Taoism is one of the hundred schools of thought among the Chinese princes, and one of the ten schools of thought, represented by Laozi, Liezi and Zhuangzi in the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period. It is generally believed that Lao Tzu should be the ancestor of Taoism who can be tested in substance.
Daoist thought gradually took shape in the pre-Qin period, mainly influenced by the political and cultural background of the society at that time. At that time, the princes of various countries competed for hegemony and wars were frequent, and people began to reflect on the pain and suffering caused by war, and began to think about what kind of life human beings should pursue.
In Taoist thought, the most central concept is the Tao, which is regarded as the root of the universe and the essence of existence. Tao is a kind of existence that transcends human beings, is the origin of all existence, is not limited by time and space, and does not have any form of limitation or limitation. In the Taoist view, human beings should pursue and follow the Tao and integrate themselves into the great harmony of the universe. To this end, Taoism emphasizes the idea of "rule by inaction", that is, not to interfere too much with the operation of nature and human society, but to let nature and society function naturally as much as possible.
Taoist thought holds that the universe is made up of the infinite, eternal, mystical Tao, which is the root and essence of all things. Taoists believe that one should pursue oneness with the Tao in order to achieve peace of mind and inner harmony.
One of the core concepts of Taoist thought is "rule without action" (wú wéi ér zhì), also known as "the way to rule without doing" or "the idea of rule without action". Wu Wei refers to not acting recklessly, "Man is the law of the earth, the earth is the law of the sky, the heaven is the law, and the Tao is the law." ”。 The growth of trees is one of the manifestations of the laws of nature, and it is impossible to blossom and bear fruit without the right time, place and people; If it is forced to grow, or grow quickly, or produce results quickly, it is all in vain.
"Dao" is the main category of Lao Tzu's thought. Dialectical thinking is the essence of Lao Tzu's thought. In Lao Tzu's view, there are two contradictory and opposing aspects of everything, and they are interdependent and mutually transformative. Blessings lurk in disguise. "If the thing is strong, it will be old" and "if the wood is strong, it will be broken" is a universal law, so Lao Tzu advocates "to the extreme, to keep quiet".
Lao Tzu is good at using "water" as a metaphor, suggesting that people should learn the weakness of water. "The world is weaker than water, and the strong can win." Overcoming rigidity with softness, Taijiquan is the best representative. As a derivative of Taoist culture, Tai Chi draws on the essence of Lao Tzu's thought, and every move and style reflects the weakness and tranquility in Taoist thought.
The main object of the Taoist discourse on "non-action" and "indisputability" is the ruler of power, and he is the king of a strong country.
There is a core in the thought of "Lao Tzu", called "less selfishness and few desires", so that the kings of the most powerful countries "have less selfishness and few desires", and let these rulers not inflate themselves and not be insatiable, it will be beneficial to the world at that time.
Taoism is different from Taoism, Taoism is a school in the history of Chinese philosophy, and Taoism is a religion, but there is a connection between the two, the core category of Taoist thought "Tao" is inherited and transformed by Taoism, the founder of Taoism Lao Tzu was shaped by Taoism as Taishang Laojun, "Tao Te Ching" and "Zhuangzi" are not only Taoist classics, but also become the "true scriptures" of Taoism.