi’s life as follows. (shrink)

In the author’s previous contribution to this journal (Rosen 2015), a phenomenological string theory was proposed based on qualitative topology and hypercomplex numbers. The current paper takes this further by delving into the ancient Chinese origin of phenomenological string theory. First, we discover a connection between the Klein bottle, which is crucial to the theory, and the Ho-t’u, a Chinese number archetype central to Taoist cosmology. The two structures are seen to mirror each other in expressing the psychophysical (phenomenological) action (...) pattern at the heart of microphysics. But tackling the question of quantum gravity requires that a whole family of topological dimensions be brought into play. What we find in engaging with these structures is a closely related family of Taoist forebears that, in concert with their successors, provide a blueprint for cosmic evolution. Whereas conventional string theory accounts for the generation of nature’s fundamental forces via a notion of symmetry breaking that is essentially static and thus unable to explain cosmogony successfully, phenomenological/Taoist string theory entails the dialectical interplay of symmetry and asymmetry inherent in the principle of synsymmetry. This dynamic concept of cosmic change is elaborated on in the three concluding sections of the paper. Here, a detailed analysis of cosmogony is offered, first in terms of the theory of dimensional development and its Taoist (yin-yang) counterpart, then in terms of the evolution of the elemental force particles through cycles of expansion and contraction in a spiraling universe. The paper closes by considering the role of the analyst per se in the further evolution of the cosmos. (shrink)

본 논문은 맹자의 철학사상에 나타나는 貴民과 保民의 養民論을 노자사상에서 강조되 는 온전한 삶을 위한 생의 보존의식에 관한 生民論과 연계하여 살펴보고, 그 사상적 연원 의 관계성 속에 나타나는 民意의 生民論에 대한 노자와 맹자의 사상적 同異性을 고찰하는 것을 목적으로 한다. 일반적으로 춘추말기, 전국시대를 배경으로 하는 맹자는 양주와 묵적에 대한 비판의식을 토대로 도가사상에 대립하는 사상을 피력한 사상가로 인식 된다. 이 점에서 맹자의 철학사상 에서 강조되는 貴民과 保民의 養民論은 도가사상에서 강조되는 온전한 삶을 지향하는 貴己의 全生과 생명에 대한 보존의 의식이 표명되는 重生과 무관한 별개의 것으로 (...) 이해하는 학문 경 향이 있다. 하지만 백가쟁명의 시대로 대변되는 전국시대 묵적과 양주에 대한 맹자의 비판은 노자와 장자로 대변되는 도가사상에 대한 비판과 직접적인 연관성을 갖지 않는다. 더욱이 맹 자의 사상체계에서 강조되는 仁政과 王道政治의 실현은 물질주의가 가지는 사회의 폐단에 대 한 비판인 동시에 대국의 형성을 위한 폭력적 권력에 대한 견제의 내용을 가진다. 이 점에서 맹자는 인간 본원의 진실된 마음이 발현된 德治를 仁政과 王道의 실현을 위 한 君의 중요한 덕목으로 삼고, 인간 본연의 진실된 마음이 상호교류 하는 공동체의 삶을 역설한다. 그리고 이것은 온전한 삶(全生)과 생명의 의식(重生)을 토대로 하는 노자의 小 國寡民의 정신과 내용적으로 상통하는 의미를 갖는다. 그러므로 본 논문은 노자와 맹자사상에게 강조되는 養民의 의미에 대한 비교분석을 통 해 맹자의 養民論에 대한 도가적 해석의 개연성을 확보한다. 그리고 이것은 맹자의 사상체 계에 기능하고 있는 도가적 사유방식의 기제를 모색하는 과정이기도 하다. (shrink)

Preface -- Introduction -- The wisdom -- Family -- Education -- Warfare -- The Dao -- Government -- Sagehood -- Death.

This theoretical article explores the convergence of Eastern philosophical traditions, particularly Taoist water wisdom, with Indigenous knowledge systems to propose a conceptual framework for situationally grounded and ethically reflective artificial intelligence (AI) integration in organisational contexts. Through a narrative literature review spanning Eastern philosophy, Indigenous knowledge traditions, and AI implementation research, we advance a “Water Wisdom” framework that offers alternative perspectives to prevailing Western cultural logics of technological transformation. The theoretical synthesis articulates five interrelated principles that guide situated pathways of (...) organisational AI integration: yielding as strength, following natural pathways, adaptive persistence, reflective stillness, and transparent clarity. This work contributes to expanding cross-cultural perspectives in AI scholarship by centring non-Western philosophical traditions and furnishes conceptual tools for reimagining organisational relationships with AI technologies beyond current instrumentalist models. (shrink)

The theme of this paper is that while there are four seemingly contradictory classes of statements in the Tao de Ching regarding moral values and the Taoist sage, these statements can be interpreted to be consistent with each other. There are statements which seemingly state or imply that nothing at all can be said about the Tao; there are statements which seemingly state or imply that all value judgements are relative; there are statements which appear to attribute moral behaviour to (...) the Taoist sage and there are statements which appear to attribute amoral or immoral behaviour to the Taoist sage. A consistent interpretation of these different statements can be found first by qualifying the assertion that the Tao is not capable of description to the less absolute assertion that nothing absolutely true can be said about the Tao; second, by arguing that the statements that appear to make all values relative refer to the correlativity of concepts, not the equality of values. Moreover, since the statements that appear to attribute moral behaviour to the sage are, by virtue of their predominance in the text, well justified and that by virtue of their paucity in the text, it is plausible to seek an alternate interpretation for the statements that seem to attribute amoral or immoral behaviour to the sage. Finally, the way in which the sage can be seen as good without attributing goodness to the Tao is by distinguishing between the way the sage appears to the observer who is outside of the Tao and the way in which the sage appears to himself. This latter distinction takes the form of the sage as appearing to display the quality of goodness in itself but not goodness for itself. (shrink)

This book, first published in 1980, comprises separate sections on Taoist and Buddhist contemplative yogas, each divided into a theory part and a practice part.

Discusses the pertinence of philosophical Taoism to psychological research by examining the Taoist ideas about conflict resolution in human interaction. According to Taoism, the ultimate goals of people consist of realizing harmony with one another and achieving consonance with nature. People can attain interpersonal harmony by understanding the significance of Tao and how human behavior is regulated by the interaction of 3 systems at the universal, interpersonal, and intrapersonal levels. 2012 APA, all rights reserved).