Chapter 9 - Daoism

daodejing (“scripture on the way and its virtue”)

most influential text in Daoist history and one of the world's most frequently translated books, traditionally attributed to Laozi

Laozi ("Old Master")

legendary figure credited with writing the Daodejing, revered in his deified form as Lord Lao

Lord Lao

Laozi divinized as the personification of the Daodejing

Zhang Daoling

founder of the first known Daoist organization, the Celestial Masters, which continues today

Dao ("Way")

Ultimate Reality and its manifestations in everyday life, the preexisting source of everything in the cosmos, and the process through which everything in it is transformed

qi

key Chinese concept variously translated as breath, vital energy, life force

yin and yang

key Chinese concept in which two complementary principles interact with one another to create individual, societal, and cosmic change

registers

heavenly records used in Celestial Masters rituals; these documents identify individual Daoists by name and rank and list the supernatural beings to whom they can appeal for help

Orthodox Unity (Zhengyi)

household tradition and one of the two main Daoist schools today; successor to the Way of the Celestial Masters and an example of ritual-focused "shrine Daoism"

Complete Perfection (Quanzhen)

monastic tradition founded in the twelfth century by Wang Zhe; now one of two main Daoist schools, represented largely by its Dragon Gate lineage

tai chi (taiji quan)

Chinese martial art that features slow, circular movements; though widely associated with Daoism, it is a broader Chinese practice

qigong

umbrella term for energy-based slow exercises and breathing techniques first popularized in 1950s China; Falun Gong is an offshoot

feng shui ("wind and water")

once a method to determine the best placement of a grave, now used to find sites for homes and to place objects inside homes

external alchemy (waidan)

early Daoist practice that attempted to create an elixir of immortality out of dangerous metals and minerals

internal alchemy (neidan)

interiorization of older external alchemical processes in which the elixir of immortality is manufactured inside the human body via meditation and visualization

immortal (xian)

central exemplar of the Daoist tradition, distinguished by long life and superpowers achieved through self-cultivation techniques

Three Pure Ones (Sanqing)

highest and most popular Daoist gods, traditionally depicted together: Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning, Celestial Worthy of Numinous Treasure, and Celestial Worthy of the Way and Its Power

Queen Mother of the West

popular ancient Chinese divinity and overseer of her fellow goddesses who predates Daoism but is widely associated with it

de

power or virtue; those who attain the Dao are said to attain this power and this virtue

wuwei ("nonaction")

sometimes translated as "inaction," but better understood as spontaneous, effortless, or nonintentional action, like water running downhill

Zhuangzi ("Master Zhuang")

Daoist sage credited with writing the humorous and enigmatic book of stories also known as the Zhuangzi

Celestial Masters (Tianshi)

first major movement of organized Daoism; a householder tradition emphasizing communal rituals founded in the second century ce by Zhang Daoling and now called Orthodox Unity

libationer

Celestial Masters priestly officiant who employs celestial registers to draft petitions to the gods

Highest Clarity (Shangqing)

also called "Supreme Purity," a fourth-century movement that pushed Daoism away from laboratory alchemy toward meditation and other self-cultivation techniques

Wang Zhe

founder of the Complete Perfection movement and one of its patriarchs