IBWR vocab (Daoism)

Alchemy

creation of or self-cultivation of elixirs which help align the body with the Dao

Dao (Tao)

literally the way. The unified universal principal of the universe

Dao De Jing

main scripture of classical Daoism

De (Te)

charismatic virtue. The basic quality or character that enables a thing to be what it is and do what it is

Five Marchmounts

five sacred peaks in Daoism

Fu

the idea that everthing originated from and goes back to the Dao

Gui spirits

earthly yin spirits, generally ill-disposed and unpredictable

Eight immortals

legendary Daoist who harnessed their qi to perfection using both types of alchemy

Li

ritual

Pu

uncarved block-Daoist symbol of natural perfection

Qi (ch’i)

vital energy that is held to animate the body internally and is of central importance in some Eastern systems of medical treatment (such as acupuncture) and of exercise or self defense (such as tai chi)

Sage

Daoist priest of leader

Shen spirits

heavenly yang spirits, usually kindly

Tai Di

the supreme ultimate- a perfect, absolute, infinite state of being

Tai Chi (Taijiquan)

soft martial art used to practice internal alchemy

Tian

heaven or sky (aka the trancendent)

Wu Wei

not forcing; inaction or taking no contrary to nature

Wu Xing

five-fold conceptual theme to explain the nature of the world and interaction within it

Xian

immortal or transcendent

I Ching (Yijing)

books of changes, an ancient Chinese manual of divination based on eight symbolic trigrams and sixty-four hexagrams, interpreted in terms of the principles of yin and yang. It was included as one of the “five classics” of Confucianism

Yang

the active male principle of the universe, characterized as male and creative and associated with heaven, heat, and light

Yin

the passive female principle of the universe, characterized as female and sustaining and associated with earth, dark, and cold